Ratio requirements on a termly basis

[Dennie]

Hello everyone

 

I'm just looking for some advice as our local authority have just referred me back to the EYFS. We are a preschool setting who are open termly. Generally we take new starters only at the beginning of term but occasionally after half terms. We want to offer a morning place to a 2 year old after half term.

 

Currently we have a fee paying child who has just turned 3 in early October. As this child is now 3 can I now include him in my 3 year old ratios or do I have to include him in the 2 year old ratios until the following term (January 2017) when he will be a funded 3 year year old? If I treat this newly turned 3 year old as 3 now I can take in the new 2 year old after half term, if not I can't.

 

Just wondered what other settings do. Do you wait until the following term or do you class the 3 year old as 3 as soon as he or she reaches that age for your ratios? The advice from my local authority referred to 'rising 3s', but of course the child in question is not a rising 3 now, technically he is already 3. I hope this makes sense. Similarly I have another child who is currently 2 year old funded but turns 3 before the October half term. He will continue to receive 2 year old funding until December 2016 and will receive 3 year old funding in January 2017. Staffing is tight so do I have to treat the 2 year old funded child as '2' up until January 2017 in terms of ratios, as he is funded as a 2 year old, or can I treat him a 3 year old for staffing?

 

Thanks and hoping someone can clarify or suggest what they do.

 

Dennie

[Cait]

I have always gone by 'if they are three, then they are in that ratio'. As you say, staffing can be tight, and a child arriving aged three would be classed as three, so there's no difference. As for the funding, that's just carry over funding until the new term, so no worries on that score, I wouldn't think.

[lsp]

Same as Cait. We do try, when possible, to consider funded 2 year olds as '2' until funding ends but if it's a case of not turning fees away or staff being off sick and we are in ratio - the child is '3' and in line with EYFS - unless anyone knows different??????

[Dennie]

Thanks Cait and lsp. That's how I interpret it - if they are 3 they are 3 - and ratios could be 1:8 according to Ofsted requirements.

 

Dennie

[Guest]

Me too when they are three then they are in the three year old ratio!

[zigzag]

Yes I totally agree with the above. Hadn't thought about it the other way!

[Stargrower]

i agree that if they're three, they are in a 1:8 ratio. However, if we have a child who is developmentally still very much a two year old, we try to keep them in a lower ratio (and in our case, in our Toddler Room, rather than moving them up to the Pre-school Room). Otherwise, I think it's fine to have them in a 1:8 ratio as soon as they're three.

[BroadOaks]

Yep, we also count a child who turns 3 within the 1:8 ratio. This being said, all children are unique and learn at different speeds so in some cases, is it right to simply use the DOB of a child to judge the correct ratio? We are legally within our rights to do this according the the statutory guidance but it should depend on the needs of the child rather. Me personally, I feel the guidance needs amending, so to allow managers and staff to make these ratio judgements.

 

Sorry to go off on a tangent.. I do this a lot :blink:

[kristina]

As soon as they turn 3 I move them into that ratio, would be a nightmare otherwise!

[finleysmaid]

we literally take it at their third birthday and then get the next two year old in that day! :lol: 2 is 2 3is 3!!!

[sunnyday]

we literally take it at their third birthday and then get the next two year old in that day! :lol: 2 is 2 3is 3!!!

Love it! ::1a