BABIES were “left alone in a dark room with no staff, and children did not have access to fresh water”, at a nursery which has been given the lowest possible rating by Ofsted.

The report on Little Stars Day Nursery was published yesterday, and added that there was a “significant risk to children’s safety” while rating the nursery “inadequate”.

It said: “Younger children and babies who become tired are taken upstairs to the baby room sleep area.

“The provider fails to ensure that staff are effectively deployed to supervise sleeping children. Instead, babies and younger children are left alone upstairs in a darkened room, out of sight and hearing of staff. This poses a significant risk to children’s safety. Younger children do not have access to fresh drinking water.

“Their bottles are kept up on a high surface out of reach and not offered during the session.”

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The Little Stars Day Nursery, based in Ness Road, Shoebury, was inspected on December 1. This was its first Ofsted inspection, and at the time there were 27 children registered there, aged between one and four.

Another branch of Little Stars, in Chancellor Road, Southend, was also rated “inadequate” at its most recent inspection.

The report published this week also said: “Staff fail to manage children’s boisterous behaviour, which puts them and others at risk.

“For example, older children frequently run about the pre-school room. They are bored and throw toys.

“Younger children have very limited activities to choose from, which means they also become bored. They push each other over and stand on resources, such as a wooden dolls’ house.”

With regards to safeguarding, inspectors ruled that “arrangements are not effective”.

The report said: “The provider does not have a robust knowledge of the possible signs and symptoms, which may indicate that a child is at risk of harm.”

It adds: “She does not understand the dangers posed to children through radicalisation or drugs. Therefore, she is unable to take appropriate action in the event of a concern about a child in her care.”

The nursery were contacted for a comment.