Outstanding?

Outstanding?

by: Lil Miss Purple - 30-10-12 17:29

Does an outstanding nursery report mean it is an outstanding nursery? Would love some honest stories about nurseries across the board. I have worked in settings that have had 'satisfactory' 'good' and 'outstanding' and tbh have seen happier children and staff in the lesser graded ones than the settings where the top grade was given. Are there also stories out there of staff being pressured to gain an outstanding from higher up when they already put heart and soul into it. Just doing some research as am thinking of looking into new nurseries for work. TIA ;)

by: bagpuss

I know of a Nursery rated Good where there has been accident upon accident and staff leaving in droves even down to an ambulance being called and a nose being broken due to down right negligence, has any parent reported them to Ofsted, no, am I going to, no but I am tempted!!

I also know of an Outstanding nursery where a child broke his arm this wasn't reported to Ofsted and a trip to A and E with overnight stay is supposed to be.

Not saying we are perfect, but when we had an Incident (the only one in 5years touch wood) I reported it to everyone, Ofsted, Early Years Consultants, Parents all of them. Ofsted treated me very badly three weeks later when they visited me and yet the parents all of them stayed.

RE: RE: Outstanding? - 29-11-12 18:01

by: Clare

Hello!

I'm a TV Producer interested in finding out more about the standards in private nurseries.

I think you would be able to help me with my research as I can see from this post that you have lots of experience in the industry.

If you would like to contact me my private email is : clare1230@hotmail.co.uk

Many thanks

by: kaz (the first one!)

Bagpuss I know how you feel. One of my settings got a satisfactory this summer, a shock to all who had been involved including the LEA. Some of this was down to a very nervous new manager and some bad advice from the LEA. However, our parents were very supportive and apart from loss of some funding, our nursery continues to thrive.

by: kell kell 86

I have worked in nurserys that put on a show and get a good grade i put a report to ofsted about a really bad one! one that is a good nursery in the way it runs but not at the heart just go 'out standing' im not going to name it tho but its got a bigger staff turn over than any i have ever seen, is all smoke a mirrors tbh

by: raramoo

I dropped in on a 'chain' nursery a few days ago and I wasn't very impressed. The place was dirty, dusty and generally in need of a good old revamp. The equipment was old and tattered, the displays were torn and dishevelled and the general look of the place was dusty. This setting got Outstanding 2011. Are they simply relying on this for the next few years and having a break from good practice?

by: me

i work with several outstanding nurseries where i wouldnt leave my dog. a well educated confident manner and all stops out on the day can get an outstanding. it means very little. i also witness settings who get it then do sod all to maintain it living off the glory. 

by: Tish501

Outstanding means nothing,for parents...they know where they can trust to leave their children.A snapshot visit by an Inspector who may be having a bad day is not a reliable way to check the qualities of a setting...

by: Jam

To be honest I think Ofsted should visit Nurseries/schools over a period of time to get a fair picture of a setting. Alot of managers panic at the thought of an inspection, but if you are doing your job properly then there should be no need to worry. When my son was at school and they where told that Ofsted were coming they sent the 'trouble-makers'on a school trip! 

by: red sun

I know of a pre-school where the children are constantly shouted and barked at, they all still line up to put their coats on, they all go outside at the same time, they all go to the toilet at the same time, they all have snack at the same time. They even have a naughty chair.......all of this was noted on a recent (3 weeks ago) inspection, yet they got good with no actions and only 3 recommendations and the inspector told them that if they had been inspected under the old format they would have got outstanding. They have had lots of complaints made against them......including 1 from me.

The mind boggles......this is scary stuff!!!

by: Tish501

OMG....I . cannot believe that !As the owner  of a small private setting I am always keeping one eye on this forum,but that has made me gasp....,but can well believe it..we have some dubious settings around us...they will all  get good in the next round of inspectons soon even if not deserved,but where my nursery totally complies to all the rules.....they do not.Totally unfair....A naughty step ???? did they hide  it when he/she arrived that morning? Would be interesting to know name of that setting to read their report..put on here on want to email to me..???..

by: sparkles24

There are several comments on here which ring true to my own experiences.  The other year I spent some time in a setting owned by one of the large chains, where I was shocked to see children shouted at on a regular basis and even sometimes treated with contempt.  Some of the staff were very controlling of the children's activities, selecting limited activities for the children and refusing to allow them to move on to more challenging activities even when children were clearly bored.  I was baffled to see that the nursery was awarded an Outstanding by Ofsted not that long after I'd been there.  I couldn't imagine how it had got that rating, other than that the manager must have put on a very good act when Ofsted were in.

by: Tish501

Dare I say friends in high places ??

by: Lil Miss Purple

This all makes very interesting reading! It is such a shame that nurseries seem to have the sheer determination to get an outstanding even if it as the cost of staff happiness. Then when they get it, some rest on thier morals! I believe it all can be pot luck, and sometimes yes friends in high places. I have been in Nursery Nursing for almost 20 years and I have seen alot of changes. I remember the days when Social Services inspected. All this has made me seriously consider my options about my current workplace. Outstanding over staff morale...........

by: purepurple

In my experience, the difference between outstanding and good is the quality of the staff.

I have worked in several nurseries this year- 2 good, 1 satisfactory and 1 outsatnding

The satisfactory nursery was staffed by very young staff, 17, 18, 20 etc, all newly qualified with the other staff members being having only worked in that setting- I hated it and left very quickly after I started there- shockingly bad practice and not a place i would recommend to anyone

The 2 good nurseries both had a good team, with a mixture of staff, some level 2s and an EYP in both settings. One of the settings gave their staff no responsibilities and had an approach to doing thins just to tick the ofsted box.

The outsatnding had 2 EYPs, 2 teachers, several doing degrees and no level 2s. All the staff were very professioanl and took their roles very seriously, all had responsibilities and their practice was guided by a manager who wanted to improve the experiences for the child because of her knowledge of child development and how children learn

Staff morale was worse in the good setting where the staff had no responsibilites and practice was geared to ticking boxes

by: Clare

Hello!

I'm a TV Producer interested in finding out more about the standards in private nurseries.

I think you all would be able to help me with my research as I can see from this post that you have lots of experience in the industry.

If you would like to contact me my private email is : clare1230@hotmail.co.uk

Many thanks

by: chrissie

Settings that are so poor are damaging children and yet they are left to carry on....we have come so far in understandiing brain development and neuroscience and yet this is still happening. How can I become an OFSTED inspector...hehehehe... I know this is no laughing matter! tut tut!