Latest news with #nursery
BBC News
11 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Oxfordshire firefighters respond to blaze in nursery staff room
Firefighters have responded to a blaze at a nursey in County Council's Fire and Rescue Service said it was called to the incident at St Thomas Day Nursery, in Oxford, at 14:21 on Thursday adults and children had evacuated safely after the fire began in a staff room at the nursery, the fire service said three fire engines, from Rewley Road, Slade Park and Kidlington fire station, responded to fire, which has now been extinguished. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, the service added. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Zawya
20 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Taaleem to acquire Kids First Group a leading GCC early-learning education provider
KFG operates a portfolio of highly reputed brands including Redwood Montessori Nursery, Odyssey Nursery, Willow Children's Nursery, Ladybird and Children's Oasis offering four different curricula through 34 nurseries in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha catering to more than 5,000 students, with potential for further growth across the portfolio. This transaction is in line with Taaleem's disciplined and value-driven approach in deploying capital and is expected to contribute strong cashflows to the Group and be financially accretive to Taaleem shareholders. Post-acquisition, KFG will operate as a standalone vertical within Taaleem's portfolio. Mr. Kamil Najjar, the Founder and 5% shareholder of KFG, will oversee the future growth of the group. As CEO, Mr. Najjar and the current management team will continue to leverage their operational expertise and strong track record of successfully growing the portfolio. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to complete in Q4 of Taaleem's financial year 2024/25. Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Taaleem Holdings PJSC (the "Group" or "Taaleem"), a leading provider of K-12 premium education in the UAE, today announced that it has signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement ('SPA') to acquire 95% shareholding in Kids First Group Limited ('KFG'), a leading early-learning premium education provider in the GCC. KFG complements Taaleem's highly sought-after K-12 offering with KFG's network of top-rated premium nurseries. The acquisition is expected to deliver a value-accretive expansion for Taaleem into the high-growth early-learning segment, offering immediate accretion to both earnings and cashflow. KFG operates a diversified network of 34 centrally located nurseries with premium positioning in areas close to business districts and within residential districts in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. It currently serves more than 5,000 students across multiple leading brands. KFG offers four curricula at various price points, enabling the company to offer a tailored education offering that caters to a broad segment of the market. The business is cashflow accretive from day one. KFG offers a unique opportunity for Taaleem to acquire a 'plug-and-play' platform with an impressive track record of delivering and managing high-growth. The transaction is in line with Taaleem's disciplined and value-driven approach in deploying capital. The acquisition will be fully self-funded through a mix of equity and debt and is expected to complete in Q4 of Taaleem's financial year 2024/25, subject to regulatory approvals and other pre-completion conditions. Khalid Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Taaleem, said: 'This acquisition of Kids First Group represents an important next chapter in Taaleem's growth strategy. By expanding further into the early-learning education segment, we are creating a comprehensive educational pathway that supports children from their earliest stages of development through to K-12 education. Kids First Group's proven track record and diverse network of leading nurseries, which receive strong recognition and demand amongst parents, strongly complement our existing market-leading portfolio, while further diversifying Taaleem's offering. This strategic move reinforces our defensive positioning and our commitment to scalable, high-quality education in the region.' Philippe Tapié, Chief Executive Officer of People & Baby Group, said: 'We are very proud to have partnered with Kamil Najjar and of what Kids First Group has accomplished over the years, building a trusted network of premium nurseries that place children's development and wellbeing at the heart of everything they do. As long-standing custodians of KFG, it is a privilege to now entrust its future to Taaleem, one of the region's most respected and forward-looking education providers. We are confident that KFG's legacy will flourish under Taaleem's stewardship and remain thankful to the families, educators, and partners who have supported this journey to date.' Kamil Najjar, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of KFG, said: 'Since its inception, KFG has been built for one unwavering purpose: the well-being and development of the KFG individual child. For over 14 years, this singular mission has guided the Group's growth and success. Today marks an exciting new chapter in KFG's journey. Taaleem's strong educational legacy will enable both organisations to enhance educational standards and accelerate the growth of premium early-learning centres. Together, KFG and Taaleem are committed