playgroup1 Posted September 3, 2015 Posted September 3, 2015 I had that Test email too and panicked when I saw your post, thinking it might be important but I think you're right its spam. 1
SueJ Posted September 8, 2015 Posted September 8, 2015 I have now had a second email - this one no longer says TEST - I think I may phone them anyway a) to confirm that it is genuine and b) when I did look at the survey it wasn't clear to me whether they wanted the age groups broken down and/or just as one age group - I see the deadline date for responses is tight too - September 11th
sunnyday Posted September 8, 2015 Author Posted September 8, 2015 I have now had a second email - this one no longer says TEST - I think I may phone them anyway a) to confirm that it is genuine and B) when I did look at the survey it wasn't clear to me whether they wanted the age groups broken down and/or just as one age group - I see the deadline date for responses is tight too - September 11th Funny I haven't heard anything from them........mutters to self - did you tick the right box :blink:
SueJ Posted September 8, 2015 Posted September 8, 2015 Probably the box that said would you be happy to be contacted in the future (happy being a somewhat subjective thought!!) I can't say I hold out lots of hope for action though with only 2000 odd responses - some of those would have been from organisations like the PSLA and the NDNA, academics and "interested parties" not just providers - when you take those out of the equation then I would suggest that not many providers "stood up to be counted"! 1
sunnyday Posted September 8, 2015 Author Posted September 8, 2015 Probably the box that said would you be happy to be contacted in the future (happy being a somewhat subjective thought!!) I can't say I hold out lots of hope for action though with only 2000 odd responses - some of those would have been from organisations like the PSLA and the NDNA, academics and "interested parties" not just providers - when you take those out of the equation then I would suggest that not many providers "stood up to be counted"! I know - I am hugely disappointed - as I said before I thought of this as our 'big chance'.......
lsp Posted September 8, 2015 Posted September 8, 2015 I have completed this latest survey. It was very long winded and you need your last year's accounts. It says 20 min but took me longer!!! Mind you it was 7am. 1
SueJ Posted September 8, 2015 Posted September 8, 2015 I tried to do it when the first email arrived but my internet crashed half way through and then was down until my router was swapped - an omen? Must do it before deadline date. lsp did you do the different age groups or the combined 0-4 age group or both?
Rafa Posted September 8, 2015 Posted September 8, 2015 Our LEA has sent out a snapshot questionaire re the 30 hours. The - Wouldya? Couldya? kind of thing...., Wanted to know how many two working parent families we have.....can we extend hours........can we rebuild.......(what?? ).......what would stop us.......(hmmm) and........what would we need to put 30 free hours in place....( umm. Money? and maybe a Lobotomy?) Heard someone from the PSLA on news tonight - shouting our corner. Mentioned that the government hoped schools would mop up the hours but said schools said 'Oh no we wont'! But looks like Dave's not giving up on this! 2
lsp Posted September 9, 2015 Posted September 9, 2015 SueJ - I did combined ages (I think) can't remember what those questions were now. We have 2 to 5 year olds. 1
sunnyday Posted September 9, 2015 Author Posted September 9, 2015 ( umm. Money? and maybe a Lobotomy?) Sums it up for me + gave me the first laugh of the day! 2
sunnyday Posted September 9, 2015 Author Posted September 9, 2015 Attempted to book on to a two hour briefing session for the CIF - I naively thought this might be free of charge.........but no it's £50.00 - they have to be kidding - our funding has risen by the princely sum of 1p per hour over the last five years - do they really think we have a spare 50 quid to spend on something that they absolutely need us to know.......I will work it out for myself thanks 6
SueJ Posted September 10, 2015 Posted September 10, 2015 Well I have submitted my response to the Deloitte survey email ending with a right old rant about rates of pay, unsustainable funding levels and a whinge about the survey only asking for current costs and no asking questions about future costs with the doubly whammy of auto enrolment and the living wage looming in the near future. I have graciously ticked the box saying that they may contact me if they want anymore information (I shall polish my double barrelled shotgun over the weekend ready to sock it to them should they come back)!! 4
sunnyday Posted September 11, 2015 Author Posted September 11, 2015 Well I have submitted my response to the Deloitte survey email ending with a right old rant about rates of pay, unsustainable funding levels and a whinge about the survey only asking for current costs and no asking questions about future costs with the doubly whammy of auto enrolment and the living wage looming in the near future. I have graciously ticked the box saying that they may contact me if they want anymore information (I shall polish my double barrelled shotgun over the weekend ready to sock it to them should they come back)!! Good for you! I will be happy to 'hold your coat' if it comes to fisticuffs! For my part I have contacted my LA about the aforementioned briefing session and have been told in no uncertain terms that they have 'no statutory duty to provide these briefings' - yes, thank you I understand that, but quite how they arrive at a £50.00 charge for two hours is beyond me....... 1
thumperrabbit Posted September 12, 2015 Posted September 12, 2015 Good for you! I will be happy to 'hold your coat' if it comes to fisticuffs! For my part I have contacted my LA about the aforementioned briefing session and have been told in no uncertain terms that they have 'no statutory duty to provide these briefings' - yes, thank you I understand that, but quite how they arrive at a £50.00 charge for two hours is beyond me....... The same 'Advisor' I have had free for quite some years is now available by appointment at a cost of £90 per hour plus VAT :angry: Not sure how we are going to cope with all of this - actually I know that answer we aren't 1
