Nursery asked to me to keep daughter home due to OFSTED visiting

[Fidgitigdif123]

So my daughter is 4 and has a diagnosis of autism. She has a speech and language delay, and needs some support throughout the day, particularly when it comes to toileting, but isn't too difficult to handle, and she generally keeps herself to herself. The nursery are always praising her for how good she's been during the day, and they always say she's a happy girl who enjoys being there.
I had a phone call from her key worker the other day (who also happens to be one of the nursery managers), asking me to keep her home the following day because they have an OFSTED inspector visiting. Apparently they don't have enough staff to be able to support my daughter while the OFSTED inspector is visiting (apparently they'll need a member of staff to show the inspector around, which will mean my daughter won't have anyone to support her during the visit).
I'm confused by this, as there's been countless times where they've had several staff off sick at one time (including her key worker), and yet she's still been able to go into nursery.
I'm actually starting to think they just want her out of the way for the day so it'll be easier for them to focus on the inspection, but surely this would be the best time to show off how good they are at dealing with children with SEN and other disabilities?
I genuinely don't know if I'm right in being a little bit upset about this, as it feels like they just want to sweep her under the carpet; like they're embarrassed by her being there or something.

That seems really dodgy and I wouldn't be happy either

Given how terrible ofsted are and how a lot of the inspectors actually don’t know what they’re doing and the cause immense stress and upset to staff… I’d go along with this, especially if I actually liked the stuff and nursery. They’ll be put through the ringer during the visit. You use the nursery so you’ll know best how you feel about the job they do with your child. If you like them and value them and aren’t worried about them trying to actually hide anything then help them out here.

They are playing the ofsted game every way they can, because they have to

this is no reflection on how they feel about your daughter, but rather a reflection on how they feel about ofsted.

I'd go with it

Is it possible they think your daughter will be unsettled by the visit and change in routine and struggle? Maybe they are thinking of her?

That's awful. I run a nursery and would never ask a parent to keep their child off when inspection is due. They also don't need someone to show them around - there's plenty of nurseries who have all staff in ratio and needed in the room when they turn up. Ofsted just work around it. I wouldn't be happy and I would complain to Ofsted about it.

Posted too soon!
I’m in Scotland so we don’t have ofsted but a few of my school and uni friends have moved to England and work as teachers or nursery staff, and ofsted is something they all dread. One of them told me about an ofsted inspector making fun of and talking down to them about the vocabulary being taught, saying it was ridiculous to be teaching such works to that age group etc. She showed the inspector that the vocabulary is on the national curriculum and has to be taught. The response was, “Well, I suppose I’ll have to give you that but I’m sure we can find some other issues.”

I imagine the way the inspectors behave at nursery isn’t much different. They look for problems and would no doubt find a way to make the attention given to your child a negative rather than a positive.

I would be filling in the parental view form, and making it crystal clear your daughter had been asked to stay at home the inspection day.
If it is repeated make sure to fill in the form before the inspection - for schools we've had a link to the form when we got a message saying the inspection was the next day. That way there is the possibility of it being picked up and looked into during the inspection.

when staff was sick they tried to cope as best as they can ( and probably cut corners a bit) but there was no anyone judging them for this. This time they will be judged for everything and it will have consequences. So it’s different for them but I can understand why you are upset.

is your DD starting school in September? And can you keep her home job wise?
If she is starting school this year and you are not at work on that day I’ll definitely do this.

Ofsted is not fit for purpose. They do more harm than good. But yes… let’s make it harder for a nursery the OP values and clearly trusts with her daughter. All because they are playing the ofsted game the best way they can to get through a ridiculous inspection with inspectors who don’t have s clue.

Oh my god!!!!! Not only would I be taking her in I'd call Ofsted ahead of time and inform them of what they said.
Down right disgusting

When we had Ofsted they were pulling staff left, right and centre. I complained as it was incredibly stressful and unsettling for staff and children. Their response: we need evidence and have a job to do.

They’d make a plan which you’d organise around and then they’d change it with wanting/needing different evidence.

Sadly so much rides on a couple of people’s opinions and evidence from two days and then you live with the outcome for years.

I personally would go with it. I’m not saying it’s right - it’s not. But it’s a flawed system which potentially destroys people/staff teams. Good luck to them.

Wow. I remember when that head teacher killed herself and people started to realise what ofsted were actually doing, how bad they were, how unfit they were. Up in Scotland, the feeling was very much relief that we don’t have that body working up here.

Guess you all have short memories…

I would be upset by this too. Advocacy is endless and exhausting with autism. Assuming all people have my child's best interests at heart has meant I have not been firm enough in advocating for them in situations like this. No, it's just not right for me this request. Hope you are ok ♥️

OP, I can understand why you're upset. But they're not embarrassed by your child, they're absolutely terrified of the consequences of a bad inspection.

As for all the posters ranting about contacting Ofsted, I think they should actually go through the awful experience that is an Ofsted inspection before commenting. It's truly horrific, and the fact the nursery are reaching out to the OP to explain they can't meet her child's needs shows just how anxious the staff are.

Difficult one. If ofsted weren’t such absolute arseholes I’d say complain (to ofsted) as it’s not right that your daughter has been asked to stay at home.
The reality is it sounds like the staff are doing their best to get through the inspection and if you value and like the nursery then I’d keep quiet. If they get a bad rating then it will disrupt your childcare and harm the staff who are trying their best.

Ofsted can destroy people's careers.

In the days when they gave notice to schools asking children with Sen to stay at home or sending them out on trips was a commonly done strategy,

I'm not going to say it is morally right but many schools worry about the whole school being rated inadequate if a child has a meltdown in front of an inspector.

These days it's unusual to do this (largely because it's so easily discovered) but nearly all schools will take some actions to present the best of the school/nursery to ofsted.
If trainees are in then they will be asked to observe the lesson while their mentor teaches etc etc. all courses, leave will be cancelled and all the senior leadership team will be onsite and working hard to keep behaviour as good as possible.

What they are doing isn't really ok. But ofsted are widely feared and people can and do lose their jobs over inspections.

I would keep my child at home to make their life easier.

It isn’t the nursery who are the problem! It’s ofsted. They’ll come in and see a 4 year old
who still needs significant help going to the bathroom, and blame the staff. They could easily put that down as the nursery not meeting development goals and getting kids ready for school etc. Ofsted won’t care that the child has autism and the nursery are doing a wonderful job supporting her personal needs. There is a good chance that the inspector won’t know, care about or understand autism.

The nursery could very easily end up marked down because of giving this child the support she absolutely needs. You don’t need to advocate to the nursery about the girl’s needs. You’d need to educate a totally unfit for purpose inspecting body.

At the expense of my child. I Really couldn't care! They're at fault for discriminating against a child . They don't suddenly not get reported or suddenly have things overlooked for something one person has done.
"Guess" someone is not bothered if their child is discriminated against!

Also my own boss committed suicide in 2021 during COVID because she received a bad cqc rating for her ward. It was very sad .
But does it stop patient's relatives complaining about mistreatment or bad care NO . Should it? Absolutely NOT

The Scottish press can be quite cutting about ofsted, so perhaps I have an incredibly distorted and jaded view but I would help the nursery any way I could here.

Do you have an autistic child for whom you have to fight (hard!) to be included and allowed to participate in education and society? The snarky tone in your response indicates otherwise.

And this is just an example of members of the public who lack critical thinking and understanding. Wow. Not going to engage with this kind of hysteria.

I do. My posting history will back that up.

I swear I’ve read this
thread a while ago?

You describe yourself perfectly. Well done

Yes but it was a school that time.