25 replies to this topic

[Steve]

Hi -
There's lots of talk about the Investors in Children QA schemes, but no clear idea of how many settings are taking it up. Just out of interest I think it would be useful to get some idea of what people are doing around the country. If those who are doing one would like to accompany their vote with a comment on which one they've selected, that would also be interesting! :)

[Inge]

we are doing the Bristol Standard with our EYCD. (on the last dimension now. being checked on tuesday to see how we are doing)
looked at PLA, and others but this one asked how will the children benefit from any changes or targets set. we felt this an important element.


it was also a lot cheaper than others, even though we could claim for 75% of the cost of any scheme. we have also had financial support for wages or refreshements for the time set aside to do this, which by now means we have had all the money paid for it back and more!!.

Why do it... well we had everything in place for 90% so seemed the logical step to get recognition for it. All staff have been supportive and participated in some way as have the parents.

choose wisely, some involve more work than others

Inge

[Rea]

We're doing one but I wish we werent. It's loads of work that really needs a load of time devoted to it but when you have a committee who wont pay for any work done in your own time and who ask you not to do paperwork during session time, you kind of end up chasing your tail.

[mulder]

hello,

we were one of the first to do the psla in our area, and worked ferverently to complete and gain accreditation status within 6 months. Although was hard work, we worked well as a staff team and between the leader and I and manager occasionally, sorted it all out. We have been accredited since June 2003, and due to redo next year. This is recognised by the IoC as well.
Feedback from parents was not forthcoming, not many asked about it, so little was done to advertise it (not my idea I wanted the full works). Only picked up by parents particularly new ones on occasions, and is explained then, but one good thing was that it helped us sort out all our little bits and pieces that we had as weaknessess and we are better organised I suppose now, particularly the admin roles!!!!

love kizzy xx

[hali]

Hi

We did PLA scheme, as Inge said 90% was in place already with an excellent Ofsted report so thought why not. A lot of the paperwork was just copied from standards files with obviously added extras, did it last OCTOBER still waiting to find a celeb to award us our certificate though...... :D :D

[Carolyn C]

We are doing the PLA scheme and our development worker said it would be easy for us to achieve accredited status as we have just had an excellent educational OFSTED and all our paperwork was all good.

However we are finding

1. - it's still a lot of work (there is still a lot of paperwork to rewrite and some to produce that we didn't previously have in place)

2. - there are cost implications to meeting some of the requirements and there is no funding for these (e.g. buying books for a parent's library, or our time involved in producing the extra paperwork). For a small preschool like ours this is a big issue that we hadn't been warned about

We are told that once we have acheived all the requirements however we will find OFSTED easy to satisfy next time, and as the criteria for accreditation are organised under the 14 standards, I can see that we will easily exceed those standards once we have finished and it is making us reflect on our practice and improve in many areas. Maybe once it's all over we will feel better about it, but just now it seems like a huge mountain to climb.

Carolyn

[Gizzy]

I'm doing ours in Hants, sorry forgot what it is for the moment, but it is certainly NOT as easy as the assessors and PDW's make out. You need a fully supporting staff and committee, otherwise it is a very hard slog. Will get there in the end though. Ours is paid for by the council otherwise I certainly would not be forking out the nearly £400 to do it.

Rea I know just how you feel I really do

Gizzy

[Peggy]

Just started the Kent Kitemark, Early days yet but the main focus is reflective practice. It has also shown us how much we actually already do which is quite motivating for the staff. :D

Peggy

[Linda McDowell]

We are taking part in the Stockport Quality Pre-school scheme. I only undertook it on the understanding that this was a whole staff issue and that I wasn't doing it on my own. My staff have been great about it and really got stuck in with ideas etc.
And like Peggy we have realised just how much we already do. We have some gaps but they are things that we would like to put in place anyway. I also think it has made my staff realise just what goes on after the door has been locked and we all go home-in other words what I do at home. I feel they are more appretiative of what running a group entails.
Stockport Surestart, as we no longer have an EYDCP, will fund £300 towards any scheme that local groups wish to undertake.
Linda

[Carolyn C]

Gizzy, on Apr 27 2005, 17:29, said:

Ours is paid for by the council otherwise I certainly would not be forking out the nearly £400 to do it.

Rea I know just how you feel I really do 

Gizzy

Only £400 - ours cost nearly £700!!!!! (Plus the hidden costs I mentioned earlier)

But we have been given £450 of funding from the EYDCP, with a possibility of getting the rest next year. :D

I too sympathise with those struggling with this - and if you are a small setting (and therefore a small staff team like us) it is the same amount of work with fewer to share it between.

Carolyn

[leedwa]

We are doing Quality Counts

[Rea]

Didnt answer the question did I? Ours is from Birmingham City I think It's called 'Quality Framework' and costs nothing. We also get some support sessions throughout the year but these are usually full so I havent managed to get on one yet.

[Sue R]

I've tried twice!!!

First time, a while ago, I got the setting within a hairsbreadth of calling Assessor in, then, due to a complete trauma in my home life, had to leave.

Setting is still (3.5 years later) not accredited, with no intention of completing.

Different scheme, different type of setting - we have had to ask to be moved into next wave of settings to take up, FAR TOO MUCH paperwork for people who are working 8 hour shifts between 7.30 am and 6.30 pm, no 'time out' to contribute and far too much other paperwork!

I haven't voted, Steve, as there was no category for me!!!!!

Sue

[Steve]

Hmm - the only suitable extra category I could think of was Started, then changed mind, Sue -

I've created that one. Let me know if you can think of a better one!

[Rea]

Well I think you restrained yourself very well there Steve