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?

I am a teacher who has been given a very similar letter in the past. I did find this rather odd because we were already liaising - as much as I do with all the (other) parents/ caters. I really don't think that I need to share with a cm any more than I would share with a parent on a day to day or weekly basis. My HT and our LEA contact agreed wholeheartedly saying the cm was making extra work for herself unnecessarily ( and potentially both myself and the child's keyworker).
In the end we agreed that the parent would share the early learning journal as often as they wanted to and that the cm would note any special achievements/ concerns etc above and beyond the ordinary - which is kind of what I'd have expected of someone in loco parentis anyway!?!

She said "she'd like to know about their lesson plans....so she can co-ordinate educational activities after school".

What educational activities should a rec age child be doing after school?

I explained to my inspector that whatever I put out after school they all crashed and requested CBBC for an hour.She was fine with that and sympathised saying their needs had to be met.I explained I checked regularly with parents as to wether they wanted me to force them into doing other activities.They don't.

I only have school children(non rec) after school 1 day a week.Even before school(strict no tv)2X a week they just want to "play" with my kids in their rooms.I can't force them into activities, surely there is no need if at school all day?

I got outstanding

I think the thing with EYFS is that it's still very new and the guidelines of who should be doing it and how they can prove it, how obs need to be done, were never hugely clear to start with.

So it is entirely possible that the CM is confused about the whole thing and just doing what she thinks she is meant to, or has been told to by her LEA contact, but that other LEA workers would say not to.

Their 'topics' are based on the childs individual interests. That was just a simple example to show how I might build on an interest that had been discovered at school IYSWIM. To show how my activities can be more meaningful to the children in relation to other things they are doing.

My point is every day communication needs to happen and is vital in caring for children. I have a good working relationship with both the schools I pick up from and talk to the teachers everyday. This has built over time, but it started with a letter! This is what the OP's childminder is trying to do I think. Establish a link so that she can build this relationship.

LEA's do enjoy a bit of scaremongering imvho.

Honestly it's this sort of thing that is seriously making me consider how much longer I shall be doing cming.

Obsessive,pointless paperwork is one of the reasons I didn't return to teaching.I don't really fancy doing the same for a fraction of the wages.

Surely "hello I'm childminder" at the school gate would do????

I think some people on here are thinking of 'education' only in terms of academics (math and literacy), whereas, actually children's learning is holistic.

'Just Play' is learning! A professional childcare provider (like your childminder) will understand that. Please don't think that by 'activity' we mean worksheets. An activity could be (an usually is in my house) free play but this can still be based on the child's developmental need and interests.

For example, Child A is struggling with forming letters so his teacher has asked me to incorporate activities that help to improve fine motor skills. Child A is also fasinated by trains. So I provide Brio, and encourage him to build the track for himself. Thus using communication with his teacher, and his interest in trains to indirectly improve his handwriting ability.

The child isn't forced to do the activity either, I just make sure it's available, and as I've planned it based on my knowledge of him, the chances are he will want to play that game.

The communication then goes back to the parent. "Child A had a great time playing with train today, he put the bridge up all by himself!" His teacher says that his writings coming on but could we please practise his fine motor skills at home?

Communication is SO important and I am quite frankly shocked that a parent would dissaprove of that. Can't you see how much the little things can benefit your child?

I don't think anybody is against communication.

Sorry but I think working towards EYFS goals isn't necessary after school.

As an ex rec teacher myself I know that if a child is struggling with letter formation they'll be doing an awful lot of activities that support it at school.The last thing most kids will want to do is carry on banging away at the same goals out of school after a 6 hour day.

After school most rec kids I know are grumpy and knackered. They want to choose their own activities as they've been steered all day.As school are responsible for EYFS that is fine.

Hi, it's the OP back again here. Thanks for all these responses, they have been so informative, especially about my childminder's motives, which I am now reassured are not at all suspect. In case anyone is interested, I am going to pass on the letter (reglued of course).

Considering the small number of hours a week my child is with her, it sounds like a lot of silly box-ticking to me, but I don't want to be responsible for her losing any Ofsted "points". Thanks again to all.

The last thing most kids will want to do is carry on banging away at the same goals out of school after a 6 hour day.

In my example, would the child have known that I planned this activity to be available in order to support the early learning goals? No, he wouldn't have a clue. He's 5. He'd have seen the Brio and thought "cool, trains".

They want to choose their own activities as they've been steered all day

Again, in my example, he is choosing, and I've been thoughtful enough to get out something I know he likes. There are plenty of other toys to choose from as well. I just don't see what your problem is.

Parakeet I'm really glad this thread was helpful. I'm sure your childminder is trying to whats best but maybe just didn't explain very well.

Mila - It's quite weird that you seem to think that all learning should be confined to within the school. Would you include having your child read to you in that? Do you really think that a child playing with trains or colouring in or threading beads on a necklace or doing other fun things, that also help with fine motor skills is, going to consider it extra work?

