First day at nursery job not following ratio

[SRKN]

Hi,

I am just looking for a bit of advice. I had my first day today at a private nursery. I have recently graduated with level 3 however have little practical experience due to Covid. When the other two staff members left as they are more part time I was on my own with all 12 children. This was in the garden and I was stressed having to ask someone to watch my class so I could take someone to the toilet. However this person wouldn’t even watch my class they just stuck with their own class on the other side of the garden.

The children are only 3 and I was shocked that this was happening as it’s well over ratio.

So upset this happened on my first day and unsure what to do now?

Thanks in advance

1. Apply for a new job

2.Make a diary note of what happened and when

1. Go to the Manager, tell her what happened, ask her what she wants you to do if a member of staff tries to leave you out of ratio / on your own again.

You should report this to OFSTED op. The address is [email protected] .

Problem with reporting it to Ofsted is that the nursery will probably cover themselves by saying they had other qualified staff in the building so were in ratio.

Disgraceful conduct but happens all the time.

Tell your manager and let us know their response.

I would suggest that if you have been there a few days ask to speak to your supervisor/nursery manager for a quick update on how things are going. Ask any outstanding questions - including what do I do if I am on my own in the garden with 12 children and one needs the loo? Follow that up with - excuse my naivety as I am still learning - but how does it work with ratios if I am there with 12 on my own?

And then based on the answer you will be better informed as to what to do next.

I had this issue (part of the reason I left nursery work). The manager said it was fine that I was regularly left alone in charge of 18 children (a few of whom were under 3) because the other room staff were doing paperwork elsewhere in the building. They only did something about it when a parent collecting a child complained that a grazed knee hadn't been properly attended to and they thought it was because the one staff member they saw (me) was overstretched with so many children to watch. After that, the "paperwork" staff would come downstairs whenever the doorbell rang and stand around looking busy until the parents weren't watching, then go back upstairs.
It happens in a lot of nurseries, it's not right, but a lot of nursery staff just don't care and you can't make them.

Unfortunately this happens a lot. It has happened where I work. Often staff leave to deal with other things and then one or two are left with the children. A child needs to be changed, the phone rings, the door needs answering and a parent wants a chat and all of a sudden 1 staff is left with 20 children. It is not ok. I would suggest speaking to management to clarify who is available to help out when this happens. At my setting we are able to get staff out of the office. We also have a policy where we try to ensure only 1 staff member is out of the room at any given time.

So firstly if you have been there for a few days they are massively breaking safeguarding as your DBS most likely hasn't come back.

Also it is safe recruitment practice to not leave new staff by themselves.

You need to complain firstly to your manager and if they don't do anything about it then leave.

There is a massive shortage of L3 staff and you would be able to find work quickly, trust me.

The ratio can be applied across the whole building so with the other adults you may have been in ratio
But it’s not good practice to have a new member of staff taking children to the toilet unsupervised
I would have been tempted to take the whole group in and ask the manager to watch them in the office while I took one to the toilet
You do need to clarify what happens in that scenario

Hi, thanks for the replies!

I have spoken to the supervisor and she said that when outside I must leave all the other children and take one to the toilet/prepare them to go home and the person who is outside with the preschool class will watch over my class. however she is on the opposite side of the playground and the playgrounds are separated by a fence due to covid. The same thing will happen vice versa which it did yesterday when I was left for about 20min watching two classes (meaning I couldn’t take one of my children to the toilet).

If it is raining out I will be left after the part timers go for about hour and half with all the children alone in an enclosed classroom with no other adult.

I am really unsure how I feel about this as it’s going to be an everyday occurrence.

If they’re 3yrs then the ratio is 1:8 with a level 3 worker? So you’re going to be 4 over ratio? The children are vulnerable and so are you, not to mention stressed because they’re so young and probably getting tired as the day ends. If you’re assisting them with the toilet them there should be another adult in the room for safeguarding.

I would put your concerns in writing via email to the manager. Describe the incident and your discussion with her. Start looking for another job and if you’re asked at interview why you’re leaving your setting tell them straight. If they’re decent employers they will be aghast, if they’re not then you don’t want to work for them.

Best if you could quit today and notify Ofsted but I know that may not be practical.

The manager says it's technically legal. That may be the case. Go work for a company who aims to deliver the best care rather one that's trying to do as little as they can get away with.

I revert to my first answer.
Look around for another job.
Log all the incidents, and your manager / supervisors replies, and report to OFSTED - the note of the when / how often / and attitude helps them wriggle out of any defence.

Best practice is that no adult should be planned to be with a single adult on a regular basis for any length of time. The fact this is their baseline, says a lot. Unfortunately this is really common.