A kids club in Blacon has been forced to close after a damning Ofsted inspection criticised its senior management team.

Kids Community Club, which operates at the Dee Point Centre, has been left with no option but to shut up shop.

Parents were informed on Friday when they picked up their children they would need to make alternative arrangements as there was no manager remaining to run the club.

An Ofsted report shows how the club in Blacon Point Road had slipped from requiring improvement in December last year to being rated inadequate across the board.

The document looks at the effectiveness of leadership, quality of teaching, behaviour and welfare and the outcomes for children.

All four areas were rated as inadequate, the lowest possible grading, by the inspector Linda McLarty.

Kids Community Club sign at Dee Point Centre

Immediate future

A message pinned to the door of the centre where the kids club operates states:

“Ofsted have visited today (Friday 4 December) and have issued a suspension notice due to the setting not currently having a manager.

“Ofsted will be writing to all parents to let them know. We will not be able to reopen until we have recruited our new manager.

“Unfortunately this means that we will not be able to open on Monday 7 December 2015. Cheshire West and Cheshire Early Years team will be able to advise on alternative arrangements for children.”

Ofsted's concerns

The Ofsted report goes into detail on how the management of the centre were unaware they were not meeting expected legal requirements or doing enough to keep children safe.

The food served to children was also criticised along with hand washing arrangements being inadequate, which could lead to the spread of infections.

Ofsted raised the following issues in their latest report:

- Many staff lack up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding and child protection issues

- The quality of teaching and key person system does not always provide children with a firm foundation for future learning

- A crying baby was not soothed or spoken to enough to comfort or distract them while their nappy was changed

- A climbing frame without adequate safety mats was left, with children continuing to use it

- Childrens hours of attendance were not accurately recorded

The Dee Point Centre itself is praised by Ofsted for providing a good venue for children to learn in.

Ofsted issued a nine-point action plan for management to implement immediately after the inadequate-rated report was issued.

About Kids Club

Kids Community Club has been run since 2005 by the Blacon Community Trust.

More than 150 children currently attend the club, with 81 of them in the early years group.

The club serves the local community from 7.45am to 6pm on Mondays to Fridays.

Board's response

Pam Bleasdale, chief executive of the Blacon Community Trust, expressed her disappointment with the report.

She said: "BCT is a registered charity, which provides nursery care, wrap around provision and summer playschemes in an area of low income and high welfare households.

"Our services help support parents into work, education and training. We are encouraged by the positive comments made by parents, however we are disappointed at the outcome of the Ofsted inspection.

"We acknowledge the issues raised and have responded immediately by implementing an improvement plan.

"We are also seeking the support of the local authority who have been helpful in resolving the situation. We have communicated the situation to parents and have encouraged them to contact the Chief Executive for further information.”

Does your child attend the club? What do you make of the Ofsted report? Let us know in the comments below or you can contact us cheshire.news@trinitymirror.com