Hi everyone
I've just been looking on the Pen Green family and research centre website at the courses they provide. There are some really interesting ones but they are REALLY expensive - £285 for one day 9.30 - 4 and £375 for two days . I wondered if anyone had done any courses at Pen Green and if so, what they were like and if they felt the cost was justified.
Thanks
Beehive

I have been to a course recently at Pen Green (EYP not a childminder by the way) and I was really looking forward to it, but I was quite disappointed. I can't really put my finger on it but maybe they and I don't fit as well as I fit with other training providers. I was really quite down as it came in a run of really quite inspirational training and I was really looking forward to going there as I had wanted to for so long. I know lots of others have found the courses much more relevant so I'm sure someone will be along soon with more information. It's also a long way from me and in a small village not a large town so if you have to travel be prepared for that surprise - geography isn't my strong point you can probably tell!

Thanks for that Holly35 - I'm an EYP too not a childminder- maybe I posted in the wrong place! What a shame you were so disappointed with the training. I'll wait and see if there are some more replies before I sign up for anything (and pay up!!)
Beehive

Hi Beehive - I've moved this out of the childminder's forum into the general training forum so that you can get as wide a response as possible.

I've tried to answer your question a few times but haven't really known what to say.

I am very enthusiastic about visiting Pen Green, and have found seminars and training days there very useful in helping me review my own practice and see where I could bring back a bit of the Pen Green magic into my own setting.

However it is very difficult for me to say whether I think it would be worth your while investing what is a lot of money since I don't know you or your set up. I think you need to look very closely at the learning objectives (and if you email Pen Green they are usually very helpful if you need to know more) to see if they match your requirements as a learner. The training days cost a lot of money and I think you'd want to be very sure that you would be getting what you expect out of the day. Margy Whalley is an incredibly passionate speaker who always sends me away feeling re-energised and ready to take on the world. Sometimes that alone would be money well spent!

Which particular courses are you looking at - perhaps some of us here have done those courses in the past and can provide a better critique!

Maz

PS in the past our Local Authority has offered bursaries to go to Pen Green - it might be worth talking to your EYP network to see if there are funds available for CPD!