Nursery ratios

[concernedaboutratio]

Was out today and saw a local nursery on a trip to the park. It was a group of 3&4yos (mainly 3yos) 3 adults with 22 children. That seems like a very small number of adults with that many small children out and about. Does anyone know what the ratio should be for trips?
I have a vested interest as my ds will be going there when he turns 3...

I think the indoor ratios have to be maintained so 1:8 but it's been sometime since I worked in a nursery.

The official ratio for children aged 3 and 4 is 1 adult to 8 children, unless one of them is a qualified nursery teacher in which case it is 1:13.

However on a trip I tend to have a 1:4 ratio for peace of mind, I think the official guidance is sketchy! If you are worried I'd ask when you visit! You can always just not give consent for your child to go on these "last minute day outings" which I assume this was.

He won't be going to the nursery for a while anyway. I didn't know the rations but common sense says to me that 5 adults would have been better. The kids were running all over the place.

How did you know they were mostly 3 year olds?
And presumably the point of going to the park is to run about ....?

It is this kind of thing which puts a lot of parents off nursery. Kids that age need more 1:1 in my opinion. You just don't get that with nurseries these days.

Yes. The ratio is 1:8, or 1:13 if they have the relevant qualifications.
I work in a nursery. As I'm working mainly with 2 year olds, we stick to a 1:4 ratio, even when the children in our room turn three. Preschool have a 1:8 ratio, and have 2 staff members with teacher status so on a 1:13 ratio, but only use that ratio if absolutely necessary (staff illness etc)

1:13 for level 3 qualifications and above, otherwise it's 1:8. 3:22 is 1:7.3 which is better than the allowed ratio.

I work in a nursery and the ratios are 1-8 or 1-13 depending on staff qualifications
It's not different for going outside nursery but always have an extra person above the ratios
We actuallvgo out most days and our children are well used to going out and behave accordingly
It would be impossible to take them out if we had a 1-1 ratio and o find it quite incredulous that someone jas suggested that
We wouldn't take them out if we didn't feel safe

I worked for many years in a school with an attached Nursery class, so 3/4 year olds. Our ratio was 1:13 indoors, but if ever the children were off site it was 1 adult for every 2 children. 3:22 seems very risky to me.

@notanothernamechange

My sister-in-law has 3 kids under 3yo (all here!) - is she expected to take on two staff so she can take them to the park?

'hers'! Bloody autocorrect!

redsky I know a lot of the children, only 3+ nursery in the area and most of us know each other. A lot of them had just moved up from the 0-3 nursery my son currently goes to.

And presumably the point of going to the park is to run about ....?

Running on the way to the park next to the road which is what drew my attention as they just didn't look safe. Luckily everyone was fine though and seems as if they were within the legal ratios (although an extra person or 2 might have been better).

I will say that I worked in a nursery that regularly took children out to the big field behind the setting, for quite long walks, and it was hellish with 4 staff to 20+ children - especially as often we had a SN child who was in a buggy. Management weren't bothered until there was an incident and all members of staff involved complained, then the children were split into two groups and taken out separately - 2 staff to 10 kids is far easier. If it seemed out of control it might be working giving the nursery a call - often it's not the fault of the room staff, who are doing their best. :(

Yes bluekite, I'd assume it's usually management that decide these kind of things. I'm sure the workers were doing their best.

And even in the place I worked at, we would do a crocodile when the walk was along roads - children in pairs, holding hands, in a line with staff positioned front, back and two in the centre.

If they're running beside a road that's actually beyond just staff out of their depth, that's really dangerous.