Rea Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 Hi all, after a meeting with the head of our local primary today there is talk of us sharing his premises, not sure exactly how yet, he wants a nursery but with out shuting us. Anyway he's open to all ideas but the deputy said the regulations would be different to a playgroup and we might not be able to run it. Are there any differences? I'm not sure never having worked in a school nursery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 Hi Rea - Can you remind us of your exact current status, just to help people understand the changes that would be involved? It sounds like he has in mind a Foundation Stage Unit style setting unless I'm misreading you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 this is what we have in our nursery and the regualtions are quite diffferent. The pre-school gets checked for care and education but school nurseirs only for education. There is a difference id the space regulations and pre-schools have restirctions about how many children of what age they can house within a buiding of a certain size etc. did that make sense- ex 4 sq ft for each chidl over 4 and 5 sq ft for chidlren under 3 etc etc (just an example) But go ahead with it ony after thinking about it fully. Our school did not and it has led to many problesm inclding storage issues, resourcing and using of each others; equipment and wer and tera and replacement. The pre-school in my nusery uses all our thing sbut has things of theri own. They don't pay much towards resources and i am constantly replacing things that they have used or damaged. On their part they feel that they are unable to set up the room in the way they want, cannot change role play etc and a lot of the things we have stored openly for easy child access is not suitable for theri 2 year old. Make sure you get the early years officers and the PLA (?) and the LEA's educaiton consultantls involved right from the beginning. it would not be a foundaitonstage unit bec that is between a reception class and a nursery. This would be a joint venture between tow sectors that have amost the same age group fo chidlren- are yu aware that they will not be able to open a nursery to compete with yur pre-school. You could object to it. My personal opinion is that yu will be lsing a ot of your independance by moving in with the school. Think about it carefully before you agree to anything. PM me if you want any more information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted October 20, 2004 Author Share Posted October 20, 2004 We are currently in a church hall (which backs onto the school) and open for 4 mornings and two afternoons (only times available). Plan is for us to use the room he has recently had built as part of reburbishments on the other days so that we are offering more sessions,(for now in two different places) this in turn will maybe prevent people from leaving us to go to a school nursery, When that happens invariably they go to that school also and means our primary is losing potential pupils. The plan would help all of us. Foundation Unit was mentioned and he's well aware of the government wanting wrap around care (maternity unit was mentioned ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 There are diff in the qualifications of who runs the nursery and playgroup. It makes sense to join up but will it be a nursery as well or just a pre-school with a reception class on the premises. i understood that there would be a nursery as well as a pre-school on the same premises. There is lot of funding avalibale for wrap around carebut check if EYDCP to get all detials. If yu are going tothe sole feeder to the school reception class then it would be beneficial to you both but if they set up in competition you will be fighting for the same chidlren. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted October 20, 2004 Author Share Posted October 20, 2004 I think in the long term it would be a nusery. We would start it off by using the space provided but when parents got used to it, it would become a school nursery. I dont mind for me, I wont last out much more than a couple of years at any rate (disallusioned not on my death bed you understand!) but I do want my staff to have a job. The head is concerned at taking revenue away from the church though, which is why he suggested using both premises. He was turned down for a nursery a while ago because there are loads of provision in our area, I think it's a back door way for him. Like I said it is only talk at the moment, but I know the deputy looked a little against it (but the black looks could of been directed at me, doesnt like me). I will speak to our EYDPC tomorrow, see what she thinks, and I've just volunteered to be on the Exec committee of the PLA so may have more help than I thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 Rea If you are going to remain as a pre-school then you will still be under the daycare standards-sessional or full day depending on how you are run. But I know that all the nursery classes in Stockport have a qualified teacher in them. I dont know if this would apply to where you are. They usually have nursery nurses too. Their ratios are different-1 to 10 here. I'm a bit concerned that you think he is trying to get a nursery by the back door. I would seriously think about some sort of a contract to safeguard you and your staff. Perhaps that you were guaranteed the use of the building for 5 years. I'm worried that he may be using you to set it up and then take it over for a school nursery when you are established?? In which case what would happen to the staff you already have-would he keep them on? It's very difficult to say on this one. Will he allow somebody else to use the room to open a pre-school if you don't take it? In which case you are going to be in competition for children. I think you need to know the fine details of this one before you make a dceision. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted October 20, 2004 Author Share Posted October 20, 2004 No other playgroup exists so it would only be us he's offering it to. I am wary though, at first I saw it at an exciting opportunity, but as the day wore on I remembered lots of reasons as to why I shouldnt take what he says as the absolute truth. Smooth talker, he got the chair hooked too but she hasnt dealt with him as long as I have so I'm going to have to pin her feet to the ground too. So long as whatever happens the staff have a role I'll be satisfied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 be wary ad check everything out before you agree on the dotted line. There are different regualtions for a nursery and day care sessions. You should think also of the long term plan and security for staff- inc you. As a nursery you will not be able to run it unless you are a qualified teacher. Staff regualtions are different. My nursery has only an unqualified TA bec as school regualitons are not checked vigilantly but as a pre-school you have to have staff qualified to a certain level. You will slso lose your independece if yu become a 'part of the school' Would that be OK or would you like to remain apart. Are you also aware that as a day care sessional provideer you are entitled to dip into diff types of grants and funding which will not be accessible to schools. Perhaps this is a pure business venture for the shcool. What about lease agreements?etc look into it all- having been in a school environment i'm aware of how information can be passed on n a need t know basis even between memebrs of staff leave alone outside organisations. Get all doubts cleared and like i said earlier get outside agenceis involved right from the beg to be arbitrators or just to look after your own interests. All the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted October 21, 2004 Author Share Posted October 21, 2004 Thanks Ladies, I'm having a chat with our chair ths afternoon. I have spoken to our EYDPC this morning and she voiced the samce concerns, she knows of a playgroup which has been running for 12 years on a school site just being taken over by the school and the playleader is out while she and her staff can apply for a position if they wish. It was their playgroup and all their hard work has been taken by the school. Very Wary now. Leo, dont you ever sleep??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 well Rea I was on a courser today which meant that i did not have to get up early so what do i do- get up early bec it was my choice to do so and not bec i had to is that warpped thinking or what? Its he same on saturdays- i get up at 5 am bec i dont have to but on a serious note- do think carefuly before you take the step of moving in with the school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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