Been away - have I missed anything important?

[hectors house]

Just got back from fantastic fortnight away in Thailand - have been trying to read through posts to see if I have missed anything important but can't see anything - can anyone think of anything that has been posted regarding legislation, EYFS changes etc as I am responsible for keeping our Independent Childminding Network up to date.

[loocyloo]

welcome home, hope you had a fantastic time

I was off for 12 days, and not necessarily on this planet, although working for 3 days of last week ( ) but I don't think there has been any major news! best thing to do is to look at simona and sarah707s posts/started threads! they will be the useful ones!

[Simona]

Just got back from fantastic fortnight away in Thailand - have been trying to read through posts to see if I have missed anything important but can't see anything - can anyone think of anything that has been posted regarding legislation, EYFS changes etc as I am responsible for keeping our Independent Childminding Network up to date.

You haven't missed anything worth your time but plenty of nonsense from the usual suspects...wish they too would go on holiday for a while!

I was just reading on Twitter that Gove was supposed to appear at something or another to do with teachers but he withdrew...so Truss was offered to take his place...they rejected the offer saying they did not want a 'substitute' ...hurray!!

I thought this may cheer you up even if off topic

Oh forgot the DfE has just published the survey on schools getting ready for 2 year olds...off to post it now
...and there is a new blog from ex Ofsted inspectors started yesterday that is creating a stir...I posted it in another section..... join if you can as this is our chance to tell it as it is ...plenty from this forum adding their gripes!

[hectors house]

Thank you for suggestions of reading Sarah & Simone's posts - I did trawl back through 8 pages of general posts but that didn't take me far enough back (8 pages was all I could bring up), so was worried I had missed something important in my first week away.

Had fantastic holiday in Thailand - have been on most forms of transport - planes, sky train, taxi, tut tuts, coach, golf trolley, 3 days in Bangkok, 6 days touring North Thailand and the Golden triangle - visiting fantastic temples, orchid farms, visiting hill tribes, riding elephants, cuddling tigers! then 5 days on a fantastic island with deserted beaches, did snorkelling, hired a scooter and explored the island - probably shouldn't have read "The Beach" before I went!

[sarah707]

did you see this before you went?

http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/fo...uirements.html

And this -
Ofsted | Are you ready for your inspection? A guide to inspections of provision on Ofsted's Childcare and Early Years Registers

And this blog - Newsletter for childminders - 04.2014 -

There! That should keep you busy while we all get very jealous about your amazing sounding holiday

[jadavi]

Sounds totally amazing Hector's house. SOOO jealous

[k1rstie]

Always on the ball, thanks.

[Simona]

Thank you for suggestions of reading Sarah & Simone's posts - I did trawl back through 8 pages of general posts but that didn't take me far enough back (8 pages was all I could bring up), so was worried I had missed something important in my first week away.

Had fantastic holiday in Thailand - have been on most forms of transport - planes, sky train, taxi, tut tuts, coach, golf trolley, 3 days in Bangkok, 6 days touring North Thailand and the Golden triangle - visiting fantastic temples, orchid farms, visiting hill tribes, riding elephants, cuddling tigers! then 5 days on a fantastic island with deserted beaches, did snorkelling, hired a scooter and explored the island - probably shouldn't have read "The Beach" before I went!

That sounds like a most fantastic holiday....why would you worry about what you missed when you were having such a time??
did you not miss Gove, Truss and Wilshaw?

This is what we have been dealing with while you were tanning yourself....and our printers have been working overtime with a deluge of new guidance no one follows

- OBC...still going strong and Ofsted appearing to listen to us...they are in a shambolic mess, inspectors training under scrutiny. Ofsted being made aware at the London meeting that inspectors should not interpret EYFS on variations( there is a feedback on this)

- Nick Hudson Ofsted Director has now taken on the childminding alongside his Early Education remit....poor bloke is bending over under the huge weight!!
Lorna Fitzjohn who was in charge of CMs has been moved to higher education....but she will appear at the OBC meeting in the Midlands this week
The Hudson chap is also on twitter and engaging with us

- An apparent war has broken out between the EY sector on whether schools are best for 2 year olds...not sure how people feel about that but there is mixed reaction...some are looking after their own interests forgetting about the children in all this

- DfE has published the survey on how schools are getting ready for 2 year olds...or not...interesting read there...makes you want to tear your hair out

- Agencies trials are now been evaluated by an independent body ...cost of this over £110,000 as Truss was made to answer in Parliament by Lucy Powell-

- Truss unable to tell how many agencies are being established when questioned in Parliament...that caused a laugh

- DfE has refused to publish results of the ' staff deployment' consultation as they do not deem it in the interest of the public...backlash there from all sorts

- Wilshaw released his annual statement and report and beat the EY sector by blaming us for not getting children ready for school while giving parents a list on how to raise their children

- in the same report he also said the EY sector has achieved the highest level of good/outstanding grades...but that was not enough to castigate us as useless....

- ....This means he wants all 2 year olds marched into schools because they will be better prepared there....panic now as many schools are not ready at all

- As you know Truss met with the 4 associations and a few others in March to discuss agencies.....I don't think anyone came out with any clue of what is going on or at least they are tight lipped about it

- PLA continues to speak up for the sector and ask uncomfortable questions ...they did at London OBC and the Ofsted panel was not amused...but not sure what the others are up to

- Teachers held their annual conference at Easter and will consider boycotting tests for 4 year olds under 'principled non-compliance'

that's it....all in all we have gone round in circles and we are none the wiser!!...except some CMs know better than that and no one is pulling the wool over our eyes!

Welcome back

[hectors house]

Thank you so much for that fantastic update Simone, just think of all the money being wasted on discussing and tearing about childcare as we know it, if the Government had invested that money into subsidising childcare then we could have cancelled out the last 15 months of "More Great childcare" and "More affordable childcare".

I had great delight before I went away in asking our Independent childminding network members to give me their Truss letters, I then wrote a snotty letter to her and sent back the letters suggesting that someone recycle them or use them to line a hamster cage!

"Thank you for your letter sent to all Childminders in England, what a waste of tax payers money on postage that was – 11 childminders all part of Fxxxxx Independent Childminders have clubbed together for a stamp to return your letters, the other 11 members had already put their letters in the recycling bin.

I wrote to you in February last year and voiced my concerns over Agencies as did hundreds of other childminders in England, however our concerns have been completely ignored and now Agencies have been approved.

Then I repeated what I said in original letter that I sent her about Agencies last year

Finished by saying
"Agencies are supposedly being set up to support our businesses - the main part of our businesses we find hardest is finding the time after a 10 hour working day to do paperwork - agencies are not going to do that for us so thanks, but no thanks we do not need them.

I don’t expect you will read this letter, let alone reply to it – the last reply I received was a standard letter – I know this from posts on the Childminding forum and Independent Childminding forum – maybe someone in your office will be kind enough to recycle the copies of your letter that we are returning or maybe shred for hamster bedding!"

It felt good to put that letter in the post box - haven't had a reply but like I said, not really expecting one.