I have been told today via Early Years that the money available through the Transformation Fund is only going to Full Day Care settings. Yet again, as a sessional pre -school we will miss the boat and a two tiered system becomes more and more apparent. Has anyone else had this news or is it likely to be a local issue? I am off to look at the DFES website for more info.

no sorry I havent heard anything about that particualar grant so Im not much help!

last month we managed to get a grant from surestart and it was the first time I have ever been informed of a grant that we where actually elidgable to claim. and it all had to be spent before the end of the month it was so hard spending all that money

I know what you mean about the two teired system! I often wonder if the government is trying to phase sessional preschools out? (but that might just be my own paranoia)

Hi,
I have heard this too and read it somewhere as well.

Sue

I have reflected on my earlier post and thought I should add a little more 'wordage' to explain. There are two childrens centres near by and another in the pipe line. They are fab and make us look like poor relations. Brand new equipment and facilities, lovely outdoor play areas,sensory rooms,space, money, loads of staff etc. Whilst, we struggle to get any funding to improve the environment for our children. It was hoped that the transformation fund would carry us onto the next stage and secure our future providing monies to support the trainig of a qualified proffessional - which was hopefully going to be me! Unfortunately that no longer seems possible. Its a shame.

I agree with you Jill, it is a real shame that you are unable to access financial support.
I think i read about transformation fund for full day care only in last weeks nursery world. There was comment, I think from PLA but not sure, about how this government "non" funding would yet again affect sessional groups sustainability.
I am full day care, but as the sole owner I am not eligable for a lot of grants even though I run at no profit.
Our work is hard enough without these additional "battles" for survival.

Chin up though, I really believe that parent power will let government know that there is a very great need and choice for small, family orientated, sessional preschools.
( I'm not implying other types of setting aren't family orientated) I just think it's a bit like the similar scenario of the demise of the local village post office or store, being replaced by shopping malls. We all miss the little shops don't we?

Peggy

we certainly do peggy, i am very concerned about how you keep saying you are not eligable for any funding as you own your group as i am hoping to go down the same route soon..............

I would like to add that we are currently full to capacity so must be filling a need some where. As you say Peggy parent power must count for something - now if only I could get someone to listen.

I am following this thread with great interest. I have posted before about how concerned I am about the sustainability of sessional or privately owned groups. My nursery is full with a waiting list but with the surestart 10 year atrategy it will be very hard for us to compete with new children's centres with so much funding being poured in. Our hands are being tied more and more with regard to fees and top up fees especially when the three hour funding comes in. Children's centres are being heavily subsidised and advertised as having a qualified teacher. I have then seen posts from newly appointed teachers saying "help please give us advice in this new post". Sorry I am really not getting at anybody but just love the job I do and want to keep doing it on a fair footing!

I suppose also on the other side of the coin ( so to speak) Government funded settings such as neighbourhood nurserys ( are they still called that or childrens centre's?) are worried about sustainability once funding stops. We've only got to look at the amount of LEA Nurserys that have been opened, closed, opened, closed.......

My staff have even asked me to look at going down the line of lowering the admittance age to 18 mths instead of our current 2 yr old starters. We are also looking at offering holiday club for children aged up to 8 yrs and a breakfast club.

Basically we all need to see what else we can offer that other's can't.
What is your USP? ( unique selling point)

Peggy

I am a privately run pre-school. I got funding to open a holiday club 3 years ago. This was to fund any unfilled places for a year and buy new equipment. The holiday club was very popular unfortunately I had to change premises in 2004 so the summer holiday was spent moving and organising. I took over a friends pre-school on the provisa that I took her children as well. I asked her to stay for a few weeks and fortunately she is still helping us . Last summer holiday was spent recovering from a very hectic year when I moved into day care to increase the sessions. This Summer I just feel like opening again in the summer holidays. I will open for morning sessions and i will invite all the children to stay to lunch to prepare them for a full day in September. I also use this time to start some of the new children to stagger the intake. I usually open for 2 days a week in August. Staff without young children are very willing to work. We use the garden as much as possible in the summer.
I think good advertising helps.Fortunately we are in a prime position so I always put a large notice up at the window so parents and prospective parents can see when our forthcoming activities and events are.Parents advertise us when they are waiting to come in because for some reason they are arriving earlier and earlier even though they know they have to wait. New parents often say to me I saw the queue or I saw you all playing in the garden and they often talk to me about past events that they have seen advertised.

I would like to open in the Summer but we are tied by the dates that the school will be open. Damn those negative thoughts. It would be great to stagger entries and our few working parent would love it. Do you find that you break even? I feel a business plan coming on and another parent questionnaire.

Yes it always has shown a profit. At the moment I have notice up asking parents if they are interested. I always collect the money before we break for a week at the end of July.Ask the staff if they will work in the hols.Do your plan first to decide whether it is a viable idea then ask parents their opinion. Your term time insurance and registration covers holiday periods.
No curriculum planning need be done , makes it even better!!!!!