Registration process - advice please!

[Guest]

We are a small group of teachers leaving this current system and are in the process of registering our Nursery (in Bromley) with OFSTED.

We are eager to open in September but have been given conflicting information about the time line.

Our main concern is advertising before we receive our OFSTED Registration number?

We are currently about to send our EY0 and have been told that a visit from OFSTED could be 4-6 weeks? Is it wise to advertise before the visit or wait for the actual reg number/certificate?

[Guest]

I have twice opened new settings and advertised each time before getting the Ofsted number. I did, however, have everything in place (right down to displays on the walls and labels on all resources) so that prospective parents could see the setting all ready. Most parents were happy to accept that they might have to wait until Ofsted had visited - if they were not prepared to wait we hadn't wasted anything anyway!

Good luck in your new venture.

[MarshaD]

Hi

I'm in the same situation as you - awaiting my registration visit. I submitted my forms at the beginning of Feb. I'm still waiting for a Social Services check which has taken way over the six weeks it is supposed to. I hear they are notoriously tardy. But I am marketing nonetheless for a September start and keeping my fingers crossed that they come before my launch at the end of July. I don't see how we can wait really.

Good luck with it all. Would love to hear your progress.

[Guest nadzy]

I have just received a phonecall from Ofsted to say that they are coming for an initial visit. I will post back and let you know how it goes. We applied for our registration in January and they are visiting now (June). Good luck and I hope they get back to you soon!

[MarshaD]

Hi again

Was just telling Nadzy that I had mine yesterday so that was about four calendar months.