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I thought Rhys was amazing this week. Didn’t like Johns dance this week or Ajs. I just think Dan is a real inspiration for all us non dancers! He’s shown real progress and determination and most of all enjoyment. And I think Rose is extraordinary.

Wow, you are either very brave or mad!

All of our little ones are back after the tonsillitis that was doing the rounds, nice to have them all back. Parent who was being difficult about her child not being able to come to school until the siblings have a clear PCR is still not being friendly and not letting the issue go, which is frustrating. Then had the nerve to turn up 15 minutes late the other afternoon with the excuse “oh I fell asleep”🤯🤯.

Just come across this.

Thanks Louby.

The committee wants to have some bank staff in place as a back up plan. Its been a long time since i had a staff member DBS checked. I just wanted to double check that I am going down the right route. They need to have an enhanced DBS and be signed to the update service. But when I got to the ofsted DBS application this comes up and they don't fit into either category. Any help would be most appreciated as I seem to be going round in circles and don't want to do it incorrectly. Role Guidance Our Ofsted DBS Application portal allows applicants to apply for a DBS check for one of the following ten roles: Childminder Living at Childminding Premises Working at Childminding Premises Nominated Person / Responsible Individual Director / Committee / Trustee Lives and works with childminder Sole Proprietor Registered Manager Home-childcarer (Nanny) Ofsted Inspector If you are not applying for a DBS check for one of the roles above, please contact us to discuss your requirements. Further Role Guidance Volunteer Guidance If you are applying with Ofsted for any one of the following roles, you will not be eligible to be considered as a volunteer: Childminder Living at Childminding Premises Working at Childminding Premises Lives and works with childminder Sole Proprietor Registered Manager Home-childcarer (Nanny) Ofsted Inspector If you are unsure whether or not you need to be applying for a DBS check as a volunteer, please contact us. Further Volunteer Guidance

So quick update, the committee voted to ask children with families with Covid in the household to stay at home whilst we are a staff member down and whilst local cases are so high. Our little bit of Cornwall known as the lizard peninsular has more than doubled its cases in a week, putting it amongst the highest level of cases in the uk. All of our parents have been really supportive of this except the Mum who brought her child in last week when her two siblings are positive. I received two Nasty emails from her on Friday evening which were really upsetting. I find it incredibly frustrating that she has so little comprehension of the worry that she caused us last week and actually just doesn't seem to care at all.

1 potato, two potato…. 1,2 buckle my shoe Peter hammers with one hammer Gosh you have really made me realise how few counting up songs there are in comparison to counting down songs!

I have a question and would appreciate your thoughts please. Our small community has been hit by Covid massively. The senior school is at the heart of it with 80 cases currently (and it’s only 500 place school) So cases in our small community are sky rocketing. We have two families with older siblings who are positive, one has stayed away from pre-school but the other has kept attending, with strict instructions to do daily testing. I have a staff member going in for an operation next week, leaving us a staff member down until January. I want the committee to vote that a child, who has any household member with a positive Covid tests has to stay home until the household are clear. I think this is the only way to try and protect our staff so we can hopefully remain open. My chairperson has said she doesn’t think we can do this. I have said we are not statutory education and as long as we offer to pay back the funding I think we can. Your thoughts on this please? On a personal note I have a very vulnerable elderly father who I live in fear of taking something into and a son who is now having an operation next week so needs to be Covid free.

We are low numbers and thankfully one of the children with the more challenging behaviour has after much input managed to gain control of his more unfriendly actions and behaviours and wow the impact this has on the rest of the group is amazing. It’s taken a year but we finally got there with him. So for that I am grateful. I know what you mean about the pull ups, we have never had so many children in them! And unfortunately they all seem to fill the pull up at some point during the session. Really hoping that the new ones starting in the spring term may be potty trained already! I am currently trying madly to get in touch with a child’s HV. Have left numerous messages, given her both home and work phone numbers and email address, but am getting nothing from her. It’s so frustrating, I just want to chat to her about a child who she has had concerns about in the past before I make a referral for him. I get that they are busy people but I want ten minutes of her time. So much for ‘working together’ Good news, my son finally has a hospital appointment tomorrow to get his MRI results on his knee injury. No thanks to our atrocious GP surgery as this could have happened a couple of months ago! Let’s hope he can now get the operation/treatment that he needs so he can get on with his life instead of being housebound. Have a happy day all, stay safe. Xx

I’m glad it’s not just me, I was wondering if I was being too sensitive. I’m tempted to ask for her not to come in until everyone gets the all clear but don’t know where we stand doing that with funding etc.

