Pupils ‘strapped to naughty chair’ at trendy nursery

A FASHIONABLE nursery has been suspended by Ofsted over claims that a staff member used a ‘strap chair’ to restrain misbehaving children.

Lamb Setts Nursery in Sheffield, which follows the Montessori system, has closed its doors while allegations raised by parents are investigated.

One mother says her daughter told her about a chair with a wrist strap that was used to ‘get children to behave’.

This would be in direct contravention of Montessori values, which emphasise freedom of movement.

Well-off parents compete for around 5,000 Montessori places at 600 nurseries all over Britain, with many signing up up their children at birth. Prince George attended the Westacre Montessori School near Sandringham.

The Lamb Setts mother, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: ‘When I asked my daughter, she said, “I’m a good girl so I don’t go in the strap chair”.

‘She said she’d seen another child who had been naughty get strapped in the chair and prevented from playing or having their snack.

‘She said the strap was kept in a drawer and had been taken out and used as a threat.’

But in a letter to parents, manager Christy Bakewell said using restraints was ‘not Lamb Setts policy’. She added: ‘We are a Montessori setting and do not have a naughty chair, naughty corner or anything of that nature. We do not even use the word “naughty”.

‘Some children with special needs may need to sit on a chair with baby safety reins, or use a safety wrist strap. But this would be an agreed strategy used as part of their care plan and discussed with parents.

‘If any member of staff was acting outside of this policy they would be doing so without our knowledge or consent and I would find this type of behaviour totally unacceptable.’

Ofsted said Lamb Setts had notified it of the allegation and had been suspended ‘to allow time to investigate our belief that children may be exposed to a risk of harm and for any necessary steps to be taken to eliminate or reduce the risk.

‘We will regularly review the situation and will lift the suspension if we believe children are no longer at risk.

‘We are continuing with our investigations. The provider is still registered with Ofsted.’

The Montessori method, developed in the 1900s by Italian doctor Maria Montessori, is a child-centred philosophy that lets children learn from working on their own rather than by direct instruction. Moving freely around the classroom is a key part of the system.

Research has shown that fiveyear-olds who attenf a Montessori school are better prepared for reading and maths.