Guest Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 We have been advertising for months now for a leader to cover my maternity leave (and job share after) and not one applicant!! Don't know what else to do, it's starting to look like we will have to close No other staff in the setting are level 3 so can't take over, It's a good job, good wage, nice setting... just don't understand why no one wants a job... Sorry, just a moaning post! and feel really bad but I really can't come back to work 2 weeks after having a baby just to keep the setting open!! Anyone any bright ideas of places to advertise? (already in job centre, local papers, posters in local uni) Quote
Possum Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Golly that's surprising bearing in mind the current economic climate. Whereabouts in the country are you - geographically speaking. Quote
Possum Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Just a thought - would it be worthwhile asking other local nurseries in case they have a deputy who could be seconded in the short-term for experience? Quote
Guest Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Whereabouts in the country are you - geographically speaking. We are in Derbyshire, just north of Ashbourne... Quote
Guest Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 We are having trouble getting a replacement for our Leader too. I really do hope that you can go on your maternity leave without having this on your shoulders, no you can't go back after 2 weeks just to keep it open! You need to enjoy your babymoon Can you try Childrens and family information services / council website? It is so expensive to advertise isn't it! Quote
Guest Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Just a thought - would it be worthwhile asking other local nurseries in case they have a deputy who could be seconded in the short-term for experience? I did wonder about this, but didn't want to seem like we were "poaching" staff! How would you feel if someone approached you? would you think "leave my staff alone " I know the 3 other local Pre-schools have struggled to get new leaders when needed so don't think we could approach them, but there are also some larger day nurseries locally who may have a deputy... Quote
Guest Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Can you try Childrens and family information services / council website? It is so expensive to advertise isn't it! Our local council wont place an ad beaucse we are private, not council run which is a shame beause I think thats where most people would look first! Not thought of children's centres - will look into that one... thanks Quote
Possum Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Well if someone was doing their EYPS it might be worthwhile. I think it could be valuable work experience for staff. At the moment there are only 4 of us at my Preschool so I wouldn't have one to 'spare'. Quote
Guest Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Do you not have a deputy? what happens if you are sick? your deputy should be level 3, would they not be interested Quote
Guest Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 i sympathise with you, i really do. i have been tryin gto recruit staff for my setting since christmas! i have had 3 memebrs of staff leave for one reason or another and only managed to replace one! i have to say there was alot of interest but not many who were qualified to the level we wanted (2). some of them had never heard of the eyfs!!! and when asked why they had applied for the position 2 answered 'i dont know really' ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote
Guest Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Do you not have a deputy?what happens if you are sick? your deputy should be level 3, would they not be interested No deputy, if i'm off sick the pre-school closes! luckily not had a day off sick for over 2 years!! Quote
Guest Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Isent it a requirment that settings have to have a deputy ? Quote
Lorna Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Really feel for you... we had very few applicants apply for my Teaching job for maternity leave....people just don't want to take the chance in case it ends after the maternity leave and they end up with no job. Quote
Guest Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 If you do not have a deputy would it be worth advertising the post of covering your position while on maternity leave and then the applicant then becomes deputy? Hope that made sense!!! ppp Quote
sunnyday Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Isent it a requirment that settings have to have a deputy ? That has always been my understanding Sunnyday Quote
Guest Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 We've never been told (by Ofsted or EYIO) that we have to have a deputy... ? We only have 9 children per session and 2 staff (myself as Leader and an assistant) the assistants only have to be level 2. We have advertised that after mat leave there will be a job share, the job is 5 mornings but I can only come back to work for 3 mornings, so the plan is that whoever takes over can continue as deputy for 2 mornings a week. We've worded the ad Pre-School Leader required For Maternity cover from September 2009 - July 2010 Following this period, successful applicant likely to be offered continued employment as deputy on a job share basis. NVQ L3 qualified or equivalent Excellent rates of pay 21 hours per week Quote