Well one family are isolating until they all get negative results which I am really appreciative of. The other family who have two positive cases in the siblings still sent their child to school. (She did have a negative LFT) I really struggle with this, it’s not for childcare purposes as she doesn’t work. I just can’t help,thinking it’s quite selfish.

Hope they are ok, and none else gets it. Xx

I’ve just been notified that two separate families from our setting now have Covid in the household. Both children were in last week and one especially was not quite herself. It’s suddenly getting very close and very real again.

I’d forgotten they used to do two mornings! At the end of the day it all comes down to the individual inspector, they all seem to want/look for different things. I’ve just come to the conclusion we can do our best but what will be will be!

Thank you so much for sharing, it’s lovely to read what a positive experience you had. I only hope ours goes as smoothly when it finally happens! I love that you offered her a lift to the station! The last time we were inspected (when it was with no warning) and very overdue. The inspector walked in and we had her the last time and I hugged her! I literally threw my arms around her and hugged her just with the relief of it finally happening! I have NEVER been allowed to live it down by my staff and they still take the mickey out of me about it. Luckily she had a sense of humour and I think understood!

Louby Lou, so glad that you have that over and done with. Is it weird to say that I am envious? I hope it was a good experience for you, maybe when you have collected your thoughts and feel better you can share some of it. Hope you have a relaxing weekend now. Xx This week at school has been nice and not as bad as I was fearing. My Dad has not been having a good week and when you see what him and Mum are going through it puts everything into perspective. Very pleased to say that he is now much better and on an even keel again. We usually are shut on Thursday mornings but had to swap our Friday session this week as the school had workmen coming in to check for asbestos before the new fire alarm system goes in. They expected us to be running whilst the men were doing this! Can you imagine the carnage! We are in the old Victorian building, so has it very high ceilings so very tall ladders would be needed and I know quite a few of my children would have thought this was a great challenge! Also the building is so decrepit that I fear what may actually happen when they start poking around! Seriously, I would not have been surprised to receive an email today to say that it was unfit for purpose. I await the results of the asbestos test with bated breath! Hope everyone has a lovely weekend, enjoy the fireworks if you are going. Xx

Exactly the same! We just have a couple of parents who can make life hell if they don’t get their own way, you sum it up perfectly with they feel entitled and this is just what it is. Like you we have been expecting Ofsted for ages (last inspected 2014) I was so het up about it but like you I now think “this is us, the kids love us, the parents (mostly) think we are great, the children are happy, safe and progressing what more can we do. I now have a case of the “F**k ems) not just to Ofsted but to everyone. I’ve spent 19 years giving this job my everything and at the end of the day who cares? The expectations and pressure just increase and whatever we do is never good enough. Especially it seems in the government’s eyes.

I did a tiny bit of work on Monday but since then absolutely nothing! I think I have reached the same conclusion as you Louby that nothing matters in the end! I have never in 19 years NOT wanted to return to school more than I do now. I am dreading Monday and that really isn’t like me at all. Anyway, it going to think about that until Monday morning. My husbands just home from working away all week so am going to try and switch off from worrying about work. Have a lovely weekend all. Xx

What sort of person writes that? 🤣

I make a recipe that is similar to the Mcvities Jamaican ginger cake. It’s delicious and is meant to get better with age! But it NEVER lasts long enough to find out in out household!

All I can say is “thank crunchie it’s not only Friday its half term as well”. I have been feeling a bit at the end of my tether this week, so it’s done at the right time! Happy half term break to those that have it.

Love these, thanks for sharing.

Before Covid we used to offer a selection of fruit and a breadstick/cracker. This stopped at the heigh of the pandemic and we haven’t gone back to it. We found it took a staff member away just to oversee snack. We now offer a plain biscuit/cracker/breadstick and a drink and it’s working really well. It’s less time consuming, we choose to have it as cafe style or all together depending on the morning. I understand what you are saying that it’s only 3 hours but we do find that most of our children are ready for a snack at about 10:30. You just never know what time the child got up and had breakfast or even if they did have breakfast at all.

I also like his quote “life is what happens to you whilst you are busy making other plans” It’s very true as well. The older I get the more I am realising that and trying to live in the moment more.