Guest Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 I received my copy of Nursery World today and with it was a leaflet with information and a booking form for a conference in London in March called "Implementing the Early Years Foundation Stage". I thought it would be interesting and that perhaps our local pre-school network could fund it and I would report back to all groups in the area at a meeting. At first glance the cost is £468.83- a lot of money I know but probably worth it. Then to my amazement when I looked more closely this price is for the public sector-the private sector are being charged £703.83!!!!!! Talk about inequality! What I want to know is why does it cost more for somebody from the private sector to attend and why £235 more??? The blurb states that early years providers who should attend are nursery managers, pre-school managers, childminding network managers and primary school headteachers. Do they really think that nursery and pre-school managers can afford that amount-£463 is probably out of their reach as it is. I am about to fire off an email to the company involved, Emap plc, to ask them why there is a difference in cost and why by such a huge amount. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Quite right too Linda - send them a link to this topic as well! I've never been able to understand the price differential thing although it seems pretty universal. I suppose when you're talking about big business organisations they could be perceived as 'richer' than the state sector, but when you're talking about pre-school settings, either private or voluntary, it's almost certainly the opposite way around. Maybe we should organise our own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 I doubt many schools would be able to justify the cost when the chances are the LEAs will have to provide training too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 I agree with you Susan-why is it these conferences have to cost so much? I know it is usually private enterprise that puts them on but how on earth do they think anybody can afford that sort of amount? It also suggests that local authority staff should attend-eg Sure Start managers. I suppose they would attend and then use the information for settings. I just don't understand why there should be a differential between private and public sectors when we are all going to have implement the EYFS. And certainly not such a vast amount. The fact is this would cost me about £850 in total as I would need to factor in the cost of travel, probably an overnight stay in a London hotel (not cheap) because it starts at 9.30am, and cover for the time I would need to take off work. I will do as you have suggested Steve and link to this. Hopefully I will get a reply-should be interesting to see what they have to say! Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Very good luck, Linda!! Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 An Ofsted inspector told me earlier this week that there is an EYFS conference in Birmingham somewhere during March? I haven't seen any publicity for it, has anyone else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Running Bunny Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 I got excited when I saw the leaflet too, and then had two thoughts: * someone else at work will think that it's more important for them to go * how much is this going to cost? I was flabbergasted at the cost - I know conferences are expensive as speakers don't come cheap and they have to be put up in hotels and fed and watered etc, but this is ridiculous! Maybe we should organise our own. The thought had crossed my mind too.... it wouldn't be that hard, would it (there isn't a tongue in cheek smiley ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 there is one in Birmingham, but I believe the date is June, to be confirmed, all I know is that I have been booked on it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfer Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Hi Mundia I am in Birmingham and don't know anything about this course. Where is it and who is organising it? Please can you let me know? Thanks Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 http://www.emapeducation.com/EYFS/Programm...amp;m_nid=16001 for the London conference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I would just wait for our local LEAs to roll out the training. I know they are hoping to receive the actual documents in March and will be sorting out training for everyone else once it is digested but like everything it takes time . Perhaps it could be claimed through the transformation fund but I think it is way to high when we will get the training later on for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Hi Sue. Sorry I dont know the deatils yet, my DH just told me in the corridor and since school has been closed Ive not got any details yet. Watch this space...Im sure schools should have had the same stuf as we have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becsltd Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I have emailed educationconferences@emap.com to express my disappointment at such an extortionate conference fee for delegates, particularly those in smaller indpendent private nursery settings. I urge all members of this forum to email them to express their disappointment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 As a private owner I would certainly find the content of the conference beneficial information for business planning. It is ironic that one workshop is about sustainability when the cost is equivalent to a months salary ( for me anyway). How on earth could a childminder afford to attend. It is aimed at LA's and training providers but when this training / information is cascaded down to settings, the people actually implimenting the EYFS it is so watered down that the training just becomes awarness raising and often something that can be researched yourself ( given the time). The government should fund these conferences as it is they who require the changes. Peggy I have sent the following email to emap Dear emap, I would have liked the opportunity to attend the London conference on the new EYFS, unfortunately I am excluded due to the high cost of the event. Best regards, Peggy Minter Foundation Years Preschool Proprietor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I couldn't agree more Peggy. My thoughts were that if I could attend this conference I would have some first hand knowledge of what was going to happen in the future and give some feedback to other pre-schools in the area. And not the watered down version as you say, that we will get via the local authorities. I would be interested to know the statistics for attendees to this conference-I bet there will be very few private sector representatives there. I know that £468 is a lot of money too, but at least our network would have been able to afford that. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 To be fair even the public sector fee is high and not many schools I know could afford it out of their budget. Until important changes are delivered to those at the sharp end as a matter of course there is always going to be confusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becsltd Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Good points made, Peggy! I agree completely - the government are introducing yet MORE changes. Therefore, it should be funded directly by them. It is true that the main representation at this event will be from the public sector and the private sector should not be so blatantly excluded. Do you think that the intention is that private sectors should be using the transformation fund to attend this conference?? If the conference is directed at LA's then why would they post such a huge amount of flyers via Nursery World??? Strange!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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