mundia Posted September 26, 2007 Posted September 26, 2007 I did a secondment last term as outreach teacher in a CC, felt like I was chasing my tail a lot, it got me to thinking though, and I wondered how many CC teachers do we have here (those that would like to own up anyway!!). And it would be nice to know what your roles are beginning to look like? What do you actually do, and what sort of problems are you having? Over to you then.
Guest Wolfie Posted September 26, 2007 Posted September 26, 2007 I'm one! I've just received a draft job description, after 20 months in the job, and my role is beginning to look just a little clearer! I've been asked to do a presentation on my role to the rest of the Centre staff at an Away Day so when I've got it clear in my head for that, I'll share it with you!! I did go to a really good Marion Dowling course back in the spring, all about the role of the Children's Centre teacher and one phrase that she used that stuck in my head was that we should be a "leader of learning". But then every ealry years practitioner is that really aren't they?
mundia Posted September 26, 2007 Author Posted September 26, 2007 Hi Wolfie I would be interested to see what you present to the rest of the staff, how big is your team now? During my secondment, we were just 3, the manager, the admin and well, err me, but they have now taken on 3 more staff. So anyone else?
Guest Wolfie Posted September 26, 2007 Posted September 26, 2007 Well this is for the whole team in the Centre - the Programme and Deputy Programme Managers, all the staff working in the full daycare nursery(10), the Early Years Outreach Team(2), the Creche Workers(2), the Family Support Team(2), Receptionist and Admin worker plus some outside professionals that the Centre has a service level agreement with, e.g. SENCO advisory teacher, library outreach worker, speech and language therapist. I'm too tired to add all that up - but it's a great team! I really do love the multi-disciplinary appraoch in the Centre.
surfer Posted September 26, 2007 Posted September 26, 2007 Hi Wolfie, I have finally gone and done it! I am taking the Children's centre post but not due to start until January. I would love to see the info from your presentation about your role and also the draft job description if you are willing to share it? I am excited about the job but still quite apprehensive about what I am letting myself in for!! Sue
Guest Wolfie Posted September 26, 2007 Posted September 26, 2007 (edited) Hi - yes, no problem with sharing it but I think I ought to wait until it's finalised first - I think probably in a couple of weeks? I'll also share the presentation when I've done it - the Away day isn't until November so I'm putting that on hold until I've done my gateway review for the EYPS...and had a lesson or two on Powerpoint presentations!!! Oh, and many congratulations on getting the job - you'll have no regrets I'm sure! Edited September 26, 2007 by Wolfie
Guest Posted September 27, 2007 Posted September 27, 2007 Is it possible to see your job description please
Guest Wolfie Posted September 27, 2007 Posted September 27, 2007 Yep, no problem but I'd rather wait until the authority have finalised it...in case it changes!!
mundia Posted September 27, 2007 Author Posted September 27, 2007 Gwen are you a CC teacher too? Sue, great stuff, so there a few of us then? Wolfie you've obviously been at it longer than the rest of us, is that phase one then? We are still in temporary accommodation so just about have enough room to swing a cat. Can you give us an idea about how you spend most of your time, eg is it directly supporting provision, working with parents, on outreach to satellites? And are you a 0.5 contract?
Guest Wolfie Posted September 28, 2007 Posted September 28, 2007 Yes, I'm a 0.5 contract. Most of my time at the moment is spent supporting the nursery within the Centre, as that was seen as a priority. As things develop I imagine that I'll have fingers in more pies so to speak! I also help run Parent Workshops and a "Ready to Learn" session at a school in the catchment area which is a really small group for children (no more than 7 children) aged 2 and above about whom there are speech and language,behaviour, socialisiation, concerns, etc. And I attend a lot of multi-agency meetings which I really love. I think everyone agrees that there has been a real lack of clear guidance and direction for people in this post on a national and therefore regional scale - this is something that people are trying to address now but it's taking a while and makes it hard for people already in post to feel confident that they are doing the right thing!! In the past when I've been approached and asked if I wouild like to take on various projects, attend meetings, etc. I've said "Well, it SOUNDS like the kind of thing I should be doing" but haven't had any job description to refer to for confirmation! I'm hoping that by Christmas all these little uncertainties will be ironed out - in the meantime, I just keep my head down and do the best that I can!! One other thing that might be of interest - when I attended Marion Dowling's course about our role, she was quite insistent that working towards EYPS should be a priority for all Children's Centre Teachers - I've just started that and I have to say that it IS helping me in my job and making me examine and evaluate my role in a very positive way.
