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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that Ofsted will slaughter us?

29 replies

Kyrptonite · 19/02/2013 18:09

Last ofsted was good. This time is possibly going to be awful.

I work in the 2 year old area. There's 4 of us with one who is the 'co-ordinator'. She begged for this role, threatened to quit if she didn't get it etc.

Last October we had to do our reviews. She went off sick for 4 weeks, no reviews were done and folders had very little observations in them. Review time again and she's been off for 2 weeks. No observations in some files and what is in there is not referenced to EYFS, no punctuation, no capitalisation of childrens names and names spelt incorrectly.

I've just picked up the bulk of the folders as the co-ordination and another member of our group have been off for a fortnight. The spelling is awful, the font is massive seemingly to make up for a lack of actual info in them and it just looks awful.

I'm tempted to go through and rewrite everything with references and grammar. This may however make me look petty! Last week I did 8 observations a day so there were actually some in the files. Now I'm doing 15 reviews when I only have 5 key children and no doubt co-ordinator will breeze back into work without anyone saying anything. She also took home our planning folder so I've been winging it for 2 weeks

Rant possibly over!

It's parents evening next week. These parents are going to be wondering what sort of setting their children are in aren't they?

OP posts:

Seabird72 · 19/02/2013 18:12

That sounds awful. I think you should be promoted since you are doing all the work - failing that probably best to start looking around for another job!

FryOneFatManic · 19/02/2013 18:14

Who is your co-ordinator's manager? I reckon you need to go to them and discuss this, giving them the info you've given here. I think your co-ordinator doesn't seem to fit the role.

OHforDUCKScake · 19/02/2013 18:16

For the love of God dont correct her fuck ups or you'll always be doing it.

You sound like you could do her job though, when she gets sacked?

Original poster

Kyrptonite · 19/02/2013 18:17

Manager is my MIL (outs self!). Co-ordinator is a close friend of hers and I go on mat leave at start of summer holidays so they won't see the point in promoting me. I also only work 4 days a week whereas she allegedly does 5.

We have a training day on Monday. I'm going to speak to manager then and show her examples of some of the observations. I'm hoping she's back for parents evenings as I'm too ashamed to sit there whilst a parent looks through some of these folders.

OP posts:

nilbyname · 19/02/2013 18:20

Speak to your EYFS area co-ordinator/advisor. Blow the whistle on this woman, who never mind is making life difficult for you and her colleagues, she is short changing the children and parents. That is the most important thing here. The children are not getting the best.

BlackholesAndRevelations · 19/02/2013 18:22

Never mind you doing all her work (although that is wrong and shouldn't be happening) but what about the quality (or lack) of care and education her key children are having? Ofsted needs to see how badly the place is being run so something can be done about it.

BlackholesAndRevelations · 19/02/2013 18:23

Snap nilbyname

maddening · 19/02/2013 18:37

I think you need a big talk with mil - outline how you have tried to help but it is such a big task as it is so behind - don't worry about your colleague - she is leaving your mil in a lot of mess and potentially fucking up her business - that is beteeen mil and colleague.

Tell mil that you felt you had to bring it to her attention as it could impact her greatly.

maddening · 19/02/2013 18:38

Ps this woman has really put your mil in an awful position - especially being it is her friend I think this woman's actions have risked mil's job as well as her own and in fact all of you if you lose ratings with regard to new business.

maddening · 19/02/2013 18:40

If mil does not listen or tries to cover up for her friend without addressing it with friend then look at taking it further - but that would be gutsy so offer mil chance to sort it out and go from there.

insancerre · 19/02/2013 18:43

I know of one setting that was recently downgraded from outstanding to satisfactory because the children's folders hadn't been updated for 3 months.
I don't think you should be doing other people's work- it's not fair on you or the children.
Speak to the manager and tell her that things need to change.
Do you have supervisions? Somebody needs to tell this woman she is not doing her job properly. Is she on a probationary period at all?

ENormaSnob · 19/02/2013 18:53

I hope ofsted do report it as bad.

It is bad.

