louby loo

we have a lot of families who are vegetarian at our setting, including a member of staff and she would be horrified at the thought of cutting up fish. What are your thoughts about addressing this issue?

I'm a veggie - and the thought of handling dead fish makes me wreach - however we do do fish printing, and always seem to have staff members that are more than happy to do so...although I'd never force them to carry out the activity.

Not sure if I'd fancy one being cut up just to play to play with,~well you wouldn't cut up a pet to see how looks inside!...... However cutting it up to cook with is something I'd like to children to experience (without me around I must add!!!)

xxx

I know there have been other threads on funding 2009/2010 but just in case Essex's hasn't been posted yet I found out that it's going up 2.5% to £9.28 per 2.5 hour session. Also does anyone know if it is definately being raised to 3 hours in 2010?

I was talking about this with our owner last week - she said she'd still not had any news one way or other, although thinks we must offer by next April. Essex really seems to be dragging it's feet with this issue - we open 3 hours so would much rather offer the flexible hours ASAP.

xx

Yes I did mean that

xxxx

I'm afraid it doesn't 'do it' for me either. I'm on there to keep in touch more easily with a friend in Australia - we can jot a note to each other and post a picture quicker than email - and chat in 'real time' (breakfast time for her of course!)

Same here - which is the only reason I have the account

........ what makes me more annoyed at Christmas dinner I told my own nieces and nephews (and daughter) I'd sue them if they put our family pictures on there.. (which they took well) Shame I didn't think to tell me 60yr old sister-in-law!!!!!!!!!

I'm not even friends with my family (apart form S-I-L, thought she was safe!)

xxx

Timely post - I've just recieved an email saying my sister in law has 'tagged' me in a picture - and I'm not happy!

I haven't a clue how it works and I hate the thing!!!!

I feel photo's are put on without thought.... yes I understand that you have to be 'friends' but some people have so many so called friends it ridiculous [s?]!!

anyway I'm annoyed - rant over!!!!!!!!

xxx

happy to help

not to even mention 'confidentiality' issues then!!!

......but as I wasn't there I suppose they may have respected this

xxx

- perhaps a chart in the staff room showing the tiers of management! haha

more like the 'tears' of management!!!!

xxx

Personally I think she's pushing it - due to her inexpereince in early years However if go to a training agency (as apposed to a college) they would possibly be more than happy to take her on!!!

Due to her previous postion she 'could' be able to take on workload if she set her mind to it - but it the expereince side that would worry me if she is taking on the deputy role......

Now............ if it were me ---

I'd be pushing for YOU to do your NVQ in three months- and YOU take on the deputy role!!!!!!!!!!!

(you could have that and you DPP!!!!!!)

xxxxx

Well done.......now you can relax!

xxx

I chose my course BEd (hons) because like catma I wanted to be able to teach all age ranges (although I always planned to work in Early Years so specialised in my final year, my friend on the course ended up teaching in higher education ) My course covered child development from birth but obviously I haven't worked with children below the age of 3 as a teacher. I picked the MA in Early Childhood Education to expand my knowledge and as I am now mentoring the manager of the CC nursery in her EYFD I am indirectly working with birth to three in her setting (I have previously mentored my NN in her Foundation degree) and yet my qualifications aren't recognised by the CWDC ...

I questioned my university as why my qualification wasn't on list - they simply (and honestly) said the paperworked needed is so complicated and time consuming that no-one wants to take on the role of doing it!!

xx

Other issues aside. on the money side of it -she may have worked out -

less money=less tax and nat ins

less travelling = lowing expenses......... maybe she's in walking distance so it might even mean losing the cost of a second car.

More time for family

When I changed from a well paid full time job to part-time term time although may pay dropped significantly - I'm actually better off...... well would be if I didn't put in the unpaid hours they forget to mention!!

im sorry but our building is not the best... but we managed it - surely it cant be about brick and morter but how you get around the issues that count?? - but hey im not an inspector so what bdo i know!!

my thought too!!! ours had issues with our lack of outside area.

under the old system we were told we would never be able to acheive outstanding due to building

Lot's of good advice already. Like Inge I'm a firm beleiver in the importance of comforters in some form or other.

We once had a very unsettled 4yr old child -she just needed to know I had a mobile phone in my draw that could see and hold knowing mum was 'just a phone call away'. As long a she could see or knew where phone was she was fine- what she didn't know was the phone was a 'dummy display one' donated by loacl phone shop!

oh.............................any ideas why i can't log in to do my sef online?? I now have the security token and an ID, but it keeps telling me 'access denied'....................??

Perhaps it's telling you to have a few hours to yourself!!!!!!!!!!

Have time for yourself, and don't go overdoing things.xxxxxxxxxxx

mutter, mutter, mutter Well Done!!mutter mutter mutter - I'm soooooooo jealous - mutter, mutter,mutter

Seriously though - congratualtions, it must be really exciting for you - I know I'd be well over the moon!!

xxxxx

seems we're all in same boat!

my biggest frustration is we have no office. Each morning I go in lay stuff out on deks/table in neat to do piles. I get paid 4 1/2 hours week to do paperwork which I do at home after work, usually an hour a day (usually longer than an hour!)

I'm counted in ratios but usually have time to do small bits - nothing major - but add to my 'to do piles' as in file, phone etc..... so still doing well getting bit sorted.......... then 9 times out of 10... I go off to do circle or story time at end of session, or a perent comes in early for chat..... .... and some kind member of staff has 'tidied' the table for me - "so we can get away ontime" and all my paperwork is pick up shoved on the trolley anywhere it will fit -ready to wheeled away and locked up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ARHGGGGGGGGG..................... so, next morning I come in early, layout the desk - the rest is history!

xx

i think flexibility is the key and when you work in a small setting you need to make sure everyone is happy

having said that they also need to know that you are in charge

 

we have similar

dyas of for child sickness, assembly appointments - staff arrange cover but i need to be informed and would ideally like to know first becuase i need to know that the cover is suitable

 

staff sickness - i will arrange cover as i think the last thing you want to do when you feeel ill is ring round colleagues

but they have to call me as early as possible

 

i only have 7 staff so this works well for us

 

dont have an absence form but have it written down and handed out at inductions

Same for me to.. we're a small group and works well for us.

As with Hali and HM .. they always ok it with me first, then if possible they sort it out amonst themselves... again this helps them to understand the difficulties changing day can pose- but it also helps promote teamwork and them to feel more invoved in the running rather than 'do this/ do that'.

Could you show the parent photo's of the child througout the day with the 'creations' he has made... these pictures could be annotated (is that spelt right?!!) and linked to areas of learning? We have a digital photo frame which we put out for parents to see what the children have been up to during the day..............as you say parents often only see a snapshot and when 'questioned' children will usually only comment on one thing from day - ie-"I just played on the bike all day"- which doesn't really help us!!

Do you enhance areas to promote mark-making and creative skills throughtout the room? Sometimes I make(picture) tresure-hunts on clip boards and put out with some hard-hats, or a 'booking in system' to use the bikes. But from reading your previous posts I think you may already do this kind of thing.

We have 'Playing and learning together' DVD from the EYFS which parents can borrow which show's examples of how children learn.

xxx

Well I can confirm you can put them in upside down - b*****y difficult- but it can be done!!!

xx

Although in a real emegency surely the emergency services would be there within minutes (hopefully) anyway

maybe we are taking it all to far...

xx

Happy birthday to you both

xxx

Hope you have (or had by the time you read this0 a really good birthday and hotel pampering treat.

xxxx

we have one too...... which is why I addapted and printed off Happymaz's 'brick-wall' which at least gives me a smile at stressful times.

xxx