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Sff Delayed For A Year


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ahhh, but i noticed the magic 'pathfinder' word !!! whats the betting my LA will be one of them :o

 

I had an email about this from Early Education. Re Pathfinders it says,

 

"Those local authorities who are ready to implement the formula from April 2010, are likely to be invited by the Government to take part as pathfinders so that their experiences can be used to share effective practice with other local authorities."

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Well I'm a bit torn here ..... under the proposed SFF for our LA we would have received a higher hourly rate- so I am all for it on that basis.

 

However, I am a little concerned that the 3 hour offer might make the sessions for non-funded children expensive.

 

Soooooo...... will the delay in SFF also mean a delay in the 3 hr entitlement or are the two not totally connected?

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Soooooo...... will the delay in SFF also mean a delay in the 3 hr entitlement or are the two not totally connected?

As ever there are more questions than answers - I shall keep my eyes and ears open! I think there may well be lots of disappointed providers who were looking forward to having an enhanced rate from September 2010. Just goes to show you can't please all the people all the time!

 

Maz

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Just thought that I would let Sunnyday know that a lot of work has gone into preparing for this in Kent and it is going to happen in April 2010 as planned.

I'm waiting with bated breath to hear what my LA is going to do - I imagine there will be some very unhappy people who have lived and breathed the EYSFF for so long and have had everything thrown into confusion.

 

As a provider I feel that delaying it for a year is just delaying the inevitable - but I have yet to read anything 'official' about what is going to happen, so I'll keep an open mind.

 

Maz

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We were told at our meeting at the very beginning it wouldn't happen next year it would be the year after.

What they did promise is that from next April they will be telling us on our 'statement' that we get saying how much funding we are due they will also be advising how much we would've been getting under the new rules.

 

As a playgroup setting I was quite relieved about this, as we are going to be £2.60 per session worse off and at least it gives time to have a rather large fee increase for the 2 year olds.

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Just to let Sunnyday know that I didn't intend to come over as bossy; I am on the working group for the SFF for Kent and after seeing this on Wednesday as breaking news , we met on Wednesday without knowing this had been happened, I later asked those at KCC working on this what was going to happen now and the reply was that "we are good to go in April as planned". but they could be overuled by someone I suppose.

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Just to let Sunnyday know that I didn't intend to come over as bossy; I am on the working group for the SFF for Kent and after seeing this on Wednesday as breaking news , we met on Wednesday without knowing this had been happened, I later asked those at KCC working on this what was going to happen now and the reply was that "we are good to go in April as planned". but they could be overuled by someone I suppose.

That's cool - thank you! :o

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Well initially were were going to be down each session but after the consultation came back we were told we were going to be up as they have added on extra money for outstanding providers and extra if you rent property so now Im not so sure how I feel :o

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I am totally disgusted its not going ahead. LEAs have had ample time to sort it. I have been going to meetings for over 2 years about it. As soon as the maintained sector see funding go for children they dont have they winge to politicians and hey presto its halted. The PVI sector has been shouting for years about how unfair it is and they go through the motions of listening and pull the plug. Roll on the election. Another shambles of Labour government. 68000 for a nursery head teacher is fair????? even if half empty???

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The PVI sector has been shouting for years about how unfair it is and they go through the motions of listening and pull the plug.

You could also argue that many PVI settings will be much worse off with the EYSFF because the funding given by Government does not cover the hourly fees charged by settings, and removes the ability of settings to make any extra charges in respect of the free entitlement (registrations/deposits/charges for uniform/specialist teaching sessions etc).

 

I for one am hoping that if our Local Authority delays the introduction of the EYSFF for a year they will spend the time lobbying Government for a more equitable level of funding for all early years provision, no matter whether this is provided by the maintained or PVI sector. I'm not sure what difference a general election will make on the level of funding available, but I guess we won't have too long to wait to find out.

 

The grass is rarely as green on the other side of the fence as it would at first appear - almost everyone is challenged by the new funding arrangements to a certain extent. It is such a pity that a system set up to remove the perceived inequalities of funding early years education has had the effect of polarising opinion in one camp against the other.

 

Maz

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I am sorry, But I too want to rant here....I was never going to be a fan of the SFF, because it's just another example of PVI's being to asked to run businesses with their hands tied behind their backs. That said, going back on what has already been agreed is ridiculous. There has been ample time for local authorities to sort this out, and those who have not must have had their heads in the sand. What I can't manage in business terms is unnecesary uncertainty, and this is a prime example.

 

When will anyone bother to look at the core issue here. You CAN NOT HAVE high quality provision without adequate funding, not in maintained settings, nor PVI's. For years PVI's have propped up the system, taken the losses, and just had to cope, but the minute the maintained sector is asked to fall in to line, all hell breaks loose.

 

Ok I know I have now stuck my neck out, and am waiting to be knocked down by the maintained sector......but frankly bring it on!!!! Try swapping for my job responsibilities and salary, and then tell me I don't have a point!!

 

Come on maintained sector......just give me 1 good reason why your setting should be funded at a higher rate than mine, and I will give you 20 reasons why not.

Edited by eyfs1966
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If anyone is interested to read what Dawn Primarolo has said about the delay in implementing the EYSFF you can find her statement here.

 

It will be interesting to see whether the estimated third of all Local Authorities who were progressing well to the April 2010 implementation of the EYSFF will decide to plough ahead with their plans. Certainly the expansion of the pathfinder programme should enable good quality data about the successful (or otherwise) implementation of the EYSFF to be returned to Government which presumably could then feed into the preparations of the remaining LAs as they work towards the new April 2011 deadline.

 

At the very least the delay will enable LAs to consult more widely with providers and gather up to date information about what it really costs to provide the existing 12.5 entitlement.

 

I have mixed views about the delay in implementing the EYSFF - I am not certain where this leaves the commitment to offering 15 hours of free entitlement for example. If I have to provide 15 hours free at the point of delivery at my current rate of funding then that would be even more of a disaster to my setting than the threat posed by my LA's proposed hourly funding under the EYSFF.

 

Maz

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Thanks for that link Maz. It is always best to go to the 'horse' to see what lies behind these things, and obviously not everyone is as ready as they should be, and for what appears to be a variety of reasons across all sectors. It seems to reassure those LA's who are ready that they can go ahead if they are accepted as pathfinders, and as you say that will be useful for providing data on which to base any changes.

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Just checked our hants web site and it looks like hants have put in to be included in the pathfinder Sff for this april.

What do you think about that caroljayne?

 

We still have heard nothing from our LA about what they intend to do, and I still haven't worked out what will happen to the 15 hour entitlement for parents. Does anyone have any up to date information about that?

 

Maz

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Hi Maz

What do I think

Not sure really. Think its going to happen anyway and we were ready for it to happen this April. Still not clear how much difference it will make to our Hourly rate. At my setting we have been part of Pathfinder for the 15hours anyway so hoping we will not loose too much. Have been told we will hear more first week back when we get the funding forms through. Will keep all posts on any news.

Caroljayne :o

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