You will always need on site, at all times, a qualified first aider and a nursery supervisor (With qualifications of at least a level 3). If you are registered on the Early Years register, you must meet the early years foundation stage framework standards. 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. For more information, visit schooltransfer.co.uk, You'll also receive regular updates from Teachwire with free lesson plans, great new teaching ideas, offers and more. Lets get in touch. Your inspector will be trained to use these grade descriptions when confirming grades. If you then do hit problems as we did, at least youll have been prepared for it. This is what your inspector will be looking for. Buying a business Lets talk about The Early Years Inspection Handbook, 6. 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 . You will already have a full complement of staff. Manage your staffing requirements from a centralized system. Even if now is not the right time, we can offer advice on what you can do to maximise your position. I dont regret selling the business - I possibly should have done it sooner.. New entrants and people who have registered with us say that this was always going to be their year to enter the sector, and Covid hasnt changed that, says director of childcare and education, Jenna Caldwell. Anyone you have to tell us about must also apply to join your registration. Fairly large registrations those with a capacity of over 60 are still predominantly of main interest to acquirers. 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. 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. Step 1. It is clear that the Covid-19 pandemic has increased safeguarding risks EY settings. I can see that Im leaving the nursery in good hands., Smart Start Private Day Nursery in Oldham, Greater Manchester. Some owners are being cautious about putting their nursery on the market, but with buyers' enquiries going through the roof, now is a good time, advises Mr Yates. Save Time & Money with Blossoms Nursery Management Software. Staff training for safeguarding practice and procedures, Make staff feel confident and calm (see what we did below! It is a continuous process that guides our decision making and drives our individual and collective practice forward. According to the handbook, they will: Based on evidence gathered (and the criteria set out in part 2 of the handbook as set out above) your inspector will put forward a grade for your setting. If, during the course of these checks, Ofsted has concerns about your suitability, registration will be refused unless those concerns can be resolved to Ofsteds satisfaction. Certain. This guidance is for those who are registered, or want to register, with Ofsted. This self analysis is uncomfortable for many people until they realise the impact it has on developing and extending their knowledge and practice. Registering as the wrong type of childcarer may delay when you can start work. People have seen how resilient the sector is and lending has remained in place so while the banks, and well-funded, cash-rich investors are supportive of the sector, people will continue to invest. 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. You want to have control over it as you do not want panic to ensue. And thats not surprising. 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). Documents can be uploaded to the system for cloud-based storage and quick, stress-free access. View Full Details. Your application to register as a nursery or other daycare will not be reviewed by Ofsted until these 2 steps are also completed. Register your details with us, and be sure to let us know exactly what you are looking for, so we can actively look for you. Its worth thinking about whether you will be able to pass on your business before you start. 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. Ofsted quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. 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. Do not ignore this. Nursery groups are the quickest, best-resourced and easiest people to sell to, but will not normally look at anything with fewer than 50 places 70 or more is usually preferable. 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. Please choose an optionBusiness BuyerBusiness SellerCommercial LandlordCommercial TenantOther. You will need to apply to register as a daycare if you will be looking after children aged up to the 31 August following their fifth birthday in: You must register with Ofsted unless you plan to work with 3 or more people in someones home. Our full contact details can be found on ourContact Uspage. In particular, s/he will be able to get a copy of the lease and help you understand the significance of its provisions. Selling my nursery was the most difficult decision Ive made. Information added on childminder agencies being able to accept registrations for childcare on domestic premises. It enables parents to: It is vital to have and practice strict recruitment policies at your setting. 