buying a nursery: ofsted

How do you get your point across? If, for instance, a child was full of beans at doze time, he or she could go and play in the garden under supervision, rather than be made to lie down. This sets the tone for your setting overall. In particular, s/he will be able to get a copy of the lease and help you understand the significance of its provisions. If you had any safeguarding concerns about a child, what action would you take? Think about the potential how could you improve, expand or transform the nursery youre looking to buy? Behaviours and Attitudes. What was your childs starting point and what stage of development are they in now? They will pick up information from a variety of sources such as word of mouth, and of course your website. Weve saved you the trouble. Well send you a link to a feedback form. it is currently very much a landlords market; there is little incentive for the landlord to agree a speedy assignment if s/he is perfectly happy with the existing tenant and there is no rent payment default; negotiations relating to the assignment of the lease are usually conducted through the landlords solicitor, not just the sellers solicitor this can significantly lengthen the process if not managed proactively by your adviser. Remember, Ofsted nursery ratings are important to your parents as well. Now that weve covered everything you should do on the day, what should you avoid? Obviously take on a few to begin with and gradually increase staff as children's numbers rise. Paul Edwards, managing director at . Why the property market remains resilient in the current climate, Case study: How it was worth the wait for the right buyer to come along, Case study: What made a growing group snap up a nursery in Oldham, Steps to buying and selling a ten-point guide to help buyers and sellers ensure their transaction goes smoothly. The inspector will make sure to chat to parents and gather evidence on their opinions of your setting. This makes sure that you carry out thorough and legal policies and procedures. A solicitor or business transfer agent with experience of managing acquisitions of nurseries or other educational businesses can help you scrutinise childcare nurseries for sale, obtain and scrutinise relevant paperwork, and conduct productive negotiations and detailed due diligence. If you have a smaller nursery, such as a 24-place setting in a church hall, the only potential buyers will likely be from the local area, which presents risks of fishing, information leaks, problems with funding and uncertain deadlines. This is another matter that commonly causes problems for buyers of childrens day nurseries. So, if youre interested in buying a childrens nursery, as well as giving your attention to the financials, the best thing you can do to try and avoid problems both with Ofsted and the landlord of the premises is to give them your focus early on in the transaction process. Specifically, your inspector will examine: How do you know that what youre doing at your setting is making a difference? All childrens nurseries, therefore, must be registered with Ofsted on its Early Years Register. Dont worry we wont send you spam or share your email address with anyone. This is the guide your inspector will follow to a tee, so everything you need is there its the execution that can get a bit tricky. Setting up a holding organisation above their existing structure and/or create new subsidiaries below; this, of course, makes perfect business sense. A Thornton Heath nursery was rated 'inadequate' after inspectors found children became bored and disruptive after being made to sit for long periods. This process, while sounding simple enough, can be tedious and costly if not done. you like learning outside) inform the inspector. 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. Have you had supervision? From practitioners to administrators to children. Find a confidential broker who has experience in the nursery sector. OFSTED's report history is another important consideration. Therefore, its important for you and our staff to have a good read of this handbook. 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. ), Encourage staff to share previous inspection experiences, List of current staff and their qualifications, including in paediatric first aid, Register/list showing the date of birth of all children on roll and routine staffing arrangements, List of children present at the setting during the inspection (if not shown on the register), Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) records and any other documents summarising the checks on, and the vetting and employment arrangements of, all staff working at the setting, All logs that record accidents, exclusions, children taken off roll, and incidents of poor behaviour, All logs of incidents of discrimination, including racist incidents, Complaints log and/or evidence of any complaints and their resolutions, Safeguarding and child protection policies, Fire-safety arrangements and other statutory policies relating to health and safety, List of any referrals made to the local authority designated person for safeguarding, with brief details of the resolutions. Chat about it now and then in the common room over tea. Please choose an optionBusiness BuyerBusiness SellerCommercial LandlordCommercial TenantOther. Firstly, you will need to check the terms of the lease to see whether an assignment is allowed. For an Ofsted Good rated nursery, you usually receive a brief, 1-day inspection as they provide for all childrens needs and prepare them well to continue their education journey. Kate Truman, Solicitor (Non-practising): Business Sector Research and Marketing at Truelegal Solicitors: Kate qualified as a solicitor over 25 years ago specialising in intellectual property and technology businesses. If your nursery follows a specific pedagogy (e.g. At all stages in the recruitment process (and in life generally), it is imperative that you do not adopt any attitude of discrimination. Its imperative that you answer all questions with 100% honesty because sooner or later the inspector will find out. Consider how effectively the manager supports staff to promote the learning and development of all children. Receiving an Ofsted rating that left you disappointed can be frustrating. Find out when you must apply to register if you want to set up a nursery, or other daycare organisation for children. And thats not surprising. A dozen or so years ago, I saw a building in Gravesend that had once been an old farmhouse and thought it would make a perfect day nursery. After all the effort put into your setting, it doesnt seem right. Save Time & Money with Blossoms Nursery Management Software. Beware The