Guest Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 can anyone help I run a Pre-school which is open for 2 1/2 hours a day. I have been told that the time of the sessions will change next April to 3 hours a session has anyone else heard this. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Hi Homer, yes I heard of this but I didnt know if it was manadatory. My old playgroup do 2 1/2 hour sessions too, it would be impossible for them to change the hours due to other hall users. It could be different LEA's have different rules, you might be best to ask your local PLA or Early years dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 discussed on here before - Changes 2006 part of the 10 year strategy- dont know how it is due to work, will probably depend on each LEA how they implement it, As we are sessional and Currently open 2 sessions a day, cannot have bulding any longer then we do, and find there is not enough time for us to have 2 3hr sessions a day with a break cannot go full daycare as we do not have a staff toilet we may be in trouble if they insist on it, we can manage one a day but not 2 sessions. So far no one has said that we must supply the exta hours in our area anyway, but parents may choose by sending children to those who can offer it. Inge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 As I understand it, as Inge says it's part of the 10 year strategy which is due to be implemented by 2010. Local surestart business advisor said probably by 2009 is the latest info in this area, but this information does keep changing. We also do not have a staff toilet but there is a possibility of changing the paper cupboard into one, just not sure where the paper will go! (Answers on a postcard - and keep them clean!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 we will alwo come unstuck as many others will share our hall so cannot do any more than 2 1/2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MaryEMac Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 we currently do four 21/2 hr morning sessions and may have to open for two afternoons. There is no way we could do two 3 hr sessions as we have to be out of the room by 2.45 to allow for the out of school club to set up and also we wouldn't be able to have a break. Do the people that think of these things actually find out the constraints that a lot of us work under. In an ideal world we would all have our own rooms and not have to share , but we don't live in an ideal world. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 This morning I received an information leaflet from our LEA (the same as the one which will be sent to parents) explaining NEG entitlement from April 2007 - Mar 2008. No change in the 2.5hr sessions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 This morning I received an information leaflet from our LEA (the same as the one which will be sent to parents) explaining NEG entitlement from April 2007 - Mar 2008. No change in the 2.5hr sessions. WOW, your LEA are on the ball. Because of the uproar in Kent about code of practice and conditions our LEA have set re: NEG, they have not even got this year sorted yet, we will get info this term ( no doubt at the end) to tell us conditions for Spring Term 2007, then it will all most probably change again fro April onwards. Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 we currently do four 21/2 hr morning sessions and may have to open for two afternoons. There is no way we could do two 3 hr sessions as we have to be out of the room by 2.45 to allow for the out of school club to set up and also we wouldn't be able to have a break. Do the people that think of these things actually find out the constraints that a lot of us work under. In an ideal world we would all have our own rooms and not have to share , but we don't live in an ideal world. Mary The answer to your question is that no the DFES haven't. They did not do a REGULATORY IMPACT ASSESSMENT. This should be carried out when regulations are changed within the private business sector. ( I think) The kent Association "Save our Nursery's" have challenged the DFES on this particular aspect of the Code of Practice. I have attached the DFES reply, the reply also indicates the time scales for implimenting the additional hours. Members of The Kent Association have lobbyed MP's and there will be an early day motion ( not really sure what these are??? ) but basically I think that if enough MP's bring forward a particular motion, then parliament will have to listen and respond. Part of this motion is that the DFES withdraws the Code of practice conditions until a Regulatory Impact Assessment has been done. From your responses to this post, it is obvious that the code of practice is unsustainable in terms of settings carrying out it's current requirements. Please go to the "Save our Nursery's" website, set up by Kent but with information that is very important for the whole country to see and act upon. If enough of us contact MP's get parent petitions then this will give weight to the MP's who are speaking up for us in parliament. The more people letting the government know the impact of these conditions then we can make changes. Peggy Here is the link again to the website. SAVE OUR NURSERY'S many other county's are becoming involved have a look at see if yours is and what you can do in your area. Peggy REGULATORY_IMPACT_ASSESSMENT.doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 I'm on a discussion panel that works with our LEA on grant information etc. I have a meeting on Friday with a local government officer coming down to see us because of the problems that Kent have raised. I will let you know what happens. From what I know now the change that was due to happen for this April of us going to 3 hour sessions has been shelved, and I think it will be up to each individual LEA to implement it for their settings gradually over the next couple of years. I think that was the rough idea will know more on Friday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 In our county it seems like three hours willbe in from April - there is some consultation going on as to how this can happen successfullly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 just to carry on . went to meeting today nice Gentleman from the Dfes South West. Told us that the Policy by the Govenment was not going to change at the moment however much we didn't agree with it. The policy says that it is FREE entitlement and that we cannot charge extra on top or that if a parent only wants 2 1/2 hours thats all they need to take. The Day nursery providers were spitting and foaming by that time and threatening to close and op out of grants. He told them it was up to them if they feel that financially they need to do that to survive. He said that because we sign contracts with the LEA's if we do start charging top ups it will mean a breach of contract, and that will be up to the LEA's to take us to court for breach of contract, but of course he did not want to see that happening. He said it was up to the LEA's to negotiate with the providers to either come up with a grant amount that is fairer as the amount we get is decided by each LEA when they look at how much money is given to schools and providers out of the LEA's "Dedicated School Grant". the debate on the 15 hours or the 3 hour session does not have to be implemeted until 2010. and that it is up to the LEA's to talk to their providers and bring it in in the best way for their local providers. Our nurseries were dead against bringing it in a the moment but us pre-schoolers said that for some of the pre-school's it would help financially. We all agreed that it was un fair for the government to dictate what we should charge for a amount of time. 1 nursery said that Government would tell Tesco's that they could only charge £2 for a chicken so why tell us. They said that the grant should be a subsidy towards a session, as some parents are quite able and willing to pay for different type of providers. They are still looking at having the 2 1/2 hours come April and the only thing that possibly will change is that we will be able to use it to cover the lunch period. which for me helps as it means I will be able to have 2 sessions running 1 after the other. 1 will cover the morning and the 2nd the lunch and a hour half in the afternoon. other than that there was no other outcome to the problem of top up fees. He is going to feed back to the Dfes and then give us any feed back if their is any !!! won't hold our breaths as he said a change in policy will take about 18 months if they do consider it. So not much change for us in April, but a lot of angry nursery owners. P.S. Sorry it was so long but this little box never seems to fill up!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 Had latest info, no change to hours here still 2.5 from April. (well for now) Inge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 Devon is the same still 2.5 hour sessions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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