the manager role

[flowlow]

Hi all

 

Just come back from some training (which was quite good for a change ) but I cant help feeling as manager every time I turn around I have more jobs and more paperwork. I am finding it quite a challenge to keep on top of running the sessions and then doing all the manager bits on top. I have stepped out of ratio for two sessions in the hopes this will help but I still don't seem to have enough time. This training course today showed me that I may need to do more paperwork and I can see a reason for this but feel I am sinking.

An impromptu discussion also happened within the training around committees. They were saying that it is vital we make committees aware that they are accountable etc... my thought: I have hard enough trouble getting a committee that alone scaring them further by ramming home their responsibilities etc... this also sparked off a discussion about what should be the committees role and what should be the managers, with many suggesting that managers took on more from the committees to help out. So shock horror more paperwork (although this was a hypothetical discussion) I can just see a time where I will be more about administration and paperwork and supervision and peer reviewing and environment checking and progressing checking and report generating and less about session leading and interactions with children. To be honest I don't know how I feel about that!!!

How do other managers run? do you lead sessions? are you key workers? do you just focus on the managerial tasks and have deputies that 'lead' the sessions? how do you all do it?

[Cait]

I agree. I didn't come into this role to do admin, but that's where it looks like it's going.

I have a key group, but only eight children, the oldest ones who go to reception in September - just happens to be eight this year, but has been more in other years. I do the admin at home, and go to work to play! If I took pay for the whole amount of hours I work, they couldn't afford me!

As you say, the committee would head for the hills if they knew what their role truly was!

[sunnyday]

Everything Cait said! :1b (Except no committee - I am owner/manager)

I absolutely refuse to stop spending time with the children in order to keep on top of paperwork - so just accept that I will be doing it in my own time.......(or not as the case may be :blink: I'm thinking SEF avoidance here!) :rolleyes:

[zigzag]

I am the manager but count myself SO, SO lucky to have the most fantastic administrator who does all the finances, funding,wages and milk returns etc, etc. I would be lost without her. I have just started to come out of session for one morning a week to try and keep on top of things. I am a key worker for nine children at the moment (this is low) and I plan and lead four sessions. Likewise if I was paid for all the hours I do, the group could not afford to run!!

[sunnyday]

Funnily enough I have signed up for some upcoming 'Leadership and Management' training.......

Not especially looking forward to it would much rather be at my setting.....thought it would look good on my SEF - ah can you see the problem there :blink: will have to write the blessed thing then!

[zigzag]

I too am booked for some leadership and management training early next year. Was thinking about also doing a level 3 in it, but do not know where I would find the time!!

[Guest]

I have a fabulous administrator that does loads, but I still have spent 5 sessions out of the room this week, juggling what seems to be a mammoth amount of paperwork. Looking over assessments, spot checks on learning journeys, lots and lots of 'HR' type stuff this week, planning in new parents meetings, new starter visits, allocating key workers for the new starters, planning, brain storming ideas to get parental input levels up, and so it goes on.

Next week I have appraisals, then we have the parents meetings, then we have new starter visits, then we will have christmas songs then the party and then it will be Christmas :-)

That doesn't include the several hours I spent working at home too. Fortunately this term we are over staffed, and I am meant to be super numeracy for four sessions (I finally got that in place from September) but I wanted to be super numeracy to enable me to be in the room more without being tied to key children incase I did get called away as often happened. I also wanted to be able to stand back and observe/support staff more. However I think a lot of what I can get done in the next few weeks before new Jan intake and Christmas madness, should mean I don't have so much to do for the rest of the year....maybe!! SEF still keeps moving down the list towards the bottom, and I do normally try to renew it in November.

[finleysmaid]

pretty similar to zigzag. I have an administrator (my deputy too!) who works for 2 days in the office ...does all the wages/invoices/runs the books/pays bills/does orders etc etc etc! I do all the sessions in the group and am in charge of the whole business. We are now a registered company (not for profit charity) so i report back to trustees . Their liablity is much reduced but they are still expected to know about the business....they all have roles (sen/H&S etc etc). I have one morning NCT ...rarely happens unless i am VERY strict with myself....i do try to have some time in the office otherwise i spent quite some time at home. My staff have to do lots of obs on my children so that i have enough evidence for their learning stories....if i could i would stop doing these because this is the most difficult task for me.

