How many parents (of nursery age children or younger) are aware that childminders offer funded pre-school sessions?

[KatyMac]

You know the 12.5 hours a week early years education that the government provides for free?

I'm doing a survey - so could people reply

Yes they are aware childminders can offer these sessions
or
No they weren't aware (before Katymac asked)

Thank you

I have no idea what you are talking about - but would like to know, as I pay my childminder for full days even though my DS is at nursery, and I don't know anything about 12.5 hours free?

this is when they are over 3, yes?

no i didn't know childminders offered that.

TheDOGmamma - it is only 15 hours in some areas

DSM not all childminder only some can offer nursery education so instead of going to nursery they could stay at the childminders - presumably you don't pay for nursery (if your DS is over 3)

It was a trail to see if it worked

Yes I knew that, but doesn't the childminder have to be part of a network? So it's not all childminders iyswim?

no idea at all,

I wasn't aware, and DD does go to a CM who is part of a network. But she's only 15mths so not yet eligible, I would probably research it closer the time, if that makes a difference to the survey!

Oh right, so its only some CM's?

Well, no I wasn't aware of it

don't the cms have to have some qualification (not just be registered?)

didnt know but dont use CM.use FT nursery

I didn't know that, and would have assumed it was just nurseries.

no i had no idea

In order for childminders to be able to provide nursery education they have to be part of a network. If that network is full then they cant join. This happened to me years ago, I was childminding and the council wouldnt accept me as they had too many they said, so that is why I opened a nursery. Obviously the childminders have to be accredited too. So not all childminders offer the funded places, to be honest a lot of them arent qualified either ie a nursery nurse level 3 which is a requirement and they do not want all the extra work involved.

But as they are required to implement the EYFS now by law - I think lots more will be becoming accredited so that they can get the benefits of offering this service

I didn't know that! My DS isn't old enough yet, but good to know.

no idea about that

NO idea, it would be great if it was in my area!

I don't know what percentage of childminders do 'nursery funded education' but I guess it is still quite low

But if the gov gets it's own way all childminders will have to have an NVQ3 by 2015 which is a scary proposal imo

How meaningful are the EYFS objectives though, realistically? (Not a loaded question, I'm genuinely curious.) I've looked at the profile book that my CM keeps for DD; I love it, because it gives me a real insight into how they spend their time together and it made me realise that lots of activities that I think of as for older children she's actually quite capable of doing and enjoying, which has broadened what I do with her on my day off and at weekends. And it's good to see the observations recorded because I think encouraging CMs to give that kind of focused attention to observing each child engage in different activities and plan others based on that is a really good idea. But can a child playing in a ball pool really be said to be developing numeracy skills? And is that what we want, anyway - isn't play itself enough?

Sorry, completely off the point.

I wasn't aware of it, knew about funded hours at nurseries but wasn't aware some childminders could offer it too. It's something I'd look into closer to the time - hopefully it will still be available then.

no i wasn't aware

DS is in nursery FT currently

fleacircus

play is important but it is also meaningful

a child playing in a ball pool will be learning about shape, i.e, round and the properties of round 3d shapes, about size and space,
she will learn about colours and counting too, about less/more and about concepts such as under/over

this is the point of the EYFS, learning through play

and people should have training and qualifications in order to facilitate this