No mention of nurseries in the PM’s statement then

[louby loo]

And another document!

Coronavirus (COVID-19): implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings - GOV.U.pdf

[anju]

13 minutes ago, louby loo said:

And another document!

Coronavirus (COVID-19): implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings - GOV.U.pdf

I started wading through both those, then had an hour long chat (moan) to another preschool manager and now can’t face reading any more 😬

[blondie]

On 07/05/2020 at 13:17, sunnyday said:

I agree with this - it's all too soon - children are at school for fourteen years - if the powers that be took the decision to stay closed until September we would be talking about children missing fourteen weeks

(the fourteen years does not include their pre-school education)

 

12 hours ago, Rafa said:

I'm with you fm on not wearing masks! I have purchased white cotton gloves for staff to help them feel just a little more protected touching the hundreds of items we touch each session, including those that may have been in mouths!  Not entirely stopping the risk but hopefully making it more 'comfortable' to deal with. Clean pair every day of course. With the same thought I have bought lots of lovely coloured aprons for staff - again to feel a bit more protected.......

can I work for you please?

[louby loo]

I came across this letter on Facebook. I have passed it on to my parents as I feel it comes it all more eloquently than I ever could.

[anju]

2 minutes ago, louby loo said:

I came across this letter on Facebook. I have passed it on to my parents as I feel it comes it all more eloquently than I ever could.

Wow! 👏🏽

[Mouseketeer]

Honest letter to parents, but as it doesn’t say I presume the school is opening anyway? I’ve seen a petition to get this stopped for the youngest chn, it already had a lot of signatures.

I emailed parents yesterday, gave them a list of questions we still wanted answers too and asked who would want their child to return on the 1st June if possible, from approx 40 we have 15 def not (even working parents), a couple if it’s safe 🤷‍♀️, 9 would if possible (non-working parent at home) and rest waiting for a reply, interesting not as many going to school as I thought, though we have a high number this year with a sibling already at school so the decision was based largely on whether that sibling was in a school class re-opening or not.

It’s now working out if it’s worth bringing back 7 staff on a rota or keeping it to the least staff possible to minimise exposure (how fair will they see that?) ideally from a financial angle also I’d keep part time staff (all have chn) furloughed to the % possible, and the 3 full time staff with a ‘select’ group of children they stay with for whichever sessions they attend all week, though I think the furloughed would need to drop to 80% pay so the working staff received more ...and then what would they think about that? 🤯

Has anyone contacted their insurance company yet?

Edited May 12, 2020 by Mouseketeer

[finleysmaid]

My insurance company is on my list for today. Suspect i will not get very far as everyone will be doing the same!!!

My plan (if i were to have more staff) would be to split in to two teams if numbers allowed and to work opposite shifts....however for us their is a slight fly in the ointment in as much as my deputy is my daughter...we hold the majority of 'roles' and therefore it would be tricky . If one of us gets it we will have to close for 7 days....if one of the children gets it well what then? a seven day closure or a 14 day closure???? So many questions and lots that need some time to work out 

[Mouseketeer]

5 minutes ago, finleysmaid said:

My insurance company is on my list for today. Suspect i will not get very far as everyone will be doing the same!!!

My plan (if i were to have more staff) would be to split in to two teams if numbers allowed and to work opposite shifts....however for us their is a slight fly in the ointment in as much as my deputy is my daughter...we hold the majority of 'roles' and therefore it would be tricky . If one of us gets it we will have to close for 7 days....if one of the children gets it well what then? a seven day closure or a 14 day closure???? So many questions and lots that need some time to work out 

I’m going to email insurance so I have a written response.

my other reasoning for sticking to less staff is that I could easily adapt storage units to hold a selection of resources only used by each group, that member of staff would be responsible for cleaning it, they could have a designated floor mat (with the rest removed), and if someone needs to go off (also need to revisit the 7 or 14 days but it is in one of the docs I read yesterday) I would have a fresh person to cover that absence.

but with best laid plans and all that it will either turn out the ‘R’ number rises due to extra freedom and we won’t open or a couple of weeks in other parents will change their minds and screw all your group plans up 😭

[finleysmaid]

I think we will need to send out a letter saying if we have a suspected case we will close for 7 days ...