Upsy Daisy Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Oh I wish I was close enough. I'd be there like a shot! And in such a beautiful part of the country too. Pity I couldn't manage the 100 mile commute!! Quote
sunnyday Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Hi darlinbud Interesting that no one has ever identified the need for a deputy...... I am obviously mistaken in my belief that this is a requirement. I think your ad looks good......especially as is shows that employment will continue after your return from maternity leave. Hope you find someone soon - has your EYAT or Development Worker offered any help? Good luck with the baby.....what an exciting time for you Sunnyday Quote
HappyMaz Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Interesting that no one has ever identified the need for a deputy...... I am obviously mistaken in my belief that this is a requirement. Page 32 of the EYFS Statutory Framework states:- In registered group settings there must be a named deputy who is able to take charge in the absence of the manager. Maz Quote
sunnyday Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Page 32 of the EYFS Statutory Framework states:- In registered group settings there must be a named deputy who is able to take charge in the absence of the manager. Maz Aha!.......thought so....now why didn't I go and look it up! Sunnyday Quote
Guest Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 after finding out on friday that i am going to be redundant from july...i'd take the job but like others the commute would kill me Quote
Guest Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 We thought the same about a deputy...but been on welfare requirments course and had to phone OFSTED about the chance that I could become deputy (we were struggling to get one and I am in training at level 3). Course said that in actual fact OFSTED was giving feedback that a named deputy was not necessary. When we called OFSTED they did not want to know about deputy as was told they do not recognise the position! Just had to make sure that there was a level 3 in place that could take charge if supervisor off sick....I coud therefore have done the job apart from other assisstant also in training to level 2 and we did not have the 50% of staff qualified bit covered which is what OFSTED wanted. They did not care if it was a deputy or not (we woud have had to use agency if i had taken the job). So more concerned about qualifications really. Quote
Guest Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 after finding out on friday that i am going to be redundant from july...i'd take the job but like others the commute would kill me Oh no!! What has happened?? Thats awful! I have been looking at jobs for when I qualify in dec. Want to work more than the 2 mornings I get offered at my current setting. I do not see any assitants for 5 days, the same for deputy positions all seem to be leaders! Not sure I have the experience to go for those just yet! Ideally I want a pre-chool job but there is nothing and hasnt been for a while. I did phone a local private nursery as they wanted somone for 3 days per week in the pre-school room. Ony thing was it was a rota system...early mornings one week , late nights the next....my own childcare at school could not fit round this . I am so desperate to get out of working nights, weekends at sainsburys that as i have now done my 150 hour at pre-school (required for my course) i am actually looking for anything. It woud be a shame though for me to give up my current setting but the two jobs, working for my course is taking its toll on my family life. Quote
Guest Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Page 32 of the EYFS Statutory Framework states:- In registered group settings there must be a named deputy who is able to take charge in the absence of the manager. Maz Thanks Maz, strange it has never been mentioned at all to us ...? (and I have never thought to look it up either!) at least we can say we are trying to get a deputy now! AlisonP - yep 100 mile commute might be a little too much! shame! Quote
HappyMaz Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 They did not care if it was a deputy or not (we woud have had to use agency if i had taken the job). So more concerned about qualifications really. I think there is perhaps confusion caused by the word 'deputy' - I read the guidance to say that there must be a named level 3 person at each session who can deputise for the manager in the event of their being taken ill or needing to leave the setting in an emergency. Most times this will be the Deputy, but if for some reason the Deputy wasn't there, then another Level 3 practitioner would need to be identified as the person who would step into the breach. Whatever terminology we use, clearly we need to have more than one Level 3 practitioner at each setting. I for one have not been able to do this for most of this term, and I'm not clear about what would have happened if Mrs O had paid me a visit this term. I could have shown how I was working towards getting this in place as advised by my LA advisers, but my gut feeling is that I would still have been deemed 'inadequate' since I would not have been meeting the welfare requirements. Maz Quote
