Poll On IIC QA Schemes

[Steve]

Hi -

There's lots of talk about the Investors in Children QA schemes, but no clear idea of how many settings are taking it up. Just out of interest I think it would be useful to get some idea of what people are doing around the country. If those who are doing one would like to accompany their vote with a comment on which one they've selected, that would also be interesting!

[Inge]

we are doing the Bristol Standard with our EYCD. (on the last dimension now. being checked on tuesday to see how we are doing)

looked at PLA, and others but this one asked how will the children benefit from any changes or targets set. we felt this an important element.

 

 

it was also a lot cheaper than others, even though we could claim for 75% of the cost of any scheme. we have also had financial support for wages or refreshements for the time set aside to do this, which by now means we have had all the money paid for it back and more!!.

 

Why do it... well we had everything in place for 90% so seemed the logical step to get recognition for it. All staff have been supportive and participated in some way as have the parents.

 

choose wisely, some involve more work than others

 

Inge

[Rea]

We're doing one but I wish we werent. It's loads of work that really needs a load of time devoted to it but when you have a committee who wont pay for any work done in your own time and who ask you not to do paperwork during session time, you kind of end up chasing your tail.

[Guest]

hello,

 

we were one of the first to do the psla in our area, and worked ferverently to complete and gain accreditation status within 6 months. Although was hard work, we worked well as a staff team and between the leader and I and manager occasionally, sorted it all out. We have been accredited since June 2003, and due to redo next year. This is recognised by the IoC as well.

Feedback from parents was not forthcoming, not many asked about it, so little was done to advertise it (not my idea I wanted the full works). Only picked up by parents particularly new ones on occasions, and is explained then, but one good thing was that it helped us sort out all our little bits and pieces that we had as weaknessess and we are better organised I suppose now, particularly the admin roles!!!!

 

love kizzy xx

[hali]

Hi

 

We did PLA scheme, as Inge said 90% was in place already with an excellent Ofsted report so thought why not. A lot of the paperwork was just copied from standards files with obviously added extras, did it last OCTOBER still waiting to find a celeb to award us our certificate though......

[Guest]

We are doing the PLA scheme and our development worker said it would be easy for us to achieve accredited status as we have just had an excellent educational OFSTED and all our paperwork was all good.

 

However we are finding

 

1. - it's still a lot of work (there is still a lot of paperwork to rewrite and some to produce that we didn't previously have in place)

 

2. - there are cost implications to meeting some of the requirements and there is no funding for these (e.g. buying books for a parent's library, or our time involved in producing the extra paperwork). For a small preschool like ours this is a big issue that we hadn't been warned about

 

We are told that once we have acheived all the requirements however we will find OFSTED easy to satisfy next time, and as the criteria for accreditation are organised under the 14 standards, I can see that we will easily exceed those standards once we have finished and it is making us reflect on our practice and improve in many areas. Maybe once it's all over we will feel better about it, but just now it seems like a huge mountain to climb.

 

Carolyn

[Guest]

I'm doing ours in Hants, sorry forgot what it is for the moment, but it is certainly NOT as easy as the assessors and PDW's make out. You need a fully supporting staff and committee, otherwise it is a very hard slog. Will get there in the end though. Ours is paid for by the council otherwise I certainly would not be forking out the nearly £400 to do it.

 

Rea I know just how you feel I really do

 

Gizzy

[Guest]

Just started the Kent Kitemark, Early days yet but the main focus is reflective practice. It has also shown us how much we actually already do which is quite motivating for the staff.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

We are taking part in the Stockport Quality Pre-school scheme. I only undertook it on the understanding that this was a whole staff issue and that I wasn't doing it on my own. My staff have been great about it and really got stuck in with ideas etc.

And like Peggy we have realised just how much we already do. We have some gaps but they are things that we would like to put in place anyway. I also think it has made my staff realise just what goes on after the door has been locked and we all go home-in other words what I do at home. I feel they are more appretiative of what running a group entails.

Stockport Surestart, as we no longer have an EYDCP, will fund £300 towards any scheme that local groups wish to undertake.

Linda

[Guest]

Ours is paid for by the council otherwise I certainly would not be forking out the nearly £400 to do it.

 

Rea I know just how you feel I really do 

 

Gizzy

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Only £400 - ours cost nearly £700!!!!! (Plus the hidden costs I mentioned earlier)

 

But we have been given £450 of funding from the EYDCP, with a possibility of getting the rest next year.

 

I too sympathise with those struggling with this - and if you are a small setting (and therefore a small staff team like us) it is the same amount of work with fewer to share it between.

 

Carolyn

[Guest]

We are doing Quality Counts

[Rea]

Didnt answer the question did I? Ours is from Birmingham City I think It's called 'Quality Framework' and costs nothing. We also get some support sessions throughout the year but these are usually full so I havent managed to get on one yet.

[Sue R]

I've tried twice!!!

 

First time, a while ago, I got the setting within a hairsbreadth of calling Assessor in, then, due to a complete trauma in my home life, had to leave.

 

Setting is still (3.5 years later) not accredited, with no intention of completing.

 

Different scheme, different type of setting - we have had to ask to be moved into next wave of settings to take up, FAR TOO MUCH paperwork for people who are working 8 hour shifts between 7.30 am and 6.30 pm, no 'time out' to contribute and far too much other paperwork!

