What does each rating mean exactly? Buying a Day Nursery: Ofsted registration As you probably know, children's day nurseries are nationally regulated by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted), which inspects all childcare provision. Dont try to do anything on a tight budget, and dont rely on promises from Ofsted, builders, decorators or indeed anyone else, because at least one of them is bound to let you down, sadly! This is when the inspector and manager (or assigned leader) will take part in observing activities together. So, it is worth checking what the most recent reports show. Starting from scratch Of course, setting up your own day nursery has a number of advantages. With this check, you make sure that prospective employees are legally able to work within the UK. They dont know you had a potato planting session a couple months ago, or about that parent picnicTherefore you need to show them. OFSTED Requirements All nurseries must be registered with the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (OFSTED). Details of all children who are open cases to social care/childrens services and for whom there is a multi-agency plan. Save Time & Money with Blossoms Nursery Management Software. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. After paying for staff, rent, and resources such as toys, equipment and food, margins can be slim for all but the most successful childrens nurseries. Mainly, the aims you have to help your children develop and learn. In these circumstances it is normal to agree and include the following provisions in the contract: a) that the seller continues to provide some form of consultancy to the new business (it may be as little as a couple of hours a week) and b) for you, the buyer, to provide an indemnity to the seller agreeing that should Ofsted make any kind of claim against the seller with regard to the Ofsted registration, you will reimburse the seller for the amount of the claim and any associated costs. Unfortunately, this is another straightforward sounding process which can often prove problematic for buyers. If you had any safeguarding concerns about a child, what action would you take? This will help you -and your staff- gain a thorough understanding of what an Outstanding setting entails. I would encourage anyone considering their exit within the next two years to contact us to discuss if now is the right time for them to exit, he says. Joining the Childcare Register and running the business Weve tackled the Ofsted inspection ourselves with our very own Blossom Tree setting and came out the other side with an Outstanding! To register your organisation, you will need to have the following details: Everyone who wants to join your organisation in a governance position, such as a committee member, will need to apply to Ofsted. It need not be a scary/stressful document. OFSTED's report history is another important consideration. With specialist nursery brokers Redwoods Dowling Kerr reporting enquiries rising by a staggering 142 per cent since lockdown it is currently very much a sellers market. This was a long time ago now 12 years and I sincerely hope the process has changed since. However, some businesses forget to tell their insurance provider about the changes. Ask questions. Talk to the children and practitioners about the activities provided, Talk to parents to gain their views on the quality of care and education provided, Observe the interactions between practitioners and children, Gauge childrens levels of understanding and their engagement in learning, Talk to practitioners about their assessment of what children know and can do and how they are building on it, Observe care routines and how they are used to support childrens personal development, including the settings approach to toilet training. For guidance on how to register with a childminder agency, or if you are already with an agency, contact the agency directly. Other than that, people want much the same as before. This adds an extra layer of protection to your nursery. Blossom will be updating its platform to include both the Birth to 5 Matters and Developments Matters documents to comply with the new EYFS framework starting in September this year. By signing up you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Buying a business Despite the many government grants currently available to those engaged in providing early years education, looking after children is a costly business. Our full contact details can be found on ourContact Uspage. If you decide to go forward with an interview, ask them to bring along their certificates and other evidence of qualifications. And it can get those nerves down and your confidence up. Although the lease will usually state that such consent is not to be unreasonably withheld, in practice, it is rarely a speedy process for the following reasons: Its important to make sure that you are aware of the terms of the lease to be assigned. Choose a broker on their experience, references and whether you feel you can have a good working relationship with them. Think about the potential how could you improve, expand or transform the nursery youre looking to buy? Two approaches. This may be obvious but be sure to contact previous employers directly to verify their credibility. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. I sold it last year as a 68-place nursery with a before- and after-school club and minibus. Sorting documents for the inspection can get a bit confusing and stressful. The impact of this self reflective practice takes us [children, staff and parents] from strength to strength.. For some, maybe those who were on the edge of considering exit, the pandemic will be the last straw along with those at retirement age, although some will want to get back to pre-Covid levels before exiting.. This is where youre most likely sitting. Get the latest posts and industry insights straight to your inbox. Applicants for registration must be aged 18 or over and have the right to work in the United Kingdom. This 'Guide to' has been produced by Nursery World in partnershipwith Redwoods Dowling Kerr. Only individuals who will have certain roles can apply to register a daycare. You may also find that you dont like the way the nursery is run, that its inefficient in terms of its budgeting or cash flow, and perhaps wasteful when it comes to resources. Specialist Software Built for Preschool Businesses. We are after some advice,We are thinking of setting up a business and have seen a nursery for sale that we are thinking of trying to get a mortgage on and that i would run. Information added on childminder agencies being able to accept registrations for childcare on domestic premises. Ogley Hay Nursery School retains Ofsted outstanding rating for third At an Ofsted Outstanding nursery, your staff are brilliant role models who put caring for the children first. Its good to focus on things you are doing well (rather than what needs some work). Inspectors must spend as much time as possible gathering evidence about the quality of care, teaching, and learning. When Redwoods Dowling Kerr initially contacted me two years ago, I was actually quite offended at the thought of selling, but it got me thinking and later I was interested in receiving a valuation. If you are an owner thinking that youll leave it until next year, perhaps bear in mind there may be another 500 owners are thinking the same. Above all encourage positivity and remember to celebrate your staff and setting. News stories, speeches, letters and notices, Reports, analysis and official statistics, Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports. We want to help settings do the same. Buying a Nursery Franchise. Operating a nursery can be very satisfying and rewarding, but it takes a lot of hard work. How To Value A Care Home Or Nursing Home Business. If you have certain activities planned, again inform your