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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to know if nursery manager was fired?

55 replies

Oxmama · 08/10/2019 21:37

My son has been at nursery since April this year, and since then there has been a very high staff turnover (4/5 staff from his room and 2 managers have left & there’s a lot of agency staff from unfilled roles). We’ve just been told that the manager has left the job this week, and that “due to unforeseen circumstances cannot work out her notice period”. That’s all the information we’ve been given. When other staff have left there’s been a note about wishing them well etc, but nothing said about this. I checked with staff in my son’s room today and they said they were just told the same, no details etc.

AIBU to want to know if the manager was sacked, and if so, what for? I’m concerned that most sackable offences would be related to the well-being and safety of the children at the nursery, and I would want to know if this has been compromised.

Or should I just keep out of it??

It’s a private nursery and the fees are extortionate...so I feel like we should be getting a good service.

OP posts:
AppleKatie · 08/10/2019 21:40

It’s none of your business I’m afraid. The nursery management have a duty to inform you if your child has been at particular risk- the fact they haven’t is encouraging.

Might be anything- Maybe she won euro millions! Maybe she’s been diagnosed with a terminal illness, maybe a close relative has died...

DeathStare · 08/10/2019 21:41

I think it is reasonable to ask whether the recent staff turnover have ever put the safety/welfare of the children at risk.

I don't think it is reasonable to expect to know whether she was fired. There are a million things she could have been fired for that don't compromise the welfare/safety of the children - and are frankly none of anyone else's business.

Likewise she could have left abruptly through her own choice, or for her own personal reasons. Again that's nobody else's business.

anothernamejeeves · 08/10/2019 21:42

Why are you assuming she's been sacked? What a nasty gossip you sound

IfIKnewThenWhatIKnowNow · 08/10/2019 21:42

I’d really want to know too! Are you sure it’s the right place for your child to be when the staff turnover is that high? It’s concerning in itself.

TheCatsACunt · 08/10/2019 21:43

You have no entitlement to know what took place between an employee and their employer in a situation like this.

SunnySomer · 08/10/2019 21:47

Well. If the manager was sacked it could be for spectacularly poor performance as the staff turnover would imply.
If safety was compromised while (s)he was in control - well that potential situation has now ended. What are you going to do with the information?
I have been involved in the sacking of someone who had compromised safety: we weren’t allowed to say they’d been sacked and weren’t allowed to comment on the circumstances under which they’d left the organisation. As they appealed the sacking and would have had to be reinstated if they’d been successful- but would never have been trusted again.
So I think what I’m saying is, if you feel you can’t trust the nursery then take your child out. But don’t expect to get to know the details, it’s not actually a right that you have

LyraParry · 08/10/2019 21:50

Of course YABU. You have no right to know why anyone has left their job, even if it is at the place your DC are cared for. It sounds like you think spending a lot of money means you are entitled to intimate details of someone's life (it doesn't). You're going to feel absolutely terrible if it come out that the manager has suffered bereavement of a close relative, or has a serious illness (for example) and you've jumped to awful suspicions.

IsobelRae23 · 08/10/2019 21:57

In short, unless there was a safeguarding concern, that involved your child or all children, then no you don’t have a right to know. She could be unwell, her partner unwell, have lost a family member, have had to move back home to take care of a relative or another 100 reasons. Stop acting so entitled, it isn’t a nice trait.

slipperywhensparticus · 08/10/2019 22:00

My daughter was due to have a certain teacher at her high school he was great we met him etc first day at school no teacher after a few weeks rumours started from he was a child abuser to running off with a student it turns out it was something to do with his health I suppose there are some people who.think it's there buisness personally I think not unless it endangers your child MYOB

Lsquiggles · 08/10/2019 22:09

Staff turnover is high in nurseries because pay for the actual staff is poor and oftentimes its a very bitchy atmosphere. From experience I'd say the nursery manager has walked out and not served her notice, also common in this industry

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 08/10/2019 22:11

Absolutely none of your business. Don’t be a gossip.

LolaSmiles · 08/10/2019 22:11

It all seems like morbid curiosity and gossip to me.

