Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To argue nursery’s decision

65 replies

WishfulSprouts · 14/12/2018 06:55

Ds started nursery in sept and is very happy and settled there. He has just turn 3 so will be moving from the younger section to their preschool section.
This section is split over 2 rooms one huge room with free flow to outside and activities the other much smaller room. Although all his friends going down from his room (5x kids) all going into bigger room nursery decided to put ds in the smaller room.
When I queried this a few weeks ago they said he was too sensitive for the busier room and they’d look to move him across at a later point which seemed fine but yesterday I went in for his transition visit and was told he’d be staying in the small room until he starts school (2020).
Manager wasn’t there so raised concerns and emailed but I really am not happy he has to be separated from friends and basically stay in the smaller less fun room for that length of time surely they could move him across if they wanted to.
I’m paying for the same service as friends but their children will surely get a different experience if they are with more friends in a larger freeflpw setting compared to ds aibu?

OP posts:
hazeyjane · 14/12/2018 16:12

I think if it is about the actual way the setting runs then Ofsted is the proper channel.

themoomoo · 14/12/2018 16:14

nurseries are so weird. So they get put into one room and that's where they stay? No access to the rest of the building or to mix with kids of different ages?
Weird

90mammasophie · 14/12/2018 16:17

What exactly does "too sensitive" mean? That's what I'd be asking.

At pre school my dd moved up into the busier room for the older / more independent children at 3yo while my friends DS was held back in the toddler room. She was actually pleased about it as she recognised he needed more support and a quieter environment as he was slightly behind with speech / independence / potty training etc.

Hope you manage to work it out with them. Am sure they care about the child and want to do what's best for him.

macmacaroon · 14/12/2018 16:20

Ask probing questions to see if there are other reasons behind the scenes. My DS was kept down with kids a year younger than him and when pushed the nursery revealed it was because there wasn't space for him to move up. I kept pushing and pushing until he got moved up.

AssassinatedBeauty · 14/12/2018 16:25

There's no way I'd accept this situation. No free flow to outside and very much fewer activities is not on, plus the very much smaller room. I can't believe they have the cheek to try to tell parents it's necessary! I bet they're still charging you the same amount of money.

MissingSummer · 14/12/2018 16:37

For those querying the PlayStation,bi suspect op meant to write play station (ie station at which you play) but it aurltocorrected to PlayStation.

I agree with a pp, it sounds like they now have too many children so have to keep some in a separate room. The obvious solution would be to rotate and have all kids doing a day in the smaller room at various points (unless there were kids who genuinely wanted to stay in there).

itsaboojum · 14/12/2018 17:58

PattiStanger

I couldn’t agree more. I dread to think how much public money is wasted on Ofsted’s admin time and unnecessary inspections arising from spurious complaints. I do hope the MNers who constantly incite people to complain are happy this money is so wasted instead of boosting the education budget for instance.

Justajot · 14/12/2018 18:04

I moved my DD when something like this happened. I'm really glad I did as her new nursery was far more child centred and suited her much better.

Thesmallthings · 14/12/2018 18:05

I'd ask to see their policy.

They must be given the same opportunity as the other children, it's in one of my equality acts they they must follow I'd also ask when they was next getting a offstead inspection as they won't be happy with this.

Which they obviously are not, it sounds like then a taken on to many children.

hazeyjane · 14/12/2018 18:37

So do you think that Ofsted shouldn't be alerted to an early years setting that is not meeting the needs of its children? That information about how some children are not able to acess areas deemed essential in the EYFS? ...and that those pertinent pieces of information shouldn't be fed into a settings rating?

What should the op do then, if what is at fault is the actual provision itself?

I honestly am not a big fan of the whole, 'complain to Ofsted' thing, but when something as fundamental as this is part of a settings foundations, then I thonk it is worth contacting them.

itsaboojum · 14/12/2018 19:13

As some contributors have said, the first step is to address the issue on the ground with the manager. They seem to be reasonably well-resourced, so see if they can’t simply rotate children in groups around the various spaces, activities, etc throughout the day or week.

The manager may well believe s/he is doing the right thing in terms of what is appropriate for the particular groups of children in terms of their current needs. Personally that’s not an approach I like, but ironically it's right down Ofsted’s street.

Parents have opportunities to contribute when ofsted inspections are conducted.

Whilst I agree this set-up might have an adverse effect on children’s development, I don’t think we know enough to assert that quite so strongly as some of the above posts have done. I think you’d have to be on the ground and consider the bigger picture, starting points, learning outcomes, individual children’s interests and abilities, etc. All of which is what Ofsted inspectors are at least supposed to do at routine inspections.

The attitude that is most unhelpful is typified by an earlier comment of "move and report to Ofsted". This sort of thing is all too common on NM, but you don’t solve problems by complaining to Ofsted about every last little thing.

I do wonder if most people are confused about the actual purpose and function of Ofsted.

BackforGood · 14/12/2018 19:53

The obvious thing to do is to ask to meet with the Manager, and clarify what they are thinking, and ask the questions about how this is going to work. It seems highly unlikely they are going to put any group of children in a small room without access to normal Nursery activities. It might be that they are putting him in the group that register there or have their circle time there, or maybe even a nap there.
The whole 'contact OFSTED' shout is ridiculous. There's been some miscommunication - get yourself in there and get it clarified.

beingsunny · 21/05/2019 10:08

There's a PlayStation!???

PanamaPattie · 21/05/2019 11:02

No PlayStation. RTT. OP states there is a "play station" ie a table or station with activities for play.

Mishappening · 21/05/2019 11:07

All early years should now have access to free flow and outdoor space.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page