Creche Inspection Reports

Dundrum Montessori School

Full Day · 2 - 6 Years · Dublin 14, Dublin · Tusla ID TU2015DR095 · Registered since 1 January 2026

An inspection records what inspectors saw on one day; services respond with corrective actions — how to read this.

2published inspections
3non-compliances at latest report read
0immediate action notices
0registration conditions

Inspection of 21 June 2024 — Inspection Report

Full report (PDF, Tusla)

Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment

  • (a) (b) There was no evidence to show that 1 reference retrieved for a staff member had been appropriately verified by the registered provider. (d) International Police vetting was not available for 1 adult who required it. (3) The procedures specified in paragraph (2) of regulation 9 were not completed prior to 2 of the staff members commencing work in the service as detailed above. The corrective and preventive actions submitted by the registered provider following the last inspection of the service on the 17th October 2023 did not prevent the re-occurrence of the non-compliances identified under Regulation 9(2)(a)(b)(d) and (3)
Provider's corrective action:
  • (a)(b) The unverified reference for one employee has been verified by the referee by email. (d) Application for International Police vetting for one employee has been submitted through the relevant embassy. (3) An Assistant Manager commenced employment in Dundrum Montessori on the 4th June 2024 to support the Manager with the recruitment process and documentation of new staff to guarantee that all police vetting and references are verified prior to an new employee commencing in the service

Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child

  • 1. Children were observed seated for a prolonged period of time in the Montessori 1 room from 11:30am to 12:29pm in an adult led circle time. During this time children were observed to become disinterested and move around in their chairs standing up and asking to use the bathroom. Staff members were observed repeatedly asking the children to sit down during this time. This may negatively impact on the wellbeing of a child. 2. A designated rest area was not available in the Montessori 4 room on the day of inspection for children to lie down, rest, or take time away from the group if desired. Although materials were available to make a rest area in the Montessori 1 room, these materials were not laid out in a designated rest area and were stored in a basket in the care room
Provider's corrective action:
  • 1. On 3/7/2024 the manager conducted a team meeting with M1. The feedback from the Tusla inspection was shared, reflected on and discussed. An article on child led environment was read and discussed as to how this should be implemented in the daily Montessori School routine. The duration of circle time was discussed, and how alternative activities should always be available to children which are age and stage appropriate. The service discussed how this should be implemented. Teachers were reminded to be alert and tuned into the children’s level of engagement and interest. Internal Audits to be carried out on a term basis on class daily routines by the management team to guarantee that routines have a balance between child led and adult led activities, to guarantee that teachers offer the children choices and/or offer alternative activities which are appropriate to the child’s age and stage of development at all times. 2. Rest areas will be in place when school recommences in September 2024. New materials have been purchased including rugs, cushions and nap/rest mats and blankets. Designated rest areas will now be permanent areas in each room. The practice of removing them will no longer be acceptable. Rest areas will be permanently laid out in a designated area in each room fully accessible to all children at all times

Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child

  • Infection Control: 1. The bins used for disposal of waste in the Montessori 1 room were not pedal operated posing a risk of cross contamination. Staff members and children were observed repeatedly handling the bin lids to dispose of waste. Administration of Medication: 2. During the inspection, a staff member was observed administering a prescribed medication to a child. There was no second staff member witnessing the medication being administered to ensure the correct dose was given and no documentation completed to record the administration of the medication. This posed a potential risk of harm to the child should the incorrect dose of been administered, or the child’s parents/guardians not being informed and reviewing a record of what the child had been given. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
  • Infection Control: 1. A pedal bin has been purchased and installed in M1. All rooms now have pedal bins. Monthly health and safety audits to be carried out by the management team to ensure all bins are in good working order and pedal operated in every room. Administration of Medication: 2. On 3/7/2024 the manager conducted a team meeting with M1. The feedback from the Tusla inspection was shared, reflected on and discussed. The School Medicine Policy and Asthma Policy was shared and read through by the manager and staff in attendance. Retraining was given on the medicine policy and accurate and concise completion of the school medicine form by parent and staff. Manager to be kept informed and updated at all times regarding all administration of medication. All staff to be retrained in administration of medication in August 2024

Found compliant: Regulation 11, 15, 25, 29, 30.

