A Hornchurch nursery has been rated satisfactory in its latest Ofsted report.

Scallywags, in Suttons Lane, was previously inspected in January, and received a “good rating” but in a report published last week after another unannounced inspection they were told to improve.

The report said that children form secure attachments with staff and are ready to learn; staff help children to develop an understanding of healthy lifestyles; and partnerships with parents work well to support children’s routines and development.

But Ofsted said the nursery was not yet rated as “good” because staff “do not always provide children with opportunities to develop their own ideas” because they do not provide sufficient additional resources to help children to use their own imaginations.

The inspectors added that staff do not always help children to think their ideas through or make connections as staff do not use “effective questioning techniques” to support their development.

And they said that children’s behaviour was not supported as unexpected changes in routines such as where they eat breakfast made them feel uncertain.

The report said that some staff support children’s communication and language well, for example, “they ask children questions about what they are doing as they play together,” but said this was not consistent throughout the day as “some staff miss opportunities at lunchtimes to talk to children”.

Staff were praised for the way they support children who speak English as an additional language as they learn key words in children’s home languages and to help them learn the English equivalents.

Praise was also given to the high standards for staff and “rigorous” recruitment procedures, which ensure all new staff are thoroughly checked prior to working with children.

Inspectors have asked the nursery to work towards a “good” rating by developing an educational programme for arts and design to encourage children to use their imaginations and to be more creative; using good questioning techniques; and to develop mealtime routines for the older children to help their social care, communication and independence by serving themselves.