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Original poster

How many nursery teachers are supposed to look after children???

14 replies

lozzawoo · 03/08/2006 21:56

In the nursery my son goes too there is one teacher to look after all the children on a morning or afternoon. Some days it can be a different teacher for a different day. Would you think that would just confuse them even more????

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Blossomhill · 03/08/2006 21:58

No I think it's good for them to get used to different people. They change every year anyway!

mumeeee · 03/08/2006 22:16

There should be a nursery nurse or ateachers assistant with the teacher.The teacher should not be on her own loking after a class of nursery children sometimes nusery nuses work part time so there may be diferent staff on different days.

beccymay · 18/08/2006 16:33

Staff ratios in a nursery should be as follows 1 staff to 3 babies under the age of two. 1 member of staff to 4 children over 2 and 1 member of staff to 8 children over the age of 3. I think that a qualified teacher can look after 16 on there own Don't agree with that though!!

pixiepins · 18/08/2006 16:57

i don't think thats actually true.
i'm a qualified teacher and i still have to follow the ratios laid down by OFSTED!
i'm just about to open my own nursery in sept..and the ratios you stated are correct. i was never told that one qualified teacher could lookafter 16 on their own! or maybe i wasn't listening!

Pamina3 · 18/08/2006 16:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pixiepins · 23/08/2006 09:51

1:13!
what?
maybe it's different for a school based nursery?
but i'm sure it's not...i only had my OFSTED inspection etc 3 weeks ago and she was so strict about ratios!
i just can't see how that type of ratio is at all workable!

Tommy · 23/08/2006 10:10

My sons has just left a school nursery where there were 25 children - one qualified teacher and 3 assistants.
I assume that was legal - they managed to pass their OFSTED anyway!

gladbag · 23/08/2006 10:12

Pamina3 is right. For school-based LEA nurseries the ratio is 1:13. I worked in one for a few years, me and a nursery nurse with 26 children.

magnolia1 · 23/08/2006 10:24

My dd is starting a school nursery in september. There are about 35-40 children and between 7-10 staff all quailified.

pixiepins · 23/08/2006 10:33

well you live and learn...but i don't see why it should be different for school based nurseries and non school nurseries etc.
that just sounds too many for my liking!
ah well...

gladbag · 23/08/2006 10:38

I agree - it is far too many, although it is only the minimum requirement and most schools have more adults than that to make it truely workable.

fairydust · 23/08/2006 10:42

dd's school based nursery was 1:13

alex8 · 23/08/2006 11:01

a lot of the leagal limits don;t seem to apply to schools. I taught a reception class of 30 4 years old with no help and it was perfectly legal

prettybird · 23/08/2006 11:15

In Scotland (or at least Glasgow) they have just changed the rules so that the only qualified teacher is the headteacher of the council run nurseries (pre-schools).

Those "surplus" to requirements have been redeployed to the primary schools under compulsory transfers.

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