In Danger Of Closing

[Guest]

Well Friday is here and guess what ........................................ we have a treasurer, well the staff found one but the committee are not too keen on him but and it is a big but.......................................... now some of our committee have resigned we only have 4 members and no others in the offing so we still may be sunk. It is so infuriating being stuck at home and not being able to put in my pennys worth. Anyway we have until next Friday to find the necessary committee members. Oh well it never rains but it pours.

 

Trying to keep optomistic, Gizzy

[Guest]

Surely your present committee do not want to see the group close??

Could you not ask the parents when they come in if they would like to be on the committee.Have the committee written to the parents explaining ??

Your doing a wonderful job and it would be a shame for the group to close.

Keep fighting!!Could the staff not buy it?? I am sure you would get a grant?

[Beau]

Gizzy,

This is turning out to be more nail biting than a soap opera!! You must be completely wrung out with all the ups and downs - I know I am. Keeping my fingers crossed still.

[Guest]

oldtimer, the committee have sent out a letter saying we will close unless we get more members but a certain person who will remain nameless has been discussing pre-school problems when she shouldn't and put a few off.

 

Beau, these problems have given me more grey hairs than I care to mention, my poor hairdresser will have her hand full when I see her next (LOL)

 

I am not sure how much more I can stand, especially as I am not there to help the staff.

 

Will keep you posted.

 

Gizzy

[Sue R]

For what it's worth. you have all my very best vibes.... can you feel them?

 

Sue

[Guest]

Something must be coming this way Sue as things don't look coal house black today just black (LOL)

 

Gizzy

[Sue R]

 

Sue

[Rea]

Hi Gizzy, is it absolutley necessary to have more than 4 members of committee? I know it is recommended but lots of things are recommended for committee run pre-schools it's just not always possible to fulfill them all, we had the same treasurer for 12 years but our PDW said, 'needs must.' I would think that if you have the committee officers you can still operate and use volunteer parents for help with parties, fetes, other events. At present we have 6 commitee members with 3 leaving at the end of July but we will stay open and try to recruit new members in September. Until then staff know they are going to be aasked to help out with things committee would normally do, but thats life in pre-schools i suppose. Good luck

[hali]

Good luck Gizzy get ur hairdesser to cut the grey ones out though not to pull otherwise you get even more.........

[Guest]

Well here is the latest news and things are looking good at last. The committee and staff had a meeting on monday night but as I am off on sick leave no one thought to tell me what had happened until today .

 

We have a treasure well one of the parents has said she will do it until our AGM in November. The gentleman that offered a while ago the committee are still thinking about it and taking up references.

 

We have 9 new committee members for now and September so it looks like we will be carrying on in September.

 

All we have to do now is get our move to the local scout hut approved by the land owners, apply for an extension for the accreditation which is due to be completed in July. As so many things were happening and there was a chance we would not be here I couldn't be bothered to do it. And finally organise the move to the scout hut assuming we get permission.

 

Life is never boing is it (LOL)

 

 

A slightly happier Gizzy

[Guest]

great news! lets hope things stay looking up!!

maddy.

[Guest]

Glad things are looking up for you.Hope you will soon be better.

[Beau]

A reprieve Gizzy! Thats really cheered me up - and all down to the hard work you and the other staff members have put in.

[hali]

Excellent news Gizzy...well done

[Guest]

Hi there .... you've worked SO hard Gizzy, that you deserve it to be a success.

 

All the best !

 

Janice

[Sue R]

hear, hear and ditto to those last replies!!

Sue

[Guest]

I hate to say it but we are sinking again.

 

Loads of publicity and still September looks really bad, how are you all doing? We have an average of 8 per-session which is bad for us.

 

I think there must be something about this time of year!

 

Our chairperson wants to cut us down to 2 staff per session in September, I really am not happy about it, not worth asking parents as they don't help at the moment anyway, well one out of 20 does the rest work or "have better things to do with their time" as one parent told me.

 

The move of premisis is still in the pipeline, the church have been having trouble with their fundraising and the goalposts keep moving it is now 2006, but who knows

 

Certainly have a lot more grey hairs, hairdresser has now given up putting lowlights in my hair and we are on to total cover now .

 

Rough day today, needed someone to sound off too sorry

[hali]

Dont worry Gizzy thats what we are here for..sorry its not going well again, hang in thre things have a way of turning around, enjoy your weekend

[Guest]

Hi Gizzy

So sorry things are no better for you. September is always such a worry-will we have enough children/won't we? I really do sympathise with you.

I would be worried about only having two members of staff. I know a lot of groups run this way but I would be concerned about what happens if a child has a serious accident or one member of staff takes ill or has an accident. That would leave just one with the rest of the children.

You come on here and sound off as much as you like-that's what we're here for. Try and enjoy your weekend and put the work to the back of your mind if you can.