(sorry random thought generator today...i reserve the right to change my mind about anything i have said!!

[anju]

31 minutes ago, Mouseketeer said:

Honest letter to parents, but as it doesn’t say I presume the school is opening anyway? I’ve seen a petition to get this stopped for the youngest chn, it already had a lot of signatures.

I emailed parents yesterday, gave them a list of questions we still wanted answers too and asked who would want their child to return on the 1st June if possible, from approx 40 we have 15 def not (even working parents), a couple if it’s safe 🤷‍♀️, 9 would if possible (non-working parent at home) and rest waiting for a reply, interesting not as many going to school as I thought, though we have a high number this year with a sibling already at school so the decision was based largely on whether that sibling was in a school class re-opening or not.

It’s now working out if it’s worth bringing back 7 staff on a rota or keeping it to the least staff possible to minimise exposure (how fair will they see that?) ideally from a financial angle also I’d keep part time staff (all have chn) furloughed to the % possible, and the 3 full time staff with a ‘select’ group of children they stay with for whichever sessions they attend all week, though I think the furloughed would need to drop to 80% pay so the working staff received more ...and then what would they think about that? 🤯

Has anyone contacted their insurance company yet?

 

17 minutes ago, finleysmaid said:

My insurance company is on my list for today. Suspect i will not get very far as everyone will be doing the same!!!

My plan (if i were to have more staff) would be to split in to two teams if numbers allowed and to work opposite shifts....however for us their is a slight fly in the ointment in as much as my deputy is my daughter...we hold the majority of 'roles' and therefore it would be tricky . If one of us gets it we will have to close for 7 days....if one of the children gets it well what then? a seven day closure or a 14 day closure???? So many questions and lots that need some time to work out 

So much to think about! 
I haven’t asked parents yet whether they are planning to send them back in but I think a lot of them will want to. Or say ‘no’ now but change minds later like you say @Mouseketeer . As things stand I can’t see how we can operate in smaller groups as we are an open plan one-room setting. So I may need to go down the route of prioritising the children due to start school. Although I’m also hoping some will defer entry and stay on in September which would help financially and also potentially benefit the summer borns.

[finleysmaid]

Just now, anju said:

 

So much to think about! 
I haven’t asked parents yet whether they are planning to send them back in but I think a lot of them will want to. Or say ‘no’ now but change minds later like you say @Mouseketeer . As things stand I can’t see how we can operate in smaller groups as we are an open plan one-room setting. So I may need to go down the route of prioritising the children due to start school. Although I’m also hoping some will defer entry and stay on in September which would help financially and also potentially benefit the summer borns.

We are also one room. The government document suggests keeping them in ratioed (SP?) groups with the same key worker (don't think the children will find this very easy do you!?!?) i had wondered about doing in/out or morning/afternoon or half a week. whatever happens i am devastated that if we come back it is with such restrictions. I can't see splitting them up in the class is going to work so it may need to be a more physical split by putting them in different sessions

[finleysmaid]

not going to be much help for working parents i fear

[anju]

1 minute ago, finleysmaid said:

We are also one room. The government document suggests keeping them in ratioed (SP?) groups with the same key worker (don't think the children will find this very easy do you!?!?) i had wondered about doing in/out or morning/afternoon or half a week. whatever happens i am devastated that if we come back it is with such restrictions. I can't see splitting them up in the class is going to work so it may need to be a more physical split by putting them in different sessions

Agreed - I can’t see that working at all! I wondered about half weeks or something but then some could get all their hours, some (full timers) would only get half their hours and they are the ones with working parents on the whole so that wouldn’t be popular. It really is a minefield

[anju]

1 minute ago, finleysmaid said:

not going to be much help for working parents i fear

Posts crossed! 

[finleysmaid]

i'm not sure i'd worry about being popular ...they've had them at home for 7 weeks probably quite pleased even if its only for a break! I think parents are going to have to figure out quite quickly that we are not going back to normality

[anju]

1 minute ago, finleysmaid said:

i'm not sure i'd worry about being popular ...they've had them at home for 7 weeks probably quite pleased even if its only for a break! I think parents are going to have to figure out quite quickly that we are not going back to normality

Yes that’s true enough. 