Elephant In The Room. Summary of how to go from Good to Outstanding. It was 15 wonderful years, but my daughters are now grown up, and I turn 50 next year so it felt the right time, says Bambi Nicolas, whose nursery sale went through in July. They are national organisations and will typically look at any large nursery in an urban area, but a note of caution they can be very tough to deal with, so youll likely need good advice and help (which STC is happy to provide). Be prepared to show how your childrens needs and wants are being met in the context of the virus. Section 5: The leadership and management of the Early Years provision. If a teacher is reading a story very badly, what would you do? You can change your cookie settings at any time. Make a point to inform your inspector on how you have adopted your approach and policies to ensure that: The learning walk on your inspection day encompasses a 15-20 min walk with the manager and inspector. The law states that under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, as amended by the 2016 Immigration Act, employers need to check this. Sorting documents for the inspection can get a bit confusing and stressful. No longer practising as a solicitor, she now applies her legal research and writing skills to keep Truelegals team and clients updated with the latest know-how across our specialist business sectors. Inspectors must spend as much time as possible gathering evidence about the quality of care, teaching, and learning. And this is the time to let the nursery shine! When business purchasers need practical legal advice, delivered by sector experts, they turn to Truelegal. Its important to create an open and honest dialogue with your Ofsted nursery inspector. Since 1986, The School Transfer Company has specialised in the sale of nurseries and schools. One thing becoming more of a necessity for future acquisitions will be outdoor space, says Ms Caldwell. Mainly, the aims you have to help your children develop and learn. Remember, these are people who have been Ofsted Outstanding nursery teachers and leaders themselves. As part of the negotiations, you should request a provision in the Sale and Purchase Agreement that the seller agrees to maintain their Ofsted registration after the completion date and until such time as your own registration has been confirmed. The nursery was very much my baby and, rather than rush a sale, I wanted to be selective so that it went to the right person, not just for the right price. Talk about their likes and dislikes (as well as any milestones hit since joining your nursery). The more staff understand what constitutes an Ofsted Outstanding nursery, the more confident they will be on inspection day. This can be your home, or someone else's. You can only have a maximum of 3. Having the Right Finance is Key when looking to buy a Nursery for sale. It will also have a link to an overview page where you can check the progress of all these connected applications. Gather all the essential paperwork that buyers will want to see. The reason for the closure is unclear, but it comes around one month after Ofsted found the. How do you use your relationship with parents when settling a child? When you have completed this application, you must also: You will receive an email telling you to complete these steps. Your inspector will be trained to use these grade descriptions when confirming grades. With this check, you make sure that prospective employees are legally able to work within the UK. And the children are well-behaved and happy. To achieve an Outstanding, The Early Years Inspection Handbook needs to be studied and its principles put into practice at your setting. However, to ensure that you can do so, you will also need to make sure that you have the right to occupy the business premises and that, in most cases, will depend on an assignment of the sellers lease. Staff and parents were very shocked when they heard I was moving on, but Ive not stepped away just yet. Do not ignore this. Show your inspector the impact your setting has on your observations and assessments for each child. Staff can ask themselves: Understandably, some of your staff may experience anxiety around the inspection. Nurseries are registered with Ofsted and can then be run by private individuals, community groups, organisations or employers. 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. Chat about it now and then in the common room over tea. On top of this, describe to your inspector how well you do in fact know your children. Lets get down to the specifics. 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: How will the Governments 30 hours free childcare scheme impact on the Childrens Nursery sector, How to avoid 2 common problems when buying a childrens day nursery, Buying a Childrens Nursery School business, Selling your Childrens Nursery or Pre-School business. Unless you are buying a freehold property from which to run your nursery business, you will as part of the purchase process also require a deed of assignment from the seller, transferring ownership of the premises lease to you or your company. When you have completed this application, you must also: add a. Lets get in touch. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. Ask questions. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Dont include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. Step 3. You can change your cookie settings at any time. If you want to work part of your time as a childminder, and part with 3 or more other childminders or assistants, you must register separately for each. Pay extra attention to part 2 of the handbook for your Ofsted nursery. 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. With advice valuable for staff, children and parents. Section 3: How well the Early Years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend. 