to want the nursery to do more about this?

[DancingLola]

DS (4) goes to a private nursery using the 15hrs funding, he's been attending for just over a year & loves it. At the beginning of the year the nursery decided they needed to split the older children's room, so put all the children who are funded into a separate group. Since then, I've had to sign the accident form at least 6 times (in 3 weeks!) as he has been hurt by another child. I know it's the same child each time, as DS announces who it was as soon as I arrive to collect him & is understandably upset.

At first I thought it was just a bit of difficulty for the other child settling in, but as time has gone on I've got fed up of there always being something that's happened. The first incident he was hit with a toy, which left him with some scratches and almost a black eye. Then he was bitten on the arm, fortunately the skin wasn't broken but the mark was strong enough to see the individual teeth marks. He's been bitten twice more since, but not as bad as the first. He's also been scratched/pushed over etc.

I went to collect him today to find him sobbing as he'd just literally been hit with a toy by the boy & he now has a big red bump with a scratch on his head. I calmed him down with a cuddle & was talking to the nursery nurse, when the little boy who's been doing this to him threw a book at his back quite hard. The nursery nurse moved him away to sit by her, and seemed embarrassed, but not much else was said. I was going to speak to the manager but she was in a meeting, and we had a doctors appointment to get to so I didn't have much time.

Would it be unreasonable for me to ask them what exactly they are planning on doing to try & prevent my son getting hurt so often by another child, and if it would be possible for them to be in different rooms? The whole time he was in the main room, I think I signed the same amount of accident forms as I've signed the past few weeks - and that was never for him being hit by another child! I know that sometimes children don't get on, and go through hitting/biting phases, but it's hard to be rational about it when it's your child that it's happening to!

So tge other child used to be in tgat room too?

Nothing wrong in asking them what they are doing to keep your child safe tbh though it is probay a phase. There is a girl at dd's nursery who seems to be the one tgat everything stems from, I've began to feel quite sorry for her as she does seem to always get tge blame and I'm not sure it is always her fault.

I get a ton of accident forms. Now i know accidents happen but it is rather irritating me that they seem to think as long as this form has been filled and signed then it is ok.

No the other child wasn't in the main room with DS before, he's either new to the nursery, or just moved up from the younger room. He must be one of the youngest in the group, whereas DS is one of the oldest. I think the problem is this group has a smaller number of children in a smaller room, so they can't easily 'avoid' each other. DS is no angel, but it's hard seeing him so upset, especially after being bitten. Am hoping it is a phase that will pass though!

They group the children according to funding not age????
They need to be addressing the child's behaviour as you have a right for your child to be happy and cared for but he seems to be being picked on. I would ask them what they are doing about it as ignoring clearly does not work. They are being paid to do a job. Check and see if your child is provoking this behaviour but it needs to be monitered.

They are segregating the kids who get "free" places from those who's parents pay the fees? WHAT? Does anyone else find that disturbing?

Yes, do you think the standard of service differs? Very weird thing to do.

I find that disturbing oldmum deeply so!

I couldn't get past the way they have grouped the children

Why have they done this

I work in early years and this whole thing would ring very loud alarm bells for me.

They segregate the children according to how they are funded?? what the actual fuck is that about??

Are you 100% sure that is what they do? Sorry to ask and doubt you, but it just seems an outrageous thing for them to do! How can they be inclusive in all other aspects if they won't even mix the private and state funded children?

As for the hitting/biting etc, I would say that they should have come to you to reassure you and let you know what they are going to do to safeguard your child in future. They shudo have done that after the first or second incident. They should have a specific plan in place to ensure that this child is observed at all times, and they should be writing detailed records of every incident and of what was going on directly before them so that they can identify any triggers for this other child. I wouldn't expect them to tell you everything because of confidentiality, but they should be telling you that there are plans in place and the evidence of that should be that it stops!

What are the staff to child ratios like in the two rooms?

It may be to do with ratios. My private nursery has a ratio of x:1 for 3 - 4 year olds even though the funding only allows for y:1. Can't remember what x & y are (dd is not yet 2 so it doesn't apply yet) but y is significantly greater than x.

I presume dancinglola means that the children are separated by age which means that the older children, who are eligible for funding, are in group and the younger children are in a separate group.