to setting a new benchmark in early childhood education - preparing children to thrive in an increasingly complex and fast-evolving world, and ensuring they benefit from holistic, world-class learning environments from their earliest years' Following the completion of the acquisition, KFG will be run as a standalone vertical within Taaleem's portfolio, with the existing management, including the company's founder – Kamil Najjar, who continues as a Shareholder with a 5% stake, working with Taaleem's Board of Directors to leverage their deep expertise in the sector and proven track record of delivering sustainable growth and high-quality education. Deloitte Corporate Finance Advisory Limited acted as Financial Adviser and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP acted as Legal Adviser to Taaleem; while Centerview Partners and Linklaters LLP acted as Financial and Legal Advisers respectively to People & Baby Group.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
Woman, 22, convicted of abusing 21 babies at nursery where she worked
A 22-year-old nursery worker has been convicted of abusing 21 babies, including kicking one little boy in the face and stepping on his shoulder during a harrowing campaign of abuse. Roksana Lecka, from Hounslow, admitted seven counts of cruelty to a person under the age of 16 and was convicted of another 14 counts by a jury at Kingston crown court. Her crimes were discovered in June last year after she was sent home for pinching a number of children and appearing 'flustered' at the Riverside Nursery in Twickenham, south-west London, the Crown Prosecution Service said. Detectives from the Metropolitan police went through CCTV from the nursery that showed her pinching and scratching children under their clothes on their arms, legs and stomachs. She pinched several children dozens of times in the course of one day, causing them to cry and flinch away from her, the CPS said. In one incident she kicked a little boy in the face several times. She was also seen to push babies headfirst over cots and cover a toddler's mouth when he started to cry. The Met said she had abused children at two nurseries between October 2023 and June 2024 – one of the counts related to Little Munchkins in Hounslow, with the remainder linked to Riverside, which has since closed. DS Geoff Boye said: 'Footage showed Lecka carrying out multiple assaults on the children in her care which included repeatedly pinching and grabbing children, dropping babies into their cots and, on one occasion, she delivered several kicks to a young boy to the face and stepped on his shoulder.' Lecka told police she smoked cannabis before her shifts, and at one point was seen vaping a metre away from a young baby. DI Sian Hutchings said: 'These families left their children in Lecka's care, trusting her to protect their children as well as the other staff at the nurseries clearly did. 'The footage of her offences against defenceless children was disturbing. 'I would like to praise the strength of the victims' families who have had to sit in court and watch footage of the abuse which Lecka inflicted on their children.' Lecka worked at Riverside Nursery between January and June 2024, with a number of parents reporting unusual injuries and bruising in March and May that year. She will be sentenced at Kingston crown court on 26 September. Senior crown prosecutor Gemma Burns said: 'Lecka repeatedly showed exceptional cruelty in her appalling treatment of these babies. No parent should have to fear leaving their child in the care of professionals, but the sheer scale of her abuse is staggering. 'The CPS put forward compelling evidence that clearly showed her targeting children when colleagues were either out of the room, or had their backs turned. We also called on experts to prove that the injuries Lecka's victims sustained were consistent with pinch marks. 'Lecka was placed in a position of trust and her job required her to provide safety and protection. Instead, she kicked, scratched and pinched these young children, with this vile abuse of vulnerable victims continuing for many months.' A number of parents contacted lawyers after Lecka's abuse emerged. Solicitor Jemma Till, from Irwin Mitchell, said: 'The families we represent are not only deeply shocked but also traumatised by what their children have endured. 'This is sadly yet another devastating case where children have suffered at the hands of someone in a position of trust. 'Whilst Lecka's actions have been stopped, the consequences of those actions are likely to affect families for many years. Nothing can undo what has happened, but it's now vital that lessons are learned and, where appropriate, measures introduced to prevent other children being harmed. 'In the meantime, we're focused on supporting the families and helping them come to terms with Lecka's dreadful actions.' Munira Wilson, the Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham, said it was 'incredibly important that families see justice done and the children get all the support they need to recover from this trauma'. She claimed there was a need for 'urgent reforms to make nurseries and early years settings safe for our children'. She added: 'Nurseries must be subject to no-notice Ofsted inspections where safeguarding concerns can be raised and CCTV footage is reviewed. 'I will be working with colleagues to make sure these tragedies never happen again – every parent should know their child is safe when left at nursery.'
