Staff Qualifications needed?

[RedDragon]

Anybody know what qualifications you need to run an after school club/breakfast club within a school?

[Guest]

I manage/run the Afterschool club but I don't work it unless we have folks off sick!

 

I mainly work in the nursery. I am an EYPS with a BA (Hons)

 

My breakfast club is supervised by a level 3 and so is my Afterschool club.

 

The nursery, Afterschool and breakfast club are all part of the wraparound care that school provide and that I am the manager of.

 

I am not sure there are legal stipulations regarding staff qualifications probably just good practice guidelines.

 

Breakfast club has the one level 3 and a level one staff member.

 

Afterschool club has one level 3 who is the supervisor and then various other folks work with her depending on the night in question and they range from one who is unqualified two level 3 qualified and one level four qualified.

 

Having just read that all back to myself, I am not sure I've been very helpful!

 

Sorry!!!

Edited April 9, 2014 by Scarlettangel

[Stargrower]

You have to have level 3 staff, but I'm not sure how many. What I have found out recently, is that Ofsted will ONLY accept a childcare qualification. I know two QT's who want to set up an Out of School Club. They are both experienced teachers and teach reception and year one. But Ofsted have said they must take a level 3 qualification and can't open and / or run a club without a level 3! This is in an area where wrap around care is non-existent, but they've been refused by Ofsted. What a shame!

[RedDragon]

Thank you both! I am the nursery manager and am in charge of after school and breakfast club and my staff work alongside me but I want in Sept to pass it back to school as the long hours are not working for my staff plus it is all run from my setting which is getting ruined!

[Mouseketeer]

There is something about changes to ratios for out of school clubs in this months under 5 mag, government proposing to change from 1:8 to 1:30, but can't see anything about qualifications, it's quite difficult to find any requirements for out of school clubs, I've been trying to find what they are in schools that take children who aren't old enough for reception yet.

[Guest]

We have always used 1:8 ratio for our under eights.

 

Over eights you have yo use your common sense as to what is safe

[RedDragon]

Thanks so much everybody x

[LKeyteach]

I have owned and run my nursery for 3 years. My premises are on a primary school site (they are my landlords). Last September I opened breakfast and after school for the children attending the school. I am very pleased to say that it is going really well.

From what I can understand about qualifications it is linked to the EYFS as you are likely to take reception age children the ratio's fall into this too. Infact space regulations, policies etc are the same as EYFS because of the reception age children.

I am BA (Hons); EYP, my manager is BA (Hons). I employ 4 other Playworkers, one has a level 3 dip CYPW. The three of us are doing a level 3 transition to Playwork as our local authority insisted that we have a Playwork qualification although I cannot see anywhere in the requirements that we have to do this. It is putting a different dimension to the degree I completed a few years ago, the emphasis on play is immense and really gives us the confidence to provide playful experiences and allow the children the choice.

This might be worth looking at if you want to feel that you have something playfully qualified to show.

The EYFS Sept 2014 I think does say that there is no requirement for qualification, but you better read that again, I may have made that bit up.

[Guest sn0wdr0p]

Yes that's how I interpreted the 2014 EYFS as requiring no qualifications for OOS and showed it to my shocked staff at our training session on Monday. I personally believe that a real understanding of the play frame, play cycle and playwork principles are needed by all childcare practitioners and sadly are not really touched on in any detail in many childcare qualifications. I have a level 3 playwork qualification and feel it really changed the way I practice and helped enormously when I set up my out of school provision six years ago. I insist all my staff attend additional playwork training which I present to new staff and recap every year with all staff.

Yes I know PLAY is a dirty word at the moment - shock horror Sir Michael I believe in it. I have always wanted one of those badge makers but they are far too expensive or I would be churning out "I believe in Santa PLAY" badges.

[LKeyteach]

sn0wdr0p

I agree after 3 years of the degree and believing in the importance of play I seemed to missed psycholudics - not sure how but I did.

Playwork qualification should not be dismissed and it is worrying if qualifications are not going to be required. I kind of feel that it may be to do with the fact that if teachers/teaching assistants are to run the clubs within schools in future to make it "more affordable" the qualifications requirement would have had to change.

[Guest sn0wdr0p]

mmm that was my thinking too LKeyteach. How very sad for the children who will miss out on the skills and knowledge of playworkers - that is until Government policy changes again in the future when they decide children need the benefit of PLAY. (I feel the need to emphasise PLAY when I use it in speech or on paper now)

[Guest sn0wdr0p]

I wonder when the name of Out of School clubs will change to 'Homework Clubs'.

[LKeyteach]

NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!