Q: I am considering reporting my setting to Ofsted but am worried about being a whistleblower. Will the nursery know that I reported them, or will my identity be kept anonymous? Also, will Ofsted contact me directly?
Jane Harrison, director, Red Hen Day Nursery
‘I suggest you start by raising the issue internally. As a manager, I would be disappointed if somebody reported our nursery to Ofsted without trying to raise it within the setting first. Try to speak to your line manager or the nursery manager. Perhaps if you are open, the issue can be resolved. If you do not get a response from them, however, then yes, Ofsted is your next option.
‘The fact that you are worried about being a whistleblower makes me question if you are prepared to stand by your complaint. If you feel it is bad enough to report to Ofsted, you need to have the conviction to see it through, and potentially be identified. You need to be prepared to, perhaps, leave your job if you are so concerned about the issue at your workplace. And in the future you may have to explain to potential employers why you left your job.
‘If you are unsure about whether to go ahead with reporting this incident, these are all factors you should consider.’
Gemma Goodman, head of HR, Grandir UK
‘First of all, it is worth being clear about what being a whistleblower is. Whistleblowing is the act of reporting suspected wrongdoing, whetherit has occurred in the past, is currently happening, or is likely to happen in the future. It is meant to be a way of disclosing something considered to be in the public interest. Personal grievances, such as bullying, harassment or discrimination, are not covered by whistleblowing laws unless they also serve the public interest.
‘Whistleblowers are protected by the law if they have a reasonable belief that the information disclosed is true, that wrongdoing has occurred or is likely to occur, if they are classified as a worker, and if they make the disclosure through the appropriate channels – in this case, Ofsted.
‘Identifying and managing issues promptly is crucial to ensuring that the care and education of children remain the top priority. Before whistleblowing, have you considered raising the issue internally by speaking to the setting’s designated safeguarding lead (DSL) or the nursery manager? If your concerns involve the DSL or nursery manager, could you escalate the matter to a regional or area manager? You could also reach out to your HR team.
‘If your concerns remain unaddressed, it is appropriate to report to Ofsted. Familiarise yourself with your setting’s whistleblowing policy to understand the procedures.
‘Rest assured that Ofsted will treat the matter confidentially. Your nursery will not be informed of your identity when you raise an allegation. If the incident is serious, Ofsted may contact you for further information.’
Jamie Izzard, nursery manager, Ashfield House Nursery
‘There is a difference between large corporate nurseries that get tied up in litigation and nurseries like us that are smaller and family-run. I would hope that if this happened here, someone who felt the need to whistleblow would speak to their boss first.
‘Our whistleblowing procedure sets out how to disclose information. You need to check the process for your setting. Ours states clearly that an employee who blows the whistle will suffer no detriment for making a disclosure.
‘If Ofsted deems the complaint serious enough, it would get in touch with the nursery managers and could carry out an immediate inspection. That would only happen if there was substantial proof to back the complaint. But Ofsted would not tell the nursery managers who made the complaint, nor would it share the specific wording. It would just say the concerns were on the grounds of, for example, safeguarding.
‘The only thing that might incriminate the whistleblower is if only they know the information they divulged and they are the only person who could have leaked it. For example, if they disclosed something only known to themselves and the manager. Also, a whistleblower could trip themselves up by saying something that gives away the fact they made a complaint.
‘As a nursery manager, this has never happened to us. But I imagine if it did I would try to work out who had made the complaint – I’m only human. But would I share that on a professional level? No. I would not act on any suspicions I may have. There are no grounds for a whistleblower to be mistreated because they are doing the right thing.’
