Nursery staff ratios

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What are the adult: child ratios for a 3 year old?

I am also concerned that sometimes in a morning there is only one member of staff at my ds nursery when I leave him in a morning, surely there should always be at least two in case of accident/emergency?

Day nurseries
Minimum staffing ratios (this includes children of staff and volunteers)

• one member of staff for every three children under two years old
• one member of staff for every four children aged two years old
• one member of staff for every eight children aged three to eight years old

Independent Nursery Schools

From September 2008 the following applies.

Where a person with Qualified Teacher Status, Early Years Professional Status or another suitable level 6 qualification (which is fully relevant, and defined by CWDC) is working directly with the children, the following requirements apply:

• there must be at least one member of staff for every 13 children
• at least one other member of staff must hold a full and relevant level 3 qualification (as defined by CWDC).

Where a person with Qualified Teacher status, Early Years Professional Status or another suitable level 6 qualification is not working directly with the children, the following requirements apply:

• there must be at least one member of staff for every eight children
• at least one member of staff must hold a full and relevant level 3 qualification (as defined by CWDC)
• at least half of all other staff must hold a full and relevant level 2 qualification (as defined by CWDC).

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Maintained Nursery Schools
The size of the nursery school will vary but the number of staff will reflect the number of children who attend.

In maintained nursery schools staffing levels are normally two adults to 20 children, with one of the adults being a qualified teacher and the other a qualified nursery assistant.

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Maintained Nursery Classes

The size of the nursery class will vary but the number of staff will reflect the number of children who attend.

In maintained nursery classes staffing levels are normally two adults to 26 children, with one of the adults being a qualified teacher and the other a qualified nursery assistant.

Sometimes when i drop ds off in a morning there are a mixture of ages of children from under one up to four and only one member of staff on the premoses - there seems to be a time keeping problem with staff arriving.

Usually only three or four children, surely there should be more than one member of staff there when they open up in a morning?

if there are 3 children and one member of staff that is legal. if there are 4 children then it isn't.

thanks for such a speedy response!

no problem, sounds like you aren't feeling comfortable with the nursery.

No I'm not! Just a gut feeling really ds has been there 8 months and still screams every visit - he goes three mornings. Think I am going to give notice he starts school nursery in september.

I thought CMs could only have a max of three under-5s?

there doesnt have to be 2 staff in one room (provoding ratios ok) but there does have to be 2 staff on the premises.

there is only one room and one member off staff on premesis which is what i'm not happy about but wasn't sure what actual requirements there were if any

There should be at least one member of staff on the premises at any one time for full daycare settings, doesn't apply to childminders. This rule usually relates to beginning and end of day which is when nurseries tend to get into trouble in my experience. Not good practice and how do they take kids to loo or change nappy etc. Warning signs I would think.

Actuall the "law" states that there must be 2 people on site. NOT 1