Nursery staff 'left toddlers unattended so they could play on the swings themselves'

Nursery staff left young children unsupervised on a climbing frame while they pushed each other on swings, a mother has claimed.

Ruth Knowles, 32, said she was in a play park in Leytonstone with her 18-month-old daughter Florence, when she saw the employees of Sunbeams Day Nursery in Bushwood "larking about like teenagers".

Three staff - all wearing nursery uniforms - were playing on a swing, she claimed, while ignoring a toddler next to them. They were facing away from the play area and could not see any other children.

Mrs Knowles, who took photographs, said another five members of staff sitting at a picnic bench were talking among themselves while young children climbed on the frame.

She said: "I just think you shouldn't be operating a nursery under any circumstances if that might happen."

Mrs Knowles, an actress and PA, estimated the 14 children were aged about 10 months to three years. She claimed one member of staff said they should change the children's nappies but another said: "Shut up, we will only have to change them again before the mothers come at 5pm." She added: "The staff were pushing each other on the swings and the baby who was in the swing was not being pushed.

"The [climbing frame] is designed for under-sevens but it is still far too high for two and three-year-olds to be climbing on their own. It was the nursery I was considering for Florence but I won't now." Mrs Knowles complained to the nursery on Monday.

Its owner, Kim Frisby, said there were nine members of staff looking after 14 children at the play park. She said: "The staff [on the swings] were still in the park, still in the area. They were having a couple of minutes of non-contact time. The ratio of children to staff was maintained at all times. The children are really good at maintaining their own safety as well as us watching them. It is a familiar environment." She added: "It looked awful and I am unhappy about it."

One mother whose child attends the nursery, who did not want to be named, said last night: "It horrifies me. I find that very worrying." Another mother said: "I pay a lot of money for that nursery. It is supposed to be one of the better ones - it is definitely one of the most expensive, and I thought that was because they know what they are doing."

But Vicky Jech, 36, whose two children are at the nursery, said: "Not once have I had any concerns about the care here."

In March 2009 Ofsted received a complaint about the nursery relating to care provided for children. Details are not public, but a report from the watchdog said the nursery looked into the matter and drew up an action plan.