How Long To Turn A Nursery Around?

[Guest]

Needing some kind of reassurance!!

 

How long does it take to turn a nursery around, when there has been nearly 2 years of bad practice? I see that I need to undo a lot of things and find a way to start again. I know it's not an overnight job, but it's jolly frustrating and draining in the meantime - when I know where I want it to be.

Edited October 29, 2006 by Guest

[alis2son]

Hi, not sure if you have just got a job in a new setting, or had a sudden vision of reality. also not sure which is worse. Im challenging the second at the moment.

 

Start with a quote/mission statement which describes what you want your setting to be. Then get the staff involved...brainstorm ideas on improving, get them to think about whats going right, and whats going wrong. (Do your own too, so you know what you want to say, and what you want to achieve.)

 

Try not to be negative....thats the worst way to get people to see as they will become defensive. Think of positive ways to say how you want things done, rather than how you dont want them done.

 

Remember not to get too stressed, it makes the process longer and harder... take breaks and keep in touch with your staff so you can get to know them, and see the qualities they contribute...use them to the advantage of the setting.

 

Think big, but start small... achievable goals are best...just like the curriculum, small steps. Congratulate yourself with a pat on the back.. or a choccy everytime you achieve one.

 

 

You dont say what the problem is though. Ive many more snippets, but i admit, im not always good at taking my own advise.

 

If its staff, its the team that make the success of the setting, so you need to get them on board... maybe they need training, or maybe its structure....

 

If its structure.. get organised. (Thats where im at now). give everyone a job to do and a deadline to do it. have a good look on this site, its packed with timesaving ideas that will educate and impress and take the stress out of it.

 

Record your ideas for the future and concentrate on the basics.

 

Hope you can use some of this to help.

Edited October 29, 2006 by alis2son

[Andreamay]

hi shelley,

you need to think positivly!

How exciting,what a challange!

have an action plan,do a sef and change something each term or month starting with the obvious.

just havng it down in writing will be a start.

divide it into each area of learning,staff issues,parent issues,sen,resources

read the national standards and 5 outcomes and take each section at a time

you will get there and you will be proud believe me

 

hi shelley,

you need to think positivly!

How exciting,what a challange!

have an action plan,do a sef and change something each term or month starting with the obvious.

just havng it down in writing will be a start.

divide it into each area of learning,staff issues,parent issues,sen,resources

read the national standards and 5 outcomes and take each section at a time

you will get there and you will be proud believe me

 

dont know why it posted twice!!!Mind you have been to a party and had wine!!!

Forgot to add have a clear view of where you want to go,be positve and strong and make it clear if you have the same staff which way it will be NOW

[Guest]

In 2002 our nursery school was placed in the equivalent of special measures after serious concerns were raised about the head teacher. The nursery's reputation was poor (we had had the same head for 20+ years). One teacher after another just left rather than confront the issue. We hit extremely low numbers that year and I had the feeling that we had really let the children down by not providing what they deserved. This head 'retired' in May 2003. Subsequently we had 4 different temporary heads since then.

 

The existing staff have just kept their heads down. We have worked hard for the childrens interests and tried to raise the profile of the nursery in the local community. It has worked we were taken out of special measures last year and we were inspected this year - good with outstanding features. Our numbers are steadily rising and it is quite amazing how this generation of parents don't seem to know anything negative about the nursery. It is wonderful now because we can use the quotes from Ofsted in our publicity.

 

Make sure you get the staff on board and give them ownership. We have had really low staff morale because head after head came in and told us what to do. For the last two years I have been given total responsibility for the curriculum (the current head is part time) and so we have managed to move things on together and with staff ownership.

 

It is quite satisfying and empowering making changes and seeing the effects of those changes, although we still have a long way to go when I look at where we were a few years ago I get a really warm feeling of pride and satisfaction.

 

So in answer to your question - it has taken us 2 to 3 years to turn things around although things started to get better as soon as the head originally retired.

 

Hope this helps

Sue

[hali]

i agree with the others, and it took me about 18mths, lots of hard work and oppersition from staff members already there, but the ones that stayed are really happy now, well worth the trouble good luck

[Rea]

It took me about a year when I took over playgroup, but I only concentrated on the team to start with. Out of 5 staff it had always been 'them' and 'us', the playleader didnt pass on information to me as the deputy so the 2 staff on her 'side' didnt feel I had any authority at all. By the end of the first year we were working together, one of our grandparents even commented on how nice it was to come into playgroup since I'd taken over, it was purely down to the staffs interaction with each other that had made it so nice. After that we got down to do the operational plan, planning, all the other stuff I'd left hanging in the air. One member of staff left shortly afterwards and that made a huge difference to the dynamics of the group too. The other staff that had been on her side of this war is now a really good friend.

Dont be put off by day to day niggles, look long term, if what you aim for is going to be good for the group keep at it and sort other problems afterwards.

Good luck

[Inge]

As others have said, getting staff on board and working together is a major part of it.

 

you also need to look at the positive side of what is being done well now, there is always something to find, getting staff together to discuss this always helps,list them then then look at how you can improve this, what can be done and giving everyone a chance to input thier ideas as well. Small steps - SMART Targets

SPECIFIC Specific : they say exactly what you mean.

MEASURABLE Measureable : you can prove that you've reached them.

ACHIEVABLE Achievable : you can reach them in the next few weeks.

REALISTIC Realistic : they are about action you can take.

TIME-RELATED Time-related : they have deadlines.

 

Having completed accreditation these are the things they ask us to do, importance being all staff involved at some level, help to give them ownership of the changes, they are more likely to do them

 

we also look at benefits to the child with any changes, we have to state how they will benefit, afterall they are our reason for changes, even if staff harmony and communication is the goal you can find a benefit for the children. helps focus staff too to work together for the child.

 

it does take time but is possible to improve and change things if targets are set which are achievable, and are reviewed regular intervals to say 'hey we have done that, well done' and can move on to the next target. we find even in a group which is doing well we still have to do all of the above regularly to ensure we continue and do the best we can for the children.

 

Dont know how far you are in this already, but we find it useful to divide the areas up and lookat each one individually, be it using the standards, or any other way you find workable. we use our accreditation scheme one, under 10 headings.

 

Inge

Edited October 30, 2006 by Inge