Guest Posted September 28, 2007 Posted September 28, 2007 I am one too! Have a job description which I will put onto forum when I'm at work next week and get advice from teacher team at network meetings each term as to priorities. I am full time as are all the teachers in my county's children's centres. we're all employed on leadership scale 1-5 with teachers pay and conditions. Have flexi time if I work over 37hrs and time off if I put on evening training or visit childminders after work hrs. Started in May and have just selected private provider for day care nursery which we are hoping will be up and running after chiristmas. Two Local Phase two's are comming on board under our umbrella so am currently designing community rooms for both centres. Am beginning to make contact with local schools and some playgroups but there's so much to fit in! Have very little birth to three experience but am learning fast. (just copied this from last thread to save time) I agree with wolfie we really are making up the job as we go to a certain extent. Looking forward to meeting some other teachers at early excellence if i can get on course.
Guest Wolfie Posted September 28, 2007 Posted September 28, 2007 I'm going to the one on October 12th about transitions in EYFS - let me know if you are!
surfer Posted September 28, 2007 Posted September 28, 2007 Hi Wolfie, you told me about the EYPS before and I have had a look at it. Do you know if it is possible to start it anytime in the year as my new job doesn't start until January and I can't do anything about it until then? Sue
Guest Wolfie Posted September 28, 2007 Posted September 28, 2007 I think that you might be able to start in January with some providers? On the CWDC website I think there should be a list of providers -have a look and see if there are any near you and give them a ring. I'm doing mine with Best Practice Network, who have their own website, and they run the training at various locations around the country, including the West Midlands, starting at different time in the year. I don't think you'll have to wait til next September! PM me if you want more info!
Marion Posted September 28, 2007 Posted September 28, 2007 Can I just ask is it still true that CC's need to employ a QT for 0.5 to be designated as a CC?
Marion Posted September 28, 2007 Posted September 28, 2007 My head is telling me it is one session a week which would be 0.1 which I think is wrong.
Guest Posted September 29, 2007 Posted September 29, 2007 We are in phase 2 and a large primary school that has had our nursery room converted to CC. I am currently reception teacher 0.5 in school and seconded to CC 0.5. We are hoping children will begin to arrive from 8th Oct . I am currently setting up toddler groups and trying to link with the library playgroup. Can i ask millymollymandy where she is in lancashire because i too am in lancs and trying at the moment to visit different venues and chat to as many people as possible.
mundia Posted September 29, 2007 Author Posted September 29, 2007 Marion, we started off with a secondment (as they couldn't fill the post) which was just one day, could this be what your head is thinking? We are not designated yet and dont have a building, but by the time we open we will need the 0.5.
JacquieL Posted September 29, 2007 Posted September 29, 2007 I am doing 0.7 temporary until Xmas in a CC but I am basically a nursery teacher. The Acting HT is a teacher and was the DH, but is acting up as the Centre Head has retired. She worked as nursery teacher in the mornings and did outreach to other EY settings and had PPAand Leadership time in the afternoons. The Head of Centre was also a QT but ran the whole centre, which includes a Teacher's Centre and EY loans service for all settings. There is also another teacher who works in the Nursery, not in babies or toddlers. We have wrap around care and the children do all sorts of different combinations of funded time and paid for time. We cater for 60 children in each session and work with 2 teacher's, one HLTA and one Level 3, and two Level 2's. when the Teacerhs have PPa they are covered by the HLTA and other support staff. The CC was added on to an exisitng Nursery School which was rebuilt, and this may explain the way we are staffed. We also have family learning and various other support services and are open 51 weeks of the year. The Head Of Centre seems to work to Soulbury conditions but is paid on teacher conditions, but the other QT's work to teacher pay and conditions. The HLTA works to school terms as she has been there a long time and that was her contract, but new support staff work all the year round.
