Marion

Hope thats right now

We are a FSU so most of our children have already attended the unit for those children who enter the reception year from other settings (without assessment information) we assess on all areas this is done mainly by observations of the children over the first half term allowing them time to settle into unfamiliar surroundings .

Ive just added replies to the ones Ive received (number 3 a list of favourite drinks) would be nice if people put on where they live I see from the site blog responces are from all over the world.

Just got number 2 someone moaning about the messages they had received

I got my first bottle!! a nice poem about seasons

Im letting it run but nothing yet.

Ive not got a light from the lighthouse. But will leave it running and hope

We have a whole school drill with bells n such once a year but because we have continual intake into the FSU we have mini drills for new children.

Does this mean the nursery teacher will have to stop BBQing indoors

In Durham we use the County scheme

this should take you to the download

http://www.foundation-stage.info/forums/in...ost&p=50890

Hi and welcome from me too. Not much to add as Ive had no experience of job share but would like to stress Catma's point of involving all adults in the planning process is really important (not sure if you have a TA)

There is a recent thread with advice from the NAA you might like to look at.

http://www.foundation-stage.info/forums/in...amp;#entry63166

L is for sheep - getting ready for phonics

I think every college has different criteria when my NNEB did her FD she had to be working full time to qualify they have now changed it to 20hours per week but it does vary from area to area

Don't know if it really matters Angels and Demons was written first and in my opinion is the best of his books.

Im a big Douglas Adams fan (could combine travel/science fiction and comedy there )

I found the whole book useful. The first part looks at early learning the second at the phonics debate and the third gives plenty of simple ideas for putting the theory into our every day teaching.

There are some good ideas for using multi sensory experiences that I plan to try out next term. Helen Bilton suggests some great outdoor activities, Penny Tassoni making marks to music, Ros Bayley and Lynn Broadbent simple movement games to help with sound discrimination/ tuning into sounds using puppets are a few examples. In general its just a really sensible approach to teaching young children phonics.

Wish I'd thought of it! After removing posters and odd bits that might be useful I assigned 5 years back issues to a skip prior to our refurbishment............I hate throwing things away!

I recently purchased this excellent book written by many well known names (Ros Baylet, Helen Bilton and Penny Tassoni to mention but a few )and edited by Sally Featherstone. It imediiately struck a chord with me as I'm sure it will with many others and would strongly recommend it others in the wake of the Rose report. Its full of wonderful insites and useful ideas for helping children with phonics.

To quote from the preface

"When I was head of a nursery/infant school, five year old Shane came to me to show me his work. It was a phonics worksheet of words that start with the 'L' sound. I complimented him on his accurate colouring and the careful way he had copied the words next to the pictures on the sheet. i then made the mistake of asking him to read the words next to the pictures!

I said 'L is for........?'

Shane said 'Lemon'

'Good' I said 'Now the next one. L is for........?'

'Lolly' said Shane, looking pleased with himself.

'Good boy!' i said 'And now the last one. L is for.......?'

Shane thought for a moment before, his face lighting up, he bellowed, L is for sheep!!'

Been there got the Tshirt!

We dont use the booklets as we follow the LAs own assessment scheme which is much easier to use.

Unfortunately Cathy the Mail has chosen not to publish your comments either.................censorship?

Thanks I have added to favourites for a good look later.

Marion I was interested in your comment that 3 yeras in maintained settings would still have a 13:1 ratio even without a QT. Im just wodnering if I got the wrong end of the stick as I thought that in the absence of a QT, the 8:1 ratio would apply and I thought this was good because at the moment I am never covered for PPA or illness and its so unfair on my wonderfull colleagues.

 

I was hoping that the new curriculum would address the ratio issue.

Oh silly me!

I am lucky that in my FSU our head has opted for 2 QTs and 2NNEBs(1with HLTA status the other with FD) mainting the ratio of 1-13 (but there are times when there is no QT present )but I do know other schools where there is no QT with the younger children and a ratio of 1-13. Also lots of heads seem to see FSUs as a way to cut costs with 1QT and the rest of the staff NNEBs while maintaining the 1-13 ratio

The government guidance states

Q14: What is the ratio of staff to children in a Foundation Stage Unit, and do I have to have qualified teachers?

