Truss recall to the Education Select Committee

[Simona]

Truss was recalled to provide further evidence on CCentres
In her opening speech she refers to a 'school led EY sector'...is her agenda beginning to be clearer as she is pushing schools at the forefront of EY reforms?



Player (http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=15563)

More here on proposals that LAs will be inspected for the overall effectiveness of CCentres...sounds familiar?

Ofsted to shift children's centre inspections from providers to councils | Children & Young People Now (http://www.cypnow.co.uk/cyp/news/1144903/ofsted-shift-childrens-centre-inspections-providers-councils?WT.rss_f=News&WT.rss_a=Ofsted+to+shift+children's+centre+inspect ions+from+providers+to+councils&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter)

[Kiddleywinks]

Will view later, thanks Simona

If she's so hell bent on a school led EY sector - can someone please explain to me what the point of introducing agencies was for then?!
I've said it before and I'll say it again - there is something else going on that we don't have a flaming clue about, and I don't like the way it's smelling :angry:

[Simona]

Will view later, thanks Simona

If she's so hell bent on a school led EY sector - can someone please explain to me what the point of introducing agencies was for then?!
I've said it before and I'll say it again - there is something else going on that we don't have a flaming clue about, and I don't like the way it's smelling :angry:

I am listening to Truss while I busy myself and try to keep calm...on and on about schools leading and the bit about LAs being inspected for the CCentres is very interesting.... considering Ofsted have already decided to inspect LAs not CCentres ....but a 'consultation' will follow...same old...same old

Personally I think the answer may be here...St Bede's Academy becoming an agency...fits rather nicely I think?

St Bede Academy offers parents private nursery care as well as breakfast and after-school clubs - Schools - Education - The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/schools/st-bede-academy-offers-parents-private-nursery-care-as-well-as-breakfast-and-afterschool-clubs-9488300.html)

I am a bit concerned on the LAs role but can see what Truss is driving at...never doubted it from the moment she came on the scene

[Simona]

Scroll to 1hr and 58 mins of the session and here we hear about St Bede's Academy and agencies!!

This is in response to the questions that schools are saying they are not getting enough 'info sharing' from providers
The person who asked the question asked for clearer 'guidance' on info sharing...I have to agree that would be welcome...Truss will look into this?

[hectors house]

Scroll to 1hr and 58 mins of the session and here we hear about St Bede's Academy and agencies!!

This is in response to the questions that schools are saying they are not getting enough 'info sharing' from providers
The person who asked the question asked for clearer 'guidance' on info sharing...I have to agree that would be welcome...Truss will look into this?

I recently went to a Nursery Cluster meeting where they had invited reception teachers in to talk about information required on School transition form - can't believe they had never had a meeting like this before. Each School was saying they wanted forms done in a certain way (no consistency) and Nurseries were saying they did them a different way (again no consistency) - should be a simple tick list - eg: can child hold a pencil correctly, can child take themselves to the toilet, can child sit and listen to a story and join in where required. But no instead it's a load of waffle so not to upset the parents and the teachers have to read between the lines - really can't understand why they can't communicate without going through the parents!

[loocyloo]

I recently went to a Nursery Cluster meeting where they had invited reception teachers in to talk about information required on School transition form - can't believe they had never had a meeting like this before. Each School was saying they wanted forms done in a certain way (no consistency) and Nurseries were saying they did them a different way (again no consistency) - should be a simple tick list - eg: can child hold a pencil correctly, can child take themselves to the toilet, can child sit and listen to a story and join in where required. But no instead it's a load of waffle so not to upset the parents and the teachers have to read between the lines - really can't understand why they can't communicate without going through the parents!

You'd think they could pass forms without going through the parents! I've just had a meeting with the school nursery teacher to discuss mindee who starts in September. Mum was happy for us to meet and actually there is nothing I told the teacher that I haven't told her but I said 'can do this' 'can't do that' ' struggles with x' 'loves y' etc. The teacher said it was so much more useful than what she gets from preschools!

[mum67]

Six years ago when I started in my previous job the nursery teacher told me she wouldn't be staying long in her job as they had been told the education was aiming at normal school nurseries opening their doors to babies and upwards so that continued care was available to parents rather than resettling and to provide lower costs of childcare.
Obviously she didn't like this idea because as she said "I didn't go to university, study hard for my teaching degree to change nappies and feed bottles to babies I would have become a childminder or worked in a children's daycare centre".

