sarah707
19-08-2008, 04:57 PM
Dear Ms Neville,
Thank you for your e-mail.
The old category of children under five will be replaced by the new younger years age group (children aged from birth to the 31st of August following their fifth birthday). Ratios will need to be applied to this new age range. However you can continue to apply rising fives to allow children to be counted as older than the younger years age group for the purposes of ratios when they attend at least ten early education sessions a week.
Please see below for the relevant requirement as stated in the statuatory framework document appendix 2:
'Each childminder may care for:
a maximum of six children under the age of eight;
of these six children, a maximum of three may be young children (birth to the 31st of august following his/her 5th birthday) however where four- and five-year-old children only attend the childminding setting before and/or after a normal school day, they may be classed as children over the age of five for the purposes of the adult:child ratio;
normally, no more than one child may be under the age of one, however a childminder may be registered to care for two children under the age of one where they are able to demonstrate that they can meet and reconcile the individual needs of all the children being cared for.
Exceptions to these ratios can be made for siblings and to provide continuity of care in certain circumstances approved by Ofsted, provided that the total number of children under the age of eight being cared for does not exceed six.
If a childminder either employs an assistant or works with another childminder, the above numbers apply to each of these individuals in addition to the childminder.'
Also note extended ratios due to assistants can also be continued but again will refer to children from birth to the 31st of august following their 5th birthday rather than the previous band of under 5s (see final point above).
Again rising fives can be applied to these ratios.
We have received confirmation from the Department for Children, Schools and Families that the change in wording does not result in a change in the legal requirement. Reference is made to children attending the childminding setting before and after the school day only to specify which children may be counted as five. Therefore, the EYFS does not prevent four and five year olds who attend school full time from being counted as over fives during the school holidays.
I hope the information I have provided will be of some assistance to you. If you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.
Regards,
Kerry Smith
Customer Service Advisor
Ofsted - National Business Unit
TEL: 08456 404040
Thank you for your e-mail.
The old category of children under five will be replaced by the new younger years age group (children aged from birth to the 31st of August following their fifth birthday). Ratios will need to be applied to this new age range. However you can continue to apply rising fives to allow children to be counted as older than the younger years age group for the purposes of ratios when they attend at least ten early education sessions a week.
Please see below for the relevant requirement as stated in the statuatory framework document appendix 2:
'Each childminder may care for:
a maximum of six children under the age of eight;
of these six children, a maximum of three may be young children (birth to the 31st of august following his/her 5th birthday) however where four- and five-year-old children only attend the childminding setting before and/or after a normal school day, they may be classed as children over the age of five for the purposes of the adult:child ratio;
normally, no more than one child may be under the age of one, however a childminder may be registered to care for two children under the age of one where they are able to demonstrate that they can meet and reconcile the individual needs of all the children being cared for.
Exceptions to these ratios can be made for siblings and to provide continuity of care in certain circumstances approved by Ofsted, provided that the total number of children under the age of eight being cared for does not exceed six.
If a childminder either employs an assistant or works with another childminder, the above numbers apply to each of these individuals in addition to the childminder.'
Also note extended ratios due to assistants can also be continued but again will refer to children from birth to the 31st of august following their 5th birthday rather than the previous band of under 5s (see final point above).
Again rising fives can be applied to these ratios.
We have received confirmation from the Department for Children, Schools and Families that the change in wording does not result in a change in the legal requirement. Reference is made to children attending the childminding setting before and after the school day only to specify which children may be counted as five. Therefore, the EYFS does not prevent four and five year olds who attend school full time from being counted as over fives during the school holidays.
I hope the information I have provided will be of some assistance to you. If you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.
Regards,
Kerry Smith
Customer Service Advisor
Ofsted - National Business Unit
TEL: 08456 404040