[finleysmaid]

have just reread all the info and now have a very long list of questions!!!

[twinthinguk]

if class size is 15 for primary schools, what will be our group size???? we have two rooms, do we allocate staff to a group and they stay with them for the day? and a group of 15 in each room, no free flow and no mixing??? if we do swap rooms, does all equipment and resources need to be cleaned before the other group can use the room???  I wonder when our LA will issue us any information.

 

[louby loo]

Is anyone actually taking the conscious decision not to open until September?

I am having an outdoor SD meeting with staff Monday to discuss our options and to gauge feelings etc.

I can fully understand the need for full year 'daycare' to need to start fully opening- but we are a pack-away term time with very few working parents.

The couple parents that do work share their childcare with us, and their with   'fit, healthy younger grandparents'.  Personally I think those children would be better looked after them in their own safe family bubble - but I'm no expert.  I know this isn't allowed- but paid childcare is nannies/childminders form tomorrow.

At the moment I am thinking of just offering a few sessions for children that would be leaving for school. We have a more or less 50/50 split for our two main feeder schools, so would spilt the children this way.

 

When I see reliable scientific advice confirming children are not super spreaders I will change my view point. Why are children given flu vaccines when they rarely get flu?

[anju]

39 minutes ago, twinthinguk said:

if class size is 15 for primary schools, what will be our group size???? we have two rooms, do we allocate staff to a group and they stay with them for the day? and a group of 15 in each room, no free flow and no mixing??? if we do swap rooms, does all equipment and resources need to be cleaned before the other group can use the room???  I wonder when our LA will issue us any information.

 

 

2 minutes ago, louby loo said:

Is anyone actually taking the conscious decision not to open until September?

I am having an outdoor SD meeting with staff Monday to discuss our options and to gauge feelings etc.

I can fully understand the need for full year 'daycare' to need to start fully opening- but we are a pack-away term time with very few working parents.

The couple parents that do work share their childcare with us, and their with   'fit, healthy younger grandparents'.  Personally I think those children would be better looked after them in their own safe family bubble - but I'm no expert.  I know this isn't allowed- but paid childcare is nannies/childminders form tomorrow.

At the moment I am thinking of just offering a few sessions for children that would be leaving for school. We have a more or less 50/50 split for our two main feeder schools, so would spilt the children this way.

 

When I see reliable scientific advice confirming children are not super spreaders I will change my view point. Why are children given flu vaccines when they rarely get flu?

I thought the groupings were meant to be only up to the EYFS ratios in which case groups of 8 for 3/4 yr olds and 4 for 2 yr olds. But I may be wrong. And we would have more than 8 who are due to go to school (I’m thinking of limiting to those anyway) and only one room. Don’t feel it’s an option to stay closed til September but having a virtual meeting with staff later to discuss. Not a good situation to be in for any of us in early years really. Difficult choices.

[playgroup1]

I have just emailed LA to see whether they will pay FEEE to settings that don't open in June? Has anybody heard anything about this from their LA's?

[louby loo]

21 minutes ago, anju said:

 

 Don’t feel it’s an option to stay closed til September but having a virtual meeting with staff later to discuss. Not a good situation to be in for any of us in early years really. Difficult choices.

Moving on from my last post, I am now waiting for confirmation that we can open. The landlords have said yes (scouts) but have said we're mad to do so- and that's coming from a community paediatric nurse.

Now waiting for the town park to confirm- as the park is actually our outside area, and they may not want 'businesses' running from the park,... or use of carpark. (obviously we can get over that bit- but not sure if parents will be happy leaving 4x4 at home on drive while they walk!)

Added to this:  Should there be another 'spike' our hall goes to priority use by emergency services- but I guess if a spike happened we'd go back into lockdown anyway, so I don't think this really a problem- but I guess I should make parents aware.

 

On the plus side, if we do open at least we won't have to pack-away each day 

[louby loo]

1 minute ago, playgroup1 said:

I have just emailed LA to see whether they will pay FEEE to settings that don't open in June? Has anybody heard anything about this from their LA's?

My next job.