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. We want to help settings do the same. Weve never done this before, Ensure that all staff have a clear understanding of the Early Years inspection handbook, Audit your setting against the grade descriptors in the Early Years, Ready all documents and tidy anything necessary during the 24 hours notice period, Notify parents immediately and encourage them to be a part of the inspection process, Establish an open and honest dialogue with the inspector from the outset, Be able to provide evidence of the high quality care being provided at your setting, Be ready to demonstrate that all children's needs have been assessed in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, Be prepared to discuss policies and procedures at your setting - and how they place paramount importance on children's well being, Ensure that your learning walk is well-prepared and highlights the positives at your nursery, Also provide evidence of reflective practice - with relevant examples, Encourage staff to focus on their valuable contributions and achievements during the inspection, Help prepare staff by familiarising them with expected questions and encouraging calmness with open discussions on previous inspection experiences, Try not to panic and remember not to attempt anything new or untested on the day. What buyers are looking for in a nursery is very personal. Dont include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. She adds that it is imperative that owners understand what they have got to sell and whether leases are secure. Registering as the wrong type of childcarer may delay when you can start work. SENDING your children to nursery can pull on the heart strings. And most important of all, you will have money coming in from the very day you become the owner. To register as a childminder with Ofsted, you will need to be looking after other families' children in someone's home. - a nanny. Fixed pricing and personal hand-holding from transaction start to finish, and beyond, are what set Truelegal apart from the rest.. Lets break it down. Large nursery groups are currently tending to concentrate on existing operations rather than acquire new settings, which is enabling smaller and more regional nursery operators to snap up acquisitions. Its sensible to think about your eventual exit before you enter into a purchase. Price: 450,000. We get an equal split of enquiries for leasehold as we do for freehold as long as the leasehold has a secure lease in place.. Despite the many government grants currently available to those engaged in providing early years education, looking after children is a costly business. These are all analysed and evaluated. What is your relationship like with other staff members? It need not be a scary/stressful document. 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. I can also see commuter areas being far more in demand, but central London may become quieter. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. Who would you approach or contact if you had any safeguarding concerns regarding a child or adult? The nursery went on the market in March 2019, which was exciting, and the brochure looked great. How to prepare staff. OFSTED. Buying an out-of-school club is a similar process to buying a nursery - and believe me, I made mistakes. Ofsted nursery ratings are stressful for any setting. While demand for nurseries remains strong, Ms Caldwell has seen a slight shift in those wishing to purchase. In England, you can go a step further and check qualifications with the Department for Education on the website. The NDNA can also help individuals looking to buy or set up a nursery, and has a resource pack called Developing a Day Nursery priced at 25 plus postage and packing. It was more of a celebration of what we had accomplished together as a nursery. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. Please either call us now on 01392 879414 or complete our Free Online Enquiry and we will soon be in touch. Well, we already owned a small independent school just up the road, and both it and soon-to-be nursery were situated quite near to the town centre and railway station ideal for working mums and dads dropping off their children for the day. As you might imagine, all of this checking takes time. The backers wanted an additional report from a structural engineer and conducted an Ofsted-style inspection to check the standard of care and education. Fairly large registrations those with a capacity of over 60 are still predominantly of main interest to acquirers. Ms Caldwell agrees, The childcare market, or any market regardless of sector, is always going to be strongest when the buyer market outweighs the supply and that is very much the case. To standardise this process, all children's nurseries must be registered on Ofsted' Early Years Register. You must register with Ofsted unless you plan to work with 3 or more people in someone's home. I did feel I was being deceitful when I told staff that the valuer was from an insurance company, but I did not want staff and parents to be unnecessarily worried. 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. As an applicant for the Early Years Register youll have to jump through a number of potentially time-consuming hoops. Active Early Years registered providers at their most recent inspections, by year. Do you like children? It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Ive always only run the nursery during term time from 8.30am to 3pm, so there is scope for extra hours and its in an affluent area. Whats the local competition? Maximise efficiency in your childcare business. Whats The Difference Between An Asset Sale And A Share Sale? You may find once you start running the business that youre not completely happy with all the staff and that some of them will be less than entirely happy with you. Your inspector will be looking how your intent helps children make progress across the seven areas of learning and is play-based. Selling my nursery was the most difficult decision Ive made. Check out these examples of inspection questions: The inspector will most likely ask several staff members about one of their key children and their development questions such as: Your inspector only sees a snapshot of your setting on inspection day. The government is planning to increase this from 15 hours per week to 30 for all nurseries as of September 2017, but many providers feel that the money the government intends to pay settings to finance these hours barely meet their costs, let alone generate any profit. They dont know you had a potato planting session a couple months ago, or about that parent picnicTherefore you need to show them. And it can get those nerves down and your confidence up. Allowances could also be made if a child was hungry or not hungry. Ensure that your nursery is bright, smart and welcoming and that staff are friendly and children engaged. Whether youre looking to buy an existing business or set up your own, keep the following points in mind, Make sure you can obtain D1 planning permission for any nursery business or suitable premises you buy; if you dont have this, you cannot legally run a nursery there, If youre buying an existing business, have a look round as a parent first, if you can, Trust your first impressions of a business or premises; theyre usually reliable, Do your sums it may be hard to make a living from a nursery with fewer than 50 places. Thankfully, there is a better way to make sure that business continuity is not lost. Check whether you should be registering as one of