skinnybird

HI

not sure if this helps but I re-registered to change from a charity to a LTD company because I was already "known" to Ofsted I didn't have to go through the suitability interview again

Hi

i dont know if this is useful or not but when we had our inspection last year the inspector asked two work experience students from the local High school about our polcies and procedures. The poor students had been on site for a whole two hours but they were able to talk about what to do in the event of an emergency, accident or safeguarding issue.

we always give students a basic talk about policies and procedures and then present them with a copy

Hi

Have been reading this thread with interest. we took over our pre-school, previously a charity run setting five years ago and run it as a private business. i have to say they are pros and cons for both types of setting. as a private company you have to consider that you will pay business rates, corproation tax and TUPE all exisitng staff into your new business.if you rent your building you may find the owners may increase your rent as the format of the setting has changed amd obviosly OFSTED have to be notifed .

On A positve note you can determine the needs of the setting and grow your business but there is a financial risk and a serious case of overload of work. i havent had any holiday for nealry six years as the butt stops with me .

as for winding down the charity it wasnt too bad but any money in the settings account has to be distributed to similar causes, we gave money to a setting who then used it to partially fund a new setting to expnad their services. as mentioned you then have to value all the resources and decide if you want to buy them or not. staff have the right to come with you and all pay , terms and conditions areprotected . The Tupe site is interesting. we had to write letters to our parents ensuring their werent any objections or anyone willing to take on the pre-school. also you may need to conisder storage for any old papaerwork tha has to be kept,

good luck for anyone considering changing over !!!!!

we got the children to colour a paper plate with wax crayons and then painted the plates black . they then had fun scratched some of the black paint away.

To add to my last post, i have just remmbered that the inspector even questionned two work experince students - aged 15 on the settings procedures regrding safeguarding, fire evacuation and first aid on their second day of theri placement . and she spoke to every parent she could get hold of as well- even those who tried to run out of the door- lol

We had our inspection in feb and had exactly the same experience. Several members of staff were asked about next steps for all the children, asked about differentation and extending actvities. As the manager i undertook a joint observation of one member of staff undertaking an adult focus activity and was asked to discuss how i felt the actvity had gone, what the next steps were, how the member of staff has ensured she was including all children, what the children had learnt including any unexpected outcomes. the insepctor then spoke to the member of staff to ask similar questions . she was a junior member of staff so that was really nerve racking for her and then the inspector talked about her observations. we all had similar lines of thoughtsand the outcome was good.

my deputy and i have worked with children for 13 years and have never had such an intense inspection .

Thank you Rea!

I really do appreciate your help.

 

ppp

hi,

i havent read all the thread but i was in a similar postion a couple of years ago - questionnaire sent out to my staff and parents from the committee and used in my appraisal . it was a nightmare.

But i surrived and the committee did not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! chin up and think of the children

HI .

i have been through the TUPE process read the information on the TuPE site that Inge suggested, talk to your present employers, check your current T and C's and also if you are part of a union ask for some guidance. As an employer we took on all the staff on with their existing terms and conditions. I beleive that after six months if the business needs deem necessary changes to staffs contracts are allowed.

sorry not much help but i can remmebr how unsettled all our staff were so i can understand why you are wooried.

Skinny Bird

hi,

does anybody have a dedicated fire evacuation policy for mobile and non mobile under twos? or have you added it to your main policy. if anybody could share theri policy i would be really greatfull, have spent ages looking for one.

Thanks

Skinnybird

Hi,

we have just formed a limited company and are going it alone. my advice is to apporach your committee carefully, seek advice from you LA business development team because their are several ways of going about this and talk to the PLA. its a big step but we went for a private company as other forms of LTD companies have to have trustees, which could end up being similar to the committee situation. Also , as a private business we couldnt take any monies acruued ( Might have spelt that wrong) with us. so had to start from scratch

skinnybird