I dont really run my sessions with anyone 'leading' them....but group times are run by all of us. All my staff are level 3/4 or 5 so all quite capeable. It is important for them to be in charge of activities, i couldn't do it without them!

[Stargrower]

I am an owner/manager and I'm supernumerary but don't have an administrator.. To cut a long story short, I think if I worked 24 hours a day (and sometimes it feels like I do) I still wouldn't get everything done. There is more and more paperwork and I have to tell myself it is to benefit the children or I just wouldn't do it! I haven't touched my SEF since our last inspection over two years ago.

Moan over, I love my job really! :blink:

[Guest]

Manager but not owner and luckily not a committee to contend with only PCC!

 

I am counted in ratio but my 'office' is a desk in the hall so some paper work gets done with the session running, the rest is done when I can fit it in, often set up at 6. Go back at 8 and get some done then before staff arrive at 9.

 

Sometimes I cover myself, to do things like funding. the updated SEF is still awaiting.

I don't key work , but I need to be a part of my setting a I love chatting with the children b. I need to see what my staff are doing, how they are achieving etc. can't do this if I was not in.

 

 

Sunnyday I'm sure you will love the training, is Jane Nolan doing it? she is fantastic and I loved the training when I did some years ago

[klc106]

I am also owner/manager at my setting and do everything! I don't do any paperwork at the setting (apart from putting things in learning journeys with the children) - I go to enjoy the time we have with the children!

I do feel like there is always something that needs doing and there just isn't enough time to do everything I want/need to do!!

I don't pay myself for any admin time (can't afford to!) :1b

[flowlow]

thank you all so much for your responses. Well I feel recent events have helped me to understand one thing I may have to suck it up like it or not! we had to shut one day last week through no fault of our own and we are getting paid core hours but some of the committee felt she should not have been paid at all!! well at least with that thinking that answers if they would be willing for me to be more supernumeracy and still get paid!!!!

sometimes I do wonder if its all worth it, life is not about money (well at least not all about money) but respect goes a long way!!!!!

[thumperrabbit]

As you say, the committee would head for the hills if they knew what their role truly was!

I read a recent Ofsted report on a committee run setting last week that got 'inadequate'

One of the points (of many admittedly) was that their committee did not understand their roles and responsibilities.

Reading recent reports I feel that Ofsted are really getting 'tough' on committee run groups - I too feel there is a hidden agenda

[Guest]

Perhaps Johanna you need a written contract that sets out what you will be paid when things crop up. Ie closure of your hall.

This will make it very to everyone what they will be paid for

Edited November 10, 2013 by Suer

[Guest]

HI everyone, I am the owner manager - my weekends are spent on the computer catching up on paperwork and evenings daily.

I pay staff 2 hours per week to plan and update profiles and they still complain saying it is not enough, I wonder how many know just how much we earn ? it is hard keeping afloat.

[Guest]

I have just employed a new manager - bliss I thought - more papers to write etc etc

[flowlow]

I read a recent Ofsted report on a committee run setting last week that got 'inadequate'

One of the points (of many admittedly) was that their committee did not understand their roles and responsibilities.

Reading recent reports I feel that Ofsted are really getting 'tough' on committee run groups - I too feel there is a hidden agenda

I agree not sure where it will leave us, if I put the fear of god in them like they have said I will get even less to stand than we do now!!!!

[thumperrabbit]

How are you getting on with your committee problems?

I only ask as we are the same!

[missmighty]

Realise this post was a few months ago now but just wanted to share my thoughts. I am a manager/owner of a preschool. I am included in ratios and have ten key children. I have five members of staff who all have key children too. Every night Monday - Friday i do paperwork. Whether it be updating policies and procedures, wages, funding, printing forms or other necessary info. My weekends are spent shopping for the following week (snacks or dispensble resources ie, paper, card, stationary etc) and more paperwork and printing and I have just completed four years uni training to gain my EYT with honors. The only times i am away from the preschool during running hours is to attend meetings or LA briefings. I have two children myself who are coming up to early teens and feel I have missed out on so much time I should have spent with them but couldn't because of the amount of work involved. It was a dream of mine to run my own preschool and after working in settings with managers who were hardly ever there i promised myself i would not be the same. However, I am getting so tired all the time and was contemplating taking one possibly two days off from September (most of my key children are leaving to start school) and use these days for the paperwork and more time on evenings and weekends with my own kids. Only problem with that of course is paying somebody else to be there in my absence (not as deputy but as a key person) so this alone would cause financial issues. Plus i've always said its my business i want to be hands on with the children. Sorry my post turned into a bit of a rant.

