CM Club: Went on my EYFS course on Saturday......

[KaySamuels]

we watched a really fantastic video of wingate nursery, it was 10mins edited down from one day and it really reminded me why I love working with kids.

They were all so capable and happy and confident, exploring the world and having great fun with the staff and their little friends.

I am determined to review my whole practice, get familiar with my pack and set it all up so it disrupts our play and my spare time as little as possible.

Wanted to link the video clip but I can't find it!

glad you enjoyed it Kay]..im doing my 3rd aprt of the course tonight.diff location so wont know anyone, but i do enjoy them, plus i get to gloat as i already do a lot of what theyre asking for and when i see the others panic i sit back and relax

only done first part as at college as well so strugle with time. i am at a loss really and dont know whether i understand alot of it. must be bit stupid!!

your not stupid, its bascally what your already doing, thats why some find it ahrd to understand..its mainly for older cm's(been doing it years before ofsted) who may need to be brought up to speed..its just about making sure each child gets opportunities to be themselves, express themselves and develop at their own pace really

Sorry, PinkChick, but are you saying that older CMs (by which I hope you mean CMs with more experience) don't allow the children to 'be themselves, express themselves and develop at their own pace'? My wife has been a CM for 21 years and she does a fantastic job with her children. The proof is seen in the results as the children turn out well and the parents are very happy with the care their children receive.

IMO EYFS is really here to benefit the government and not the children as it ensures that CMs do things the Ofsted way. Another inevitable bonus for the government is that, as more and more CMs give up, there will be less settings to inspect and they can then manage with less Ofsted inspectors.

PC!!!!!! Most OLDER CM's have been doing precisly what you are being taught now for years!

PinkChick - go and sit in the corner!!

What irritates me beyond belief is that, as one of the "older childminders" who remember life before Ofsted, I am now a network CM with oodles of training and the ability to produce paperwork which impress Ofsted immeasurably. It is my choice to be on the network, so I will behave myself and produce a nice, new set of paperwork.

However, it is my choice - this idea that it is "already what you are doing" does not apply to all childminders. There are many childminders who do a wonderful job of caring for their minded children, but they might not understand the Birth to Three, and may even struggle with the list of Standards required by Ofsted - but it does not mean that the children suffer as a result. As long as the parents and their children are happy with this, then that should be acceptable.

The new EYFS is compulsory. That is what I have an issue with. Parents should have the choice of the type of childcare they want. If they want a childminder who pootles along and everyone is happy, that is their choice. If they want an all-singing, all-dancing childminder with bells on, then that is also their choice.

It was my third course too pinkchick. I was worried to begin with that I wouldn't be able to pootle (loving that word) along, but I am becoming more reassured that it is things I do now, and that once I get quick simple planning and obs sheets set up it won't be a big deal.

Don't think PinkChick meant anything negative towards experienced cms, BTW.

We know Kay, but she can sit on the step for a minute a year And then bring TP and I tea and cakes.

The tea and cakes are only for me and Shoshe though, PinkChick shouldn't get any reward for unacceptable behaviour!!

... hang on a minute ... just need to get a post-it note to write down what she might have learnt from this little exercise ... oh, and a quick photo just to prove it ...

I'm not really cross with you, PC, but may need to make note of your behaviour in my new Incident Book!

The tea and cakes are only for me and Shoshe though, PinkChick shouldn't get any reward for unacceptable behaviour!!

... hang on a minute ... just need to get a post-it note to write down what she might have learnt from this little exercise ... oh, and a quick photo just to prove it ...

I'm not really cross with you, PC, but may need to make note of your behaviour in my new Incident Book!

... twice ... just to be sure ...

Er, you two! Sounds like a bit of bullying going on here! Watch yourselves, or this here old/retired CM will place your bottoms firmly on the naughty step! (God knows how long you'll be there, if we go for 1 min per year!)

You alright PC, you know their barks are worse than their bites right?!

Passes Tea and cake round to everyone!

You can stay out of it deserter {wags finger) we will keep these young pups in line.