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. A Thornton Heath nursery was rated 'inadequate' after inspectors found children became bored and disruptive after being made to sit for long periods. Summary of how to go from Good to Outstanding. Need help with a feature? Offers only become binding once it satisfies any stipulated conditions you may set out. How well you observe will relate to solutions you put forward to better the nursery and methods you put in place to continue operating at a high standard. I decided to put the nursery on the market with RDK in November 2019 and was reassured that they would keep it confidential, which they did. Initially, you could contact your local authority who can provide lots of helpful information and advice but then, as a first step, you and any other individuals connected with the application must complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check online. They dont know you had a potato planting session a couple months ago, or about that parent picnicTherefore you need to show them. This is not a change in law or practice. The nursery went on the market in March 2019, which was exciting, and the brochure looked great. It was exhausting and made harder because I had to keep it secret from my staff so I did not jeopardise the sale. For further information about buying this book or joining the NDNA, visit the website. And, of course, you will be inheriting someone elses name, brand and management style. Inspectors are unlikely to check all policies, however, according to the Early Years inspection handbook, ones to get ready most likely are: Practitioners can access The Early Years Inspection Handbook anytime once uploaded to the Blossom platform. Critique your profit and loss account. 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. Starting from scratch Of course, setting up your own day nursery has a number of advantages. 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. Often when nurseries are expanding, under advice from financial advisors, they will change their company structure. If you have certain activities planned, again inform your inspector so that they can make time to observe this. Unfortunately, this is another straightforward sounding process which can often prove problematic for buyers. Step 3. 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. Other than that, people want much the same as before. When business owners looking to sell their business need practical legal advice, delivered by sector experts, they turn to Truelegal. But, of course, this is far from an ideal start for any new nursery business. 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. Buying a Nursery Franchise. 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. Need help with Blossom? 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.. They will be able to oversee each aspect of the sale and give professional advice. Published by MA Education Limited, St Jude's Church, Dulwich Road, Herne Hill, London SE24 0PB, a company registered in England and Wales no. We are assuming that are first steps will be to find . News stories, speeches, letters and notices, Reports, analysis and official statistics, Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports. It helps us to think honestly and raises our self awareness. 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). you like learning outside) inform the inspector. If your nursery follows a specific pedagogy (e.g. Get the latest posts and industry insights straight to your inbox. What impact have I made as an individual to this setting and its children? We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. This is another matter that commonly causes problems for buyers of childrens day nurseries. What buyers are looking for in a nursery is very personal. At the time, the experience was a complete nightmare. 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. You will need to maintain your Ofsted registration with an annual fee. MA Education is part of the Mark Allen Group. By doing this, you prevent employing someone who has been barred from working with children. One thing becoming more of a necessity for future acquisitions will be outdoor space, says Ms Caldwell. If you decide to go forward with an interview, ask them to bring along their certificates and other evidence of qualifications. Profitability is important to making a nursery attractive, but be careful not to skimp on expenditure to bump up profits. Talk about their likes and dislikes (as well as any milestones hit since joining your nursery). If youre purchasing an existing nursery, why is the setting doing badly or well? Such a claim, for example, may occur if you failed to make sure there was an adequate number of DBS checked staff to look after the children in your care during the transition period. This will help you -and your staff- gain a thorough understanding of what an Outstanding setting entails. However, it should be noted that your inspector will not judge them separately. 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. Section 3: How well the Early Years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend. Having the Right Finance is Key when looking to buy a Nursery for sale. I therefore spent half the night before working out what I thought everyone else might bid and then bid 501 more. Think about the potential how could you improve, expand or transform the nursery youre looking to buy? Personal Development. Of course, setting up your own day nursery has a number of advantages. The next step was for us to apply for what was then Day Nursery Registration from Ofsted. I think they are currently trying to sort out the operations of their business the staff who have been furloughed and the logistics of children returning and social distancing, she says. Outstanding settings receive fewer inspections. 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 . Unsurprisingly, you can expect to be asked a variety of questions on inspection day. Although inspectors will not provide a separate grade for this crucial aspect of a providers work, they will always make a written judgement in the report about whether the arrangements for safeguarding children are effective. Had we been newcomers, this would have broken us. Thankfully, there is a better way to make sure that business continuity is not lost. After spending every moment with them since birth, having them go off for days at a time can be strange, and stressful. She adds that it is imperative that owners understand what they have got to sell and whether leases are secure.