At the same time there was lots of meetings and talk about more before and after school provision for the school to get involved in and funding available to set this up, again to offer lower childcare costs to parents.

Now it may be me but does anyone else notice there was never any mention of FREE childcare to parents always "lower costs".
The before and after school care, known as breakfast club and after school activities has been implemented for a long time now with more and more added each new school year as in nearly every night now albeit only until 4.30pm but its a start.

My thoughts are that schools eventually are forced to open their doors to longer days of free after school care (otherwise OFSTED will downgrade them for not 'working with parents') and once parents are used to it and childminders are needed less our profession slowly disappears and then the Truss crew slam on fees themselves which would have to be paid because we will no longer be around so they have the monopoly on it. Their excuse for having to start charging would be the usual "it is no longer cost effective to give it free due to staff wages, overheads, costs of replacing resources etc".
I saw it happen with free milk and fruit which all of a sudden cost too much so parents had to start paying because the children enjoyed it and had got used to it, the same will probably happen with the free lunch to all 7 year olds and under.

Sorry to babble on but the same pattern always shows with everything the government reckon is 'a good idea and to help the people', regardless of who's in parliament.

[Simona]

Six years ago when I started in my previous job the nursery teacher told me she wouldn't be staying long in her job as they had been told the education was aiming at normal school nurseries opening their doors to babies and upwards so that continued care was available to parents rather than resettling and to provide lower costs of childcare.
Obviously she didn't like this idea because as she said "I didn't go to university, study hard for my teaching degree to change nappies and feed bottles to babies I would have become a childminder or worked in a children's daycare centre".

At the same time there was lots of meetings and talk about more before and after school provision for the school to get involved in and funding available to set this up, again to offer lower childcare costs to parents.

Now it may be me but does anyone else notice there was never any mention of FREE childcare to parents always "lower costs".
The before and after school care, known as breakfast club and after school activities has been implemented for a long time now with more and more added each new school year as in nearly every night now albeit only until 4.30pm but its a start.

My thoughts are that schools eventually are forced to open their doors to longer days of free after school care (otherwise OFSTED will downgrade them for not 'working with parents') and once parents are used to it and childminders are needed less our profession slowly disappears and then the Truss crew slam on fees themselves which would have to be paid because we will no longer be around so they have the monopoly on it. Their excuse for having to start charging would be the usual "it is no longer cost effective to give it free due to staff wages, overheads, costs of replacing resources etc".
I saw it happen with free milk and fruit which all of a sudden cost too much so parents had to start paying because the children enjoyed it and had got used to it, the same will probably happen with the free lunch to all 7 year olds and under.

Sorry to babble on but the same pattern always shows with everything the government reckon is 'a good idea and to help the people', regardless of who's in parliament.

This is what the govt is planning to do and in the conclusion of Truss' speech you will see the push for schools to stay open 8-6pm...she calls it a 'demand' for school to change their culture

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/elizabeth-truss-speaks-about-how-schools-can-support-parents

Here is more...is this in the best interest of children or something else?

Open schools for 10 hours a day, says education minister Elizabeth Truss - Education - News - London Evening Standard (http://www.standard.co.uk/news/education/open-schools-for-10-hours-a-day-says-education-minister-elizabeth-truss-9544222.html)

[mum67]

I have just read the first part Simona. I replied earlier without reading it referring more to my conversations with the nursery teacher, I've always said once the council or government have an idea, all the conferences, meetings, local questionare's etc are worthless because its already in motion and nearing completion regardless of what the 'voter' thinks or wants. It's all a smoke screen.

Have they even considered the poor teachers who already have a long day teaching and watching 30 odd children, most classes have at least one or two fidgety bored kids (to put it politely). Don't they need to see their children or have they stopped being parents once they go to work in the morning! could you imagine not seeing your own children from 7-9 or even 10 at night because they obviously have to get to and from work.

Has anyone consulted the heads/teachers/assistants to ask them what they think of it and as PARENTS (who Truss keeps saying she is going to help out by going forward with this) if they mind not seeing their children grow up because they will be out looking after other people's because the government had yet another bright idea and do they worry by not being at home with them if their children might feel a little neglected and fall into wayward ways or even suffer themselves mentally or academically.
These professionals are all parents themselves, well a lot of them. There are a lot of teachers whose spouse/partner are in teaching, when would they have time to see each other and be a family themselves?

Off to read the other part of it now. Take a deep breath:(

[mum67]

Just a short comment this time.

