CM club - do you 'Sparklebox' your setting?

[WorriedMary]

Or do you go for a more subtle approach?

I can't decide what my approach is going to be. I know there was controversy over Sparklebox and it is banned in a lot of schools.
Surestart and many other setting use a more 'natural' approach. And seem to have a less busy environment.

What display things do you have up?

And do you think Sparklebox is really necessary? Do the children benefit?

I've been minding for 13 yrs without sparkle box, so it's not necessary for me. The children have made some posters about food, but find the garden more interesting than anything else.

Thank you, I thought not.
I just see photographs of CM 'playrooms' all done up and wondering if I do my mindees a disservice.

I do display their work though and do crafts but they tend to take them home.

No.

I don't have displays up though. I like my house (not setting) to look like a house.

No idea what sparkle box is but my house is a home not a nursery so no signs or posters up, no playroom (not that I wouldn't live one ) and artwork gets photographed for LJ then goes home. I have a pin board that comes out Monday - Friday with the relevant certificates, any birthdays & monthly theme but that's the only clue I'm a childminder except noise & and toys everywhere

Sparklebox was banned because its creator and owner was convicted of child pornography offences, not because of its garish materials.

YY MrAnchovy, iirc part of the site was for photos of youngsters and their sparklebox creations to be uploaded/added.

I feel like that though, it's my home not a nursery - but feel under pressure from early years and other CM's to make it like a nursery

Do Ofsted have any preference? Do you lot who have a home rather than a setting still get Good or Outstanding grades?

(I knew there were issues with the previous owner getting convicted, but I also read an article slamming teachers etc for using the site as its lazy and unimaginative not to mention a little bit garish!)

Why do you believe that NickNacks?

The web site still states that it is owned by SparkleBox Teacher Resources Limited and Companies House still shows Samuel Kinge to be a director and the sole shareholder of that company.

Not through anything official- hearsay I guess although the person who said seemed to be sure.

I'm shocked if you're right because I thought it was ok to use them again... Eek!

It's still banned at my son's school, or rather they have to print it off at home because they can't access it at school.
Some of the classes have loads of Sparklebox and others don't.

Worried I got a good

That's great
I just keep comparing myself to other CM's and one had a full on Chinese Restaurant set up courtesy of Sparklebox (pics on Facebook I was snooping) So I did some stuff off there copied her and the kids (EYFS age) have just ignored it!
Lesson learnt I think!

Please don't use Sparklebox - every click on his site puts money into a twice convicted paedophile's pocket.

Sorry ill report my post. Genuine mistake.

If you want a sparkle box look without using sparkle box, try the website twinkl it's very similar ( and hopefully not run by a paedophile).

WorriedMary - I got outstanding and although I have a playroom, it is not covered in childrens artwork. I photograph their work and send it home. I have the food posters the children made and an A4 sheet of paper with house rules. Occasionally a couple of other things pop up. I did recently put a front porch on the house, to keep everyone dry at drop off/pick up and it was a great space to put pegs for the children, so all their junk lovely stuff is outside my home.

Yes, Twinkl is lovely

Thanks for the Twinkl recommendation :)

I had read about the criminal conviction but just assumed it would've been sold on. I can't believe that Schools still use it!

Not sure whether I want my house to look like a nursery if I can get away without it looking like that.

I won't have that man's stuff in my house. He designed it. So Sparklebox say he's nothing to do with them now! And everyone believes him, just like they believed he was SAMUEL not DANIEL! Of course he profits from the site.
Sparklebox is tainted. It will always be tainted. Daniel Kinge is a twice convicted paedophile and a proven liar.

No-one has to have his stuff. There are plenty of other places to down load resources if you like that sort of thing.

When I was looking for a school for my DC, I walked into a Reception classroom that was full of it. As an abuse survivor, it made me feel physically sick to be suddenly confronted with his resources and his company name. I walked out of that school and I refused to send my DC there. If they are prepared to finance a known paedophile and display his work to a classroom of young children, I don't want my child going there.

How would I recognise something as being from 'spaklebox'?, without googling the stuff.

It has the Sparklebox logo on it! You can't cut it off it's parts of the picture.

One of the reasons I chose childminder care instead of nursery for my son is because i wanted a home environment for him. I really feel for you all having to follow the EYFS when I just want someone who will take care of my son in their home. There's plenty of time for targets and paperwork later

So please leave your walls as they are