AnonyMouse_12960 Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 I have had a very long read, and was really quite incensed by some of the content. I HAD NOT realised that the SFF was NOT meant to level the playing field in terms of funding, rather was meant to give transparency. I was also incensed by the comments that suggested that PVI's hadn't chosen to provide financial data for the SFF. I was certainly never asked, and would have been all too keen for someone to scrutinise my books and work out that we can't survive on current funding levels. I was also disgusted by the suggestion that state nurseries should recieve more funding than PVI's as they deliver such outstanding care.....no wonder.....they aren't having to pay their staff peanuts, they have access to admin help, a head teacher, don't work on the same ratios, caretakers etc. In my setting I have to be all of these things....for no pay at all. Am beginning to wonder if I should just withdraw from early years altogether.
AnonyMouse_73 Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 No don't do that EYFS1966! I've scanned through, its pretty long isn't it? I think the report says that those who thought there would be a level playing field would possibly be disappointed and there would inevitably be winners and losers (I think we knew that already didn't we?) The issue over the cost of your provision, may well be worth taking up with your LA. I know that we sent out surveys as did many other LAs, and the response was not great, as given by the report.. this would have been end 2007 I think or therabouts. Could you ask them what they did to consult with you on this? Although no firm decision has been made on this, it certainly reads to me that any setting could receive the quality supplement, not just those in the maintained sector. Depending on the criteria used (which again is a hot debate), roughly 2/3 of PVI provision (assuming OFSTED gradings were the criteria used)would get this supplement. Yes the maintained sector would get it too, as 99% of provision there is good/outstanding (again assuming OFSTED is the criteria used). I've yet to see how much this supplement is so Id be interested to hearing if anyone in the pilot LAs are getting this already and how substantial it is? My understanding is that LAs will be directed to give this whereas at the moment they can choose to or not. The question for me would be 'Is this enough to employ and pay for higher qualified staff?'
Guest Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 Hi Nottinghamshire are not giving any extra for quality. This is what Nursery World article said: Nottinghamshire County Council wanted to create a formula that was as simple as possible and has not included any supplements for flexibility or quality. John Thorn, head of early years and childcare services of Nottinghamshire Children and Young People's Department, explains, 'I have heard of local authorities with five different funding rates, and low base rates, which to me sounds unnecessarily complicated. The PVI sector is getting a small increase in their hourly rate, and they are able to access a deprivation supplement for children who qualify for free school meals. We do not have any transitional funding, as the maintained sector is covered by the minimum funding guarantee for schools, which will come out of a separate budget. We also decided against including a quality supplement. We couldn't justify funding settings at one rate and then taking funding away if their Ofsted rating is downgraded. It seems counterproductive to take money away from a setting if it is not doing very well.' Mr Thorn believes the impact of the single funding formula on the maintained sector in Nottinghamshire will be minimal because the area has no stand-alone nursery schools, and nursery classes were already being funded based on participation rather than places. 'The maintained sector has always had to manage its places in an appropriate way,' he adds. The early years department at Nottinghamshire County Council also found it a struggle to get financial data from early years settings. Mr Thorn says, 'I would estimate that less than 50 per cent responded to our requests for this information and the information that was provided did not help us to identify any sort of pattern. In the end, we abandoned that approach and worked out the formula based on a 26-place setting and what staff costs were likely to be, plus what rental costs were likely to be in the area. There were no more than ten factors that we had to take into account. I am happy to share what we did with any other local authority.' We are also struggling to get anyone in setting to do higher qualifications ie above level 3. We are all, shall i say, mature ladies with our own busy lives and families and cant quit see what we personally would gain for the extra time and effort put into training. We would all rather do our local LEA day courses. We are aware lots of settings are getting younger staff doing the extra training and have heard that as soon as they are getting it they are leaving for bettter jobs with bettr pay and conditions!
AnonyMouse_12960 Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 Nottinghamshire are not giving any extra for quality. Interesting given that one of the key points of the House of Commons piece is that it says that there MUST be a quality adjustment!! As ever it looks as though LEA's are just making it up as they go along!!
AnonyMouse_73 Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 Interesting given that one of the key points of the House of Commons piece is that it says that there MUST be a quality adjustment!! As ever it looks as though LEA's are just making it up as they go along!! I think this is coming , whereas the information given by Nottinghamshire is based on what they have done as a pilot LA. I think the report is effectively recommending that all LAs once SFF is rolled out, have to give a quality supplement.
AnonyMouse_665 Posted March 27, 2010 Posted March 27, 2010 I am in gloucestershire our base rate is 10p per hour less but we have extra money for deprivation which is based on postcodes of children and this year an extra payment if you are loosing money as a result of sff my quick calculations show that this does not cover what i have lost. next year they will introduce quality suppliments instead. buttercup
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