Elizabeth Truss writes to LAs in England

[SueFinanceManager]

Elizabeth Truss, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and Childcare, has today written to Local Authorities in England about how they can encourage more high quality affordable childcare provision in their area.

 

See the letter here

[AnonyMouse_1469]

i asked my EYAT about this and was told not to worry, it won't happen in our area, as there is no money for it. I said govt is going to put money in and was then told that was news to her, but she would let me know if she hears anything (!)

[SueFinanceManager]

Well I rather wondered where any comments about funding to support LAs in supporting settings was but I decided perhaps I hadn't read it properly

[AnonyMouse_19762]

:blink: I'm confused (I know it doesn't take much) - has she any idea what's actually happening away from Westminster - Kent (and I'm sure many other LAs) is cutting support - there is no budget at all.........

[SueFinanceManager]

I agree sunnyday.....you cannot ask the LA to get settings to make changes without the LA having the resources to offer the support the settings might need

[AnonyMouse_9650]

I'm not quite sure how she thinks the schools are going to take all these 2 year olds in my area. We don't have sufficient capacity for the four year olds going into reception and over the past couple of years classrooms have been taken out of mothballs, existing schools have had to add classrooms and "bubble classes" and new schools have opened.

Also I can't wait to see her take on the teaching unions in order to change the current Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD). This will surely be necessary if she requires teachers to be working directly with these little ones from 8.00am to 6.00pm.

I also can't quite see what measures any LA will be able to use to "persuade" pvi settings and home based carers to take more funded two year olds without significant financial incentives and much much much better rates of funding (oops there I've gone and mentioned money !!!)

[AnonyMouse_1027]

Ha cant wait to see what we say to respond to her - she is very unpopular

[AnonyMouse_22106]

The statement that reads

'we are changing the law so that school nurseries can take 2yr olds, without re-registering'

 

Does that mean same ratios of 1:4, does anyone know?? Or will it go up if they have teacher status??

[AnonyMouse_12805]

So if they have teacher status 2 of them can look after 26 2 year olds.

My word, she is a very sill and short sighted woman, isnt she. I would love to know where she gets her information from.

Like Sue our LA is having to find places for an extra 150 children this Sept. Then as from sept 15 start a program to build an extra reception class permanently for a number of schools. Quite what will happen to these children when they hit high school is yet to be decided!! So I'm wondering who does she think will take the two year olds, none of the nursery schools in our LA had room for the amount of 3 year olds applying- never mind taking in younger. However our LA has just commissioned 4Children to 'support' settings and offer training for those taking 2 year olds. They dont seem to realise that with the amount of funding being paid and the restrictions placed on us re a free place, we are eventually going to run out of steam.

[AnonyMouse_3139]

Well that explains why our local CC manager has suggested to us that we take 2 year olds. She's being badgered from above, she almost said as much to our deputy.

The woman has no clue does she? She wants 2 year olds in settings which are good or outstanding, meanwhile Ofsted are being less lenient with settings in rented accomodation who might have landlord restrictions on their environments, so outstanding or even good might start to be a struggle.

I absolutely don't think she gets her information from any recognised source Sue, what do they put in lucky bags these days, anyone know?

[AnonyMouse_13401]

This letter doesn't mention a change in ratios so it should still be 1:4 for 2 year olds.

[AnonyMouse_22106]

This letter doesn't mention a change in ratios so it should still be 1:4 for 2 year olds.

Lets hope so - she didn't get her own way before when she wanted to change ratios, could this be another way around it??

[AnonyMouse_13401]

When this issue came up before, I went to dept of Ed. There was a lot of back an forth between ofsted and d of e. Went to lawyers and 'for purposes of registration' means just that. Not ratios!!!! Took quite a while to get there.

[AnonyMouse_12960]

This letter just made me laugh. I can only imagine how the Head of early Years in my LA will have reacted. I'd imagine by filing the letter very carefully in the only recepticle suitable for it i.e the round "file" that lives under his desk and is emptied nightly by the cleaners!

We have a national crisis finding places for stautory school aged children, which in many areas is putting schools at breaking point. Who on earth decided that pushing 2 year olds into the mix was going to help?

PVI's had the wool pulled over their eyes when it came to the introduction of 3 year old funding many many moons ago. We are all older and wiser now, and thats why so many of us have just said "NO" to the 2 year old offer. Seems to me that those in power are getting a bit desperate as to how on earth they are to meet their 2 year old promise..... SHAME!!!!!!!

[AnonyMouse_22106]

I wonder if it depends on which area of the country you are in

In my area most schools take the day the children are 3yrs old and some schools are already starting to take in 2.5yr olds albeit in the 'private wrap around' bit (which is of course governor run!) - so in a way it's already happening