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.

If it’s a nursery that has been good with your daughter and you are happy with the care they have offered you, I would absolutely do it.
I wouldn’t jeopardise the inspection in any way. They e clearly planned out staffing and the manager (who you’ve said is the key worker) is likely up for a grilling by OFSTED for much of the day, being unavailable to your daughter.
they have realised this will upset her and will add to how difficult the inspection will be.
The problem is a poor OFSTED rating can cause staff to leave and parents to leave. If parents leave the nursery could shut down due to lack of income. If staff leave the ratios drop and places become unavailable. It’s almost impossible to recruit good nursery staff due to poor pay.

I’d do it.

As a parent of an autistic child in a nursery I would definitely send her in. I am shocked at the posters tellling you not to.

I think rather than wondering if they were right or wrong ( and we will never really know their true intent) it’s better to ask yourself what complaining will achieve for DD. You need to decide what hat you are wearing: public watchdog or DD’s mum. It sounds to be as though it will be one day in nursery lost where everyone is in any event stressed and distracted and can’t give her her normal support, and probably will damage the relationship you have forged with her carers. Where does that really get you?

If the inspection is going to leave them a bit short staffed, perhaps there’s a couple of black children who could stay home.

Would that be ok?

Isn’t this more to do with the fact that the child’s key worker is the manager? The manager won’t be able to be present as the manager will be pulled into a lot of meetings (I’ve done a lot of OFSTED inspections) any they can have you away for hours!

The way I understood it to be, was that the child in question has additional support due to her diagnosis and they can’t provide the support?

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.

What did you decide to do in the end?

Have the nursery behaved appropriately since the inspection regardless of your decision? As they should have done.

You’re right but the op also says that the child has been able to go in when the key worker/manager and other staff were absent.

Bless you for thinking this request has been asked for any reason other than that this child might sully the impression. (Not being sarcastic.)

It could well be that her key workers is one of the managers, and she's not able to provide support. However, she's attended nursery when her key worker has been off in the past. There are other managers who don't work in any of the kiddie rooms, and do office/admin work etc. I don't really know what to think anymore to be honest 😔

Totally unacceptable. They shouldn't be using a child's support worker for this! I'd just be taking my child in as normal.

I got exactly the same when my youngest was in reception, also with ASD. I was that happy to help them out I didn't even give it any thought.

I wish I had had the knowledge of shit back then and complain.

If the support worker is one of the managers pulled for questioning by Ofsted they have no choice

This is about a child being discriminated against.

You need to reflect on your response to this.
Asking what complaining will achieve and suggesting she is approaching it with a ‘public watchdog’ is undermining of the discrimination that is being greeted upon OP’s child.

Oh and suggesting that the OP will probably damage her relationships with her carers isn’t accurate. They have inflicted damage on the relationship which is why OP felt she needed to come to this forum to discuss what on earth was going on.

I’m afraid I reflected and, upon reflection, would still do the same.

Ofsted inspections place enormous strain on the staff. If DD is requiring extra support, as a mother I would l be reluctant to send her if I had been given any indication that for whatever reason that extra support might be compromised. Dd doesn’t know she is being “ discriminated” against by not going. I always put my children lived experience ahead of my own perspectives and indignation.

The nursery normally care for her well on the face of this post. My opinion might differ if that were not the case snd OP felt the care needed flagging.

I'd just tell them your DD will be coming into nursery as normal and you are upset they wanted to hide her out of sight for the day. If they try to push back then I'd tell them I would complain to Ofsted if she was not allowed to attend.

In which case I’d suggest educating your ignorance.

Excuse me?

Do you understand how discussion forums work? They provide a space for people to express their opinion. I’m sorry mine is not the same as yours, but it’s not.

And incidentally other users have thanked my response so it would seem - newsflash - opinions differ. Which brings us right back to the whole point of discussion forums.

For furtherment, which is also a part of discussion.

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Disabled-Children-and-the-Equality-Act-2010-Guide-for-Teachers.pdf

I’d be refusing and telling Ofsted.

We use a nursery because we work, we can’t just take last minute days off. It’s hard enough covering illness.

Ofsted is a pain in the arse, we know it’s difficult and stressful but they just need to suck it up and manage. We all have difficult jobs.

I’m in HE and I’d love to tell some of the parents to come and collect their offspring at times, but funnily enough it’s not an option.

Yes but this governs other’s behaviour - not what OP needs to decide re her own DD.

Thankfully nurseries don't function on people's differing opinions on whether children can attend. They have rules they must abide by.
I'm pretty sure "we may ask your child with SEN not to attend nursery on days it's a bit tricky" isn't one of them.

What is sad is that once again it becomes a disagreement between the parent and the nursery, or between people with differing opinions

And unfortunately atm none of us can do fuck all all about the state of Ofsted or the impact they have. Thats the worse bit about the whole thing

If the nursery felt confident that they are meeting your child's needs they should see this as an opportunity to show Ofsted how well they work with a SEND child.

It may not be in the rules but it’s very common for nurseries and schools to ask parents to keep children at home on Ofsted days.

Children with SEN
Children with behaviour difficulties
Children that can’t do their shoes/coats

Its not as common as it used to be, partly because of the current hyper focus from Ofsted on attendance, but it still happens.

The whole Ofsted system, the pressure it puts on settings and the way they use children who don’t conform to Ofsted’s current exact wishes against the setting needs a massive overhaul

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