Hi

I am seeing a mum and her daughter tomorrow to enquire about before and afterschool care.......this is fine. However, if mum decides to send her to me i need someone to tell me what variation i need?.....let me explain.

I mind a 15month old and 13month old Monday to Wednesday

I mind a 3year old and the 13month old Thursday to Friday

Plus i have my own dd who turned 4years last week and who starts school in September.

I am only allowed 3 children under 5 at any one time (includes dd)

Obviously, if i take on this other child (who is also 4 and starts at the same school in September) I will have 4 under 5 at any one time (includes dd)

Do I need to apply to Ofsted for a variation to cover 8am-9am and 3pm-6pm to enable me to care for the new little girl? Or are they classed as rising 5's during these times???.........I know its an incredibly grey area but any advice would be good.

PS. I don't know when the little girl turns five, i am reckoning the new year!

Thank you

the way i understand it is that if they attend school full time then they are

counted in your 5-8yrs old. but i am with the cssiw

but i am sure one of the others will be able to help you


cathy

Ruby is right... once a child is in full time school - not the settling in bits - it must be 10 sessions a week - she is classed as 5 all the time...

This was clarified recently in an email from Ofsted. :D

You will be okay

Once you dd goes full time, apply to Ofsted who will change your cert.

Debbie

Thank for your replies!

I was confused due to the nightmare that became apparent earlier in the year, which stated that a school child aged 4 is ONLY classed as 5 during term time and NOT hoildays or after school. Glad this has now been sorted out. Would you mind forwarding me the email Sarah, if you still have it? Thanks

The meeting went quite well by the way, but I was so nervous, which is unlike me! I did manage to answer all of her questions positively I think, but I was concerned about how she may feel about my reaction towards the little girl.....Normally I would chat away to them and ask them stuff about things they like, but my dd took her straight off to the playroom to play with the baby Annabel stuff etc. So I didn't really get chance to talk to her much....do you think this will go against me? It did give me chance to speak clearly to Mum though and I did take Mum to the playroom to see what they were doing.

Mum is going to Uni and is waiting for her timetable before being able to agree to anything or give me set times etc. Should know by the end of the week. Fingers crossed as the girls woul get on well, especially as they are starting school together in the same class!!!!:clapping:

Here you go! :D

Dear xxx,

The National Standards stipulate that four-year-old children who attend 10 early education sessions a week may be classed as children over five for the purpose of adult: child ratio. The EYFS Statutory Framework document uses slightly different wording. It states that four and five year old children who only attend the Childminding setting before and/or after the school day may be counted as over five for the purposes of the adult: child ratio.

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 this information helps. However should you require any further information do not hesitate to contact us.

Kind Regards,
Oliver Walker
Customer Service Advisor, Ofsted

I think your daughter bonding with her is a good thing. I had parents come to me because of my own children. One couple had been to 5 others with their little girl who was only 3 months old and said they picked me because my children were the only ones who came over to look at her and asked them direct questions about her. In the other places the children had ignored her.

Best of luck.

I hardly ever get to speak to the child that comes for the induction with the parent as my children seem to take it upon themselves to be "tour guides" and wizz the poor child off before they are through the front door.The parents all seem to love it though and have to drag their child out the house at the end with the child sobbing about how they want to stay. It sould prove to your prospective parents that their child will settle in quickly and be made welcome.