Staff/child Ratios In Fsu

[Guest]

Can anyone help - I have a colleague who is wondering about her schools foundation stage unit ratios in light of the new EYFS. There are currently 22 nursery children in the am, 18 in the pm and 40 full time reception children. At the moment there are 2 teachers and 3 support staff. We are wondering if this is enough or should there be more teachers?

[Guest]

Hi. we have a very similar set up with 44 reception children and 25 nursery children in the morning and 23 in the afternoon. i had to refer to the data quoted in the EYFS to persuade our head that we needed a third teacher. Refer to the Statutory Framework for the EYFS Appendix 2 (pages 49/50) for legal requirements for ratios of adults to children. Beware there is a misprint which is corrected in an errata and clarification. The nursery requires a teacher and "at least one other member of staff must hold a full and relevant level 3..."

We currently have 3 full time teachers, one nursery nurse and 6 teaching assistants within the unit. (we do have a high level of special needs, are in an area of high social deprivation and are extremely lucky to have a very supportive headteacher). I would have thought that your colleague needed at least 3 teachers and 3 support staff, one of whom held at least a level 3 qualification.

Good luck

Lorraine

[Susan]

Hi Isands and welcome!

 

Jollymojo, I haven't worked it out but you need I teacher for every 30 Reception children so that with that number in Reception your friend should already have 2 teachers. Then in nursery the ratio is 13:1.

[Susan]

Reread your post and see that there are already 2 teachers, sorry!

I dont know for sure how the numbers combine but I would have thought the nursery children were entitled to a teacher too.

[Guest]

After xmas we will have 46 f/t and 24 p/t each session.

Staff wise we have 2 teachers + 2 nursery nurses.

I dont think you legally have to have a teacher for nursery as a local school nursery only has 2 nursery nurses that run the nursery.

Look forward to reading how other units are staffed.

[Guest]

I dont think you legally have to have a teacher for nursery as a local school nursery only has 2 nursery nurses that run the nursery.

 

This is an issue in our authority as many schools have done this.The schools are now being told that from september there has to be a teacher in nursery.It has major funding issues for the schools.

[mundia]

Yes its going to be one of those perennial headaches.

 

Ok jollmojo, you should have 2 teachers for your Reception children, but if you LA doesn't have teachers in nurseries, which some still don't as yet, then you can get away with allocating your 3 SS on 8:1 ratio for your nursery children. If on the other hand your LA has teachers for nursery classes, then you need another teacher. You could however lose one of your support staff as you would technically only need 2. (although it would be good if you can keep 3).

 

Marys you don't really have enough staff if you have 70 children at any one time, although you don't state ages. If you 46 Ft are reception age then they need 2 teachers, which does mean that you should also have a teacher for the nursery children unless like you say your LA doesn't bother much with that at the moment. Id have thought an extra TA would be seen as good practice otherwise you have a 23:1 ratio in reception which isn't a good ratio even though it is legal.