Guest Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 Oh no!! What has happened?? Thats awful! am going to wait until redundancy payment is in my bank then post about it Quote
Guest Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 This is the email I got from Ofsted when I asked about not having a 2nd level 3 when our leader leaves next week ------- Thank you for your recent enquiry. If setting is without a manager for a short period of time we first need to decide whether the time the setting is without a manager long enough for us to put in place our suitable person process for any temporary or acting manager, as rule of thumb an absence of around 6 weeks or longer. If we decide we need to register your deputy as acting manager we will request an EY2 and a HDB will need to be completed along with the other suitability checks. Only then would you need to have a named deputy. Please be advised, as a new manager of a provision, an EY2 Declaration and Consent form must be completed. You can download an EY2 form by clicking here or they may be obtained from your local Children's Information Service. Once these forms have been completed they need to be returned to: Ofsted North Regional Centre 3rd Floor Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann 's Square Manchester M2 7LA The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) stipulates that the Manager of a childcare provision must have at least a level 3 qualification appropriate to the post as approved by the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC). In addition, the manager should have at least two years' experience of working in an early years setting, or at least two years' other suitable experience and should have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. I hope the above information has been helpful. However should you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us. Regards, Quote
Guest Posted June 21, 2009 Posted June 21, 2009 I am so desperate to get out of working nights, weekends at sainsburys that as i have now done my 150 hour at pre-school (required for my course) i am actually looking for anything. It woud be a shame though for me to give up my current setting but the two jobs, working for my course is taking its toll on my family life. I know where your coming from Marley!! I am in tescos working nights and and a 9 hour shift on a Sunday. As of this coming Thursday my assessor will be signing off my portfolio and sending off for my certificate and I will be 'qualified'!! Like you, I want to work when my son is at school and the problem I am having is that there doesnt seem to be any jobs around at the moment and am now considering any kind of work to be at home in the evenings, as it is now taking its toll on my family life. Hubby is still recovering from a serious illness and my son has bahavioural issues, so finding work during the day is more important now than ever. Of course tesco dont have anything available during the day!! My other problem is that any jobs I have managed to find and have already applied for are on a temporary basis. This would mean that I will have to keep on Tesco until I can find a permenant position. Again this means working 2 jobs. Its never easy is it!!! At least when you complete your course, it should free up some of your time. Stick with it, you will get there in the end! Quote
Guest Posted June 22, 2009 Posted June 22, 2009 I know where your coming from Marley!! I am in tescos working nights and and a 9 hour shift on a Sunday. As of this coming Thursday my assessor will be signing off my portfolio and sending off for my certificate and I will be 'qualified'!! Like you, I want to work when my son is at school and the problem I am having is that there doesnt seem to be any jobs around at the moment and am now considering any kind of work to be at home in the evenings, as it is now taking its toll on my family life. Hubby is still recovering from a serious illness and my son has bahavioural issues, so finding work during the day is more important now than ever. Of course tesco dont have anything available during the day!! My other problem is that any jobs I have managed to find and have already applied for are on a temporary basis. This would mean that I will have to keep on Tesco until I can find a permenant position. Again this means working 2 jobs. Its never easy is it!!! At least when you complete your course, it should free up some of your time. Stick with it, you will get there in the end! Wow you and me both! Have asked sainsburys for a transfer to days but they said no chance! Like you I do 7 hour on sundays, 5 hours 5-10pm on mon, wed, in pr-school tus, thurs fri so ony day off is sat which tends to be doing assignments. No jobs (not just in chidcare) going that are of any length (need at last 17 hours financially to give up sainsburys) and some would rquire the use of before or after school club to do so would need even more hours. Have just made enquiries about a TA job in a foundation unit at a school for 16 hours but need to know a bit more about it. It would be a shame that there are qualified people out there who just cant get permanent work for the hours they need. Have you thought about agency work? This is an ara I might look into if nothing comes up and once qualifid. Quote
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