[Guest sn0wdr0p]

Oh missmighty I could have written your post myself. Until very recently my setting consumed my life and that of my family. However I have now had to take time off following an operation three weeks ago now. Surprise surprise my setting has not fallen down, Ofsted have not come in, Staff have not left, no child has been injured etc, etc. I realise that I had wanted to do EVERYTHING myself and was really not very good at delegating and that in my absence staff have managed fine. When I return I have decided to do less hours by taking a day off a week - well after going in to check all is well and by leaving at 4.30pm three days a weekrather than 6.30pm to allow myself more time at home with the children and this also means my youngest son does not have to attend my out of school club so much. It has cost me financially as I now have two deputies one with responsibility for the nursery and one for the out of school club so I still cannot afford to pay myself anything - I was just at the point when finally I could afford to take some money out. However, this time at home has allowed me uninterrupted periods and I have been able to work on developing my website - nearly done (changed from the 1-1 I paid for which was a nightmare to figure out to WIX which is much more user friendly). Once completed I can get some signs made, get the logo etc. on the vehicles, new leaflets printed etc. Whilst home I will also be able to pop the washing in, prep dinner. SO by being a bit clever with the hours I am taking off I hope to get my work life balance right. Next step is to employ an admin assistant part time to take the general paperwork off my workload.

Can you adjust any of your hours? Even take half a day off?Do your key children attend every day? Could you have a second key person for them? I used to spend half a day shopping for groceries in the week and shopping for resources at weekends but now have ASDA deliver groceries and order resources, consumables etc. from TTS, GLS and D3 who all deliver for free.

(N.B. I must admit I did go into work 19 days after the op and was there for 4 hours and ended up running around, answering the door and phone, making up bottles etc. etc. rather than just sitting in my office as I promised my husband, then two hours the next day at which point I became rather unwell -hence my now sitting in bed typing this BUT it does go to show that when I am at work it is so easy to get distracted and I can achieve so more when working at home.)

[reflection01]

Very interesting post was good to read how other settings work, i feel very lucky i am officed based the whole time, i have a deputy who oversees the running of the sessions. i am lucky enough to have my office situated so i can see the whole of the setting and go in regularly to observe and monitor what the staff are doing. we also employ a finance clerk at the end of the sessions to do the finance books, wages and invoices to parents, etc. i still find that i do not have enough time each week to get things done so can only imagine what it would be like to have a key person role as well. We to are committee run but i have such a fantastic committee at the moment that know well their roles and responsibilities .

[Guest]

Sorry, but read these posts and thought

THANK GOODNESS IT'S NOT JUST ME!!!

I thought as a new manager that I was rubbish at doing my job, feeling bombarded with neverending paperwork and swamped by what I call Ofsted stuff - all of which could take my time away from the children if I let it (and I'm counted in ratio with key children, 8 at the moment) but like alot of you I am tending to do extra time at home, including Learning Journeys.

So, thanks all for posting. It really has helped me think that I might be ok at my job after all X

[flowlow]

I am so pleased everyone is the same. After having the most horrendous day today the kind of day that makes you wonder why you are still in the job, it is nice to know I am not the only one. Reflection01 I wish we did run like you as this is what I feel I need to do but then as I see from the other posts its probably not going to happen so some how work life balance needs to happen. I am just wanting to enjoy my job again.

[Guest]

One word. .... Delegate......

 

 

 

You need to do this with some of your stuff

[Guest]

I had to post, I'm an owner/manager and now supernumary (most days - was covering the cook today) after 8 years off slog. There are days when I love it and times when it is just too much. I have 4 children under 10 myself and my husband is a police office, he is currently on a 6 week residential course and I haven't started on my uni dissertation yet which is due in 9 weeks (not sure I actually wanted to write that).

Its hard there is so much to do and the list just keeps growing but thats whats needed if we want to remain a good setting with a waiting list. However my 9 year old informed me that the Nursery has taken me away from them :-(

I could justify it more if I took a better wage and was able to spend time with the family, however then I would have to pay someone to do my role :-/

No easy answer for any of us I think x