This woman is shirking in her duties and letting her colleagues, employers and clients down.

Someone needs to be whistle blowing not covering up her fuck ups and laziness.

Original poster

Kyrptonite · 25/02/2013 21:35

Got into work today and my manager promoted me. I'm now the coordinator with full time hours and get to overhaul our 2 year old area

Hopefully I can repair some of the damage before Ofsted visit!

OP posts:

thislittlewineofmine · 25/02/2013 21:39

Congratulations, that's fab news. Sounds like you really deserve it.

ipadquietly · 25/02/2013 22:12

I think this highlights the ridiculous demands made on underpaid nursery staff. How many fabulous nursery workers have been lost because they feel inadequate when faced with the piles of paperwork?

My ds went to a fabulous family-run nursery just before the academic madness started in the early 90s. The nursery nurses were superb - they looked after the children, played with them and talked to them. They didn't have to write notes or make observations - they just gave 100% of their time to the children. None of the girls had MAs in Childcare or PhDs in How- to- observe- a- 2- year- old - they were just young people who really wanted to work with little children.

Just after the government started to introduce vouchers and the EY profiles, the nursery owner closed down the nursery because of excessive paperwork. The girls lost their jobs and an era of stress-free nursery care ended.

insancerre · 26/02/2013 07:51

congratulations!
ipadquietly- the research consistently shows that qualifications matter. Children do better in settings that have higher qualified staff.
It is a myth that children only need cuddles.
Having a degree does not mean that you can't look after the children, play with them and talk to them.
I have a degree and I understand the theory behind why talking to them and playing with them is so important.
Why would anyone not want their children cared for by a highly qualified professional?
I don't understand.

PessaryPam · 26/02/2013 07:57

Well done Kyrp, nice to see someone getting the appreciation and promotion they deserve.

HorribleMother · 26/02/2013 08:29

If you think that being downgraded from Good to Satisfactory is being slaughtered then I can't comment.

However, I was involved with a preschool that went from Satisfactory to SM and back to Satisfactory. So ime, a bit of font-mismatch and mild grammar mistakes are not enough to put you into SM (I would think of SM as being slaughtered). Some of our paperwork was messy (rubbed out pencil marks, wrinkled bits of well-handled paper, etc.) but as long as it was easy to understand after a minute's study, and contained appropriate up-to-date info, it passed.

I was lectured (previous preschool) about how my bad admin would mean Ofsted would close us down on the spot; I now know that was extreme exaggeration.

Good luck with getting things organised to your satisfaction.

clam · 26/02/2013 08:41

So, is this other woman going to come back form sick leave and find you promoted to her post? Is that even allowed?

TeamEdward · 26/02/2013 08:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MammaTJ · 26/02/2013 08:50

Nice that your hard work is being recognised but I am guessing unless she has given her notice they are now going to have bigger problems.

She is off sick and has been demoted in her absense? Best tell the MIL to brush up on employment law.

BlackholesAndRevelations · 26/02/2013 08:59

Congratulations but I've just re read the op and it does seem that you've been given her role while she's off sick; is that the case?! Ouch if so!!

Sokmonsta · 26/02/2013 09:33

Sounds like my preschool. Ours got absolutely hammered last time.

I have barely seen the manager in the 2 terms my children have been there. There have been no parents evening, no reviews, no notes sent home saying what they were doing etc.

The day following the inspection, we turned up to only one familiar face, bank staff and no manager (sick, and continues to be signed off for a variety of reasons if you believe the rumours). Needless to say with a bunch of crying children and bank staff who did not introduce themselves but hovered at the back of the room, several of the parents took their children home.

It is in your best interests to keep raising the problems, in writing, via email so you have a copy. As you will no doubt be blamed for all the failings once you go on maternity leave and cannot defend yourself.

Original poster

Kyrptonite · 26/02/2013 09:57

She hasn't phoned or even texted in to say she's not coming in for 4 weeks. There's been no contact. So it's a bit different to her having been signed off or something.

OP posts:

clam · 26/02/2013 10:04

Even so.
What steps have been taken to contact her?

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