to find it interfering and even slightly sinister that my childminder wants to communicate with the school?

[parakeet]

She's given me a (sealed) envelope, asking me to give it to my child's teacher. It has a note (to me) on the back saying she'd like to know about their lesson plans.

I asked my childminder what it was all about and she said Ofsted had told her to do it, so she can coordinate educational activities with the school. My (five-year-old) child is normally only with my childminder for two hours a day, two days a week (apart from school holidays). So I'm not really expecting my childminder to do anything educational with her, just pick her up after school, give her tea and let her wind down after school.

Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I don't see the need for other professionals to be bypassing me to communicate about my child. She doesn't have any SN. The teacher gives parents weekly sheets giving info about what they're doing that week and I offered to give a copy to the childminder each week, but no, she wants the teacher's lesson plans. I have a feeling the teacher won't particularly want to do this either, or is this standard?

[Lucyinthepie]

Of course it isn't standard. Have you opened the envelope?

[BitOfFun]

She sounds bonkers.

[eurochick]

I'd definitely open the envelope...

[bubblesincoffee]

It seems a bit extreme, but if she wants to be able to enhance the ducation that your child is getting at school, surely that's a good thing?

[MissPenteuth]

Sounds odd. You could open it, read it, and then put it in a new envelope?

[itisnearlysummer]

I'd open too I think.

I can pretty much guarantee the teacher won't be handing over weekly plans to your childminder!

[Mumwithadragontattoo]

I wouldn't deliver anything to the school which I didn't know the contents of. I think you need to open the envelope. If it is as she describes and you are willing for a certain amount of coordination between the school and childminder then you can take it in in another envelope. If it is about anything else then you'll have to raise it with the childminder.

[SarahStratton]

What does it say inside?

No way would I hand that over, my 2 were with childminders on and off for a bit and I never heard of anything like that. How bizarre of her.

[RitaMorgan]

Yes, it's an Ofsted thing - all providers are supposed to communicate with other providers about children covered by the EYFS.

[Mabelface]

Sounds like she wants to enhance and build on what the teacher is doing for EYFS. It's not unheard of for nurseries and childminders to liaise in this way with school.

[AmazingBouncingFerret]

Oh god you need to open it now!
You can't just start a thread on mumsnet about an unopened intriguing letter and leave us hanging!

[itisnearlysummer]

But surely the weekly overview would be sufficient if she wants to keep her own planning relevant!

I still can't see the teacher handing over her weekly planning!

[Terraviva]

Whoa! That sounds completely mental... Bonkers... Red flags a-waving!

Open the envelope.

[itisnearlysummer]

Open the letter now and tell us what it says!

[parakeet]

Oh Blimey, I was going to meekly hand it over but now I'm tempted to look inside. From what she said it sounded like this was absolutely standard and a requirement from Ofsted.

[DogsBestFriend]

I'd open the envelope, read the contents, destroy/keep as apt depending on how mad/offensive/worrying it is and then find another CM because this one sounds barking.

Your child's education is YOUR affair, not the CMs and the CM is in YOUR employ. It is not for her to exclude you from matters regarding your child and it is not for you to be her bloody postwoman either.

[iMemoo]

Hmm very bonkers.

[itisnearlysummer]

Tbh, I wouldn't hand something to the teacher like this without reading it first. This is your child. She isn't owned by the school/childminder!

[firsttimer84]

Bizarre! Plus do the teachers really have time to do this? Imagine if they had to do lesson plans for every pupil who was being childminded.

I wouldn't want my child doing more educational stuff after school if they were 5, they need to play and be children for a bit before homework kicks in. (IMO)

[RitaMorgan]

I don't think it's bonkers at all - Ofsted have told her she's supposed to share information and that's what she's doing. Maybe she isn't going about it the right way but Ofsted have a tendency to tell providers what to do but not how.

[mo3d]

Open the envelope!

If you stick it back down your childminder will none the wiser and the teacher won't know that the childminder didn't open it and seal it again before giving it to you

It's about your child. Why wasn't the cm more specific? Or even let you read it before she got you to be her postie?

[itisnearlysummer]

I think she should be satisfied with the weekly overview that the parents get. After all, the reasons the parents get it is so that they can support their children's learning at home. e.g. if they've been learning about capacity, you can ask your child to fill a bottle half full etc.

I'll say it again, the teacher will not be handing over her planning!

[TwistAndShout]

It's just a way of sharing information between Early Years providers. It IS a requirement of Ofsted that information is shared. You might not like the way she has gone about it but it's ceratinly not sinister!

[itisnearlysummer]

Have you opened it yet?!

[RitaMorgan]

I feel sorry for the childminder! I doubt she wants the extra hassle of school lesson plans, she just feels that's what Ofsted want.

Just tell her you're not happy about this and she'll have to refer back to Ofsted.