Inspection of 17 October 2023 — Inspection Report

Full report (PDF, Tusla)

Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment

  • (a)(b) • There were no references on file for one of the staff members. • Two references on file for four of the staff members and one reference on file for one staff member had not been appropriately validated. (d) • International police vetting was not available for three adults who had lived outside the state for a period exceeding 6 months as an adult. (3) Documentation reviewed evidenced that the procedures outlined under Regulation 9(2) had not been carried out prior to of the ten adults commencing employment in the service as follows: • There were no references on file for one of the staff members as outlined above. • A Garda vetting disclosure was not obtained prior to one adult commencing employment in the service and working directly with the children. • International police vetting was not available for three adults who required it as outlined above
Provider's corrective action:
  • The registered provider provided the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action
  • Two references are now on file for all staff member and have been validated. The service will ensure references are on file and validated prior to employees commencing work in the service. (d) International police vetting has now been obtained for the three adults. This will be on file prior to an employee commencing work in the service moving forward
  • The service will ensure correct vetting documents are obtained prior to employees commencing work in the service

Regulation 10 — Policies, procedures etc. of pre-school service

  • Although an infection control policy was in place in the service, the policy did not detail all necessary procedures to be followed in the service to protect staff and children from transmission of infections as follows: • The safety and infection control requirements for nappy changing were not detailed in the policy. No separate document outlining the procedures in place for nappy changing was available in the service, despite nappy changing occurring in the service on the day of inspection
Provider's corrective action:
  • The registered provider provided the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action A nappy changing policy and associated procedure is now in place in the service and staff members have been trained accordingly

Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child

  • Designated rest areas were not available in the care rooms on the day of inspection for children to lie down, rest, or take time away from the group if desired
Provider's corrective action:
  • The registered provider provided the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action Rest areas are now available in the service

Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child

  • Infection Control: Some practices were observed which were at variance with the infection control policy in place in the service and posed a number of infection control risks as outlined below. 1. The children’s sanitary area outside the Montessori 5 room required a deep clean. Accumulations of dirt, dust, and debris were noted on surfaces and areas of the flooring on the day of inspection. 2. In the Montessori 4 and 5 rooms perishable food items contained in children’s lunch boxes were not appropriately refrigerated prior to consumption. Lunch boxes which were taken in from home remained at room temperature within the care rooms until lunch time posing a risk of gastrointestinal illness. 3. Children’s belongings including coats and school bags were stored in the sanitary area outside the Montessori 2 room posing a risk of cross contamination. 4. Waste was not managed appropriately in some of the care rooms and sanitary areas. The pedal operated bin in the children’s bathroom at Montessori 5 was broken and the bins in use in the Montessori 1 room were unlidded and accessible to the children posing a risk of cross contamination. Action submitted by the Registered Provider The registered provider has provided the following response:
Provider's corrective action:
  • Infection Control: 1. The sanitary area has been deep cleaned, and the pipe work has been boxed in by school caretaker. Dirt and debris have been removed on surfaces. 2. A fridge has been purchased for perishable food items. 3. Coat hooks and bag hooks have been removed completely from sanitary area to outside the sanitary area. 4. The bins have been replaced with new pedal operated, lidded bins

Regulation 25 — First aid

  • An adult trained in First Aid Responder (FAR) training was not available in the service at all times during the opening hours of the service on the day of inspection
Provider's corrective action:
  • The registered provider provided the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action Two employees have now completed FAR training. The service will ensure sufficient staff are trained to cover the opening hours of the service

Regulation 29 — Premises

  • The service was not adequately heated on the day of inspection. In a number of care rooms and sanitary areas, temperatures were noted below the required range of 18 - 22°Celsius as outlined below. Children were observed at times dressed inappropriately for these temperatures wearing t-shirts in the care rooms and undressing to use the toilet or change clothes in the bathroom area. Room Temperature noted Montessori 4 14.1°Celsius Montessori 5 14.7°Celsius Montessori 5 sanitary area 14.9°Celsius Montessori 1 16.4°Celsius
Provider's corrective action:
  • The registered provider provided the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action Digital thermometers have been added to rooms. Parents have been reminded about appropriate clothing. If required, we have additional clothing and we will dress children appropriately. Thermometers have been added to monitor room temperature

Regulation 30 — Minimum space requirements

  • An adequate amount of floor space was not available in the Montessori 5 room on the day of inspection for the 13 children in attendance from 1pm. A review of attendance records demonstrated that 13 children attend the care room in the afternoons from 1pm aged 2 and 3 years requiring a minimum of 30.55 square metres where only 20.24 square metres is available
Provider's corrective action:
  • The registered provider provided the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action Montessori 5 is no longer in use for the Montessori Afterschool children. Montessori 3 which is larger room is now used in the afternoons. New room schedule is implemented

Found compliant: Regulation 11, 16, 26, 27, 28.

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