[playgroup1]

I' ve looked through the guidance about Implementing Protective Measures and have started to build up a picture of what playgroup would "look like" if we followed all this and I'm not sure parents would really want their child to be there - small groups kept together with same adults, no mixing in a big group or with other groups or adults, remove soft furnishings, soft toys, toys that are hard to clean (small parts), all unnecessary items from rooms, nothing brought in from home or taken home and the chance that if anyone seems to have any symptoms, they will be sent home to self isolate for 7 days and their family for 14 days unless they can be tested. And this is all for just six weeks at playgroup. I'm not sure any of this is a  nurturing, PSED supporting, good quality learning environment for young children -  just a babysitting service!

And don't get me started on Boris Johnson calling our children "kids". Sorry pet hate!

[zigzag]

I have messaged with my staff to gain their point of view and general consensus is it is too soon and that the changes that will have to be made are going to be quite a lot. They don’t want to return. We are a small charity run pre-school and to be honest currently most parents would not be sending children to us because they have to work, it would be to get their ‘me time’.  I am being pressured by someone who obviously cannot wait to get her two back to pre-school (this is the chairperson) and this is when I feel there may be a big conflict of interest.  Our committee are ALL parents!  Yesterday I told her to give me a few days to read what comes out from the government, the LA and to speak to staff. I am NOT being rushed into anything that I and my team are not comfortable with.  I know we have to start somewhere to getting back to ‘normal’ but I just don’t know the time is now.

I am going to spend the afternoon trying to get my whirling thoughts and ideas into some form of risk assessment and policy.  May be shouting for help!

[finleysmaid]

5 minutes ago, zigzag said:

I have messaged with my staff to gain their point of view and general consensus is it is too soon and that the changes that will have to be made are going to be quite a lot. They don’t want to return. We are a small charity run pre-school and to be honest currently most parents would not be sending children to us because they have to work, it would be to get their ‘me time’.  I am being pressured by someone who obviously cannot wait to get her two back to pre-school (this is the chairperson) and this is when I feel there may be a big conflict of interest.  Our committee are ALL parents!  Yesterday I told her to give me a few days to read what comes out from the government, the LA and to speak to staff. I am NOT being rushed into anything that I and my team are not comfortable with.  I know we have to start somewhere to getting back to ‘normal’ but I just don’t know the time is now.

I am going to spend the afternoon trying to get my whirling thoughts and ideas into some form of risk assessment and policy.  May be shouting for help!

DO we have a choice? the guidance appears to suggest they expect us to open??

[louby loo]

1 hour ago, playgroup1 said:

And don't get me started on Boris Johnson calling our children "kids". Sorry pet hate!

Me too!

 

56 minutes ago, finleysmaid said:

DO we have a choice? the guidance appears to suggest they expect us to open??

Well, out Town Council are not happy about it- we're in a park, and the park is our outdoor space.

According to them the park is becoming a 'free for all, out of hand mess' .   I've not actually been to check, but was told it is very busy 100s of dogs all the time!. They are now considering our case- but have been told we would not be able to use the actual park area now for safety reasons.  Note: we get on well with the park team- so I trust them.

 

[sunnyday]

2 minutes ago, louby loo said:

Me too!

 

Well, out Town Council are not happy about it- we're in a park, and the park is our outdoor space.

According to them the park is becoming a 'free for all, out of hand mess' .   I've not actually been to check, but was told it is very busy 100s of dogs all the time!. They are now considering our case- but have been told we would not be able to use the actual park area now for safety reasons.  Note: we get on well with the park team- so I trust them.

 

louby - I think that, in your shoes, that would be welcome news, something that you can 'use' for parents and your LA - i.e. we can't open because.....

[sunnyday]

1 hour ago, finleysmaid said:

DO we have a choice? the guidance appears to suggest they expect us to open??

It does say in one of the 'guidance docs' that we are to contact our LAs if we are unable to open - at least I think it does - have read them several times......

[zigzag]

We currently open two full days (9-3) and one morning.  I am toying with the idea to change for the rest of the summer term to opening five mornings 9-12.  This means lunch boxes do not need to be brought in, yiu haven’t got the worry of cross contamination at lunchtime where they sit close together and it also means more staff Available at the end of each session for cleaning equipment and the room.  What are your thoughts on this?