Linda

[Beau]

This is the trouble with our line of work. Luckily for us this year we already have 5 new children due to start soon or after the summer (which is good for us). My main worry is always whether the committee will decide to keep the assistant or decide we can't afford one. If we keep some of the preschoolers then the assistant will definately be there. I can imagine that the prospect of losing staff is still just as bad even if there are more of you. I am resigned to the fact that the fate of our playgroup is always in the balance - sounds like your pretty much in the same position. Doesn't make for a stress free life though, does it. Have a drink and we'll be keeping our fingers crossed.

[Rea]

In our local paper tonight there is an article about how many primary school places will be lost in Birmingham within the next 5 years. Out of 98000 places 9000 will be lost. The low birth rate, which I imagine cant only be affecting Birmingham is to blame. I dont think there are any answers to your problem, I know you've been battling with this for almost a year, I personnaly think it's the way a lot of playgroups will be going over the next few years especially if the government want schools to offer more care.

When/If it happens to our group, myself and my ex deputy have said we will open up something for 2-3 yr olds. Just us, no committee, no hassle over wages. Is that something you could still do Gizzy? Open independently of the committee, it seems to me a lot of your grey hairs have their name on them. I really have no suggestions, I've just re-read all the posts from last year and I think everything has been suggested. Like hali says though, hang in there things do sometimes turn around.

[Guest]

Gizzy,

I have struggled with this every year, I lose half my register each September to school. This September I will only have 14 children on the register. I am thinking of closing, or one idea I have is to employ a full time manager, I will give him/her an annual budget to staff and resource the group, I shall take no profit ( only earnt £8000 last year ), take another job and wait until business picks up. I am reluctant to close my business, but I am also personally disallusioned with E.Years at the present time. But hey, that's me.

 

What part of "South of England are you from?". The reason I ask is that I'm based in Kent and my PDW, working on behalf of the EYDCP, is working with me on a "SUSTAINABILITY GRANT" which is available to apply for in my area. I think the total amount a setting is able to apply for is about £2000. See if it's available where you are.

 

I do a lot of forward budgeting, saving some income (only a little), from the busier terms to support the very fragile ( in terms of income) Autumn Term. It also helps that 50% of the NEG in my area is paid at the beginning of each term.

 

Good luck

 

Peggy

[Susan]

Cant help with this one, but I do sympathise Gizzy. Good luck.

[mundia]

Rea I heard about that article about the schools in Brimingham too. In fact for the first time in 11 years, we are only two thirds full for nursery in september where we are usually by now oversubsrcribed. the Head is already talking of redeploying a member of staff elsewhere in the school, which would horrify them all. And how do you decide who?

Bit worrying isnt it?

[Guest]

Thanks ladies, glad its not just me. I agree its like this every September but just seems worse this year and our new chairperson is so organised and spot in it scares me sometimes.

 

Deffinatly don't want to work with 2 staff so will have to sort that out.

 

Peggy, I am in Hants, we have tried for the sustainability grant before but beacause we keep money in the bank for redundency's we have twoo much money. Also we were told in Hants that the birth rate has gone down from 3.2 children per family to 1.2. so they wont help us as the birth rate will make a few pre-schools close anyway (their words not mine). I have yet to work out what the point is, is someone continually pregnant and never gives birth .

 

Sure things will look better on Monday, well hope it will had plenty of comfort things, chocolate, alchole, chocolate

 

Thanks for all the comments at least I don't feel so alone with all you helpful people about

[Guest]

Dear Gizzy,

Sorry to hear of your news - I thought you made an interesting comment that the other groups in your area are more formal and structured - tied in with the fact that your parents did not seem keen on the lunch club - why was this because the parents wanted to be at home with their children or because they thought it too expensive? Makes me think that you are in a good position along with your Ofsted inspection to market your group as one of learning through play. It might be worth looking at a different age group to get over this problem if the numbers are there - perhaps you could look at reducing a session and look to run an arts and crafts, healthy cooking session or a drop in centre for parent toddlers on one of the days to get parents coming into the group. Although this would mean less revenue you might be able to secure them later. Parents are always looking for somewhere to go in the dark winter months.

 

I think its ridiculous that you cannot get a sustainability grant because you have too much money in the bank to cover redundancies - isn't that what they have asked us to do - seems a useful way to get out of paying this because surely everyone has to have this? So are they are prepared to give sustainability grants to those groups who have not got it? Seems bizarre to me! Doesn't give a very clear message does it!

 

I expect you have thought of all these things - so sorry if I am no help.

Keep going

Nikki

[Guest]

Dear Gizzy

Having looked again at the previous posts you seem to suggest that there are parent toddler groups in the area - perhaps you could look to combine forces with them in some way

Nikki

[Guest]

Thanks for your comments Nicola. We do have a toddler group in the village, but are looking into running our own. The nursery in the village does so who knows. Spent this morning at the local toddler group to hopefully recrute some parent for september and beyond. We have started taking 2 year olds as well, cant think of anything else to do.

 

Gizzy

[Sue R]

No ideas, just tons of good wishes!!

 

Good luck,

 

Sue

[Lucy P]

Hi Gizzy

 

I can only add my good wishes, although i think we are in roughly the same area so if there is anything i can do in terms of advertising etc please let me know