BBC's Real Story

BBC's Real Story

by: butterflygirl - 12-08-04 21:50

Im a newly qualified nursery nurse. Im watching the programme right now and Im very upset but not shocked at all by what im seeing. I work for a large private day nursery with an excellent reputation. I have been fighting with the company about staff ratios, leaving unqualified staff without police checks alone from day one (me included). The care is good in my nursery but we struggle and the stress is taking its toll. I will be ringing ofsted tomorrow even though i will risk losing my job.

by: Amanda MacKenzie

I work in a nursery and my employers have told me that ratios are not a legal requirement. I have never heard of this before. Is it true?

BBC's Real Story - 13-08-04 10:32

by: Shelli

Yes!!
The ratio's are an important, compulsory standard set by OFSTED. The ratio in baies should be 1:3, toddlers 1:4 and pre-school 1:8.

BBC's Real Story - 13-08-04 15:16

by: Han

I'm a qualified Nursery Nurse and found parts of the programme very upsetting. However, i'm not surprised that this happens in nurseries as a nursery is only as good as the management and the staff. i have worked in 2 day nurseries one of which offered excellent care and had a wonderful supportive management team and the other where it was a struggle to offer good quality childcare with a high proportion of unqualified staff and very rarely keeping to the ratios but i have never come acrooss anything as serious as some of what was portrayed last night. I thinking shouting all the time and calling a child a imbilice and minger is totally unacceptable though i do understand that sometimes we do need to raise our voices just to be heard. Sorry, i've gone on a bit but i feel quite passionatly about the job that i do!

BBC's Real Story - 24-08-04 17:32

by: Michelle20

hey there, was just reading your message and yes ratio's are a legal requirment put in by ofstead, for the protection of the children and your selfs. I think you may need to talk to your manager about this as she is breaking the law if she is not working within the required ratio's. At present the current ratio's are 1:8 with other 3's and 1:3 for under 3's, if you go out on a trip then there should be one adult to two children. Hope this is off help.

BBC's Real Story - 24-08-04 17:37

by: Michelle20

I thought the programme was appauling. I work in a family centre and forever fighting about ratio's, health and hygiene standards, newly qualified and un-qualified staff. Its a nightmare. I feel that ofstead should carry out an inspection with out prior warning, i mean at present we are told a month in advance, so activities are especially planned, staff are on there best behaviour etc etc..... the list goes on. Ofstead needs to see a typical day in the nursery with all of the stresses and strains. What do you think?

BBC's Real Story - 25-08-04 11:39

by: Hardworkin

I did not see the programme in question, but I have always been led to believe that the ratio in a school nursery is 1 -13. That is a nursery class within a school.

BBC's Real Story - 26-08-04 15:54

by: Michelle20

you say that the ratio within a nursery class is 1-13 is that with a nursery teacher and a nursery nurse? I used to work in aprivate school within the nursery i worked along side two nursery teachers ann an assiatant that was within a class of about 30.

BBC's Real Story - 31-08-04 20:21

by: jrennie1984

I work with 2 up to 3 year olds in Scotland and have been told the ratio is 1:5 but that it is acceptable to
*be left alone for a few min though sometimes a few mins means 15 mins in my work
*be 2 children over ratio as long as it doesn't happen often. I have on ocasion been left alone all day with 6 2 to 3 year olds

I was just wondering if anyone could tell me if this is true.

BBC's Real Story - 01-09-04 15:14

by: calvin

the OSFTED regs (which I am not sure apply under scottish regs) are that the ratio applies ALL THE TIME with children.

We over staff our nursery to ensure that we always meet the ratio- even when staff pop to the toilet, take breaks etc

BBC's Real Story - 04-09-04 12:09

by: theodore24

The toddler ratio is 1:4 right??
but I work in toddlers with children 18 months to 30months...that means half are under 2..so should our ratio be 1:3 or 1:4??

Each day we each have a group of about 7 children...the staff are in the nursery, just not with the children..I don't agree with that at all.Especially if i am left with 7 children, being unqualified.

BBC's Real Story - 06-09-04 15:12

by: calvin

as per OFSTED/DfES guidance:

under 2 ratio is 1:3
aged 2 ratio 1:4
3 or over 1:8

if you have a mix of ages, then you have to calculate the correct amount of staff

this is WITH the children... not just in the building

BBC's Real Story - 08-09-04 20:38

by: kimmie

i know what you mean i couldn't believe it myself what i want to know is why this is allowed to happen and how we can change it as none of what happned should ever be allowed to happend in any circumstances though it needs to change before anything else happends to those poor inocent children. i found it very upsetting as i was actually in tears watching it myself it needs to stop and now!!!! for the children's than anyone else's! kim x

BBC's Real Story - 21-09-04 13:45

by: spannahxxx

I work in a large chain and find that the standards really go by how competent and hands on the manager is. Saying that my current room coordinator is always saying that Ofsted allow us to go one or two over the ratios. most of the girls in this nursery feel so under pressure and also that there is nothing we as the little people at bottom can do to change things that go on

BBC's Real Story - 02-10-04 11:44

by: jrennie1984

I understand how pressured and stressed the girls working feel but "we as the little people at the bottom" can do something. I am lucky that I have a manager who listens to our concerns and ideas but If other nursery's feel they are getting no where they can complain directly and anonymously to the care commission (ofsted in England) My nursery was recently inspected and it was an inspector who informed me about this.

BBC's Real Story - 09-01-05 22:28

by: kimmie

I thought that the programme was a disgrace it makes all nurseries look really bad but some aren't that bad some of other nurseries that weren't on that! are really good ones like the one I work at is well at least I think so anyway! kimmie x p.s people obviously choose to work with children in the first place so why exactly does this happend?

BBC's Real Story - 31-01-05 16:47

by: smileybabe

In Northern Ireland the ratio is 8 children to each member of staff in a playgroup (3-4 yr olds) though on outings it it then two children to each adult.
In a schoolrun nursery it is 13 children to one adult.