Nursery Management: Management - Overlooked

There can be confusion about the meaning of the word ‘supervision’, perpetuated by different positioning in key documents used by those working in early years. Ofsted, for example, uses the term in relation to both staff and children, but it goes without saying that supervision of children is, or should be, very different from that of staff.

The common purpose for supervision across all disciplines, including early years and social work, where it came from, is to provide a supportive and reflective space for workers. Supervision is considered to have three main functions:

The legal framework

Supervision is actually a relatively new addition to the landscape of early years in England. It was first mentioned in Dame Tickell’s 2011 Tickell review of the early years foundation stage, and described it as essential for effective leadership and management, a mechanism for staff support, and an opportunity to develop reflective practice. In 2012, supervision was introduced as a statutory requirement within the welfare and safeguarding requirements of the Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (DfE, 2017).