Nursery renting out space to public

[Hocuspoc]

The nursery out little one attends recently started renting out space to public (different types of classes, most are babies related but not exclusively).
The reason why I find this uncomfortable is that they do it during their working hours !! - while the little ones are there.
The room they rent out is not separate to the area where the nursery operates - quite the opposite - it is just next to the rooms where the kids are.
It is also the same room where the little ones spend time for some part od the day (obviously not at the same time as the classes to the public).

Am I being unreasonable here? This just doesn't sit well with me. Do other nurseries do this?
I feel a nursery should primarily be a safe space for children attending and I don't know about letting people off the streets in - even if they are pre-registered..
Even minor things like a possibility of them leaving things behind (e.g. allergy wise food bits, or choking hazards)...

Yes agreed. Personally I think it provides an opportunity that shouldn’t be available to people who are not associated with the children in the nursery. It shouldn’t be a public space IMO.

I know it’s dramatic but think of the stabbings at summer school this summer - an arrangement like this could easily provide an opportunity for someone with bad intentions to enter the building. Personally I prefer visitors to be better supervised.

Exactly and at school and nursery you have to leave your phone at reception if you have it on you to enter beyond reception during teaching/opening hours.

It makes business sense for them to do it which in turn keeps costs down.

Sounds like a separate room in the same building so the public don't interact with the children.

I doubt the local Zumba class fall into this category

Just ask about the risk assessment. I'll be astonished if the security hasn't already been addressed.

OP I agree with you. For all the reasons that you state. It introduces risk that was not there before. It has made the environment objectively less safe.

And comments such as children are more likely to be harmed by a parent or carer are not remotely relevant. Just like when it’s said that women are much more likely to be harmed by a man with whom they live than a stranger. Statistically those comments are correct, but that is because of proximity and opportunity. If it were actually relevant we would be letting children go home with strangers to protect them from harm. We should continue to take seriously our duty to protect children from risk of harm in whatever way it presents. Your child care provider has done the opposite, it has increased the risk (even if the risk is small).

They had open doors that anyone could have walked in to. Nurseries don't. The room that the child is in should be locked. It will be locked, no doubt about it.

I wouldn't like this either. Presuming they have followed the correct process they should have declared this and conducted a risk assessment etc- if it was a separate building with a separate entrance than I wouldn't mind, not a room. That said not really much you can do i expect except for look for another setting.

I’d appreciate a nursery that found creative ways to cover their costs instead of putting it straight on the parents bills.

My DDs primary school had a community centre. It was very strictly controlled... separate entrance, lockable doors (needed a code both directions), separate toilets. I thought it sounded a bit mad until I saw how it worked.

Surely you’d sooner that than the nursery have to close because it can’t afford to run now so many children have free hours? It seems a wise decision from the nursery to use their existing resources in a way that brings them revenue!

I'd ask to see the risk assessment.

Noo, I'd actually rather see a nursery closed than risking any child's safety!!
They are not doing that bad tbh - all groups are full, so doubt that they are on the edge of a bankruptcy.
And to repeat - common hallway, the room door literally a meter away from the door where one children group is. No locks at all!! Just normal doors...
Really struggling to understand how anyone came up with such a bad idea. Out of work hours - sure! But while my little one is there...I mean it's the same as if I left him with a polite stranger that I previously IDd in a random shopping mall!!

I mean it's definitely not the same as leaving him with a stranger as he's not with the stranger he's with staff. But if they have no locks on the doors that's a major problem. I have never known a nursery ever to not have locks on the doors, so I am weary if you've got that correct. But absolutely shocking if they have no locks where they need to let people in. Just move him, it's not for you.

I'll ask once again - but the list of safety measures did not contain doors being locked while the events takes place. It is just ID for attendees. Honestly - useless - what can you possibly find out about someone's intentions just by IDing them at the door !?! Yes, they will be easily tracked down once they do some sh* but that is a bit late, no?

What’s happening in the rooms? If it’s something obviously inappropriate (like I don’t know something with addicts, dangerous chemicals etc) I’d agree with you. But in the daytime isn’t it likely to either be another baby class or a work meeting?

I’d also want to see the risk assessment they’ve done. But subject to that I don’t think I’d really care. It’s not much different to a forest school, trip to the park or a messy play in a church hall really is it?

My kids attended pre-school in the basement of a church where literally everything had to be cleared out because the hall was in use in the evenings for various classes- I didn’t mind as it meant that everything was clean. They also had services/ meetings on in the day. It’s unrealistic to expect kids to be completely kept away from the general public all the time- whet you have not be clear about is that the staff are capable of supervising the kids properly.

There will be a risk assessment and are there locks ti prevent the hirers accessing the other rooms? Not sure what your concern exactly is?

You are at liberty to remove your child from the nursery, or pay enough so they don't have to raise funds from elsewhere.

When I was Chair of a preschool we shared the space with a church that rented out some other rooms.
We had very robust risk assessment and safeguarding in place so i would hope and expect this nursery to have them too

We had one of these! Town beginning with M. It was rated inadequate by Ofsted and shut down.

Different town, though it was a national chain. But interestingly I just looked it up and it appears to have had some very poor ofsted inspections and now been shut down.

Interesting one. The after school club here use a third-party venue, and no one else is allowed to use the building when they are in it, as part of their safeguarding rules. I don't know if those are just what the after-school club has mandated themselves or if that's guidance they've received from somewhere

I admit I would be I uncomfortable too. Our nursery is hot on security, so door is always locked, the building is secure, etc. If there is no lock, then that would be a safeguarding risk in my view. When this class is running, is the building secure? Or is the front door unlocked to allow participants entry?

My children went to nursery in a children's centre so there were health visitor clinics, toddler groups and breastfeeding support all going on in different rooms during nursery hours.

I think you have a point OP, at ds's primary school no one who isn't DBS checked would be allowed to walk through school unless they are escorted. Even parents, PTA members, governors, anyone. I assume the children don't use the corridors at all, but not having locks on the doors seems concerning.

Wouldn’t be happy with that, and would move my DC to a different nursery. Fine if there is proper access for the groups which is separate from the nursery, but doesn’t sound like h tho is is the case here.