Creche Inspection Reports

Little Learners Montessori

Sessional · 2 - 6 Years · Rathvilly, Carlow · Tusla ID TU2015CW023 · Registered since 1 January 2026

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

4published inspections
3non-compliances at latest report read
1immediate action notices
0registration conditions

Inspection of 19 May 2026 — Inspection Report

Full report (PDF, Tusla)

Immediate action notice. A referral regarding a non-compliance under regulation 26 fire safety measures was sent to the local authority.

Regulation 15 — Record of pre-school child

  • (1) On review of a sample of 12 records of pre-school children attending the service, the following information was not recorded in some of the records presented for inspection. The date on which the child commenced in the service was not recorded clearly on the registration form. A record of confirmation as to whether two children had been immunised or not was not recorded in two registration forms. On one child’s registration form there were no details of whether the child had any medical needs. One registration form had no details of the child’s registered medical practitioner
Provider's corrective action:
  • The registered provider responded with the following corrective and preventive actions. A review of all children’s enrolment records was conducted immediately following the inspection. The missing immunisation record were emailed to me when child was registered. Please find attached the copy of it. The second missing one I did not retrieve from the parent after numerous reminders that I needed it and then it was just forgotten about. I still have not received it. The dates in which the children commence will be recorded more clearly going forward. The Registered Medical Practitioners details for the other child were recorded the very next day after the inspection. Please see photo attached. The Service has implemented a new enrolment record/registration form to ensure all required information is completed before a child’s enrolment is finalised with a checklist at the end making sure everything is received, dated and signed off correctly. Please find attached a copy of it

Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child

  • General Safety: 1.On arrival to the service the inspector observed a photocopier with an electrical cable in the centre of the classroom floor which posed a trip hazard to the children in the service. It is acknowledged that the photocopier was promptly removed by the staff. 2. The inspector observed that the electrical cable of a kettle, stored on a narrow shelf could potentially be reached by the children and pulled down upon a child causing a physical injury. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
  • General Safety: The following response was submitted by the registered provider. This had been temporarily left on the floor momentarily as all the children were outside on this day. It was promptly removed as staff was aware of it being a hazard. It has since then been left out of reach of children making sure that children cannot reach cables or printer. On the day of this inspection, the inspector recommended an office space where all office material will be stored safely away from the children. Work will be carried out during the summer break, a space will be turned into an office space for electrical supplies and files for staff only, where a stair gate is going to be used so children cannot access. All electrical equipment was removed straight away. This equipment was left here temporarily, none of it had been used as it was just brought to the service, it has all been stored away safely until safety shelving and storage space in the kitchen area is carried out in the summer. When the work is carried out, I can take a photograph as proof and send it to you. Removing equipment to safety and been more careful of visible cables and wires are out of reach of children and not been hazardous to any person in the premises

Regulation 26 — Fire safety measures

  • (b) While a record of the maintenance of the firefighting equipment was maintained and last recorded as having taken place in September 2025, the service had not maintained a record of the smoke alarm checks since the last inspection. A referral has been set to the local authority
Provider's corrective action:
  • The following response was submitted by the registered provider. During monthly fire drill checks, smoke alarms are always checked to make sure they are working as we use them to start the fire drill, I did not note this on the monthly fire drill records which I was unaware that I should have. I will make sure that all information is recorded going forward to be compliant. A fire safety contractor visits yearly to service and maintain equipment and smoke alarms

Found compliant: Regulation 9, 10, 11, 17, 25, 27, 28.

Inspection of 10 September 2025 — Inspection Report

Full report (PDF, Tusla)

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

  • 1. The following policies required by Schedule 5 were not available in the service on the day of inspection- Policy on Authorisation to Collect Children, Recruitment Policy, Risk Management Policy. 2. While a Complaints policy was available, it did not detail the procedures for making a complaint, the process of how complaints are managed and responded to, how the complainant is kept informed and the process for storage of complaint records and the timeframe for retention of these records. The registered provider had previously been requested to review the service’s complaints policy on the 25 January 2024 by the Early Years Inspectorate Feedback and Concerns Department, who had also provided the Registered Provider with a guidance document to support with revision of the service’s Complaints Policy. 3. The service’s Policy on Infection Control did not include details of how the registered provider and staff safely managed and stored perishable food in the service or included the exclusion periods for children suffering from an infectious illness from the service. 4. The service’s Policy on Managing Behaviour required expansion on the practices that are prohibited in the service and did not include the procedures for the protection and welfare of children in line with the service’s child safeguarding statement. 5. The service’s Inclusion Policy did not detail how the service recognises and responds to bias or discrimination nor stated how the service ensures that the needs of all children attending are addressed. 6. While a Safety Statement was available, an Accident and Incident Policy was not available setting out the procedures to be followed in the event of an accident and incident involving a pre-school child attending the service occurring. The management, recording of, communication with parents/guardians and post incident risk assessment was not detailed. 7. The service’s Policy on Outdoor Play did not include details of how children are supervised while outdoors, it did not set out the procedure for carrying out risk assessments in the outdoor area or set out the safety requirements of the outdoor area. 8. The service’s Policy on the Use of the Internet and Photographic and Recording Devices did not clearly state that consent is required from parents/ guardians before a child is photographed in the service, it did not detail how images are stored or set out the procedures for storage and retention of images in the service. 9. The staff training policy did not describe the induction process of new staff into the service; it did not detail what ongoing training and professional development was available or detail how staff training records were maintained in the service
Provider's corrective action:
  • The registered provider has responded with the following corrective and preventive actions. Corrective and Preventive Action I have re done all the policies and procedures and have attached them to the email. I will review and make amendments to these policies yearly if not beforehand and keep them up to date going forward. I will also summaries these policies into a parent handbook which I am currently in the middle of doing

Regulation 17 — Information for parents

  • It is acknowledged that the information required to be provided to parents, referred to in regulation (16)(1)(a)-(g), was available in part, in the documents displayed in the service’s entrance hall and on request by informed parents. However, the registered provider did not provide this information to parents/guardians of children proposing to attend the service. Parents were not provided with the documented information outlining the specific details of the service provided, number and qualification details of staff employed to work with the children, facilities available in the service, the type of programme of care available and, opening hours and fees and the necessary policies and procedures that parents should be informed of prior to their child commencing in the service. The only other means of communication with parents was providing evidence of the children’s activities via a media application or by sending each individual child’s learning journal home with the child at the end of each month
Provider's corrective action:
  • I am currently in the middle of designing a parent’s handbook with a summary of the preschool curriculum, policies and procedures, which I will give to all parents before their child begins, I will have copies readily avail on request and copies for display purposes. All parents receive an email with all information regarding their child beginning preschool weeks before their child start. This gives the parents plenty of time to think of any questions or address any concern with the service provider before their child commences. Included in the email is the date for a parent’s coffee morning before children begin preschool, where service providers and staff meet all parents and children. All information is discussed to parents face to face during this time. I have attached this year’s email that the parents received before their child started preschool

Found compliant: Regulation 9, 11, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28.

Earlier inspections

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Alert me when a new report is published · Dated report on this service — €19