I don't blame parents for how children turn out. But I do blame the government for a lot of things.
They put the price of alcohol sky high so young people cannot afford to go into the pubs like we could instead of putting too and buying bottles of spirits to share.
Closing down youth clubs/adventure playgrounds etc due to COSTS. Thought we pay taxes for it to be dispersed evenly throughout leisure, education, health etc.
Amazing how there is still plenty of money to plough into the Arts/Theatres.
Kids need Sport, Dance, social meeting places as she says when talking about after school activities, they don't want to be doing all of these things at school where they usually can't wait to get out of by 3pm.
It all makes sense, close down all the the above and make schools do it, one place, one cost.
How much will the cost be in the end though?

Sorry it was meant to be short.:blush:

[Simona]

I have just read the first part Simona. I replied earlier without reading it referring more to my conversations with the nursery teacher, I've always said once the council or government have an idea, all the conferences, meetings, local questionare's etc are worthless because its already in motion and nearing completion regardless of what the 'voter' thinks or wants. It's all a smoke screen.

Have they even considered the poor teachers who already have a long day teaching and watching 30 odd children, most classes have at least one or two fidgety bored kids (to put it politely). Don't they need to see their children or have they stopped being parents once they go to work in the morning! could you imagine not seeing your own children from 7-9 or even 10 at night because they obviously have to get to and from work.

Has anyone consulted the heads/teachers/assistants to ask them what they think of it and as PARENTS (who Truss keeps saying she is going to help out by going forward with this) if they mind not seeing their children grow up because they will be out looking after other people's because the government had yet another bright idea and do they worry by not being at home with them if their children might feel a little neglected and fall into wayward ways or even suffer themselves mentally or academically.
These professionals are all parents themselves, well a lot of them. There are a lot of teachers whose spouse/partner are in teaching, when would they have time to see each other and be a family themselves?

Off to read the other part of it now. Take a deep breath:(

I agree with most of your sentiments and after 2 hours of listening to Truss today I have had enough of her spinning!!
Many have said she has gone quiet recently...the last couple of weeks she has been everywhere agreeing with Govey and Wilshaw on their reforms
She has been hardly out of the news the past 2 days...

2 thoughts come to mind after your comments...actually 3

1. Have the parents agreed to schools turning into institutions? and children spending 'quiet times' doing homework? Truss says they agree with her...do they?
What of holiday care?

2. if head teachers refuse to open schools Truss et all will say
'you don't have to run the clubs yourselves as we have made it easier for 'unqualified' people to do so via the Children and Family Act 2014 and the ratio is 1:30. We also have freed CMs to work outside of their settings so look for staff and get on'
This is already happening and I have seen it myself at a local school...unqualified carers and plenty of kids...low fees and homework on the spot

3. Any school unwilling to open all hours will be told to turn into an agency and St Bede's Academy (Truss' favourite) will be mentioned as flag bearer
That is how she referred to St Bede's as providing excellent info sharing with the CMs who work in their agency and who turn up delivering children to school...

Another thing...so 4 points in all....today Truss has proclaimed the '2 year olds in schools' scheme as a 'great success'...
sad that she has not mentioned that 60,000 places are not filled for Sept 2014...a broken promise

Labour figures reveal 60,000 place gap in two-year-old provision | Nursery World (http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/nursery-world/news/1144880/labour-figures-reveal-gap-provision)

What if she had kept her promise to fund providers adequately and make LAs drop their conditions?
how many more Cms would have taken 2 year olds? in my area the vast majority refuse to do so because at age 3 the funding is pitiful

I will now get off my soapbox ...until Truss appears on the news again and tells us she is packing her bags as a reshuffle is imminent ...goobye and no thanks from CMs :thumbsup:

[Simona]

Apologies everyone...I misquoted Truss :panic: when I said she has declared the 2 year olds in schools a 'great success'
It should have been a 'runaway success'...phew!!

I particularly like her knowledge of what 2 year olds do in school...play with water and count brick? ...of course none of these activities are provided in EY settings...are they?


And the minister added: "Of course they are not studying trigonometry at age 2 they are doing things like playing with water and counting bricks. All the things that you expect in a high-quality nursery.”

Two-year-olds in schools pilot is 'runaway success', says minister - Education - TES News (http://news.tes.co.uk/b/news/2014/06/18/two-year-olds-in-schools-project-is-39-runaway-success-39-says-minister.aspx#.U6HfOAO5P2B.twitter)