Hoolahoney Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Hi all, newbie to the site so I am exploring! Do any of you welcome other settings staff in to visit your setting and then you go visit them in return? This is to help to share ideas and build relationships and I would love to visit other settings near us in essex but some of our local settings are reluctant because we are "competition" as such and they think we will steal their ideas etc. Sad, as we should all work together really and help each other, but true! Just curious what your views are on this, would you allow another setting to visit you? Thankyou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredbear Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Yes we have in the past. We also meet as a cluster with the nurseries, pre-schools and schools to share ideas, good practice and aide smooth transition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredbear Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Sorry how rude of me I meant to say welcome too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klc106 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I thought it was a good idea too but again the local settings did not like the idea as they see us as competition even though they both have a waiting list and we only opened in september and are struggling to get children! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 We wlecome it to. It does make me laugh though when some settings see it as competion - the way I see it a parent/carer walks through the door and has a 'gut reaction' about a setting and thats about it!!! xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 There is a lot of competition in my town so visiting each other would not be something I would expect to happen. I work very hard to keep my unique features and selling points just that, unique. I understand that its not ideal but at the end of the day I am running a business which has to be sustainable as I am responsible for 6 employees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlettangel Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 In our LA part of the NEF agreement is that you attend partnership meetings and so there is a built in visiting each others setting there. We have childminders, private nurseries, maintained nurseries and reception classes. We also have the crèche from the leisure centre and independent nursery and reception class attached to the convent private school We take it in turns to host the meetings! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 one of the most helpful things my advisor did for me when i was organising the pre-school move was to sort out visits to other settings. It was fantastic to see how others coped with the space /free flow/staffing etc and although i had images in my head as to what i wanted it clarified the good and bad with me by seeing it. I think it's good practise to have visitors in and it helps to clarify your own philosophies when you have to explain it to others ... your welcome for a cup of tes any time you like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForestFlo Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Hiya If you're in Essex ask your PDO to point you in the right direction of some good settings to visit, she may even arrange them for you! We often have other practitioners visit us in our setting. We also go to the Learning Communities and use this as an pportunity to network with other settings. HTH K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristina Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 We are always happy for other settings to visit, in fact I visited another setting to see their rolling snack in action so we could introduce it at our setting. Not sure where you are in Essex but PM me and let me know as would be happy for you to visit!! Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 I have visited other settings but only because I have a few friends that manage other nurseries/pre schools I must admit I did steal some ideas whilst there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmum Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 I have visited other settings but only because I have a few friends that manage other nurseries/pre schools I must admit I did steal some ideas whilst there! It's not stealing ideas. it's 'sharing good practice'!! We all do it, and , going into other settings, we all see things and think 'I wouldn't do that' or 'we do that better' (hopefully!) :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MaryEMac Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Welcome to the forum. You would be very welcome to visit my setting but unfortunately I am in Cambridgeshire. All the playgroups in our area, host meetings and organise training sessions so we do get to see other settings. As we are in a rural area we do get together to travel to county training and if we have a problem we can telephone and ask how they are dealing with it. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynned55 Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 I never have a problem with visitors, just see it as 'sharing good practice' and if someone wants to 'use an idea of ours' I just see that as a compliment. few of the ideas are completely ours & unique anyway. Look how many of us have 'taken' Caits WOWs and run with it? I cant tell you the amount of people that ask to use that idea OR compliment us on it. I am always quick to say it wasn't ours originally. After all it's no different to sharing ideas/documents and good practice on here is it? I will say though that we do seem more receptive to having people in then others are to us visiting them. I had two staff recently on a course, where as part of this course they had to arrange to visit a local setting that was already implementing the course content (listening to children) Well, I cannot tell you how difficult it was to find a group that so obviously didn't begrudge the going in and this was from a selected list we had been given. It was quite extraordinary really. Each to their own!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoolahoney Posted June 16, 2012 Author Share Posted June 16, 2012 Thanks everyone, I have attended learning communities where different settings meet up but have found some are quite guarded at those. Have made contacts with a couple of settings though so may suggest to them doing a setting swop. As I say I would love to see how other settings run, not so much pinch ideas but maybe see how well (or not as the case may be!) our setting works in comparison so I will speak to my manager and pm those of you in essex soon who said pop in for a cuppa and hopefully we can sort out something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NannyMcPhie Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 I love other settings come to us - we are an Early Years Leading Team who welcome other settings to see how we work and to exchange ideas etc We are in Kent, you are welcome any time x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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