finleysmaid

im based in ashford, middlesex (surrey), do you have any recommendations for agencies. Ive contacted tinies i think it is several times this week but im still waiting for them to contact me back!

Interesting...i'm not far from you and one of my staff is constantly being hounded by Tinies ...my neighbour works for them but i don't know where she's based at the mo!

I have never had to resort to agency staff so i'm afraid i can't recommend anyone.

humm reminded me of my youngest who was being foul one day and stuffed a building block in to the video player..she was told off and sent to the bottom of the stairs...it went very quiet came back to find her fast asleep with her head on her feet and her bottom on the stairs....yes i have a photo! she has also fallen asleep in her Pizza on holiday!

but yes i do not agree with IT for the under two's....there has been some research on this in America and the finding are not great :huh:

watched a family in a cafe the other day give their small child an ipad to keep him quiet...with the sound turned off...seemed a bit daft to me..why not give him something to do? or maybe even TALK to him??? i used to have a handbag full of lego/cars/ pens and pencils. My children started going on planes to see their grandparents from 6 weeks old...i was well versed in how to keep them entertained on long journeys and in airports. Maybe i should start a training programme for that? :rolleyes:

Finley and Digby say somewhere nice to walk so that they go to sleep when the ladies are partying!!!

 

 

Of course, I know she is an individual, and will be treated just like any other child in that respect! I am really looking forward to getting to know her, as from the little I've seen, she's a real character.

 

 

gosh sorry hope you dont think i was criticising...sorry if that came across the wrong way

We have a little chap with downs syndrome with us at present and have had other children with this (and similar conditions) in the past. Every one has been very different.....just as every child is! The little one we have with us at present was not walking or talking when he joined us ...but is now doing really well and comes to us three full days a week. Like others have said because he is quite small we have had some issue with ensuring the other children know he is the same age . We have to ensure that sensory play is edible (playdough is low salt so he doesn't overdose...and we ensure it is throw away after session). We do Makaton as a setting so the children are used to us signing we haven't needed to put in visual timetables but have done visual routines (actually not up at the mo...another job to do!) He is number four out of five children four of which are boys...so he is a very typical boy and loves rough and tumble etc. I wouldn't be too worried about being bumped into too much how would you handle this with the other children? She's no more delicate !!! (one of my others could die if he gets bumped in to ...i worry about him much more! )

Not being funny here but 8 hours????

is this to do with benefit allowances being 16 hours or under?? just a thought

ofsted/riddor and get the staff to write reports about what they saw (these need to be dated and signed) Speak to parents asap and check details. Record everything. Check to see if you need to alter/move equipment etc and draw a map of the layout. Put a risk assessment in place for the childs return.

And my lot (2yr olds) use skittles to hit each other on the head!!!

We had been established for six years before we moved (four years ago). We had to re-register and I had to do a new suitable person check including check from GP etc.

interesting i was told that i was being 'done' because they didn't have one on file.....the suggestion was that it would not have to be repeated if i was working for the same company...ho humm i love ofsted :wacko:

It would be lease, we are going to try and negotiate a deal over rent but they may wish to tie us into a long term contract which if all goes swimmingly wont be an issue but if it doesn't.........!

We have a 15 year lease with a break clause every 3 years ...at this point they can renegotiate rent etc ...means we can get out if needed but also means we do not know how much they will ask for!

We did a build up rent for the first three years to enable us to build the business

If you re-register than the rules over release of funds do not have any effect....they are just transferred ...you need to ensure your staff's contracts say they have worked for X and now work for Y but this is continual employment.

Happy boxing birthday Cait! xxxx

We moved four years ago and Ofsted came out before we were set up. It was still half a building site. We did my suitable person check sitting on boxes! But when was there any consistency where Ofsted are involved!

 

 

They did my suitable person check in our previous building....but didn;t inspect new one till set up!

Sorry to ask - but what is a D1?? Is it to do with use of the building???

D1 is the rates 'class' that we belong to (in our case the building is only for ecclesiastical or nursery use)

As the building is only for our use we should pay rates but as a not for profit charity we are able to ask for an exemption which we luckily get....or we would be out of business really quickly as the building is huge!!!!

ofsted won't come out until you are set up ...and i mean set up with tables and chairs etc!!! (my builders were still working when they came!)

They did a suitable person check on me about 4 months before but that was it.

My lea did give me some advice but to be honest if you comply with the requirements then most things should be fine. Of course you have to comply with EHO and fire and health and safety requirements too which sometimes conflict!

(i too would not survive without a D1 class and an exemption for rates) If you are a charity and not for profit this should be fine but the council can assist with this (they usually come to measure up)

What are you committing to? length of lease etc or purchase or???

We became a limited company on the advice of our accountant as otherwise the liability is too high.

You'll need a new registration which takes ages.....have you contacted ofsted yet...if not do so quickly!!!! we ended up having to run for 2.5 hours a day until they had completed their checks

we have done the same for an ELSA who comes and works with one of ours

we did this three years ago so if i can be of any help please ask...happy to help if i can remember (don't hold out too much hope ....can't remember what i did this morning!!)

We also had parents putting names down from birth, and occasionally before! I always felt that such dedication and loyalty to the preschool deserved the promise of a preschool place being offered before vacancies were offered to those who hadn't put their name down.