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Cannabis-smoking Montessori nursery worker is emotionless as she is shown injuries she inflicted on babies in her care at £1,900-a-month day care - as she is found guilty
Chilling video footage captured the moment a Polish nursery worker sat expressionless as she was shown the injuries she inflicted on 21 babies in her care at a Montessori day care centre. Roksana Lecka was today found guilty of abusing toddlers at the £1,900-a-month Riverside Nursery in Twickenham, south-west London. During a harrowing campaign of abuse the cannabis-smoking 22-year-old kicked one little boy in the face, stepped on his shoulder, and punched a baby after dragging her out of a cot. Concerned parents first began photographing and reporting unexplained injuries on their children's tiny bodies as early as March last year. They watched in horror in court as jurors were shown Lecka's sadistic attacks, including CCTV footage of her kicking the boy repeatedly in the face. She admitted seven counts of child cruelty - but insisted throughout her trial that she was sleep deprived from smoking cannabis all night with her boyfriend. Lecka denied 17 other charges but a jury at Kingston Crown Court unanimously found her guilty. CCTV footage of Lecka in custody shows her devoid of emotion as officers show her images of the injuries she inflicted on babies. The interviewer asks if she has any idea about the injuries and how they were caused, to which she repeatedly replies: 'No comment'. Even when asked how seeing pictures of the infants made her feel, the nursery worker fiddled with her hair and refused to comment. In another video of her arrest on July 5 last year on police body cam, Lecka smirks as officers tell her she is going to be arrested on allegations of her assaulting children. 'I've heard about that, yeah', she says as she nods her head. Parents wept in the public gallery as the verdicts were read out today, while Lecka was also tearful as she was led away to the cells. Staff noticed the children had been scratched and bruised and Lecka was suspended on June 28, 2024. After watching hours of CCTV and reviewing evidence compiled by parents, Lecka was charged with 24 counts of child cruelty. She admitted seven of the charges against her but denied a further 17. Today after nine hours and 53 minutes, jurors convicted her of 14 of the remaining 17 child cruelty counts and acquitted her of three. She was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on September 26. Judge Sarah Plaschkes KC exempted the jury from future service for the next 10 years. There were gasps from jurors and weeping parents in the public gallery as horrifying footage of Lecka's attacks on toddlers, who were left writhing in agony, was shown during her trial. They saw horrifying CCTV footage of Lecka kicking a boy in the face four times before stepping on his shoulder. The trainers she was wearing were later seized by police. In further footage played to the court, Lecka can also be seen pinching the legs, back and underarm of a young girl who is crying from the pain. There were also clips of her pinching the side of a girl's face and grabbing her hair. She is seen vaping in another clip before grabbing a baby out of a crib and pinching and punching the baby. Lecka was 'looking around' at other members of staff to see who was 'watching these assaults occur', the court heard. But the 22-year-old, who moved to Britain from Katowice in southern Poland when she was three, explained away each sickening act of violence with a chilling nonchalance. She had told the jury: 'I can't remember the things I was doing because I was smoking cannabis that was affecting my memory.' Giving evidence in a smart black suit jacket over a black top, her blonde hair tied back in a neat ponytail, she claimed that an alleged pinch to a boy's stomach was simply a tender hug. A rough yank on a boy's hair was a 'ruffle with my fingers.' A series of violent jabs to another toddler's stomach that left his abdomen black and blue were just 'playful pokes to the side,' she insisted. A baby Lecka smacked twice around the face while puffing on her vape was actually only crying because 'she was distressed having just woken up from a nap'. And a sickening moment when she threw a girl onto a mat had merely been some 'rough handling,' she declared. The former beauty worker changed several pleas to guilty just before her trial begun, having been shown enhanced CCTV that irrefutably illustrated her crimes. She desperately sought to rationalise her behaviour with a series of pathetic excuses, including that she would get 'moody' if she could not smoke her vape at work, did not have enough sleep, was still feeling the effects of cannabis smoked the night before and had been suffering from period cramps. 