Nursery mixed ratio

[Busylittlebebe]

I’m having a bit of a discussion with 2 separate people there’s a room of children
8 in total

1-1 year old
3 - 2 year olds
4 - 3 year olds

I think 3 members of staff

I didn’t know there’s a rule that you can downgrade the 4 & 3 year olds to fit in the 1-3 ratio 1-4 ratio etc if this makes any sense. Can someone help me clear this up and I fog my brain, as I presumed that each age meant a separate staff and not shove 2 4 year olds in with the 1 year old to use them up 😩

Your numbers don't make sense. You can "downgrade" the 2/3 year olds so e.g. you have 1 member of staff for the 1 year old and two 2 year olds. But then you still have 5 over-2s left and the ratio is 1 to 4 so you need 2 additional staff, 3 in total.

If you changed your numbers so you had three 3 year olds instead of 4, you could have 2 members of staff.

In the setting there was 2 members of staff with these ages children and was told today it was ok somehow and I was in the wrong for saying the ratio was over because of this rule.

You're right, there should have been 3.

By law the ratio's are
under 2's = 1:3
2 year old = 1:4
3/4 year old = 1:8 (unless there is a qualified teacher then it's 1:13)

Yes apparently a degree magically gives you eyes in the back of your head and you are able to grow a few more arms overnight..

not to mention the massive difference towards the child, going from 1:4 to 1:13it is a massive adjustment in the first term.

Sorry didn't really answer your question.

Yes the nursery has 1 child to many for only 2 members of staff, although if OFSTED were to be notified and was deemed to be unforeseen circumstances absolutely nothing would happen, if it is a common occurrence then there are grounds to bring this up with management.

I may be reading it wrong but I think it’s fine. 1 member of staff for 4 3yo and 2 2yo and another for 1 2yo and 1 1yo?

I used to work in a 2-5’s room and our ratio was 1:6 as long as there were no more than 2 2yo per adult.

The ratio can be applied across the whole setting and not just to individual rooms or groups of children
It also depends on how long it was for, a few minuets at the beginning of the day is probably ok if more staff are due in or if there is a manager around who can be included in ratio if needed
How close to being 3 are the 2 year olds?