In my experience of rec aged children after school(I have 3 of my own)they just flop.I have Brio,Lego,KNex,play dough(you name it we have it and all very accessible) but fine motor skill activities are tiring if you've been doing a lot all day.Many children(some of which will be 4) literally just want to flop on the sofa after an exhausting school day.One of my sons is left handed and believe me after a day working on his fine motor skills the last thing he'd want to be doing straight after school is threading beads,doing play dough or anything else intricate with his fingers.

Of course learning shouldn't just be confined to school but we're talking about the hour immediately after school and the walk home.I hear all of my 3 own children read every day but I sure as hell don't do it during the hour after school.During this time they're too busy shovelling a snack into themselves and chilling.It takes mine at least an hour to recharge.

My mindees are all collected at 5 so they go home for tea and read/do homework with their parents after some downtime with me. Their parents want to be involved and to support school themselves.

I

Well different kids are different aren't they. I'm sure most cm's don't force kids to do anything - nothing wrong with them making things available that they could do with practising. If they would rather flop then fine. My nearly 4 yo would draw/play with playdough etc morning til night if she could. No reason why the parents and the childminder can't be involved with educating the child - in fact I think they both should be.

Meant to add that the first thing dd usually wants to do when she gets home from school is read!

what alarms me is that your cm gives you a sealed envelope about your child. you have a right to see all records/data/documents kept about your child. this behaviour seems utterly bizarre and somewhat creepy. she works for you!

What irritates me, as a parent, is Ofsted sticking its nose into what my child does when s/he gets in from school. Mine are, thankfully, too old for this now, but this would have been enough to deter me from using a childminder, if I thought they were being required to ask my child's school for such information. I know all the arguments about steering children towards activities that might help their development blah-di-blah, but it smacks of the nanny state to me and I'd steer clear.
Whatever happened to the good old notion of "using your common sense" when choosing someone you'd trust to take care of your children? Why does everything have to boil down to tick sheets and targets now?

Littlepurple, how do you deal with a child who comes out from school exhausted and doesn't want to choose a toy to play with?

This was a big problem for dcs with their first childminder: she was full of wonderful ideas of educational games and toys and they just wanted to flop. She was a great CM, but they were greatly relieved when we finally let them move to one who was less conscientious. They definitely felt with CM1 that they were not expected to flop- and that very feeling was enough to make them tired. A bit like coming home from a long day at work and having to entertain your MIL, every day.

Well clam it is changing. Have you heard of the EYFS review?

And it's not a case now of requesting written information in such a formal way. All OFSTED want us to do is have an open, friendly relationship, so at the end of the day the teacher can pass on any relevant information. IME the best way to start communication is by writting the teacher a letter when a child first starts with me. This has the added benefit of being written evidence for OFSTED to see as well.

MilaMae none of my children want to 'flop'. Ever. I can't quite believe that a teacher could know so little about children's learning and development.

Cory, if they want to rest of course they can. Mine rarely do though. They tend to calm down after tea and that's when they usually watch TV. That leaves me with an hour and a half to entertain them before tea. I don't know any kids who want to sit and do nothing from 3.15 until 6.00 at night.

Well, my children did want to flop after school. So was that because they didn't know enough about children's learning and development?

sorry, cross-posted.

And now I see you let them watch TV. Our CM was far too conscientious for that: it was all play and educational activities, and dcs were far too polite to say they didn't like it.

I can see that you cross posted but actually YES it does mean your childminder didn't know enough about children's learning and development because if she did she would have recognised their need for rest wouldn't she?

A good childminder will facilitate play for those that need it, and rest for those that need it.

The problem was she was so enthusiastic about her provision that they felt it would be rude to say "no, we would just like you to leave us alone, thank you, and not provide things for us". So they pretended- just like they did at school in subjects they didn't enjoy, or as you do when you have visitors. So she never realised; she would have said like you "my charges never want to rest, they enjoy the activities I provide". So with this particular CM, the CM like a home environment never happened. It was fine with the next one, though.

"I can't believe a teacher could no so little about children's learning and development". What a rude ridiculous comment.

I have a degree in early years,I was a literacy co-ordinator and I was graded "outstanding" during my inspection.I think I know plenty thanks.

As I mentioned before my children all leave at 5pm,they doflop(they go to a very full on school)and I have every activity under the sun all fully accessible should they so choose.I am in close contact with school and my parents who are also teachers and like Cory prefer their dc to be able to relax after a full day at school.

I simply don't think "lesson plans" "educational plans" are necessary for school age children who attend a childmind the best part of 4 hours a week.Ofsted clearly don't either because I checked with my inspector(who incidentally is the most rigorous inspector in our county)and she agreed.

But Mila no-one has said that kids should be made to do educational things - just that they should be available - which you agree with. All kids don't want to flop when they get home from school - I'm sure you are well aware that not all kids are exactly the same as the ones you care for.
As for the pp who said her mindees didn't let her know that they just wanted to chill out - this can be a problem with young kids and the best thing to do is work on their confidence so they are able to express their wishes to teachers and cms. If they won't speak up about activities it's likely they won't speak up aout other things either. It's hardly the cms fault if the kids put on a good act of enjoying her activities. She could equally have been bunging them in front of the tv when they wanted something more stimulating.