'At that time I was really addicted to vapes, I would smoke two little crystal disposables a day,' she told the court. 'I was vaping in nursery. Because if I did not smoke I would get agitated and fed up. I couldn't keep asking to go to the toilet. Any opportunity I would take. I would be really moody and fed up. 'It would be a couple of puffs and then I'd put it away… I would put it in my bra.' In the week of her suspension, Lecka claimed she had been 'over-prioritising' her boyfriend. 'I was with my boyfriend every night. I was addicted to him,' she said. In her prepared statement, Lecka denied assaulting any children at the Riverside Nursery. When asked in court if it was a lie, she said: 'I was not lying because I was unaware of what I was doing and the things I was doing, I can't remember the things I was doing because I was smoking cannabis that was affecting my memory.' She added: 'The amount of cannabis I was smoking was still affecting me, in that period of time.' Prosecutor Tracy Ayling told jurors that smoking cannabis and not being able to vape were 'excuses'. She added: 'It is clear her actions are deliberate or at the very least careless, but on most occasions we say deliberate. 'There are, of course, some clips where Ms Lecka - as we put it - keeps going back for more.' Her own evidence was damning of the chaotic environment at Riverside Nursery, part of a prestigious group of educational institutions run by Dukes Education. Lecka admitted she hadn't bothered to complete her online safeguarding modules, and staff turnover was so high that workers were constantly training others while on the job. She said she would frequently take toilet breaks to smoke a vape she kept in her bra, which she was seen on CCTV smoking next to children, and would take cannabis with her boyfriend – sometimes before work. Despite this she was praised by management as a model employee and recalled: 'They had experience with people my age or younger who wouldn't stick to the job or do it properly but [head teacher] Noor one day called me into her office and said I was doing really well, she's really proud of me. 'She had even bought me pink roses. 'She said if I continued to do so well she would sort it for me to do Level 3 childcare courses if it was something I wanted.' That she was held in such high esteem goes some way to explain why staff were for so long unable to link her to the horrific injuries suffered by children in their care – injuries that for months were explained away to parents as innocuous accidents. As consultant paediatrician Dr Stephen Rose told the trial, they should have recognised that wounds including bruised earlobes, torsos and thighs must have been caused deliberately. 'Ears do not get injured or bruised accidentally…if it is a bruise it was caused non-accidentally or deliberately inflicted,' he said. 'The side of the torso is relatively protected by the arm, so it is not an area that is bruised accidentally.' Dr Rose added that marks on a child's thigh had likely been caused on purpose because toddlers who fall backwards land on their bottoms, not their thighs. Lecka, who has two younger siblings, was supported throughout the trial by her mother. The Polish national, who studied beauty at Kingston College and worked as a babysitter, barmaid and at a laser removal clinic before getting her job at the nursery, will be sentenced at a later date. A spokesman from Riverside Nurseries said: 'This has been a distressing case, particularly for the children and families directly affected. Our thoughts are first and foremost with those families. 'Following concerns raised by Riverside Nursery staff, the individual was suspended and ultimately charged with offences against a number of children at the Nursery. Although Roksana Lecka was not convicted on all charges, today's verdict confirms the seriousness of those concerns. 'Situations like this are deeply upsetting and represent a profound breach of trust in a professional. We recognise how difficult this has been, in particular for the children and families directly involved. 'Creating places in which children are happy, safe and able to thrive is our top priority, and we will do everything in our power to protect that.' Gemma Burns, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Lecka repeatedly showed exceptional cruelty in her appalling treatment of these babies. 'No parent should have to fear leaving their child in the care of professionals, but the sheer scale of her abuse is staggering. 'The CPS put forward compelling evidence that clearly showed her targeting children when colleagues were either out of the room, or had their backs turned. 'We also called on experts to prove that the injuries Lecka's victims sustained were consistent with pinch marks. 'Lecka was placed in a position of trust and her job required her to provide safety and protection. Instead, she kicked, scratched, and pinched these young children, with this vile abuse of vulnerable victims continuing for many months.' Lecka will be sentenced on September 26.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Polish worker, 22, at £1,900-a-month Montessori nursery is found GUILTY of attacking 21 toddlers in her care