(You dont think we have upset her do you, she hasnt come back)

As you will see from her first post, the poor thing is blissfully unaware of what's going on! She's doing the 3rd part of her EYFS tonight!

Yes well [grumpy old CM face)

Well I've not been on an EYFS course yet! And at this rate I won't get on one before September as there are just not enough of them for the number of cm's in the area! Oh well!

I have no idea if I am doing it or not! I'm sure I already in corporate some of it into my care, but I know paperwork is certainly not my forte! I will definitely need to be more organised and have some obs sheets etc at hand in order for me to remember!! I suppose I might be considered a minder that does 'pottle' (loving that word too ) along, although I do structured things with the children and am active in the district cm association.

God knows where that leaves me with regard to EYFS but I for one am not going to get my knickers in a twist about it. I am full and all my mindees and their parents are happy and that is what I got into this for!

whoa, hold the phone!!!..before i get stoned...on the courses ive been on, same as the one tonight its been the older(yes i mean childminding for longer not older in age) that are thinking its a big unheavel when in actual fact its what we're all doing right now, the older/more experienced cm's think they have to learn it all again and do something new, but they dont, its exactly what theyre doing now..apart from maybe diaries which again IME, the girls on my course who have been doing this years, dont do, so thats the only change!!...FFS, i wasnt saying older cm's dont know wwhat theyre doing!....

whoa, hold the phone!!!..before i get stoned...on the courses ive been on, same as the one tonight its been the older(yes i mean childminding for longer not older in age) that are thinking its a big unheavel when in actual fact its what we're all doing right now, the older/more experienced cm's think they have to learn it all again and do something new, but they dont, its exactly what theyre doing now..apart from maybe diaries which again IME, the girls on my course who have been doing this years, dont do, so thats the only change!!...FFS, i wasnt saying older cm's dont know wwhat theyre doing!....

cheers Kay and MO,never has something someone (Another childminder for that matter) said been more misconstrued(sp)..just got in from my course, thought id have a sit down and chat but not in the mood now. enjoy the rest of your night.

OH PC come back we were only taking the Mickey.

Hey chick, get yourself in the Bar and Shoshe will buy you a big old drink. If you look, the first post, from someone I don't think we usually associate with CMing did take it the wrong way. But, tbh, HE wasn't even a minder, he was talking on behalf of his wife. SHE probably would see it the same way as Shoshe & TP, who were actually lightening it up again for you. You know them both well enough, to know they weren't p*ssed with you.

Sorry, ladies, if I upset anyone, but I am only saying what my wife would have said. I may not be a CM, but I do lots of stuff to help her like accounts, help with the design of all of the paperwork that is related to childminding, policies, etc plus I am quite often off work when she is minding so I've a good idea of what goes on.

We are both active in the Open EYE group and are against the EYFS in its statutory form, as are many other CMs, so it isn't just that my wife doesn't like being told to work differently, we do know a bit about what we are talking about.

And I promise not to upset PC again.

No-one, least of all me and Shoshe, meant anything seriously PinkChick! We were just taking the mickey out of being older (in age and pre-Ofsted!!) minders. And I don't want to sit on the naughty step for every minute of my age because I would still be there at Christmas.

My rant is at the inflexibility of the EYFS, nothing to do with anything you said. I have been doing some EYFS training too, and totally understand that it might only require a few changes for many of us - I am just really miffed that it will push out some very lovely CMs who might prefer to work differently to others. They should have that choice, and parents needing minders should have that choice.

I am really sorry that you thought I was having a go at you. I don't do that to other childminders.

oh dear! I think this whole EYFS thing is causing such conflict and stress! everyone remember: the reason we have loyal customers/parents is because we are fantastic at what we do. This new system means that we have to find time to write it all down. I understand what pinkchick means, and certainly in my area, a lot of people are going to stop childminding because of it, and are even taking about not being registered. There are some people who are stuck in the mud about all of this, and without being rude, it is gonna happen: therefore we either all work together to carry on providing a great service to the kids that we care for, and try to find the best way to work with it, OR we have arguments, which is very silly! Oh dear....I really have been resolving problems with children for too long haven't I !!!