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View Full Version : Help me spend £20,000



Jules12Wed
17-12-2009, 02:08 PM
I've just had an email through about our next round of Childcare Quality and Access Strategy and Grant Support in 2009/10 – Criteria for Next Round of Applications. The email stated:

Applications must meet the following criteria:

Improvements and Equipment to enable setting to offer the extension to 15 hours and to do so flexibly e.g.

Creation/Improvement to Outside Play Areas (whilst potentially supporting such schemes the Authority will not fund the cost of seeds or plants, shrubs etc except and where appropriate for security hedging/fencing.)
Kitchen Refurbishments
Storage for lunches (e.g. Fridges)
Creation of Quiet/Sleeping Areas
Excludes extension to premises
Excludes staffing costs

Very tricky to know what I can have done. My kitchen was completely refurbished August 2008 with an American fridge freezer fitted.

Any ideas?? My conservatory is quiet and I was thinking about this as a sleeping area rather than on my living room sofas but it is not large and I do want a new sofa (although it would have to be small) at the moment I have two wicker chairs. Ideas welcome.

carebear25
17-12-2009, 02:58 PM
Pass sum my way pls lol :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

miffy
17-12-2009, 03:02 PM
Pass sum my way pls lol :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

And me!

Miffy xx

Tink
17-12-2009, 03:13 PM
How come you have this money?

Jules12Wed
17-12-2009, 05:10 PM
How come you have this money?

Our area is giving a Quality and Access Grant to help provisions with different areas. This is the third time the grant has been given.

Monkey1
17-12-2009, 05:19 PM
I have just had a platform built in the playroom . its got a quiet area on the top covered in bean bags and cushions and a role play area underneath, its fab and the kids love it:clapping: :clapping: photos to follow x

Lady Haha
17-12-2009, 09:08 PM
There is some fantastic outdoor play equipment that can cost the earth if you want it to!

Jules12Wed
18-12-2009, 11:00 AM
I have just had a platform built in the playroom . its got a quiet area on the top covered in bean bags and cushions and a role play area underneath, its fab and the kids love it:clapping: :clapping: photos to follow x

Can't wait to see pictures, although my playroom is my conservatory and it has a fairly low roof.

Blackhorse
18-12-2009, 11:06 AM
so they give £20,000 to only one childminder??
very lucky!!

I would have thought that amount would be enough for quite a few to get really good stuff...

Lady Haha
18-12-2009, 11:22 AM
so they give £20,000 to only one childminder??
very lucky!!

I would have thought that amount would be enough for quite a few to get really good stuff...

yeh, I was thinking that! Are you sure it isn't a big pot thats going to shared out?

I really don't want to sound bitter, but that seems incredibly unfair if it is that much for one childminder when there are others who get nothing at all!

I can just about live with other cm's getting laptops and cameras etc, but 20,000!!!

Jules12Wed
18-12-2009, 01:57 PM
so they give £20,000 to only one childminder??
very lucky!!

I would have thought that amount would be enough for quite a few to get really good stuff...

There is a big pot. You have to put in a suggestion of what you want but it is limited to £20,000 for any one setting. It is for those delivering the Nursery Education especially those doing 15 hours funding.

There will be lots that can claim up to £20,000 not just me.

Blackhorse
18-12-2009, 02:22 PM
that is still a lot of money...the reason I am saying it is that here a lot of courses dont even happen as we cant get funding for £300....or less.

I am happy for anyone to receive it but I just wondered why it was that much to be honest especially in an economic crisis where the money could probably be spend on more urgent things.

I am not trying to have a go at you. If it is on offer try and get it of course. Who wouldnt?

I would try and get some good outdoor playequipment and some of the playground safety matting to put down in the garden for it...that would be my first wish!

Desi-101
18-12-2009, 04:44 PM
Lucky you,

Its cost me a small fortune to start minding, even had to pay for my own first aid as if I had to wait for the spaces that were funded could only get into a course in April this year! not a penny has been given to help set up! living in the wrong part of country :D

Jules12Wed
18-12-2009, 05:01 PM
that is still a lot of money...the reason I am saying it is that here a lot of courses dont even happen as we cant get funding for £300....or less.

I am happy for anyone to receive it but I just wondered why it was that much to be honest especially in an economic crisis where the money could probably be spend on more urgent things.

I am not trying to have a go at you. If it is on offer try and get it of course. Who wouldnt?

I would try and get some good outdoor playequipment and some of the playground safety matting to put down in the garden for it...that would be my first wish!

No that's fine didn't think you were having a go and yes it does seem very unfair that some parts of the country get given lots of money and others don't.

I haven't finished having all the work done yet from the second round. I've had my awning fitted cost £2,700 in January having patio doors removed and replaced £2,000 and blinds for conservatory cost £3,000 and also a Vtech vsmile motion game box with games.

Guess I must live in an underpriviledged area where they want to invest into che young children and therefore they are putting a lot of funding into early years settings.

jumpinjen
18-12-2009, 06:08 PM
Hi,

I would love to be accredited too, my LA hasn't been accredited yet and doesn't seem to be doing much about it and it is holding my business back in my opinion!

If I was able to I would go to town on the garden, I'm thinking, those guttering sets where the children can build ramps and slopes to roll balls or water down, a shallow stream or water feature that they can play in, and can be covered up, some large outdoor building equipment such as hollow wood blocks (need to be stored under cover) so a shed to store equipment in too! A pulley system up on a platform so they can climb up and pull things up, a large sand pit that can be really used as a digging area for channels and pits, really deep!! A very tall swing that the kids can really swing on and get that lovely lazy feeling!! An outdoor large scale windchime or xylophone to play in the garden, a tunnel or den made from living willow, oooh I'm drooling at the thought of it!!!!! Some large (really large) stones/boulders to climb on, ditto for huge logs, bird feeders, a chicken pen and chickens, veg garden with raised beds, oh i could go on forever!!!! Why not get your parents and children involved in the process... what would they like to see?? Look at the learning through landscapes website to see if they can offer advice

As for storage of lunches, would a set-up for self service of snacks be allowed, in the interests of promoting independence in the children, a basket of cutlery, nice china plates, place mats etc, a lovely table for them to set each mealtime and eat at, some small wooden chairs with harness if needed, like those at community playthings (more drooling!!) for the smaller children.

Could a quiet area include soft lighting/ sensory lighting, a display bookcase, a CD player and music that the children could use, some fold out beds that they could sleep on, a cozy rug.

ooh the setting I'd have with £20,000, hope that gave you some ideas!!

jenni x

sweets
18-12-2009, 06:16 PM
personally i would get a first class flight to somewhere nice and sunny!