Ratio advice again!

Hi
Looking for advice and info.
Background is having an issue with our committee re: staff levels
eg Wednesday 18 children, 5 under 3yrs and 13 over 3yrs.
How many staff would you work out?

I say 4 ie
4 under 3yrs = 1 staff
1 under 3 yrs + 3 over 3 yrs = 1 staff
8 over 3 yrs = 1 staff
2 over 3 yrs = 1 staff

Committee say 3 ie
4 under 3 yrs = 1 staff
8 over 3yrs = 1 staff
1 under 3yrs + 5 over 3 yrs = 1 staff

I say their example leaves an under 3yrs in a 1:6 ratio not 4. Who do you agree with?
I have contacted OFSTED (anonymously) but the chap I spoke to was very woolly about it all. Asked him this question how many staff and gave him this example and he said he had to look the ratios up. After telling me ratios are 1:4 etc etc (already knew this bit!) that was it! I told him how we worked out 4 staff and he said sounds about right!
Our chair is coming in tom to show us their workings out (means 1 staff member less for each day than we have worked out) and has said she will contact OFSTED about it. I just hope she doesnt get the same bloke I did.
Is there anyone else I can try and get info about this from?
If they didnt want extra staff in they should have limited the number of under 3yrs they took on surely?
Or am I being niave and this is the way it works and when OFSTED come in staff are called in quickly?
Sorry being very cynical about all this but we have been saying this all the 6 weeks holiday and the comm are actually cutting staff down on 2 days as they say we dont need them according to their worked out ratios!

Any help/advice appreciated as Im really not sure what to do for the best.

[cabin]

Well with your example I would insist on 4 staff too.

Ratios are ratios ...... in a dire emergency you may be able to argue the case of 1-6 taking into account the actual age of a 2 yr olds - maybe they're 2.11 months. But certainly not as 'planned staff ratios'
xxx

If this was my setting I would go with your Ratio's and not the committee, you cannot have an under 3 with 5 over 3's, you will be breaking regulations, if an accident were to happen and this was discovered your insurance would not cover you, it is important that ratio's are followed at all times, the committee would be held responsible, as they after all are the responsible people.

Thanks guys!
I have since found out that the admissions sec of the committee contacted OFSTED last year about this and was told the way they worked it out was fine. I had an email from OFSTED recently (again a bit woolly will they never give a straight answer!) that stated the ratios to use (again) and that the ages of children could be mixed so long as the age related ratios were maintained. So totally opposite from what admissions sec told!
Anyway, chair is going to call them plus the secretary to see what answers they get.
So many get confused over this you would have thought they would produce a doc to tell you how to do it!!