what shall i do? Not happy about what I saw today at nursery

[gingernutlover]

i went to pick dd 3.3years up from day nursery today and as I walked in the room leader was busy with another parent, there was also a supply lady (lots of staff off sick) sitting on a chair watching the children. One of dd's friends was sitting on the floor cyring and crying. It was not a tantrum, seemed genuinely upset. The supply lady was just sitting there watching her, at one point said "thats enough" very sharply.

The Room leader finished with the parent and before dealing with me said "what's wrong with X?" to the supply lady. The supply lady replies "Y pushed her over"

the room leader called X over to her to comfort her and also dealt with me, she told me that it had been a "nightmare day and we've been over numbers all day too"

i feel i need to say somthing tomorrow but I dont know what, I think the Room leader told me the numbers thing on purpose, maybe hoping i would say somthing.

How do I put this to the manager in a non moany but factual tone, I dont want to say that the room leader told me about the numbers thing as i think it may have repercussions for her.

She knows I am an early years teacher myself so I think she could see I was upset by what I had seen so wont be suprised that i say somthing

just feeling upset and want to do this in the most effective way

should mention that last year when dd was in the younger room i arrived to find her and some other children soaked to the knees from being outside and shivering, I had turned up early, they were being sat at tables to colour in, no one changing any childs clothes

this was also a day when there were a lot of supply in and I did complain, I was promised it would never happen again. I know today was not totally the same but feel that some of the agency staff are not up to the job

Sounds like they have staffing issues and aren't very well managed. I would raise concerns with the manager and if you're not satisfied with the response then consider talking to OFSTED. But give the nursery the opportunity to address your concerns first.

Just say to the manager that you've noticed lots of staff are off sick and can she please reassure you she (or he) is dealing with that issue. If your dd is fine and the other child was appropriately dealt with within a reasonable timescale then I think that's all you need to do. They shouldn't be over numbers - but the problem that you saw wasn't really to do with that was it - more to do with the supply lady being rubbish - and I bet your room leader has already fed that aspect back.

what concerns me is that i think the room leader was hoping i would say somthing because she possibly couldnt

and yes i am very concerned about them being over numbers, if there are not enough adults to care for the children what happens when somthing else goes wrong and one of the adults is taken up by sorting out say 1 child with a cut or an accident which needs changing. If this happened the supply who ignores children would be left inc harge of the whole room yes?

Both things concern me equally

I know people get sick, I myself was off work sick today, my class had a supply teacher, its not ideal but the children's happiness and safety are paramount surely

for starters i'd have said thre and then to the supply woman 'oh dear does she need picking up?' and if you knew the child's name i'd have said 'are you ok x?'

the fact the member of staff couldn't be arsed even with a parent in the room is awful.

were they over their numbers at that moment?

if so i'd have gone and got the manager right away.

if not then i'd have spoken to the manager about the high sickness and your concerns over the supply staff.

No, they should not be understaffed, it's completely illegal and as you say, dangerous. I think you need to raise this, but my advice would be to go in very mildly, just see what the manager says first of all. Then if their response isn't good enough you could consider taking further action, but they may already be sorting it.

Let's hope so.

you're right, i wish i had said somthing while i was there

its just that i work in a similar job and know that things can be far from ideal at times but that it doesnt help the staff who are there to be set upon by a parent, hence me coming home and thinking it over. I am quite impulsive and the last thing i want is to upset the lovely room leader who looked really ill herself and was obviously stressed about the situation.

The poor little girl, it may have been happening all day to other children, my dd included. I asked her who had looked after her today and the only name she could give me was the room leader but i know 3 year olds dont always give a full and correct answer

congrats on bump btw, when are you due?

it won't have repurcussions for the room leader because it is the manager that takes the responsibility

it is not fair on the children or staff, not to mention illegal that there is isn't the appropriate ratios

just approach the manager calmly - if you can't do it face to face, then call her

I thought that whatever the circumstances they have to have the correct ratio of staff to children. Definately speak to manager first then OFSTED if they take no action or you are not happy with their response.

will speak to someone tomorrow morning, thought about writing but feel i should have a conversation first

glad the concensus is that I am not overreacting

and i didnt mean legal repercussions for the room leader, i meant she might get into trouble with managment for letting it slip to me

I will speak to room leader first thing to tell her I am going to see manager about it