The new manager of a kids club is confident it will regain its good status after an Ofsted inspection downgraded it.

Westhoughton Kids Club was recently inspected and marked inadequate, a fall from its previous grade of good.

Although all areas were marked as inadequate, the inspector did find that children are happy and enjoy their time there during the December inspection.

Westhoughton Kids Club, is located in Acorn House on Dams Head Fold and a new manager took over in January and is confident the club will once again be good.

The club provides a school drop-off and pick-up service from several local schools to link with its breakfast and after-school service. It also provides funded early education for two, three and four-year-old children. These sessions are provided between 9am and 3pm, during term times only.

In the report, Inspector Vickie Halliwell said: "Children's safety and wellbeing are not assured.

"Staff knowledge and understanding of child protection matters is very varied.

"This means several staff do not have the necessary safeguarding knowledge and understanding to help keep children safe.

"Additionally, some aspects of risk assessment lack rigour.

"This means staff do not always take sufficient steps to fully minimise all potential risks to children.

"Potential hazards identified by the inspector were immediately removed.

"Furthermore, there are occasions when children are escorted to and from the nursery by staff who do not hold a paediatric first-aid qualification.

"This compromises children's health and well-being in the event of a medical emergency."

The report added: “Despite the identified weaknesses, most children are happy, settled and enjoy their time at the nursery.”

The quality of education for children aged two years and over was described as good.

The report stated: “Children in the toddler and pre-school room benefit from a wide range of well-planned activities and experiences that they enjoy.

“Skilled staff successfully utilise what they know about children's interests and their current capabilities to support and extend children's learning. This helps these children develop some of the skills and knowledge they need for school.”

Parents were said to speak positively about the nursery and say they feel informed about their child's progress and their time at nursery.

A new manager is now in place with Charleen Southern.

Having started her new role at the beginning of January, Charleen said: “We’re all quite upset and disappointed with the grade that we received back in December.

“All the staff here are passionate about the role that they do, and the children’s happiness and wellbeing is the main priority.

 “We’re already making great progress in all of the areas. We’ve taken on board the actions Ofsted have given us and already we’ve made the relevant improvements.

Inspectors are due to return to the club within six months and Charleen is confident that they can turn it around.

She says that all the staff have now completed a level two course in safeguarding - something that the report highlighted was missing previously - and half of the staff have completed a level three.

They also have been holding regular quizzes on the subject and have had “a couple of staff meetings as well to discuss what they’ve learned from the courses they’ve been doing and how they’re going to implement that into their roles”.

Charleen added: “All our parents have been really good. They’re all supporting us all the way.

 “All our children – they’re all happy here.

"They all absolutely love coming in in the morning. They go out with smiles on their faces at the end of the day.

“Like I said, the children’s happiness is our main priority here and all our children are happy, and they are well looked after and cared for and they’re making great learning progress with us here as well.”