79 replies to this topic

[myhenroxanne]

Just wondered how other Sessional Pre Schools are feeling about the imminent increase to 15 hours (by 2010). What are other groups proposing to do? I feel that this could be the beginning of the end for Groups like ours. We meet in a church hall and can only offer 7 sessions of 2.5 hours maximum because the premises is used by other groups too. Any ideas? Looking for some sort of answers but at the moment can't seem to find a way around it, without closing. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Andreamay]

After your ofsted!you cant close!!!! What a waste,the children need you!
I havent looked into it i will admit and it may be more flexible then you think when it comes We can only offer 3 sessions to our just turned 3 year olds and they cant take 5 up until the september when we have room and altho parents hve complained thats how it is and they have accepted it.
Is there not a school you could move into? im sure others will be more helpful

[myhenroxanne]

Hi Andreamay
There is a local primary school a mile down the road (we were initially set up 11 yrs ago to feed into them with the promise of being on their site at a later date.) However a few years ago when we approached them about possibly looking to find a portacabin to relocate on site we were told quite clearly that there is absolutely no room for a pre school! We felt very let down as you can imagine! Although they do see us as 'theirs' the only links we have is that most of our children move on to that school, and the reception teacher comes for a 'chat' for half an hour at this time of year before the new starters arrive.
Would we still be in the same position though if we were operating from a portacabin wouldn't we? I suppose we would have a few more sessions available to increase into?

[Wolfie]

I haven't got a lot to add at the moment other than the fact that you DO actually provide 15 hours worth at the moment with the number and length of sessions you provide, and, as Andreamay says, I would think that there's likely to be quite a lot of flexibility in how you provide those 15 hours, simply to accomodate groups such as yours which obviously provide such high quality provision and meet the needs of the local community.

I can see that providing the 15 hours in you existing format would obviously mean that the numbers of children that you could provide that for would no doubt decline but at least your group would be "healthy" numbers and money wise? Unless of course there are other nearby groups who could "scoop up" the children that you couldn't take? But hopefully you've got time to do a SWOT analysis and action plan to overcome any potential threats!! How about approaching the school again and voicing your concerns...youi never know, their reaction may be different this time?

Please don't panic just yet! I'm sure there must be hundreds of groups in the same situation as you and surely the overall arrangements for providing the 15 hours MUST take account of the individual circumstances of groups!

[BrendaS]

We are sessional pre-school in a church hall.

We currently open 9.15 - 11.45am. Having spoken to NEF Audit team we will be able to just up our hours to 9.15 - 12.15pm thereby providing that extra half hour daily and thereby increasing our hours to 15 per week.

So thats what we shall do. Luckily our hall doesn't have a high usage during the day so we are able to do this, but for those who have other groups waiting to come in after them I can see it will be difficult.

[Inge]

Not able to fit in the hours to 15 unless we close afternoon sessions, thereby not offering a place for up to 20 children a day!! currently we would have no places left for any intake in September this year if that were to happen.
Staff would lose hours and pay and leave so this would be less stable, too many other things to cover really... have tried lots of ideas for solutions and end up going nowhere

Inge

[MaryEMac]

We too will not be able to increase our hours. At the moment, morning sessions run from 9 - 11.30 and afternoon sessions run from 12.15 - 2.45. We have to leave the premises at 2.45 to allow the out of school club to set up so we have no chance.

Mary

[myhenroxanne]

Oh I'm so glad it's not only me. Feeling like we're in a constant battle all the time trying to jump through hoops which are getting smaller and smaller. When will someone realise that one size doesn't fit all and succesful pre schools and nurseries are being pushed to the limits. We are going to have to do some 'big' thinking on this one, if we come up with any answers I'll pass them on, incase someone out there is in the same position as us.

[HappyMaz]

Inge, on Jul 13 2007, 16:33, said:

Not able to fit in the hours to 15 unless we close afternoon sessions, thereby not offering a place for up to 20 children a day!! currently we would have no places left for any intake in September this year if that were to happen. Inge

So this would be a real case of a measure which is intended to increase childcare provision and choice actually decreasing what is currently available.

Its a wacky world we live in, isn't it? Nothing is ever as straightforward as it might seem - a real case of "it seemed a good idea at the time".

I guess people will be looking at breakfast clubs and the like to increase their hours - especially if they are on or near school sites where resources can be pooled. How long do you have between morning and afternoon sessions? Even then I don't suppose you can handle two groups for lunch, can you?

Unless of course you're lead by an EYP and then you can have a 1:13 ratio. But lets not go there, shall we?

Maz

[hali]

we would be in exactly the same boat Inge

[Inge]

HappyMaz, on Jul 15 2007, 14:28, said:

How long do you have between morning and afternoon sessions? Even then I don't suppose you can handle two groups for lunch, can you?

Unless of course you're lead by an EYP and then you can have a 1:13 ratio. But lets not go there, shall we?

Maz

we have 15 mins between , no time for 2 lunch groups, and cannot go full day so we could have sessions run consecutively and no break.

we do have staff member just starting her hons yr of the degree and will do eyp so will have someone to that level in 18 months time.. but none of us would work 1:13 with this age group as we feel it is insufficient for the needs of the children in our care, one wet and one crying then what happens to other 18 children! (20 per session max for us)

Lookslike we will be stuck between the 'devil and the deep blue sea'

Inge

[HappyMaz]

Inge, on Jul 15 2007, 16:01, said:

Lookslike we will be stuck between the 'devil and the deep blue sea'

Inge

Have you spoken to your Early Years people? I'd be very interested to know what they say. And what about your parents - how do you think they're likely to react (although I realise its a way off yet!).

Maz

[Inge]

voiced concerns as have lots of groups...as it is a while off parents we have now will not be affected , so not really worried!!

all we can do for now is get on with it and hope that we can eventually sort it out.

Inge

[louby loo]

Do we still have to have an hour between sessions? I know last year we did (worked in full dayc care then) but I'm not sure if it's changed to half hour now, if it has this will make it easier for us to extend our sessions.