A worker at a £1,900-a-month Montessori nursery has today been found guilty of assaulting 21 toddlers. Roksana Lecka, 22, has been convicted of 'badly harming' 21 infants at the Riverside Nursery in Twickenham, south-west London, last year. She admitted seven counts of child cruelty, including kicking a boy in the face and punching a girl in the side, justifying this behaviour by claiming she was sleep deprived from smoking cannabis all night with her boyfriend. Lecka denied 17 other similar charges but a jury at Kingston Crown Court unanimously found her guilty today. Parents wept in the public gallery as the verdicts were read out, while Lecka was also tearful as she was led away to the cells. One child was repeatedly kicked in the face by Lecka who even punched a baby after dragging her out of a cot. Concerned parents first began photographing and reporting unexplained injuries on their children's tiny bodies as early as March last year. They watched in horror in court as jurors were shown some of Lecka's sadistic attacks, including CCTV footage of her kicking the boy repeatedly in the face. Staff noticed the children had been scratched and bruised and Lecka was suspended on June 28, 2024. The 22-year-old told her trial she was 'addicted' to vaping and would be 'moody' if she wasn't able to puff on the device during work After watching hours of CCTV and reviewing evidence compiled by parents, Lecka was charged with 24 counts of child cruelty. She admitted seven of the charges against her but denied a further 17. Today after nine hours and 53 minutes, jurors convicted her of 14 of the remaining 17 child cruelty counts and acquitted her of three. She was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on September 26. Judge Sarah Plaschkes KC exempted the jury from future service for the next 10 years. There were gasps from jurors and weeping parents in the public gallery as horrifying footage of Lecka's attacks on toddlers, who were left writhing in agony, was shown during her trial. They saw horrifying CCTV footage of Lecka kicking a boy in the face four times before stepping on his shoulder. The trainers she was wearing later seized by police. In further footage played to the court, Lecka can also be seen pinching the legs, back and underarm of a young girl who is crying from the pain. There were also clips of her pinching the side of a girl's face and grabbing her hair. She is seen vaping in another clip before grabbing a baby out of a crib and pinching and punching the baby. Lecka was 'looking around' at other members of staff to see who was 'watching these assaults occur', the court heard. But the 22-year-old, who moved to Britain from Katowice in southern Poland when she was three, explained away each sickening act of violence with a chilling nonchalance. She had told the jury: 'I can't remember the things I was doing because I was smoking cannabis that was affecting my memory.' Giving evidence in a smart black suit jacket over a black top, her blonde hair tied back in a neat ponytail, she claimed that an alleged pinch to a boy's stomach was simply a tender hug. A rough yank on a boy's hair was a 'ruffle with my fingers.' A series of violent jabs to another toddler's stomach that left his abdomen black and blue were just 'playful pokes to the side,' she insisted. A baby Lecka smacked twice around the face while puffing on her vape was actually only crying because 'she was distressed having just woken up from a nap.' And a sickening moment when she threw a girl onto a mat had merely been some 'rough handling,' she declared. The former beauty worker changed several pleas to guilty just before her trial begun, having been shown enhanced CCTV that irrefutably illustrated her crimes. She desperately sought to rationalise her behaviour with a series of pathetic excuses, including that she would get 'moody' if she could not smoke her vape at work, did not have enough sleep, was still feeling the effects of cannabis smoked the night before and had been suffering from period cramps. At that time I was really addicted to vapes, I would smoke two little crystal disposables a day,' she told the court. 'I was vaping in nursery. Because if I did not smoke I would get agitated and fed up. I couldn't keep asking to go to the toilet. Any opportunity I would take. I would be really moody and fed up. 