Marion Posted September 29, 2007 Posted September 29, 2007 Our Children's Centre has gone to private tender but our nursery teacher is going to "oversee" things apparently for half a day a week.
Guest Wolfie Posted September 29, 2007 Posted September 29, 2007 Only having contact for half a day a week will make "overseeing" very difficult I should think - I underestimated the time needed to build relationships and gain trust when I first started and I felt that progress was very slow because I was only doing 0.5..... 0.1 will be even harder!
mundia Posted October 9, 2007 Author Posted October 9, 2007 I forgot to count up how many we are then? Its doesn't seem to be many, are there others hiding in the woodwork? Wolfie, I hadn't realised that the course Im booked here in Brum next month is Marion Dowling, so I shall look forwards to that!! Maybe Ill have some foggy clue after that about what I should be doing!!
Guest Wolfie Posted October 9, 2007 Posted October 9, 2007 You'll be inspired I'm sure - she's a lovely lady and a powerful, passionate speaker! I got my job description today - I'll type it up when I'I've got a bit more time........I've got a staff meeting to plan for tonight!
Guest Posted October 9, 2007 Posted October 9, 2007 Good luck everyone - I've just got a job back in teaching - I missed the contact with the children - and found the job description thing a bit fuzzy too!!! I still think it has great potential to be fantastic though.
Guest Wolfie Posted October 9, 2007 Posted October 9, 2007 (edited) Ohhhhhhhh! I thought you might be looking for something new! Have you given feedback to your manager about why you wanted to move on? And what was their response? Okay, here's the job description...all comments welcome! Core purpose: To enhance outcomes for children. To promote the social, emotional, cognitivr and physical development of children (0-5) in the Children's Centre and extended area. Special conditions: Able to work flexibly (including occasional evenings and weekends). The post is subject to Teacher's Pay and Conditions. Main activities: 1. To develop effective high quality pedagogical practices in the Children's Centre including work with parents. To disseminate these practices to the extended area through working alongside all partners. 2. To develop a strategy with key partners in schools and other settings in the are to ensure a consistent and coherent framework for delivering the B23/Foundation Stahe Curriculum (EYFS from Sept 2008) in line with LA Vision for Early Years. 3. To support and advise on smooth transitions for children within the Foundation Stage and from the Foundation Stage into year 1. 4. To develop and co-ordinate the Early Years training activities in the Children's Centre and extended area in partnership with other agencies. 5. To promote high quality early learning experiences within the Children's Centre and the extended area. 6. To evaluate the quality and impact of the provision and practices for promoting learning in the Children's Centre and extended area and to provide support and advice on planning for development. 7. To keep up to date with national and local developments in early years and childcare, including atending the LA Children's Centre Teacher network meetings. 8. To take an active role in the Children's Centre Management Team. 9. To support and advise on high quality learning environments (indoor and outdoor). 10. To be required to work 1265 hours over 39 weeks per year but with fleixibility in the discharge of duties(some weekend and evening working). What do you think?? Edited October 9, 2007 by Wolfie
Guest Posted October 10, 2007 Posted October 10, 2007 Don`t know what others think but I think that is alot to achieve and some of it quite vague and could mean different things depending how it is interpreted - what is your personal view?
Guest Wolfie Posted October 10, 2007 Posted October 10, 2007 Well at the moment I'm just thinking that it's better than having no job description at all!! I agree, some parts do seem quite challenging but there aren't any points that I'm worried I can't fulfil and some points seem to overlap.
mundia Posted October 10, 2007 Author Posted October 10, 2007 thanks for sharing that wolfie. I just received mine today, I didn't get a say in waht it said as yet as I wasnt there when it was drafted.
Guest Posted October 13, 2007 Posted October 13, 2007 Hi I have just been reading some of the postings about the Child Centres. I currently work with Deaf reception children as Early Years co-ordinator in a special school and am really interested in how the child centres develop, with a view to working within them sometime in the future. The thing that puts me off at the moment is the loss of Teachers pay and conditions. Are there any developments to bring teachers employed at child centres in line with schools pay and conditions ? Who actually employs teachers working within the child centres? Has anybody any information or advice? Thanks Bev
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