Expectations of nursery too high?

Before you make any rash decisions, could you ask to have a meeting with the manager. Not complaining as such , just a chat about everything.
I don't actually know who my sons keyworker is but they all seem lovely. I get the odd observation sent to me and they will message if he is upset say on a Monday to ask how he's been over weekend.
I can see your frustrations though going down ASD route.
Does your little one seem happy. Happy to go in and happy at pick up?
I would def be contacting the manager and go down that route before ofsted are contacted.
Could just be as simple as lack of communication between staff.
Hope you get to the bottom of it xx

So the framework has been updated over recent years from a very much “have evidence of everything” to “the practitioners knowledge of a child is enough” - as workload was too high, observations and record keeping was taking staff away/distracting them from the children etc.
This is great, because professionals should be trusted to build relationships and assess children without the need for reams of paper to back up their claims, but the flipside of that is that settings can in theory take no observations, keep no written records, share no part of the child’s journey with parents etc. but in my opinion that’s poor practice, there should be a balance.
Your child’s key worker should be the member of staff taking on more responsibility for your child, the bare minimum isn’t acceptable.
There should be communication- I always tell my staff (school, but the same principle) that the first time a parent hears something it shouldn’t be second hand, shouldn’t be a surprise….

If there are concerns, about refusal or anything else, that should have been bought to your attention already.
Also, any records absolutely shouldn’t be written in a negative way like this. Even my most challenging children have a right to have their abilities shine through their documentation- there is a way to word things that can highlight any difficulties without the need to make it sound negative.
Again, if his needs are that great, why is this the first you’re hearing about it?
Your concerns are totally valid. I wouldn’t be happy either and I would want a meeting with management to raise my concerns.

As preschool staff, it could be that this KW doesn’t know enough about ASD and isn’t interested in helping him progress! As a preschool they should be keeping track of all progress, we write were the children are now and what the next steps to aid progress! Maxi is behind in his progress but there is progress and if you look on it term on term it’s slow but it’s progress nonetheless!

Id be asking to have a meeting with the managers and discuss the issues x

Also, to have a child going down the ASD pathway, communication is even more important- how are you supposed to know if new traits or behaviours are showing? If he’s experiencing any barriers to learning? With the refusal or support he apparently requires, how do they know what strategies you’d use at home or communicate what they’re trying when he’s in their care?

@Ruth well the SENCo is one of the key senior management team and she was present at the meeting tonight. She led the meeting 😐 i won't write to ofsted (that was a bit of a knee-jerk reaction) but I do feel like what they've said to me in person at pick-up occasionally and what's been written about are two different things. He is happy by and large, and likes his keyworker. I just feel like no one has our back/his back and feel quite alone about it all.

@Caroline ah bless you. Very frustrating. :( hope you get your views across and listened to. Otherwise I would be looking for somewhere else. I know it's difficult as they start school this year. You've got this , don't be afraid to speak up. Xx

@Chloe thank you for sharing this insight, I had no idea. This correlates with what the senco/senior manager said this eve. I do feel like they should be saying here are some key learning aims for louis for us all to work towards. That way we don't need chapter and verse but goals to aim for! They said KWs are important but all staff know your child well enough to have conversations about him. Yes, but isn't our KW tasked with being responsible for his learning overall? The report felt a bit like a brain dump if I'm honest. I'm just not sure if i want to have ANOTHER meeting with them that will end up talking about the same things with no real solution. Senco is very good at going off on a tangent...The report seemed like judgement with no real aims is the top and bottom of it. Just feel quite let down and disappointed for my boy. Unsure of what to do for the best 😔

Your senco should also be doing observations and tracking his progress herself. So I’d ask to see what the senco is doing with him too.

Sounds like they are just very unorganised and possibly not doing quite as much as they should be.

Formal “log books” or tick lists of development aren’t really used anymore. His progress should be recorded based on observations and progress checks every now and again.

Is it you worried about ASD or have the nursery made concerns too? 😊

Yes, I'd definitely be getting in touch with her the manager and just say your slightly concerned...and hoping it's just a misunderstanding. Also, yu can mention abt yur 2 year check with the previous KW ..

@Emilie the senco is good at asking about louis with his various health stuff and updating me on how he is at nursery, including food which us a big challenge for us. But the KW doesn't. I'm lucky if I speak to her once in 3 days of a week. They've never said oh we think he should be referred. I think they sit on the fence with it a lot.

It only takes one bad / not caring worker and it’s all downhill . You should talk to nursery management. My daughter loved her let person at baby group and then moving to 2-3 years old group hated her key person. So I just told her to go to other girls and she had great bond . After travelling for 3 months she went to same preschool but with one of her teachers along and she loves it now . Don’t overthink just do what you feel . I would go and talk to the owner /manager about your concerns x all the best x