It could be any number of reasons and none of them are to do with you.

waterrat · 08/10/2019 22:14

Wow people are being ridiculous.
I have seen two kids through childcare and nursery and 100 per cent you have a right to know exactly why a senior staff member had left.

If they were fired that is quite clearly relevant to you as a parent leaving your child there each day.

This isn't like being a regular customer in a shop! You are trusting these people to be parents to your child .

You are entitled to ask whatever you like and also as a customer it is for you to decide what is appropriate to ask

Trust your insinct and if you don't think the place is being run well do everything you can to find another nursery.

waterrat · 08/10/2019 22:15

Also massive red flag at a nursery to have high staff turnover and a key issue most parents examine when choosing a nursery.

It's why a chose a childminder as I knew I would be sure if her being committed. However everyone has personal feelings about what works for them

waterrat · 08/10/2019 22:16

None of the reasons are to do with the OP???? Totally bizarre reply. Many of them will in all likelihood be to do with her being bad at her job which directly relates to the OP and her child.

anothernamejeeves · 08/10/2019 22:19

Why do you assume it's to do with the staff member? Being unable to work her notice sounds like personal circumstances

Ivalueloyaltyaboveallelse · 08/10/2019 22:19

Please don’t assume. My friend recently did this as she had enough of the rubbish pay, workload and sour atmosphere between staff. For her own health she up and left did not work her notice and now has a new job.

DeathStare · 08/10/2019 22:25

I have seen two kids through childcare and nursery and 100 per cent you have a right to know exactly why a senior staff member had left

Wow. That really is a sense of entitlement.

When your children are at secondary school, there could easily be 50 teachers in the school. Do you really think you - and the other 1000+ parents - have the right to know the ins and outs of why every one of them leaves???? Who had a row with the head? Who refused to take on extra work? Who has a mental health issue and needed to leave for their own well-being? Who left to have fertility treatment? Who got offered a promotion elsewhere but on the condition they started immediately and didn't serve their notice? Who has a chronic health condition? Whose partner has left them and they need a job that pays more?

which1 · 08/10/2019 22:26

waterrat

You can ask whatever you like as you have freedom of speech.
You are not entitled to answers to every question.

And no, you don't have a right to know why a senior member of staff left, unless it somehow specifically involves your child.

If manager had to leave to have urgent medical treatment let's say how the hell can you even think that you're entitled to know this!?!

Seriously. When you enrol your child at a nursery your fees just pay for the hours of care, your don't buy the nursery staff's lives.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 08/10/2019 22:29

and 100 per cent you have a right to know exactly why a senior staff member had left.

No, you really don’t. Hmm

MollyButton · 08/10/2019 22:33

It could be: health issues, incompetence or something criminal or...
If it was something criminal then they can't tell you anything until after all investigations have taken place, and often until after the criminal case has taken place (and/or any striking off by any supervisory body).

When a teacher at my DCs school disappeared overnight, we didn't have a clue why for at least 9 months, and were only told about a year later after all the court cases etc. had finished. He was accused of an inappropriate relationship with a pupil (16+), and was judged to have had a lapse of judgement.

LionelRitchieStoleMyNotebook · 08/10/2019 22:34

I would also want to know, but recognise this is just because I am inquisitive nosy by nature. It could be a million things; run away with the circus, pilfering money, shagging the owner's husband, big win at the bingo, lost heart with the poor wages and treatment of those working in childcare and told the owner to poke their job, was really am undercover officer trying to infiltrate MC XR movement via spendy nursery mums, had a brilliant idea to resolve the backstop issue and has been headhunted by No.10 and so on.

They won't tell you.

PinkiOcelot · 08/10/2019 22:36

Why is staff turnover so high? That would put me off tbh.

LemonRedwood · 08/10/2019 22:39

100 per cent you have a right to know exactly why a senior staff member had left.

Errr, no.

jennymanara · 08/10/2019 22:41

Likely to be either she was sacked, or she walked out or a personal reason she does not want parents to know about. If they told you and she did not want parents to know the reason, she could sue the nursery.
Maybe she was having an affair with the owner's spouse, or fiddling the petty cash, or she has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But you have no right to know.