Rea Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 I went to the PLA AGM last night. I didnt know this, had no need to really, but the Graduate leader fund is only available to full day care settings, not sessional (here in Birmingham at least). Not sure if this is a new decision though because I think our leader got money for something from somewhere. A very discriminatory decision I think. Birmingham 'bookstart' has decided to only deliver the treasure chests to maintained and full day care settings now due to the council reducing their funding by two thirds. Playgroups will have to tell their parents to collect their own from the library. When I asked why playgroups had been singled out she said we had less 3&4 year olds than other settings! It really did feel like sessional playgroups were being bullied, abused and given the elbow. I was spitting feathers at the end of it. If government want all settings to have staff qualified to the same level how dare Birmingham only fund some settings. And why should our children be less important than those in a maintained setting or a nursery class? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyfs1966 Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 (edited) My setting is sessional here in London, and the same rules apply re the GLF. I agree with your sentiments entirely, except I don't think the problem is Birmingham, it's a government issue. Clearly their preferred model for childcare is full day care, and frankly god help the rest of us!!! I am doing my EYPS at present, and will recieve no central funding to support my salary. I quite agree with you that children at our settings deserve to be educated by the same levels of staff as full day care. I just wait to see how else sessional care will begin to be "squeeezed" out of the market!!!!!! Edited October 23, 2009 by eyfs1966 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 our authority did this the first year or two the fund came out they also decided to change it last year so we could apply. They also had a pot of money to bring the eyats in to train in house on various things however you had to have a minimum of 8 staff so in our area most of the playgroups and childminders couldn't access the training or the grant that went with it so that they could fund the course and the staff. there are lots of inequalities across the board all it seems at the expense of the small not for profit sector. one of our parents works in a private day nursery for the last 2 yrs the nursery has not had to pay for any staff training they have got it all free apart from first aid which was subsidised they have a qualified EYP and 3 in training each with grants most funded by schemes in our authority we still have to pay as we are too small to apply it stinks! no disrespect to nurseries but most are for profit this particular one is a chain how do they justify this like you it makes my blood boil. sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlettangel Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 In Worcestershire the graduate leader fund is based on you being part of a setting that offers full day care. Only one person per setting can access the fund unless you are classed as in a socially deprived area..... can't recall the criteria for that though. I am lucky enough to be able the one member of staff to access this, but we were told in September of this year that funds were running out!! I wonder where all of this will end up if we have a change of government! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 I think this is because its the requirement for full day care to have the EYPS. Once (and if) this requirement is rolled out to all settings, money will be made available for this to happen. Regarding the Bookstart, this is a shame Rea, we ask our settings what they prefer and we ask them if they would like a 'gifting' session, where Bookstart will come out and do a story sack session with children and parents and talk through the chest. Not many take up the offer mind you, but the offer is made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Re bookstart.. love the idea of a gifting session, we had suggestions do do one ourselves but would have been better for someone to come in, we still get the book start bits and give them out to all.. our issue is with getting the books in different languages, really hard even though they say you only have to ask.. managed it for 2 years but always weeks after we had the boxes and the children had left by then, so we had to send them on, GLF - in our area too for full daycare, but think it is because these are the settings targeted for having EYPS in place . The setting I have left did become full daycare , as soon as we could once EYFS came in.. rules changed which allowed us to add the extra hours where we couldn't under previous Daycare standards. So they did access the fund as soon as they could. Inge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 i was in a sessional setting and we couldnt get it either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 I'm not surprised that you were angry Rea...........have to say that I have long felt that small sessional pre-schools are not what the government want and that things will be made harder and harder for us until we give up......... We were lucky enough to receive the Bookstart Treasure chests - but certainly no 'gifting session' - I had to go and pick them up from a 'Lock and Store' in our closest town.........actually Mr Sunnyday collected them for me because I had no idea where to find the place......... We were hoping to access the Ofsted training - can't remember the course title now - there was lots of talk and recommendation on this forum about it - guess what - because I don't employ 5 or more people we were not eligible for the training - WHY - my inspection will not be any less vigorous than a larger setting......... It all makes me both angry and very sad.........sessional pre-schools can and do provide excellent opportunities for the children in their care.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gezabel Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 I am not sure about the current graduate leader fund in my area but will check on monday. As for bookstart, a huge delivery of treasure chests arrived at pre-school a couple of weeks ago and I have been busy dishing them out Out of interest does everyone have to give parents a sticker to put in their child's health record book? In our area it seems like some sort of coding system so 'they' know we have delivered the treasure chests Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 I've never had stickers with them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Out of interest does everyone have to give parents a sticker to put in their child's health record book? In our area it seems like some sort of coding system so 'they' know we have delivered the treasure chests Errr....no Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 no sticker, parents had to sign for them and we had to send in the returned form, I assume it is tracked that way.. Inge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 (edited) no sticker, parents had to sign for them and we had to send in the returned form, I assume it is tracked that way.. Inge Oh - we have never been asked for 'proof' of any kind......... P.S. apologies Rea - we have gone slightly off topic Edited October 23, 2009 by sunnyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 (edited) no stickers - just pick them up from the local library as and when I need a box, also give out the Bookstart book bags to the 2.5 year olds we have and no stickers! Edited October 23, 2009 by Panders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Sorry Rea, just read your post!!! I'm not a member of the PSLA any longer, gave up when they were not quick enough off the mark to support pre-schools in their battle with the Early Years Funding Entitlement, but as their roots were firmly planted in committee run sessional pre-schools, how do they feel about the squeeze being put on small pre-schools? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Have have felt for along time the pre-school/playgroups are not really on the gouvenments agenda- Our pay is not enough to give good tax returns, many of our parents are not 'working' therefore they give nothing back to the state........... ....but maybe that's just me!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motherclanger Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 I've just started my foundation degree in early years and have funding from the GLF, I'm working in a sessional preschool open for 4 hours a day. Motherclangerx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 I have started my foundation degree & applied for the funding, there was a section on the form which included sessional play groups. I am in Suffolk & the last i heard it was all going through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Our LEA advisor (Bristol) said I should apply to the GLF but when the response came it was no because we are sessional (as I knew it would be but she was insistant). I had this discussion with the LEA when transformation fund ,which preceded the GLF first came out, they were very clear that the fund was only available to settings open over 4 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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