'It would be a couple of puffs and then I'd put it away… I would put it in my bra.' In the week of her suspension, Lecka claimed she had been 'over-prioritising' her boyfriend. 'I was with my boyfriend every night. I was addicted to him,' she said. In her prepared statement, Lecka denied assaulting any children at the Riverside Nursery. When asked in court if it was a lie, she said: 'I was not lying because I was unaware of what I was doing and the things I was doing, I can't remember the things I was doing because I was smoking cannabis that was affecting my memory.' She added: 'The amount of cannabis I was smoking was still affecting me, in that period of time.' Prosecutor Tracy Ayling told jurors that smoking cannabis and not being able to vape were 'excuses'. She added: 'It is clear her actions are deliberate or at the very least careless, but on most occasions we say deliberate. 'There are, of course, some clips where Ms Lecka - as we put it - keeps going back for more.' Her own evidence was damning of the chaotic environment at Riverside Nursery, part of a prestigious group of educational institutions run by Dukes Education. Lecka admitted she hadn't bothered to complete her online safeguarding modules, and staff turnover was so high that workers were constantly training others while on the job. She said she would frequently take toilet breaks to smoke a vape she kept in her bra, which she was seen on CCTV smoking next to children, and would take cannabis with her boyfriend – sometimes before work. Despite this she was praised by management as a model employee and recalled: 'They had experience with people my age or younger who wouldn't stick to the job or do it properly but [head teacher] Noor one day called me into her office and said I was doing really well, she's really proud of me. 'She had even bought me pink roses. 'She said if I continued to do so well she would sort it for me to do Level 3 childcare courses if it was something I wanted.' That she was held in such high esteem goes some way to explain why staff were for so long unable to link her to the horrific injuries suffered by children in their care – injuries that for months were explained away to parents as innocuous accidents. As consultant paediatrician Dr Stephen Rose told the trial, they should have recognised that wounds including bruised earlobes, torsos and thighs must have been caused deliberately. 'Ears do not get injured or bruised accidentally…if it is a bruise it was caused non-accidentally or deliberately inflicted,' he said. 'The side of the torso is relatively protected by the arm, so it is not an area that is bruised accidentally.' Dr Rose added that marks on a child's thigh had likely been caused on purpose because toddlers who fall backwards land on their bottoms, not their thighs. Lecka, who has two younger siblings, was supported throughout the trial by her mother. The Polish national, who studied beauty at Kingston College and worked as a babysitter, barmaid and at a laser removal clinic before getting her job at the nursery, will be sentenced at a later date. A spokesman from Riverside Nurseries said: 'This has been a distressing case, particularly for the children and families directly affected. Our thoughts are first and foremost with those families. 'Following concerns raised by Riverside Nursery staff, the individual was suspended and ultimately charged with offences against a number of children at the Nursery. Although Roksana Lecka was not convicted on all charges, today's verdict confirms the seriousness of those concerns. 'Situations like this are deeply upsetting and represent a profound breach of trust in a professional. We recognise how difficult this has been, in particular for the children and families directly involved. 'Creating places in which children are happy, safe and able to thrive is our top priority, and we will do everything in our power to protect that.' Gemma Burns, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Lecka repeatedly showed exceptional cruelty in her appalling treatment of these babies. 'No parent should have to fear leaving their child in the care of professionals, but the sheer scale of her abuse is staggering. 'The CPS put forward compelling evidence that clearly showed her targeting children when colleagues were either out of the room, or had their backs turned. 'We also called on experts to prove that the injuries Lecka's victims sustained were consistent with pinch marks. 'Lecka was placed in a position of trust and her job required her to provide safety and protection. Instead, she kicked, scratched, and pinched these young children, with this vile abuse of vulnerable victims continuing for many months.'
