Can students do their placements with us?

**natlou82** · 05-04-2016, 05:38 PM

A friend of mine is looking for an early years placement. Could she come and work with me? If it's possible what would need to be in place and what are the dos and dont's?

**mama2three** · 06-04-2016, 05:45 AM

yes its possible Ive had a couple of students with me recently. You need to check your insurance , MM include employers liability already in their poicy.
I had a number of different responses from ofsted ( nothing new there!!) Eventually I found out that you need to register the student as your assistant ..I argued the point as obviously if inspected I wouldnt want to be judged on a new students knowledge / abiity. There is no seperate way though , and so you need to do a dbs with update , ey2 form etc/ On they ey2 I put the 'capacity' as student placement. By the time I got the letter of suitability through my student had already moved on!

**natlou82** · 06-04-2016, 05:52 AM

Ok thanks for that x

Simona · 06-04-2016, 08:08 AM

If you take a student it is very clear what Ofsted requires and what we need to do....including involving the parents in your setting
You also need to liaise with whoever is sending the student as they come with paperwork and accountability on your part....and theirs.

it depends if it is a student ...or an assistant
The difference is vast as are the implications.
There is guidance to use to make the right decision

Good luck!

**mama2three** · 06-04-2016, 08:32 AM

Ofsted made it very clear to us in writing - there is no distinction between requirements whether the person is an assistant or a student. All the paperwork which needs to be in place for an assistant , including disclaimers etc , needs to be in place for a student also.
I had a meeting with the local college as they were wholly unaware of their responsibilities in placing a student with a cm , and how that differed to placing them in a school or nursery for example. I used sarahs guide to go through everything with them , and earmarked which part was their responsibility and which part mine to follow up.

Simona · 07-04-2016, 07:22 AM

I was referring to Ofsted's guidance on having a student or assistant not anyone else and based on my experience of what we require to do.
It looks like we have different points of view on this and follow different advice.

The paperwork required are still in my portfolio including those sent from the college, those signed by the parents and those we need to sign, lengthy RA and consent for many procedures.
Everyone is different so we can decide what to do but for me Ofsted is the regulator and I follow their guidance not the forum.

All the OP has to do is check with Ofsted as many guidance/publications have been updated recently...Ofsted is only a phone call away
.

**natlou82** · 07-04-2016, 07:28 AM

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback.

**mama2three** · 07-04-2016, 07:32 AM

I wasn't suggesting following anything other than ofsted advice.
Sorry natlou , hope you get sorted x

Simona · 07-04-2016, 07:50 AM

There is a new online system which Ofsted have launched recently which is the one we now have to use to inform them of 'any changes' to our practice.

Having seen it I personally believe it has to be used for the issue we are discussing here....that is my understanding.
I have not seen a link to it posted here but it can easily be found on the Ofsted website.

I understand you used the guide from this forum...all I am saying is that Ofsted has updated the requirements.
As it is usual cms often receive contradictory advice but there is also a distinct difference between a student and an assistant in our setting.
I am sure Nat will sort it out

You also mentioned the college was unaware of what they needed to do in your case...in my case they arrived with all forms and prepared to put the student in my setting and there was also a discussion with the student's parents.