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.

This would alarm me, major red flags.

Should the office staff not handle visitors?

I’d definitely feed that back to Ofsted, they usually send out an email, and if they haven’t sent it to you, ask another parent to forward you the link to the questionnaire.

OFSTED are brutal! It's the day every teacher dreads and it's such a tense time when they're around. I don't think it's personal to your child OP, I think the nursery will have genuinely been worried about staffing numbers. There can be one ofsted officer grilling talking to a teacher in a class room and then another officer meeting with a few members of staff in the staff room, if there's staff absence on top of that it soon puts the children with additional needs in jeopardy due to lack of staff available. I'm sure that's all it will have been.

I would think twice about a complaint in light of recent events following ofsted inspections.

I would notify Ofsted that this had happened, and then move my child to a different setting. This is appalling practice and they know damn well they shouldn't be doing it.

Our school took the challenging kids on a trip the day ofstead visited. It's all so shady. It's never a true indication of the day to day. It's pointless for this very reason

Yes, my husband, a retired secondary school teacher told me that schools will go to great lengths to ensure that any even slightly troublesome children are not around during Ofsted visits.

All schools and now nurseries do it. Moving a child won’t achieve anything other than disruption. Ofsted visits cause high anxiety for Heads and some teachers. It’s about them trying to make the days go as smoothly as possible. The system needs changing, so that schools/nurseries are not penalised for having to deal with problematic behaviour.

It wouldn’t bother me tbh. I’d understand it from their point of view and if I liked my nursery and the staff I’d help them out.

it’s one day.

They’ve handled this so badly. Do you work? How are you supposed to just conjure up alternative childcare? Are you being reimbursed/compensated?!

Hopefully you have all this in an email - and then report them to ofsted. Why should they do this - if it feels wrong it likely is. For her, for other non verbal / SEN kids who these nursery workers / this nursery may care for in the future.

I’ve worked in a primary school for a very long time until very recently and I’m sorry to say that their reason that the gave you regarding staffing is just an excuse. They want the day to go as best as it can and they are being very selfish. I’m sure if there are other children with additional needs, they have called those parents too, which is very sad. I agree with you, why not show off that they are great at supporting your DD?! My concern now would be do they know how best to look after her if they are not wanting her to be there. I would be upset by it.

You’re misreading this. There are regulations about staffing levels particularly where SN children are involved. They’re afraid that they won’t have enough staff to do this AND show the OFSTED drone around, which is an easy ‘inadequate’ box tick. OFSTED like such easy targets. Help them out.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/mother-told-to-keep-her-autistic-son-at-home-during-inspection/

Oh dear, similar story here from years ago which I do recall and I quote:
"Deliberately withholding evidence from inspectors would be regarded as a very serious matter.”

It's important for your child's school to show how they support EVERY pupil!

I'd turn up with your daughter while.ofsted is there. Then inform them of what was said. This is so dodgy. Clearly they have been operating against the guidelines for having enough staff and think by asking you to keep her home the place will look good. But it's far from a true recollection

Friend who used to work in a nursery attached to a state primary school said they used to do a day-trip with the more ‘tricky’ kids on day of ofsted visit. Was a long time ago, though.

This

There's a lot of conflating of nurseries and school inspections on this thread, saying things about three inspectors or one inspector in a classroom while another is talking to staff in the staff room - unless it's a huge nursery, or the inspector has a manager there shadowing them, the vast majority of nursery inspections are one person for one day. The only person they need to regularly speak to throughout the day is the manager or person in charge; that's who they speak to about the policies and procedures, and who they do "joint observations" of activities with. Otherwise they just go around watching the care bring provided and following what particular children are doing to "track" their experiences. No inspector would put a nursery out of ratio by taking staff off if there aren't enough to look after the children, that's the priority. They just have a quick chat to staff members to check they know how to report safeguarding concerns, ask new staff if they've had an induction, stuff like that.

And for what it's worth both schools and nurseries - Ofsted call the headteacher or nursery owner in the morning the day before they come out. So you get less than 24 hours notice they're coming. Not much time these days to do all the "sending the naughty kids on a trip" antics. Plus inspectors get copies of the registers, check attendance, and for older children ask the pupils questions. "Is registration always like this? Is this what you usually do? How often do you do activities like this?" That's in groups of kids without teachers present as well. The kids will speak up if it's all a show.

It’s called Off Rolling, and is a terrible practice to make them look better for OFSTED. I would ask the key worker to put that request in an email (I bet they won’t). But I would definitely be putting that info in the parent view form.

I have taken part in many inspections on both sides. I am a Special needs specialist and know Ofsted to be very supportive of SEND children and their education and welfare. It is one of their main concerns. They absolutely would not expect a nursery to exclude a child for this reason. I am shocked OP. Personally I would be reporting it

@Poppyandseed Ruth Perry was not brought up to manipulate anyone but to remind people that school SLT are real people put under tremendous duress during Ofsted inspections.

Nursery is out of order. How they work with SEND children is important for Ofsted to see .

Why would you do this??? Especially if the nursery is good and your child is happy. It’s just causing trouble for them.

Why? It’s ridiculous to ask parents to keep their child away because Ofsted are coming in.

This is called “offrolling” is illegal and definetly not ok https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-rolling

Send an email asking them to confirm this then you have it in writing. Then send it to ofsted.

I telly don't know about this one tbh I think I'd have been upset in a nursery setting thus time last year. My ds now attends a specialist nursery "nurture provision" still nursery he's been deferred a year starting school.
The setting had an ofsted inspection and got good and the comments where that the staff were not teaching independence as one staff member wiped a child's nose for him. The child had no concept of snot all over their face or any idea how to wipe their nose at all.
I can't believe how they just had to find something wrong so now I understand but like I said a year ago I wouldn't I'd have absolutely kicked off 🤦‍♀️only you know what to do but yeah in a typical nursery I'd be pissed off I'd turn up and tell the ofsted but I'm clearly unhinged. Just do what you feel you need to do only you know yourw and lo's relationship with the nursery even if you just say tell me honestly did you lie about the staffing levels I just need to know the truth.