NCMA Quality First Course .. yay or nay?

**huggableshelly** · 24-04-2009, 09:03 PM

NCMA Quality First Course .. yay or nay?

is this worth doing? it states that I would need to renew the certificate after 3 years ... does that mean do the whole lot again?
http://www.ncmaqualityfirst.co.uk/benefits.html

**sarah707** · 24-04-2009, 09:14 PM

No you don't have to do it again, just update it by saying how much better you have done since you did it.

It costs £100 to update (or it did last year) if I remember rightly.

It didn't take me long but tbh I found it a complete waste of my time and HUGE amounts of paperwork.

Parents don't understand it and are neither interested nor impressed.

It's not a qualification it's a quality standard

**rickysmiths** · 24-04-2009, 11:50 PM

Why don't you do the Herts Quality Standard? They have redone the format. I'm going to a briefing in Hatfield on 19th May in the evening to find out about it cause I've got to renew mine this year. With the old system you had to completely re do it ever three years, the new one is just a renewal every three years.

The dates for the briefings are on the Herts web site Early Years Training.

If you can't find it pm me and I'll send you the details

**mjw** · 25-04-2009, 05:39 AM

I really wouldn't bother with it! I started my reapproval last may . After several phone calls I managed to get someone out to observe me.....5 months later. I am still waiting for the report..she came last December. They can't find any record of the visit so have asked assessor to resend report...that was 2 months ago...still nothing and its a year later now. Want to get my £100 back from them as they have not delivered service I paid for. Thought about getting legal advice but a bit difficult as I would need to contact NCMA!!!!!

Mary

**huggableshelly** · 25-04-2009, 06:24 AM

ty for your replies ladies

I looked at the herts quality standards a few months ago and there was something on there I didnt have to beable to apply for it, cant remember what but will go and look again.

I've got uni to attend today, the final tutorial for the E123. The Eca for that is practicallly done in rough now too.

**christine e** · 25-04-2009, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by mjw

I really wouldn't bother with it! I started my reapproval last may . After several phone calls I managed to get someone out to observe me.....5 months later. I am still waiting for the report..she came last December. They can't find any record of the visit so have asked assessor to resend report...that was 2 months ago...still nothing and its a year later now. Want to get my £100 back from them as they have not delivered service I paid for. Thought about getting legal advice but a bit difficult as I would need to contact NCMA!!!!!

Mary

HI Mary

I also started my reapproval in May last year, had my assessor visit in October and had to wait a long time for report Jan or Feb, portfolio assessor dealt with file quickly and I have just received my new certificate. Glad I stuck it out and got it reapproved after all the work I put into my original portfolio I really felt that I wanted to get the reapproval but was lucky because I managed to get funding for both the original and the reapproval.

Hope you get it sorted out soon

Cx

**wendywu** · 25-04-2009, 07:28 AM

I did not renew mine. Ofsted did not seem that interested that i had done it. Parents were not bothered either.

**tammys-tots** · 25-04-2009, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by wendywu

I did not renew mine. Ofsted did not seem that interested that i had done it. Parents were not bothered either.

i did mine and got a lot out of it, made changes etc.. think it helped me get outstanding, althou i dont no if ofsted knew what it was, she didnt comment on it, prob because i have done loads of other courses, so she just put that in the report. I would do it because it helps you reflect on what your doing. I just paid 60 pounds for mine, i got really good feed back and this encouraged me 2 study for the foundation degree, i have just done the e123 and e124 (level 4 certificate in early years practice).
You also have a chat room on line which is really good,and you can ring NCMA if you dont understand anything.

**Mouse** · 25-04-2009, 09:08 AM

I thought it was a waste of time. I'd not long done the NVQ3 and a lot of the work was similar, so it wasn't difficult. It didn't take all that long to do and I don't think I learnt anything from it.

Parents aren't in the least bit interested about it and I don't even bother listing it in my qualifications & courses studied.

**westbrom44** · 25-04-2009, 01:58 PM

Hi, I did the Quality First level 3 and my NVQ 3 at the same time. It was required as part of being a Network Childminder. It was an awful lot of work. I paid £50 to do the QF, as it was partly funded through the Network.

I always make sure that parents look at my certificates, but they arent that interested!

It hasnt made any difference to the way I work, and to think I will have to pay £100 to renew!

**Allie** · 25-04-2009, 02:26 PM

It's a good course if you can't get out to do an nvq

Allie

TheBTeam · 25-04-2009, 05:11 PM

I have the Herts quality standard that needs renewing this november, but to be honest it helped me get my paperwork into a clear and concise pack, but i am probably not going to renew it as it hasn't made any difference to what people seem to think of us or been any kind of factor in whether we get business or not.

**huggableshelly** · 25-04-2009, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by tammys-tots

i did mine and got a lot out of it, made changes etc.. think it helped me get outstanding, althou i dont no if ofsted knew what it was, she didnt comment on it, prob because i have done loads of other courses, so she just put that in the report. I would do it because it helps you reflect on what your doing. I just paid 60 pounds for mine, i got really good feed back and this encouraged me 2 study for the foundation degree, i have just done the e123 and e124 (level 4 certificate in early years practice).
You also have a chat room on line which is really good,and you can ring NCMA if you dont understand anything.

I'm almost at the end of completing e123 and e124 so looks like I wont gain anything new from QF.... or atleast I think!

**huggableshelly** · 25-04-2009, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by TheBTeam

I have the Herts quality standard that needs renewing this november, but to be honest it helped me get my paperwork into a clear and concise pack, but i am probably not going to renew it as it hasn't made any difference to what people seem to think of us or been any kind of factor in whether we get business or not.

come round to mine go through my policies set them right for me and help me gret that outstanding lol.

Ofsted have visited 4 local cms over the last 2 wks so they arent too far from visiting me now ... knowing my luck it will be next wk yay but about time too.