the following instead of as a daycare organisation: Its worth thinking about whether you will be able to pass on your business before you start. There are several ways to grow your business by adding staff members, expanding services, or opening more locations. A DBS check, formerly known as a CRB check, scans your history for prior criminal convictions to ensure you are suitable to look after . And, of course, you will be inheriting someone elses name, brand and management style. If you know what the inspector is looking for, you can ensure that your setting meets those requirements. Offers only become binding once it satisfies any stipulated conditions you may set out. This adds an extra layer of protection to your nursery. So, if youre not on the ball, you could find yourself in a position where the seller terminates their Ofsted registration to coincide with the sale before your new nursery business is registered, leaving you in the desperate situation of having children on your books with you unable to provide them with day care. 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. Having them in your hands allows you to examine the original documents for authenticity and make copies for your records. You have accepted additional cookies. You can configure the nursery exactly as you want to. Anyone you have to tell us about must also apply to join your registration. Whether you start from scratch or buy, what size of nursery should you take on? You can create your own image and ethos for the business, and market it in the way you wish. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. Well, a lot will obviously depend upon your budget and the amount of energy you have but with one eye on selling the nursery on at some point in the future, I would advise investing in the biggest nursery you can afford. The necessary planning permission will have been secured. The assignment will also require the consent of the landlord. This is when the inspector and manager (or assigned leader) will take part in observing activities together. Establishing whether or not the lease is a protected business lease can make a big difference to the value of a business where location is important and alternative premises are scarce. Heres our one: Doing all this makes the inspection less daunting for your staff (and you). Get the latest posts and industry insights straight to your inbox. The companys founders, Peers and Susan Carter, ran their own school and day nursery in Kent for many years. And because it had previously been a church, the building already had D1 User the essential Planning Designation anyone must have in order to run a nursery, a school or any other institutional enterprise. When setting up a nursery the size of the group of children within your setting will also be investigated to ensure you are following the staff-per-child and space-per child ratios. If EY providers make use of any modifications and disapplicatons, details on where to apply reasonable endeavours and best endeavours are included. So send out a notification email or text so that theyre not caught off guard. I contacted Redwoods because Id seen adverts in Nursery World and found them really knowledgeable. For further information about buying this book or joining the NDNA, visit the website. Apart from the fact that the building was beautiful, what else led me to embark on this venture? Operating a nursery can be very satisfying and rewarding, but it takes a lot of hard work. It helps us to think honestly and raises our self awareness. . 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. Not only is it illegal, but you want to create a recruitment process that focuses on respect, equality, inclusivity, and diversity. When something catches your eye, call the consultant directly and ask lots of questions. Practice your learning walk every couple of months so that when the time comes youre a pro. I get that if a child is tired then should be allowed to do so, but surely a parent has a right to request that their child is woken after a certain amount of time in . Staff training for safeguarding practice and procedures, Make staff feel confident and calm (see what we did below! Any concerns they may have/ areas for improvement, Receive diary updates, highlighting special moments, Be involved in their childs learning and development with Learning Journeys, Continue their childs education at home with Home Observations, Enjoy paperless billing (with automatic reminders), Communicate with the nursery instantly with 2 - way messaging (in beta testing), Vulnerable children, including those with SEND, are encouraged to attend the provision, Your procedures remain effective for supporting those at home and those attending your setting, Parents and carers are informed of any developments/ changes. When business owners need practical legal advice, delivered by sector experts, they turn to Truelegal. At its peak it had 140 places with a waiting list, says former owner Cheryl Connell. It is important to consider the positives as well as considering things that dont always go well. After you hang up, try to resist the urge to frantically make a to-do list. Our reputation for identifying and prioritising the value-driving aspects of a business transaction and our get-it-done attitude have won us repeat clients and multiple referrals from business brokers and transfer agents. 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. Other than that, people want much the same as before. Most childcare providers looking after children under the age of 8 must register with Ofsted (or a childminder agency). The boss of Ark Montessori Nursery said she was "saddened" following the Ofsted rating and has vowed to improve things. Thinking the Ofsted registration process would be straightforward because I am already an early years By doing this, you prevent employing someone who has been barred from working with children. Cover your policies and procedures in detail. You get to select all your own staff. At the time, the experience was a complete nightmare. If you wish, you can delegate some duties of the walk to other managers/ leaders in your setting. For the unwary, this can have devastating consequences. How involved are the parents at the setting? Garden Center property Includes 1350' sqft indoor retail area and 1350' sqft office area. You will already have a full complement of staff. Buying a Nursery Franchise. Early years services must have clear and current policies which set out proper disclosure and barring checks for potential recruits. Where a day nursery changes hands, or a new business is set up, the new owner must go through the registration process.

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