Although i appreciate the sentiment i just don't see how i can do it? not sure i can cope with any more proviso's on my list!!

I have never been able to guarantee places as i often dont know when children are going to leave! due to the large amount of SEN children in our setting we have to allow for deferred places a decision which is often made quite late in the day.

So how long they have had their name down has no bearing, Finlaysmaid? That used to be high up,the list for me, about where your number 3 is I think. It has to have some importance if you do have parents doing this, otherwise they could be 'trumped' by a child in the next category, who had only just arrived on your doorstep.

I think ours went

1. Child with sibling at preschool

2. Child from village

3. Child on waiting list

4. Child who has had other sibling through preschool ( these were mainly no. 3)

5. Child from surrounding villages

They have to have their name down before 31st March or they are classed as a late application....we have people putting their names down before birth so im not sure how i include that as a catagory???????

i apologise i said cait but meant thumperrabbit of course re the village info!!!

Hi all

 

we are looking at moving to a unit on an industrial park. However there is work that I can see that needs doing. I have looked at all the suitable premises stuff in EYFS. But I will be honest the committee are looking to me to say if Ofsted will find it suitable once the obvious has been done. I feel completely out of my depth really but is will be a BIG commitment so I don't want to get it wrong.

 

Can anybody suggest any sites, information, links that could help us?

contact your local advisor..they should be able to do a site visit with you and look at the jobs to be done...or you might have a business development officer in your lea who could offer advice.

There are lots of sites for inspiration but advice is harder to find!!

First come first serve

 

 

, I look at those that have siblings and those that are already 4. Although we don't generally have anybody that is 4.

 

 

 

So actually Suer you do have a waiting list system of siblings then fours then the rest ....so would you put your oldest sibling in first or the child who had their name down at birth!!!

I'm being a bit cheeky TBH but we have had to be much clearer on our policy after a parents questioned it and complianed last year.

We also take 95% of our intake in September..including up to 8 two year olds (actually 2.5 year olds ) . We are on the edge of three counties but are finding this is causing difficulties when we need support for children as we are unable to access others systems so i am trying to sort it out so that the majority are within our boundaries.

So i have now implemented the following (bear with!)

1 local and sibling (in the village of...thanks cait)

2 local

3 zone 2 and sibling

4 zone 3 and sibling

5 zone 2 only

6 zone 3 only

on top of this they must fall in to the rank of having their birthday before the end of March 2016!

I HATE WAITING LISTS :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink:

Anne1...no offence taken but in reply i would say that to make yourself the same as everyone in order to compete is not always what is needed....i have stayed away from full day care/open all year hours as my parents often work for education establishments and they actually only want term time. As for the not taking two year olds...it is still a choice that we make and in this area there are lots of settings who do not feel that their premises or set up is right for two's. They are sensible enough to put the needs of the child first and therefore do not take them (of course they also have to be above good to be accepted on to the scheme!)

(note to sunnyday....you would not be unusual in this area....if you can fill with three year olds why not????!!!!)

Also i have to make a note about the 2 year old funding ...each two year old takes up the place of 2 3 year olds (essentially) to my knowledge none of us are getting twice as much pay for the two year olds as yet ....so in effect they cost us more . It is not a particularly good financial decision in this case and probably should only be taken on if you are trying to fill places

As to the comments regarding full day care settings ....they are canny enough to have worked out their supply costs and know how much they have to charge in order to make a profit. Parents are often persuaded to take up over their funded hours in order that they can be charged the 'make up'. If the funding is for 30 hours then parents will of course be required to take up more than this in order that they can charge them. Unfortunately we too will have to follow suit as i suspect not many of us will be able to survive on the rates that the government will pay us (if the proposals are to be believed this would be £4.40 /hour ....less the slices that the LEA's will charge)

The funding needs to be seriously looked in to....i really think that when it comes to consultation that should be where we lay our hats...not arguing about 15 vs 30 hours!

i am the chair in our setting and as a committee we do

 

organize and attend fund raising - however we ask the staff to attend some to support

dbs checks

recruitment - reference checks, support invoices - lead deals with the responses as she has the access to the email they reply too

manage the website

manage the policies (with support the lead)

manage all paper work - such as new prospectus/handbook

staff development - records, plan

budgeting/ cash flow/ wages/ invoice payments - lead deals with nef amounts

currently we are moving to a new system - i have set up all training and support for this

deal with ofsted

 

i try to do as much as i can but it is really difficult with a full time job, 2 kids and another charity that i run.

 

does sound like your committee needs to do more though.

 

x

Goodness me what does your manager do??????

just an elastic band for us! which is unusual as i like a storage box or two!!

could they have a snack time or extra drink to keep them occupied whilst you get rid of the others??

Catma i would have no idea how to refer to occupational health for pre-school...any idea?

I have not had to google the medication as the member of staff gave me the info leaflet and together we decided that at the times she takes the medicine she should not be left alone with the children (possible dizzyness)and that she would be unable to administer medication (needle injection for child) as she may not be able to focus on the correct quantities. This was agreed between us and staff are only told on days she is not allowed to do first aid (but not why IYSWIM!)