inspector so that they can make time to observe this. A person might purchase a nursery franchise for a variety of reasons. . So the first lessons here are: allow for everything to cost far more than you expect, and to take far more time than you could possibly imagine. Documents can be uploaded to the system for cloud-based storage and quick, stress-free access. If you wish, you can delegate some duties of the walk to other managers/ leaders in your setting. Resource packs to supercharge your planning, I would like to receive regular updates from Teachwire with free lesson plans, great new teaching ideas, offers and more. Nurseries which have strong local reputations are attractive to groups who want to grow. This is what your inspector is evaluating. If you are interested in understanding the Areas of Inspection in detail, then please feel free to . It is a continuous process that guides our decision making and drives our individual and collective practice forward. I can also see commuter areas being far more in demand, but central London may become quieter. You will already have a full complement of staff. Make all events past and present shine, 17. The inspection at the nursery, which has 122 children on roll, took place on January 21. This sets the tone for your setting overall. If you are only looking after someone elses children in their home, you must read the guidance on becoming a nanny instead, as you may not need to register with Ofsted. On top of this, describe to your inspector how well you do in fact know your children. Well send you a link to a feedback form. You will need to maintain your Ofsted registration with an annual fee. Your application to register as a nursery or other daycare will not be reviewed by Ofsted until these 2 steps are also completed. 142 Posts. Im now working alongside the new owner for a handover period, which is giving us all time to gradually adjust. The two most important things not to on the day are: The main rule is: Keep calm and stick to what you know and do well. It may not be the case for them, but its worth being one step ahead than one step behind. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Here are some policies that you should implement: Write out the approach that you take to recruiting staff or volunteers to work with your children. Islamic schools trust praised by Ofsted brands gay people 'evil' Profitability is important to making a nursery attractive, but be careful not to skimp on expenditure to bump up profits. Receiving an Ofsted rating that left you disappointed can be frustrating. Guidance for preparing for your OFSTED visit | Stonebridge Associated As an act to support the EY sector during the pandemic, in April 2020 the government temporarily disapplied and modified certain elements of the EYFS statutory framework. Personal Development. It could mean the difference between making an offer or not, and save you time, money and sleepless nights. Rather, they will reach a single graded judgement for the quality of education at your Ofsted nursery (backed by the evidence theyve gathered during their inspection). Chat about it now and then in the common room over tea. At all stages in the recruitment process (and in life generally), it is imperative that you do not adopt any attitude of discrimination. The sooner we become involved in the process of helping you to buy your childrens nursery the more likely it is that your purchase will be successful, so please contact us today. Ofsted will, in addition, carry out a check with the local authority childrens services department to see if you, or others connected with the registration, are known to them in connection with care orders or other information that might bring into doubt your suitability to work, or be in regular contact, with children. Starting from scratch How well do you understand your nursery business? Gain an insight into the effectiveness of the provisions professional development programme for practitioners, Learn about the providers view of staffs interactions with children, See the quality of the implementation of the curriculum/educational programmes. Active Early Years registered providers at their most recent inspections, by year. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Unfortunately the actual sale was not easy and it was not completed until December. The assignment will also require the consent of the landlord. Whats The Difference Between An Asset Sale And A Share Sale? Ofsted Sleep Rules | BabyCentre We have helped many owners all over the . You will need to register as a daycare organisation if you are running a childcare business where both of the following apply: This is known as providing childcare on domestic premises. You need to ensure that you monitor and improve your recruitment processes. And, of course, do not add to the pressure theyre already aware of the importance. Beware The Elephant In The Room. For an Ofsted Requires Improvement nursery, you provide an acceptable quality of education and care for children, however, it still needs work. They will conduct sufficient research on you and your setting. . Find out when you must apply to register if you want to set up a nursery, or other daycare organisation for children. So, for the sake of committing to a consultancy fee for your sellers continued involvement in your business for a limited period, these extra provisions in your sale agreement make sound commercial sense and will ensure that your business remains licensed to operate from day one. Staff and parents were very shocked when they heard I was moving on, but Ive not stepped away just yet. Ofsted never answered any questions about responsibility or compensation Things the inspector is looking to find out are: Weve made this easier for Blossom customers with our easy-to-use and modern Parent App. The Charity Commission has launched a compliance case into the Abu Bakr Trust, which runs three schools and a nursery in Walsall, in the West Midlands, after staff used social media channels to . Cover your policies and procedures in detail. Its worth thinking about whether you will be able to pass on your business before you start. Lets get down to the specifics. 65% occupancy To avoid. However, in these exciting early days its also crucial that you dont overlook two other matters which commonly cause problems and costly delay for first-time buyers of childrens nurseries: namely, registration with Ofsted and the legal transfer of premises. You can create your own image and ethos for the business, and market it in the way you wish. There are several ways to grow your business by adding staff members, expanding services, or opening more locations. You must tell Ofsted about changes to those responsible for your daycare organisation. Summary of how to go from Good to Outstanding. The legal forms you need to complete before registering to open a nursery. Even if now is not the right time, we can offer advice on what you can do to maximise your position. The next step was for us to apply for what was then Day Nursery Registration from Ofsted. You have rejected additional cookies. While demand for nurseries remains strong, Ms Caldwell has seen a slight shift in those wishing to purchase. Areas needing improvement will be identified by your inspector. The companys founders, Peers and Susan Carter, ran their own school and day nursery in Kent for many years. Had we been newcomers, this would have broken us. Paul Edwards, managing director at . Section 5: The leadership and management of the Early Years provision. Price: 450,000. We know about OFSTED and nursery fee funding; therefore, we can hit the ground running and deliver solutions not problems. You may be interested to know that the night before our own inspection, we threw a pizza party! You will need to maintain your Ofsted registration with an annual fee. Nursery rated 'inadequate' by Ofsted inspectors | Shropshire Star