Available floor space question for variation application.

[mogs0]

I have applied for a variation and a permanent increase of numbers.

Inspector phoned today and asked me to email her with the measurements of my living room so she could make a decision as it depended on the available space.

She then said not to measure from wall to wall but the actual space on the floor which isn't taken up with furniture. I feel that the entire room is available space as the children sit on the sofa and chairs and they play at the play table so I feel inclined to measure from wall to wall - any opinions?

Also, she argued that I couldn't include my kitchen/diner as play area which I questioned as it's used for craft activities/baking etc. She then said that it surely couldn't be used at the same time as the living room because that would mean leaving children unattended in the living room - the two rooms are attached to each other and have double doors to get from one to the other. Also, it's where children sleep so if I have one sleeping in the living room I might use the kitchen for the others.

So do you think it's unreasonable to measure from wall to wall and, if not, should I list the reasons why I've measured that way (ie children use furniture) or should I measure the actual visible floor space. Also, should I include the kitchen/diner as usable space?

My inspector used the floor space of all the registered rooms.

You could take all the furniture out and then measure the space not covered by furniture .

I asked if she wanted all registered rooms to be measured and she said no, hence the discussion about the kitchen. I was doing this while talking to her on the phone . every time i talk to her on the phone she is really hard work but face to face she's almost normal. 'tis very frustrating!

I measured the actual room sizes and this wasnt questioned.

if you read the guidance in the EYFS you'll get a better picture of what she means. Children need a certain amount of space to move around in, in a nursery you can only measure the actual floor space not covered by permanent furniture and not used as corridor space. Obviously homes are a bit different but children still need enough space to move around without having to climb over furniture.

Menopausemum - I don't follow EYFS so don't have a pack but I am aware that I need to provide a certain amount of space per child. What I disagree with is the way I'm supposed to measure and the amount of rooms I can use in the measurements.

So, in a nursery, would you take off the area that a table and chairs or a cot take up?

Garden - this is what I did when I had to draw a floor plan of my home for my registration application. They didn't ask me to take off furniture then and have now disposed of that paperwork.

It's very confusing isn't it? I'd have thought the same as you, my kitchen is used a LOT to cook and craft in, the kids bring puzzles and do them at the kitchen table etc so I would be measuring my playroom, kitchen and lounge from wall to wall and then from the units in the kitchen.

That's what I'm going to do but might measure from the front of my toy cupboards and leave out the area fenced stair-gated off around my front door and stairs which acts as a hallway.

There are instructions in the notes to the variation form about which rooms to include and what space to exclude. I think I'd follow those to the letter and not bother with asking advice.

I'm registered with cssiw not ofsted and I don't remember seeing any notes but I will check, thanks.

I've just checked and there were no notes with the form.

In the NMS it says 'In childminding provision, the indoor playing space provides at least the following minimum per child: Under 2 - 3.5sqm, 2-7 - 2.5sqm.'

No mention of actual available floor space or am reading it wrong and/or being awkward?