A14: There is little statutory guidance provided for children in the Foundation Stage, but there are recommendations. Decisions about ratios in maintained provision rests with the Governors of schools, with reference to their respective local education authorities. A higher adult:child ratio is needed for young children than for those of statutory school age. Favourable staffing ratios help children to make the most effective use of resources, they allow children to work in smaller groups or individually with the support and encouragement they need; and they help foster the necessary sense of security in children whose experience of groups larger than their family may well be minimal. Easy access to an interested and responsive adult is an essential means of reinforcing the learning process in young children.

Maintained nursery school

Children Act guidance, volume 2

2:20 (qualified teacher status + NNEB)

2:26 (where the headteacher does not teach)

Nursery class in maintained school

Education Act (1988) regulation 4 states 'for the governing body to determine'.

Children Act guidance, volume 2 states, 2:26 is 'suitable and sufficient in numbers' 2:26 (qualified teacher status + NNEB)

Reception classes

Infant class size legislation applies, where the majority of children will reach aged 5 within the school year

1:30 (qualified teacher status)

Where different ratios/recommendations apply to the range of ages within the Foundation Stage Unit, the lower ratio/recommendation should be the guiding measure (i.e. 2:26 rather than 1:30), but the final decisions that Governors make should ensure that the children's individual learning needs are met.

Like you I was hoping that ratios would be addressed how naive!

We have that and some other poems with pictures of the children enjoying different activities on the walls and doors where the children hang their coats.

http://www.foundation-stage.info/forums/in...amp;#entry44034

Sue I sent a comment

'I don't think you have read the same government report I have just read which states 96% of Nurseries are doing a good job.

Perhaps you should let your readers see for themselves

"

Introduction

Maurice Smith, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector

Children in registered settings are safe and well cared for

When parents entrust their children to the paid care of registered providers, above all else the children ought to be kept safe and healthy. In the overwhelming majority of cases children placed in the paid care of registered providers continue to be safe and well cared for. This is very reassuring for parents, and for all of us who have a keen interest in the care and education of children in their early years. It also shows how dedicated the large majority of providers are to promoting the well-being of the children they look after.

Safe and sound shows how registered childcare settings help children in staying safe and being healthy, two of the five outcomes which Every Child Matters identified as vital for every child, and which were given legal basis in the Children Act 2004 (see vi in Annex F). The Every Child Matters outcomes have been embedded in Ofsted’s early years inspection framework since April 2005.

From April 2005 Ofsted has raised the bar, in recognition of the fact that the National Standards should now be fully embedded in settings. This means that providers must offer even better provision to be graded as satisfactory.

and received a reply which said thank you for your comment we reserve the right to edit or not to publish. Peggy has also sent a comment which hasnt been published ..........yet! So I am assuming they only want to publish the negative comments that support their story. My partner suggested the Press complaints so maybe I will.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...c=NEWS&ct=5

The Mail on Saturday led their front page yesterday with a scathing report on nurseries and Health and Safety - I feel the Government should look to paying a better payscale for early years workers so that we can employ experienced staff and not youngsters who are prepared to work at just above the minimum wage. We also take a lot of students from local colleges on work placements and there are only a few that we have had over the years that have got what it takes and have not taken the course because they have been directed that way by ill advised careers advisors who think that early years care is an extension of babysitting!

 

 

The report in the Mail yesterday bore very little if any resemblance to the actual OFSTED report which said 97% of nurseries and pre schools were doing a good job you can find the discusion here

http://www.foundation-stage.info/forums/in...ic=6520&hl=

I also think there are a lot of good caring people out there doing the job for very little pay because they are committed to their chosen careers.

From a personal point of view I believe lots of young people are 'pushed' onto child courses when they have no interest in working with children. My own daughter gets weekly phone calls from CONNEXTIONS asking if she wants to do a child care course when she has made it quite clear that this not what she wants, lots of the students we get say 'I really want to do ****** but couldnt get on the course so they suggested I do this instead!!!'

On the old forum at Under 5's there was a chat about singing sacks and singing cubes, which i can only vaguely remember. Can anyone give me more ideas for things to put in the sacks for each rhyme- because i can't remember i.e. red bus foir wheels on bus, teapot for i'm a little teapot etc.

 

Cheers

http://under5s.co.uk/SingingSack.htm#singing%20sack