Nursery Ofsted downgraded from Good to Inadequate. Advice please.

[CloakandDaggerNameChange]

I've name changed as the content below is really identifying.

A few days' ago I received an email from my DS's nursery reporting on the outcome of its recent Ofsted inspection. Everyone was very shocked that it has moved from Good with some Outstanding elements to Inadequate overall.

Now I know that if I was happy with the place anyway (which I am) it shouldn't change anything, but I'd be grateful for some more insight about the areas that need improving and how the lack of them might impact my DS. Are there any concerns you'd have if you were in my shoes? Are there any questions you'd ask the management?

Thanks!

Here are the relevant bits of the email:

Key areas that we have been asked to focus on are:

• Improve progress and assessment of learning for children
  
• Staff to have a clear understanding of behaviour management
  
• Staff to understand and be able to identify the risks by which children may be influenced by extreme views or ideas
  
• Ensure staff update the self-evaluation form to identify weaknesses in setting
  

We would like to share in more detail Ofsted’s findings and along with the actions we are taking which are now well underway and will be achieved by May 2017.

Improve progress and assessment of learning for children
The Nursery will be supported by our Learning and Development (L&D) Manager who will observe the teaching throughout the nursery and provide support and training for the team to develop and improve their teaching

The training and development needs of the team have been identified and the Manager has arranged training and staff meetings to ensure these needs are met. There will be ongoing staff supervision and mentoring to ensure each team member has the development they require to deliver an effective curriculum

The nursery and the L&D Manager are monitoring the children’s progress and working alongside the nursery team to ensure each child is given the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Staff to have a clear understanding of behaviour management
Our Regional Behaviour Manager has already delivered training and support to the team and will continue to support the nursery in this area, support staff and parents.

Staff to understand and be able to identify the risks by which children may be influenced by extreme views or ideas
All staff have already completed training and understand how to identify any concerns

Ensure staff update the self-evaluation form to identify weaknesses in setting
The self-evaluation form is a form the nursery uses to identify areas of improvement and this is currently being updated. Staff also input into the document to ensure the nursery not only identifies weaknesses but improves on them and ensures the nursery progresses. This will be continually updated on a monthly basis.

We are confident we have the actions in place to address the concerns that Ofsted have raised and we know regardless that the children are well cared for within our nursery. Ofsted will re-inspect within 5 months where we hope to achieve a ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ grade.

[MrsT2007]

They have failed on paperwork more than anything else by the looks of things.

As long as you and your child are happy then I'd just carry on regardless

[OlennasWimple]

I agree with MrsT

What matters is how they respond to the shortcomings found in the inspection. Looks as if they are working on the issues with a positive approach

[CloakandDaggerNameChange]

That's encouraging. Thanks for a bit of perspective. My DS is little enough that his care is the most important thing to me. Safe comfortable environment, fed and watered, etc. However, when he's a bit older then I think those developmental issues will be more important.

[TiggyMP]

Improve progress and assessment of learning for children
Bit of a wishy washy statement. Hard to say without hearing details.

Staff to understand and be able to identify the risks by which children may be influenced by extreme views or ideas
Yes. In the baby room you have to watch out for children knocking down brick towers with planes. I did an hour long online training thing. Nothing applicable to nursery age children but it ticked some ofsted boxes. Not a big issue for your nursery.

Ensure staff update the self-evaluation form to identify weaknesses in setting
That could be fixed in a day.

Staff to have a clear understanding of behaviour management
That's worrying. It's something you do more or less constantly throughout the day. You should never be in a position where you can be criticized for that.

Is it part of a big chain? What are the other nurseries like? If they're mostly outstanding then they'll probably take the correct actions and all will be fine.

[insancerre]

It doesn't sound like paperwork issues to me
It sounds more like the manager and staff don't have a clue what they are doing
They haven't trained the staff in the Prevent Duty which is a huge safeguarding concern. The guidance came put neatly 2 years ago
The fact that they need training on behaviour management indicates they are inexperienced or ineffectual in this area. Behaviour management is very important because if you get it wrong then it affects how well children learn and develop
The self evaluation is about recognising the need to reflect and improve, which they obviously haven't done

[WokeUpSmeltTheCoffee]

The Prevent duty is hardly a 'huge safeguarding concern' for a nursery. It's a bit of online training that the government says everyone has to do to prevent radicalisation. Having done it myself it is totally useless at best useless and at worst racist.

I also fail to get excited by a lack of monitoring of the educational progress of babies.

The behaviour management is the only one I would feel was a real concern if it was my child.

[CloakandDaggerNameChange]

OK. Will ask them to especially give me more info about it.

They are part of a chain and having had a quick look, most of the other nurseries are rated as Good, with one on Satisfactory.

[lougle]

They haven't caught up with the need to protect children from radicalisation (Prevent Training). This may or may not worry you. But the training they should have been given/done is a 1 hour session given by DVD, and essentially tells you how to spot radicalisation and that we have a duty to phone a telephone number if we spot it. Preschoolers would be at risk of radicalisation from their parents/close relatives.

Behaviour is the biggy - but again, unless you have concerns about how your child has been treated or is behaving, I would think it isn't too big a problem.

Assessment and learning is about recording what children are doing and why they are doing it, and the progress they are making. So it doesn't necessarily mean that what they are doing with the children isn't good.

I wouldn't be too concerned with that outcome, tbh.

[AveEldon]

The behaviour management would be my only concern

[insancerre]

it is a huge safeguarding concern, which is why the regulatory body have given them an inadequate rating
It is a concern that the management have not trained their staff in this area
It's very widely publicised that ofsted ask staff questions about this
It's a concern that the management have not kept up to date with changes in legislation and their legal obligations.

[HSMMaCM]

Any fail under safeguarding results in a lower grading. Prevent guidance comes under safeguarding and I agree the training is woeful.

Just because their recording system for learning and development is not robust, doesn't necessarily mean their teaching isn't.

Behaviour management could be one issue they noticed on the day (probably where someone was trying too hard for Ofsted), but even if it's a wider issue, it seems they have training planned for that.

If you have any specific concerns, ask to have a chat to a member of staff.

[CloakandDaggerNameChange]

Thanks all. I'm going to make an appointment to have a chat with them now I have a bit more context. I won't report back because any outcomes will be too identifying but I really appreciate your help.