We are several weeks into the new 5-1 toddler ratio and so far, so good. We haven’t experienced a deterioration in quality or rise in accidents in our nurseries. On the contrary, many of our people report an easier time managing the classroom with one fewer, often agency, staff member.
This does not come as a surprise to Kido, because we have long operated in many countries with higher ratios. Our experience suggests that fewer teachers, paid better, who stay in their roles longer, results in better learning outcomes. Look no further than Singapore (ratios are 1-5, 8, 12 and 15, for babies, 2, 3 and 4 year olds), which leads on virtually all educational markers and does so by elevating the profession of teaching, in a conscious emphasis on quality over quantity.
This is a big leap of faith for many in England because we have spent our lives running nurseries made up of poorly paid and highly transitory educators. Low pay and challenging working conditions make it difficult for our wonderful people to bring their best selves to work. Regardless of one’s passion and resilience, it is hard to be present and fully invested when weighed down by financial worries.
With such a fragile workforce, we in England, have naturally taken comfort from the protections we believe tighter ratios affords us. We throw bodies at the problem assuming it equates to higher quality. Sadly, it doesn’t always.
Obvious challenges notwithstanding, at Kido we believe that the ratio change is but a small first step in what could quickly become a virtuous cycle.
Imagine if the DFE relaxes some of the paper qualifications this autumn that often stand in the way of allocating resources to the most talented and experienced of our people, not just the most pedigreed. Imagine if the proposed funding rates for babies and toddlers hold up, thus more than adequately covering nursery operating costs. The result will be a material rise in both occupancy rates and profit margins.
With increasing occupancy will come greater demand for educators, only this time nurseries will have greater profits to pay higher wages. This will make the sector more attractive to work in, crowd in new entrants, allow for continuous upskilling of our people and ultimately give providers a greater deal of confidence that they can do more educating with fewer, better equipped staff.
In such a world, the early years sector can be given the status it deserves, compete with schools for qualified teachers in our preschool classrooms and, dare we imagine it, allow the early years to become a prestigious career of choice for people. The government in turn, will be able to allocate more resources to the 3+ year olds and hopefully expand means tested funding for the most deprived, thus ensuring sustained access to quality, affordable early years for all.
It won’t be an easy path but is well within our grasp. Let us build on the early momentum and stay the course.