Does Anyone Else Use Pla Policies?

[AnonyMouse_35585]

We have previously adapted the pre-school learning alliance policies and procedures to meet the requirements of our setting.

 

Has anyone else used these? How have you/do you plan to change the key themes and commitments section to match the new eyfs?

 

Hope that makes sense.

[Guest]

Hi , we use the PLA policies and have recently been slated from Ofsted due to the use of these policies They said they are to long winded and need to be extremely condensed down.

 

When i have looked at them they do seem to be very detailed, but in my opinion cover everything. Surely" too much" is better than" not enough" ???

 

Yet another load of paperwork to do and thats without even looking at the new EYFS !!

 

Not enough hours in the day :blink:

[AnonyMouse_13453]

I was told to get rid of the jolly bands of colour, because as soon as Ofsted see that they know they are PSLA and are more likely to go through them with a fine tooth comb to see if you are following them to the letter. So I've done that and given them a more 'in house' theme. They are rather long winded, but as you say, surely that's better than not enough? The versions I wrote may moons ago were a lot less wordy and more about common sense

[AnonyMouse_35585]

Thanks both. Cait I did think about removing the coloured band as like you people know exactly where they have come from! I think I will do this and make them look like our other documents.

[AnonyMouse_8466]

Interesting, isn't it? I used the PLA policies and our inspector thought they were well customised for our setting, and were comprehensive. And when I had my run in with Ofsted after a parent complained about me, they scrutinised my child protection/safeguarding policy and deemed it suitable.

[Guest]

I used them as a basis for my setting and just tweaked them so it was not obvious where they had come from and made them more personal to my circumstances. I was then able to use the same format when writing any new policies

[AnonyMouse_13453]

Yes, I was a bit miffed as I'd gone to the bother of making our existing other policies match, with the pretty coloured bands and the numbering etc. Oh well, as long as they are tailored to be actually OURS and we follow them and know what's in them, surely that's the most important thing.

 

BTW, I rang PSLA to ask if I could put them on our website once they were tailored, and was told I could if they were pdf files.

[AnonyMouse_19762]

Hmmmm - I use them - Ofsted didn't comment at all.......

 

Wish the PSLA would get on with the updates

[AnonyMouse_12960]

anyone know when the revised pols and procedures will be available from the psla?? I looked today, and got " page not found".......

[AnonyMouse_19762]

Hi - I think that when I looked at the beginning of July - they were saying September - I remember thinking 'well that's great (not) when I need to update during the summer hols.........

[AnonyMouse_13453]

I have looked this week and go the page ok, nothing new though. Staff handbook had some changes in March or something. I wish they'd email or something to let us know when they've made changes.

[AnonyMouse_3735]

last time they came well after the eyfs was in use... remember ordering and them not arriving until I had actually left the setting in the December sometime I think it was...

 

I always redid them on our headed paper and thinned them down a lot... the thing with policies is if they are too detailed it is easy to be 'tripped up' by not following them to the letter and then being 'caught out' .

 

When Ofsted investigated us we did find that by it not being very specific in the policies it was fine to do as we had at the time.. had the policy been more detailed and we had not followed it to the letter we would have had more problems... so as it was they said unsubstantiated and nothing to note... could have gone the other way with a very detailed policy not followed to the letter.. and we all know sometimes common sense kicks in and we do as we fell appropriate at the time... which is not always what the policy may say..

[AnonyMouse_19762]

Thanks Inge - food for thought there......

[Guest]

What really annoyed me was when a parent made a complaint, Ofsted criticised the policies , yet only 3 months earlier Ofsted had praised us for our excellent policies and procedures as part of our inspection. Same policies, different inspector !

Edited August 13, 2012 by lovemyjob

[Guest]

I was told to get rid of the jolly bands of colour, because as soon as Ofsted see that they know they are PSLA and are more likely to go through them with a fine tooth comb to see if you are following them to the letter. So I've done that and given them a more 'in house' theme. They are rather long winded, but as you say, surely that's better than not enough? The versions I wrote may moons ago were a lot less wordy and more about common sense

That is exactly what Ofsted said, personalise them specific to your own setting and the more i look at it now, the more that actually makes sense. God, i hate admitting Ofsted were right lol!!!!!

[AnonyMouse_30128]

for those of you who do use them...i have just had an email from them saying they will be released on the 20th August.....!

[AnonyMouse_13453]

Oh right, thank you.

[AnonyMouse_19733]

I have theirs but not had an email, I wonder if that means I won't get to hear about the update

[AnonyMouse_13453]

I don't usually get to hear about updates, it seems it's up to me to check in every now and then!

[AnonyMouse_3975]

Thanks

 

[AnonyMouse_19762]

Hmmmm - thanks......I have let my membership lapse this year, first time ever - so I might not get the updates.......might have to buy again.........

[AnonyMouse_30128]

i had emailed them so that i could work out when they might appear. I have signed up for them online and used the templates from there so i should (and usually do) get automatic emails updating me... i find it a great way to ensure i am legally up to date too (am also registered for employee handbook etc)

[AnonyMouse_19733]

Ditto finleysmaid I'm not a member but bought the book for policies (also employee handbook too!) and have had emais in the past when policies have been updated but have not heard anything about update to EYFS 2012. I'll keep my fingers crossed and maybe someone on here will remind me nearer the time when they release them!!!

[AnonyMouse_13453]

i had emailed them so that i could work out when they might appear. I have signed up for them online and used the templates from there so i should (and usually do) get automatic emails updating me... i find it a great way to ensure i am legally up to date too (am also registered for employee handbook etc)

 

I have both of those publications but don't get any email notifications when they update them

[AnonyMouse_30128]

I have both of those publications but don't get any email notifications when they update them

Humm.... have you registered them online (using the code at the front of the book)? you will need to log on and create a password (slight problem for us as myself and deputy registered different ones! :blink: ) i Then i get sent a direct email to my own inbox telling me there are changes....then i would have to logon to get the full info

[Guest SamG]

I read that the policies for the revised EYFS would be a new product so not sure whether we will get automatic updates which might mean we have to buy them again (and I only bought mine in June!)

[AnonyMouse_13453]

 

Humm.... have you registered them online (using the code at the front of the book)? you will need to log on and create a password (slight problem for us as myself and deputy registered different ones! :blink: ) i Then i get sent a direct email to my own inbox telling me there are changes....then i would have to logon to get the full info

 

Yes, done all that. Strange then eh?

[AnonyMouse_30128]

well unfortunately think Sam is correct ....having read their email it reads that it is a new publication.

Cait that is a bit strange......i can't remember if i had to tick a box for email alerts or anything....i'll ask my deputy and see if she can remember. I guess you could email them and ask...i got a response very quickly when i asked about the policy book (wouldn't suggest you ring their phone system is stupid! :blink: )

[AnonyMouse_13453]

No, I've come up against their phone system in the past!

[AnonyMouse_3393]

I hope it isn't a new publication as I only bought mine in June too. Did not realise about logging on so thank you will have a look now :1b