To be uneasy about this nursery?

[Spuddington]

DD has been at nursery for a few months now. Once a week, half a day. She's never settled at drop off but they assure me she's fine afterwards.

When I visited and looked around things were great. Now I'm not so sure.

There's no structure to the rooms and they're continually short staffed. So 7 toddlers to one member of staff today. No key workers, no progress reports.

Last week there was a new tiny baby. At drop off this week he was crying (could hear the monitor). Another member of staff appeared and asked if she should fetch him, she was told "no, he'll cry himself to sleep eventually" and then the volume on the monitor was turned down.

I just feel really uneasy now. AIBU to want to pull DD out? Or are my sights set too high? Is this even normal?

I don't even know how to start finding a childminder who'd be open late enough for us, pick up isn't until 6:30 because of work.

Wait, just found the report. Dropped from good to requires improvement.

YEs ofsted is very quick for nurseries.

The ratio is unacceptable really, short staffing happens but they should be combining rooms to make sure they're met

They should provide you with copy of report too!

The main issue in the report is staffing levels and lack of stimulation and learning in the toddler room. So they're obviously aware.

No you are right, trust your gut feeling, does not sound like a good nursery, or one I want my child at.

If I were in your shoes, I would remove my child with immediate effect and would be contacting OFSTED.
The ratio for 2-3 years olds in 1:4. Staff should never be alone at all. This applies for safeguarding issues as well.

The fact that you take your child half a day once a week too appears to me that the Nursery do not have your child's best interests at heart.

A good setting will accept a child for a minimum of one and a half- two days a week, to ensure that the child settles well and becomes fully engaged in Nursery life.

I say this as an Ex Nursery Manager now working on the other side of the fence.

There are some absolutely amazing Nurseries out there and equally some very poor Nurseries too. Unfortunately, yours sounds like the latter.

Take your child out and find a better one.

Good luck.

This isn't normal, the girls at my sons nursery would have never left a baby to cry. They check on the children sleeping regardless of age every 5 mins!
Please contact Ofsted and report this.
It will flag up issues for any other parents who's children attend there
Find yourself a good nursery and I also think half a day once a week is too short. What about two Half days? Split over the week?

Having worked in childcare for over 7 years (nursery & nannying) it is really common for certain parents to demand that under no circumstances must their crying child be picked up/rocked/cuddles whilst going to sleep. I have actually come across a parent that has put in a formal complaint to our manager when this has happened, as child in question got so worked up left in her cot (bearing in mind only for a couple of minutes with us nearby) that we rapidly ditched that plan got her out cleaned her up and cuddled her. She said that we had purposely gone against her specific wishes and undermined her as a parent - child needed to be left to learn to self settle, if she received a mixture of self settle and other, she would get confused and her sleep would be compromised....

HOWEVER the dialogue that you heard over that monitor was extremely unprofessional and downright unfriendly. I would defo mention it, and look elsewhere if you are unhappy. You need to be 100% comfortable with the people you are leaving your child with and they shouldn't be any different every day to on the visits!! Hope you sort this soon!! 💐

I'm a nursery manager and normally I would always say to raise concerns with the nursery first just in case it was a bad day, as we all get them and the last thing we need is an unannounced visit from ofsted
BUT, this nursery sounds awful and I'm concerned about the young baby being left to cry and thevratio for the 2 year olds
I would urge you to report your concerns to ofsted who will hopefully take it seriously and do an unannounced visit and check registers

So OP what you going to do?

The nursery will know straight away what the outcome of the inspection was, however theybare not allowed to tell anyone till the report is ready.

Ratio is 1.4 for toddlers and 1.3 for babies.

Contact ofsted and speak to the nursery

You really should report it op. Even if they were recently inspected Ofsted should know.

I've given my notice and spoken to Ofsted. They took details from me, that's all I know. No local childminders with places so I'm on a couple of waiting lists.

Good
That's the right thing
Hope you get sorted with childcare

My shy daughter hated nursery but I persevered because the staff insisted she was happy once I'd left. One day I waited an hour then peeped in a window. She was standing alone, sobbing, ignored by all.
I never took her back there.

I would say first that half a day once a week I'd probably very unsettling for your child. You may find it better for them if you did 2 mornings? Sorry to sound judgemental.
Secondly, my best friend is a child
Minder and this week is under strict instructions by the mother to leave the baby to cry until it sleeps at a particular time. It's not nice at all but did work and was parents wishes.
If the child care leaves YOU uncomfortable then change.

crisp that's fair enough but to turn the monitor off and not even check?