Disgusted at name-and-shame policy at sons new nursery!!!

[Im2DontYaKnow]

I have just moved my 2 year old to a new nursery. He has been in nursery full time from a very early age and he is very happy with nursery in general and as a family we are all used to the nursery routine. To the point though... Our previous nursery insisted on Standing Order payments which is easy for us as it means we have hassle free bank transfer payments and the nursery has a reduced risk of getting late payments - fairly good solution all round. However, this new nursery only takes cheques, not really a problem as long as you remember to bring them in on time. Anyway, my son has been at this nursery for 2 days and I had noticed a list of names on the room that he is in with cash amounts listed by the side. To begin with I thought that this was a charity thermometer stating an amount each child had raised, however upon closer inspection it turns out to be a naming and shaming list of arrears payments listed, not against parents - but against the Childs names!!!!! I understand that businesses have to control cash flow, but there are better ways to do this (for example allowing people to pay you by standing order).
What has really disguted me though is today, all parents have been given a letter, in which the owner/manager has complained about the high heating, wages and food bills that he personally has to pay for our children, suggesting that if he doesn't get his arrears paid that he will make cost savings. Now I am not in arrears and surely if you are running a business and some of your customers are in arrears then you remove the service until a solution is found, you don't reducevthe quality of your service to the rest of your customers, especially when those customers are children and the service is heat, food and care!!!
I have written a fairly strong letter of complaint to the manager as I think that there is a confidentiality issue because he has a name and shame list of childrens names not to mention the threat to the children who's parents have paid. I am seriously considering moving my son (he has been there only 3 days I have a full time contract with them) but if I do this I wouldn't want him in this environment for the month notice period.
Should I report this nursery to OFSTED?

I have nothing helpful to say (have a wonderful CM) but I would be disgusted to see this up in a Nursery and would not be happy to leave my child there.

Was the list up on the wall? Or was it on a side somewhere? Sounds like an internal list that has been left somewhere by mistake (still not acceptable). As for making cost savings for arrears - totally nuts, if parents are in arrears with us they are given chance to remedy situation, and then if it repeats several time, as a last resort we will withdraw service.

Why won't he do standing orders, no hassle for him at all. other than ensuring parents have them set up so they arrive in good time (our are set for 28th month for follwoing months fees, payable on the 1st)

Ofsted would be concerned as to the threat to reduce costs IF it affects the quality of care.

Maybe he is at his wits end with parents who don't pay

If you and DS really are happy with the nursery otherwise, I would just ignore this.

However I think this is an unacceptable and annoying way of doing things. I wouldn't be surprised if the culture of public blame and inappropriate 'punishing' of everyone instead of the people actually responsible filtered through to staff and affect the quality of care. How do they deal with it when the children misbehave, for example?

The nursery sounds awful. I would probably vote with my feet and move.

That said, I run a business and cash-flow is a constant headache and incredibly stressful. It seems to be considered OK to pay small businesses not just a little late, but very late. I'm not condoning his actions at all, however.

There could well be a data protection angle about publicising that sort of personal information to all parents.

Why won't he allow standing orders? Sounds like his processes are part of the problem.

The manager isn't a very good manager, and there are confidentiality issues. Telling other parents who owes money is totally wrong, and telling staff is unnecessary.

More of a management thing, but ofsted would not be happy. I'm thinking of the "Parents as Partners" bit of the EYFS.

I am thinking about child confidentiality bit of the EYFS.

in my experience, if management is poor in this respect, it will be in other areas

i would start looking elsewhere asap and give notice.

Having been a nursery user for 4 years I would move and complain to any body that will here you.

What an awful way to run a business.
I would complain in writing to the nursery, they have 28 days to reply to you. They have breached parent confidentiality and stigmatised the child whose parents are in arrers by letting the staff know, let alone the other parents.
As for making savings on heat, food and staff, that's outrageous.
Minimum temperatures have to be maintained by law, as do minimum staff ratios. He could reduce his costs by buying cheaper food, but when the parents start pulling their children out because the standards have fallen, he will be losing money.
Actually, ignore my advice to complain to the nursery, write to Ofsted. I am now wondering what else they scrimp on? Resources like paint, paper, sand etc. Toys? Cleaning staff?
His anability to manage the finances of the nursery is affecting the care that the children to receive. Which is totally unacceptable. Find a new, better nursery.

This definitely breaches Data Protection law.