Guest Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Hi has any one got at formatt for a play policy. With all the paperwork that has been thrown at me in the last few weeks its something that I've forgotten to do. And if any of our local advisory teachers are part of the Forum and I don't know who they are then I really couldn't careless if they think I am doing something wrong by asking. Sorry to the rest of you but I got told in no uncertain terms one day that I shouldn't ask for things on the Forum as it would mean that it wasn't "Mine" but as I said I have so much else to do it the layout that I can't think how to do at the moment, and just writing pages seems boring and no one will take any notice of it. Tired Steph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Sorry can't help..... it's something that's on my list too! Just wanted to offer support!!!!!!!! Why shouldn't you ask? arn't we all supposed to be 'working together', isn't the idea of a forum like this to share ideas and information anyway? Hope someone comes up with a play policy for you soon (((((((xx)))))))))) xxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiles Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 I dont have a play polcy but really cant understand why you have been told not too ask anyone on the forum. I have been a memeber for quite a long time myself but in training informaton I reecived recently from Essex the forum website and our password to access was given out in the front of the book for all to use. I also attended a briefing on the Inclusive Development Programme (which is being introduced in September) last Friday and was told that we should be networking with other groups and sharing good practice. smiles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 . I also attended a briefing on the Inclusive Development Programme (which is being introduced in September) last Friday and was told that we should be networking with other groups and sharing good practice. smiles ohpps......... I'm in Essex and I forgot to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 Oh Steph you sound fed up! For what its worth (and why should it be worth anything - I'm not in your local authority anyway) I think there's an old saying about not re-inventing the wheel? Presumably you have to tailor anything you get from here to meet the requirements of your individual setting anyway: so once you've adopted it, it becomes yours (provided you acknowledge copyright if applicable!). Sometimes its easy to think that people want to put you through hoops just for the sake of it! I'm sorry to say I don't have a play policy. Should I have one? Chin up Steph! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Hi every one A good nights sleep has helped. You are all right I have said exactly the same things to our advisory teachers, but I think their idea is that if you use something that some one else has done then you don't understand it. Still I'm off to a staff meeting today and hopefully my staff will give me a boost. I had a good blow up yesterday at a young girl in the LA office and feel better, bless her she was so nice as she is leaving today because she can't take the "C***p" in the office any more. I had sent in a form for advertising a job to go on the childcarelink website, and I had a friend ring me and ask why I had put in the bit about awaiting Ofsted re-registering due to relocation!!!!!! I told her that I hadn't. When I went through to the girl who had put the advert on the website she said she had checked with her boss and had been told to put that in the advert. I told her that I'm a private business and that the LA had no right to put something extra inmy advert without checking with me. She said her boss had said that they had to safeguard themselves because I wasn't registered yet!!!!!!! I told her to take the advert off then no-one would have to "safeguard" themselves. I said I could put the advert on the jobcentre website without having to put that. I can't believe the audacity of them!! I told her I was quite capable of telling anybody who came for a job that we are awaiting registration. URGHHHHHHHH It has now got to the point that I have to be so carefull what I say or do. They twist everything. At a meeting last week even though I told them the conversation that I'd had with the Ofsted inspector they still come back with a load of waffle about what they are doing. I am being proverbially slapped on the wrist for haveing a go at them for not helping us. I'm now going off to be a "good girl" and do everthing that I have been asked so that I get our registration with both Ofsted and the LA!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 OH yes forgot to say yes you should all have a play policy its in the EYFS !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Also forgot to say that yes we are told to network and share good practice, but as long as its with local groups (that they control what information they are getting) I suspect is the way they want it, that way we don't know what is going on in the rest of the country. Divide and conquer has always been the motto around here!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Oh dear Steph it goes on and on doesn't it. I wonder if they write all there own policies from scatch? I do not have a policy to show you but it seems we will all need one so off to the drawing board. Just include things like, you follow child initiated play and that is the best way for a child to learn, setting to room out for children to access different activities, allowing time for extended play, outdoor play (if you have an area and what you intend to do if not) how you help them play, include the eyfs and letters and sounds and inclusion documents and fill it in with some blah blah blah. Hope you get the idea and TRY not to worry. Are you a member of pla? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I think their idea is that if you use something that some one else has done then you don't understand it. I personally think your LA's attitude (or should I say the person representing them ?) Is very condescending of your intellect and professional ability. How sad. If I was writing a policy I would first (as my aim) define the term 'Play' , then desribe how my setting would enable play, consider inclusive play (including gender & SEN)., Consider Health and safety. Hmmmm can you see a pattern here. As I've read someone else has suggeste we don't need a million policies, the above considerations on play could be added to policies already in place. The ethos of play included in overall aims of the setting. (vision statement) Found one example (and there are many more) from a google search www.lissinfantschool.co.uk/files/uploads/policies/Policy%20for%20Play.pdf [/url] This is the google link, I haven't uploaded the pdf because I haven't read the sites copyright rules. Hope this helps. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 OH yes forgot to say yes you should all have a play policy its in the EYFS !!!! Steph: can you tell me where it says this? I've just done a search of the PDF of the May 2008 editions of both the Statutory Framework and the Practice Guidance. I searched for "play" and "policy" (and the two together ) and read every sentence with either word in and I can't find it stated anywhere that we need a play policy. Have you seen it with your own eyes or is your LA telling you it says so in the EYFS? I'm not challenging you: but I went through my statutory framework document with a red highlighter for everything we must do as a statutory requirement and a blue highlighter for all the things we must have regard to just to make sure I had everything in place for September. When you said you needed a play policy it didn't ring any bells with me at all: and it would have done if I'd seen it as part of this checking exercise because I certainly don't have one! So now I'm really confused! Hearing your tales of woe makes me feel blessed with our early years team: I never feel I'm being preached at or that I'm being attacked or undermined in any way. I always feel able to challenge them if they say something I don't understand or agree with - and they feel comfortable asking me to justify what I say in return! Hope you get things sorted and can begin to establish a more equitable relationship with them - one where they value your knowledge and expertise. Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Hi Maz I did this year a Leadership and Management course put on by our Adv. Teachers and they spent a whole morning talking about Play Policies. I unfortunately missed it due to family problems, but the next week I said don't worry I'll find one on the internet to look at I was then told off for downloading, and that it wouldn't be mine!!!! But never mind I have interviews to do at the moment that are more important to make sure I have enough staff for September, Thanks any way every one for your support Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshinedaynursery Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 Steph: can you tell me where it says this? I've just done a search of the PDF of the May 2008 editions of both the Statutory Framework and the Practice Guidance. I searched for "play" and "policy" (and the two together ) and read every sentence with either word in and I can't find it stated anywhere that we need a play policy. Have you seen it with your own eyes or is your LA telling you it says so in the EYFS? I'm not challenging you: but I went through my statutory framework document with a red highlighter for everything we must do as a statutory requirement and a blue highlighter for all the things we must have regard to just to make sure I had everything in place for September. When you said you needed a play policy it didn't ring any bells with me at all: and it would have done if I'd seen it as part of this checking exercise because I certainly don't have one! So now I'm really confused! Hearing your tales of woe makes me feel blessed with our early years team: I never feel I'm being preached at or that I'm being attacked or undermined in any way. I always feel able to challenge them if they say something I don't understand or agree with - and they feel comfortable asking me to justify what I say in return! Hope you get things sorted and can begin to establish a more equitable relationship with them - one where they value your knowledge and expertise. Maz Hi, I think it's the time of year when everyone is worn out and frazzled and September is looming. My thoughts are that we have a very prescriptive framework in which children are encouraged to be autonomous and independent and unique but we as practitioners have to dot the 'i's and cross the 't' s or face Mrs. Ofsteds wrath. I thought Maz's idea of highlighting in red or blue was great and that's what makes this forum such a life-saver. I agree that taking policies plans verbatum means you don't have ownership of them and they also might not mean very much to your setting but I love clicking the links that that are posted here and use them sometimes as a template for our own but usually modifying and personalising them to our setting. My developmenrt worker sent me some policies from the PLA when I was running round in my using circles and they were invaluable. I wonder if they now regret changing from having 'play' in their title (remember the PPA) I think there is an over-use of the word 'policy' when what is meant is philosophy or ethos or just ' this is what we do because...' but we should be able to explain how and children are learning through play because if you don't know yourself and you are running a playgroup or nursery (while taking the Queens shilling to do so)... I'm off for a cup of tea now, ta ra Annamagana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 I think there is an over-use of the word 'policy' when what is meant is philosophy or ethos or just ' this is what we do because...' but we should be able to explain how and children are learning through play because if you don't know yourself and you are running a playgroup or nursery (while taking the Queens shilling to do so)... I'm off for a cup of tea now, Perhaps you're right about using the word 'policy' instead of 'philosophy' but it doesn't sound as if Steph has been told to write a mission statement or the like - it sounds to me like her advisers are expecting to see an actual policy I'd still like to know which page of the document it says we need to have one though! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Hi Maz Just to up date you I don't think there is any where that says we have to do it but because my LA is saying that we are not up to their criteria and there "criteria" is a play policy then we have to do one or I don't get the funding. So play policy here I come!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Hi Maz Just to up date you I don't think there is any where that says we have to do it but because my LA is saying that we are not up to their criteria and there "criteria" is a play policy then we have to do one or I don't get the funding. So play policy here I come!!!! No, Steph: the message I've had from my early years team is that there is no requirement to have a play policy - but thanks for the clarification! Its shocking that they can put such hurdles in your way and threaten to withhold your funding. Have the posts on here helped you to write a policy? Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Yes have written a play policy. After all the time i've been on this forum i have never attched any thing successfully so will have a try:lol: Play_policy.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Hurrah did it, even an old dog can learn!!!!!!!! Am awaiting my new grandchild so the luck must be rubbing off. Steph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Well done Steph, that must have taken you a while to right, it's very comprehensive! And thank you for sharing it - don't forget to let us know when that baby arrives! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Thanks Steph, A comprehensive well laid out policy. Now you've mastered the skill of uploading a document would you consider adding your policy to the resource library, then it will be accessible to others who have not, at this time, seen this post. Thanks. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquieL Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Very well done and well worth adding to the Resources Library for anyone else to reference when writing theirs. How very short sighted your advisory staff are. Collecting ideas from other people, so that you are not reinventing the wheel and considering other people's ideas not only saves time but helps you to clarify your own thinking. Isn't this called research? As long as you discuss with your own staff, so that you are all agreed on your philosophy and have a common understanding, then what on earth is wrong with that. I bet they research and consult, or at least I hope they do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Yes they do do research because alot of the stuff they have given has come from other sites because I've found it. I will now try to upload it to the Resources library Still waiting the baby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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