 

I haven't voted, Steve, as there was no category for me!!!!!

 

Sue

[Steve]

Hmm - the only suitable extra category I could think of was Started, then changed mind, Sue -

 

I've created that one. Let me know if you can think of a better one!

[Rea]

Well I think you restrained yourself very well there Steve

[Lucy P]

We are doing NDNA ~ Quality Counts. Haven't really got going yet but looking forward to it

[Guest]

Steve - a suggestion for another box in the poll -

'attended 3 different information sessions and decided not to do QA until its is compulsory!'

 

The whole staff team went on the factfinding sessions and we all recognised just how much work it is. For sessional pre-schools who are on the minimum wage with no contact time I feel it is an unrealistic expectation. For maintained nurseries I guess it might be different. Sorry to be so negative.

 

I was very interested to read the Scottish Self-evaluation model which I downloaded. This would be much more manageable but I don't know if Ofsted Early Years would accept an English group doing this scheme......... not sure if its accredited either. Hmmmm.

[Steve]

Thanks Lisa -

No problem with being negative - it's good to get honest feedback. Think your vote will have to go in the 'Not doing one and not considering it' slot though - your new suggestion is too long to fit in the box!

[hali]

Im sorry to say this but..........................(can only go on the PLA scheme)

 

If you have had a good Ofsted report it isnt that much more work............all we had to do was photo copy lots from our standards file that we did for Ofsted plus add any extra the chair and i did that ...it was a little extra but not that much!!!!!

[Guest]

Have completed the PSLA one - agree with the fact that there are costs associated with it - we got a bursary for doing it but not too sure where we stand on the re-accreditation bit as this seems to cost nearly as much as the initial one and I am not so sure when the re-accreditation process hits. I know we are reviewed annually - does this carry a fee too - need to find this out does anyone know please????- because if we don't get a bursary for it then might seriously consider not doing it again. The £400 or however much it is might go a long way to keeping the staff happy which will in turn make for better relations and teamwork which will in turn make a better provision which in turn will mean that perhaps we don't need an accreditation unless we are forced to in order to get our NEG grant in which case they can pay for it too.

Nikki

[Guest]

I'll try and keep this short, but it is a topic quite close to my heart!!!!! (ok then quite emotive!!!)

 

The only scheme I've looked at is the PSLA one so my comments are about that scheme.

 

Bearing in mind Hali's comments I am sure there would be a few things extra that we would have to do and that's fair enough - otherwise how could they possibly charge for it?

 

But what I can't accept is the variation in funding for this scheme by LEA's. Some areas have their own schemes which is great - mine doesn't and for the privilege of transferring my op. plan to meet the Accreditation standards the cost to us would be in the region of £500 - and that is after taking off funding from the EYDCP. Plus add in the fact that no one would be paid any extra hours for doing it, I just can't see how I could justify doing it - the staff give so much already.

 

Surely they will need to standardise regional funding before they make it compulsory? In effect the scheme is not promoting equal opportunities for all as the replies to this thread have shown - because the opportunity for us to do it isn't equal. And that's a point I might take up with someone from the EYDCP one day !!!!!!!!!!

 

Phew .... bit heavy for a Sunday morning !!!!!!!!!!!

[Steve]

thanks for all the replies so far - and thanks Janice for your views which are very interesting!

 

Any more votes? You don't have to make a comment with it...

[Rea]

LJW and Janice, exactly my point! I'm only continuing with it because my replacement is with us so I am in effect an extra.

[Guest]

I agree with Janice with regard to equality of opportunity. In my area of Kent their "Kitemark" is fully funded. This includes;

Portfolio files ( admin needs)

Training for each module

Staff cover pay for all training attended

A mentor visit once a month

Computor CD for all paperwork if required.

 

I did actually want to do the PLSA one, because I fully support their ethos as an Educational Charity, and I know this is funded in many areas, but not mine, so I didn't really have a choice but to do the Kitemark.

 

That said, I consider this process of "Quality Assurance" as a benefit and not "something I have to do" ( which if was the case would take the motivation out of the process)

 

If I owned another type of business and wanted to develop it, improve my customer service and therefore my sustainability how much would it cost me to have just one of the above listed services?

Look in any professional publication at the cost of employing a business consultant and the cost of being assessed for quality and you would need thousands of pounds.

 

Just a thought.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

I agree with you Peggy. We are doing our QA because we want to not because we have to. And I want to ensure that we are giving the best quality service we possibly can-not just to the children and parents but to my staff too.

There is inequality in the way the schemes are funded but that is true of most matters related to what LEAs are providing. Some of you have had ELCs whereas many of us haven't, the grant funding differs from area to area. I don't think it will ever be different unfortunately!

Linda

[Alison]

We recently signed up for "growing together"

I dont think we would have chosen QA if it hadnt been subsidised by the local EYDCP,

 

I used to be quite sinicle about QA schemes and couldnt see the point on top of ofsted inspections but We are finding it a useful exercise for reflective practise and professional development

 

we are happy with the way they have organised it there are regular meetings with other settings in the area who are also working towards "growing together" and we get an mentor visiting us regularly. then its up to us to gather all the evidence which is already in place in our operational plan! the only problem is finding the time to do it! but Rome wasnt built in a day!