Inge Posted September 12, 2015 Posted September 12, 2015 So now after consultation even more hidden costs start arising ... (I kicked advisor's out , ours never understood the setting. Found much better advice here!) 3
catma Posted September 12, 2015 Posted September 12, 2015 Unfortunately in these times of funding cuts anything non statutory is becoming chargeable for in the world of an LA.They just do not have the available funds to deliver statutory requirements and extras on top. To deliver a training now our team has to pay for the room hire, resources used (paper etc for packs), refreshments (you should hear the moaning I get re no biscuits at our CPD events so we advisers often pay for them out of our own pockets now) out of the small budget we are given so we either charge or do absolutely the barest minimum...anyway nothing comes for free. Cx
sunnyday Posted September 12, 2015 Author Posted September 12, 2015 Unfortunately in these times of funding cuts anything non statutory is becoming chargeable for in the world of an LA.They just do not have the available funds to deliver statutory requirements and extras on top. To deliver a training now our team has to pay for the room hire, resources used (paper etc for packs), refreshments (you should hear the moaning I get re no biscuits at our CPD events so we advisers often pay for them out of our own pockets now) out of the small budget we are given so we either charge or do absolutely the barest minimum...anyway nothing comes for free. Cx Thanks for putting forward 'the other side'........ My argument is £50.00 for a two hour briefing - this particular event should attract a minimum of twenty practitioners in my estimation (I would actually expect it to be more than that) so my thinking is 20 x £50.00 = £1000.00 - so even with the costs as mentioned in your post is it really necessary to charge quite so much? Particularly when you measure this against the absolutely ridiculous rise in our funding of 1p per hour over the last five years......of course, I would also have to pay for supply cover so this is beyond the financial reach of my very small rural pre-school. I thoroughly enjoy training - always good to network too - so sad that I can't attend what I think would be a really valuable session 1
sunnyday Posted September 12, 2015 Author Posted September 12, 2015 The same 'Advisor' I have had free for quite some years is now available by appointment at a cost of £90 per hour plus VAT :angry: Not sure how we are going to cope with all of this - actually I know that answer we aren't Yes similar situation here thumper - we couldn't possibly afford their rates - it's not the advisers fault - I know from speaking to them that they are not happy with this situation 1
Mouseketeer Posted September 12, 2015 Posted September 12, 2015 Resource packs Catma ? We are expected to print all our own before arrival now I get that if it isn't statutory training we are going to be charged...but not when we are dictated to that we 'must' attend it and repeat it every 2 or 3 years, it's not just the cost of training it's also overtime costs. 1
catma Posted September 12, 2015 Posted September 12, 2015 Resource packs Catma ? We are expected to print all our own before arrival now I get that if it isn't statutory training we are going to be charged...but not when we are dictated to that we 'must' attend it and repeat it every 2 or 3 years, it's not just the cost of training it's also overtime costs. The training for some things is statutory but not who you go to to provide it though - that's the distinction the DfE would make. You have been given the freedom to choose! :rolleyes: Sorry about your resource packs - we still do handouts for our trainings!! For many teams in LAs though, you are also paying for their time to prepare and deliver the trainings - again some teams have no budget so to remain they have to generate all their costs including salaries! Cx
Mouseketeer Posted September 12, 2015 Posted September 12, 2015 (edited) I feel like I should be grateful for the freedom of choice....but which ever way I look at it someone tells us we have to do it and then we have to pay for the pleasure, I presumed the money our counties cream off of the amount government gives them for funding paid their wages :unsure: Edited September 12, 2015 by Mouseketeer 1
thumperrabbit Posted September 13, 2015 Posted September 13, 2015 I thoroughly enjoy training - always good to network too - so sad that I can't attend what I think would be a really valuable session I'm with you too, I enjoyed going to training sessions - always in my own time or if it were work time I would give up my pay to get cover, but having to give up pay and now pay to go to the training is just too costly 5
SueJ Posted September 18, 2015 Posted September 18, 2015 Well my answers to the funding consultation are now well out of date as I see from this mornings news that Lidl are looking to pay all their staff at least £8 odd per hour - I wouldn't blame my staff team for applying now!! 2
Mouseketeer Posted September 18, 2015 Posted September 18, 2015 wonder what they'll pay for management ???
lynned55 Posted September 18, 2015 Posted September 18, 2015 Well its still nearly £1 per hour than my staff are paid!
lsp Posted September 19, 2015 Posted September 19, 2015 Their staff rate looks good compared to my manager rate! Just think - walk in and clock on, then clock out and just walk away and swith off. Bliss!!!! 2
Rafa Posted September 19, 2015 Posted September 19, 2015 Their staff rate looks good compared to my manager rate! Just think - walk in and clock on, then clock out and just walk away and swith off. Bliss!!!! But will you be quick enough on those tills Isp?......
lsp Posted September 19, 2015 Posted September 19, 2015 But of course Rafa - my speed jigsaw making skills are transferable! 2
thumperrabbit Posted September 20, 2015 Posted September 20, 2015 Attempted to book on to a two hour briefing session for the CIF - I naively thought this might be free of charge.........but no it's £50.00 - they have to be kidding - our funding has risen by the princely sum of 1p per hour over the last five years - do they really think we have a spare 50 quid to spend on something that they absolutely need us to know.......I will work it out for myself thanks Sunnyday - beat you, similar course has come through from our LEA same length 2hrs ........ wait for it ............... £99 + VAT
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