Monday, 24 July 2017

Pine Pixies Pre-School delighted with Ofsted result.

Pine Pixies Pre-School in Formby recently had their Ofsted inspection. Management and staff were very pleased with the result, which was rated 'Good' in all areas.

Pictured below are some of the children at the setting with left to right, Catherine Regan, Registered Person, Co-Managers Martine Platt and Lynda Birtles and Practitioner, Alesha Carr.
























Catherine Regan Registered Person for the nursery, would like to say a very big thank you to the staff, parents and children who all contributed on the day. Also to the Inspector, as she worked well alongside us on the day and put our staff and children at ease.

Catherine says:
"I am very proud of all the staff at my setting, the level of care and patience they show to the children is outstanding. They go above and beyond the job description and the parents appreciate this. Our parents come back time and time again with siblings, which shows they are happy with our service. Our saying is: 'We’re not just a pre-school; we are an extension of your family.' I think this report and the comments from parents show this to be true."





























Although the report only signifies a snapshot from one day, we agreed with the inspector's findings as we have only just started peer observations and these were not completely embedded.

Comments taken from the report are:

"The experienced managers seek the views of staff and parents regularly when evaluating the quality of the provision they offer and planning future changes."

"Staff observe and assess the progress children make to help them identify what they need to learn next. This enables staff to quickly identify any gaps in children's learning and implement plans to ensure they make good progress."

"Staff provide a wide range of exciting and stimulating activities based on children's interests indoors and outside. Children are encouraged to try out their ideas and manage their own risks as they play in the well-resourced garden."

"Parents speak highly of the caring staff team. They particularly value the information staff share about their child's progress. Staff offer guidance on things parents could try at home to help support their child's learning and development."

"Children form strong bonds with staff which helps to develop their sense of belonging. This is because staff support them well through the key-person system."

"Staff are enthusiastic and motivate children in their play. They are always on hand to provide gently reassurance and praise whenever needed."

The report also states that children's outcomes are good. "Children make good progress from the time they start at pre-school. They play very well together, negotiating, sharing and taking turns. Children enjoy solving simple problems and use what they already know in a variety of new situations. They respond positively when staff ask questions and challenge them in their learning and work together to try out their ideas. Children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, including their eventual move on to school. "

Read the full report here: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/CARE/EY233820

A very big thank you goes to the managers of the setting.







































Pine Pixies Pre-School is now taking admissions for the September term. We will be offering the 30 hours to eligible parents. We are registered for 32 children per session and accept children once they turn two years old.

Our opening times from September will be Monday to Friday term time only (38 weeks per year)
Full day (6 hours) 9am-3pm
Half day (3 hours) 9am-12 noon or 12 noon-3pm
9am -1pm (4 hours)

Funding available:
 
Two Year Old Offer

Early Years Entitlement which offers all 3 and 4 year old children up to 15 hours per week of funded early education for 38 weeks of the year.

An  additional 15 hours of funded childcare for families where both parents are working (or the sole parent is working in a lone-parent family), and each parent earns the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the national minimum or living wage, and earns less than £100,000 a year.

Why our ratios are better for your child

Our ratios are higher than a lot of other settings. Usually, we work  above the stated 1 staff member to 8 children for over threes, whereas a lot of other settings work to 1 staff member to 13 children. We think this makes a very big difference to your child.

Book your September place today and open up a world of fun to your child. We are not attached to a school and are very child led. 

01704 571920 or email pinepixiespreschool@aol.co.uk 

Don't just take our word for it listen to our parents-

“Pine Pixies is such a lovely environment for young inquisitive, active minds, it is also a very professional and a warm place for toddlers to make the transition from home to school. All the staff are so lovely and kind and I feel like they really care. My boys have enjoyed their time here.”

“We chose Pine Pixies for PreSchool due to a positive experience with her elder sibling. We have always found Pine Pixies a friendly and caring environment. The staff are Pine Pixies finest asset encouraging, supporting and providing a stimulating learning experience for the children.”

“The Pine Pixies staff have welcomed us into their pre-school with open arms, wide smiles and total professionalism. Our son loves ‘his ladies’ and always has a fantastic time. The days/hours are very flexible and any concerns are dealt with immediately.”

“Nursery teachers are so caring and very attentive to the needs of each individual child. I love the informal play and child-led aspect of learning. I wish this style could continue throughout early years teaching.”

“A lovely setting with lots on offer and friendly caring staff.”





https://www.facebook.com/PinePixiesPreSchool/

https://childcare-support.tax.service.gov.uk/par/app/applynow





Tuesday, 4 July 2017

Pine Pixies Pre-School gardening fun

The children at Pine Pixies Pre-School in Formby have been working hard on their gardening skills.

Sunflowers, potatoes, radishes, runner beans, herbs are just a few of the plants growing well in their garden.










The children planted their runner beans and took them home. When the beans were big enough, they brought them back and are now growing them all together up canes.













We have a staff member who has recently attended a  'sowing and growing course' and we joined the Royal Horticultural Society School Gardening Awards, where we are currently at level 2 with the children. Another staff member takes on the actual planting and tending of the garden with the children. The children love watching their plants grow and are currently working on strawberry plants.

They also love using the herbs in their mud kitchen potions and cakes.

A recent visitor to our garden was a Greenfinch to watch all the fun.



































Our level one award in the RHS gardening was a lovely calendar and certificate.























































Pine Pixies Pre-School is now taking bookings for September placements. We are also offering the full 30 hours childcare funding.  Phone 01704 571920 or email pinepixiespreschool@aol.co.uk to come and view our nursery or put your child's name on our list.

The 30 hours funding is made up of an original 15 hours offered to all children the term after their third birthday. The second 15 hours will be dependent on a family’s eligibility.

If you think you are eligible for the 30 hours funding, please apply as soon as possible using the HMRC website. We recently posted the link on our facebook and website pages, it allows you to enter as a parent and asks questions relating to you / family & income. If found eligible you will receive a confirmation email, which we will need to see and photocopy for our records along with parent's National Insurance number. We will also need to see photo ID information from parents.

With regards to the original 15 hours of funding, it is every child’s right to have 15 hours funding and there is no need to apply; we usually give you a form to complete and hand back to us. If choosing 30 hours it can be shared between two providers’ e.g. nursery / childminder if you so wish or use all at our setting.

We also accept children on the Two Year Old Offer. 


We’re not just a pre-school; we are an extension of your family.

http://pinepixies.webnode.com//


https://www.facebook.com/PinePixiesPreSchool/




Thursday, 1 June 2017

Pre-school childcare community links

This term has seen some lovely community links for Pine Pixies Pre-School children and families.

Chris who runs "Chris Toal Estate Maintenance" very kindly has donated the time, work and equipment needed, to ensure our children have a lovely new growing area in which to grow their vegetables and flowers. We would like to say a very big thank you to Chris and his team. The children have made their own drawings to go on the planter with their ideas of what they would like to grow in it. As you can see their plants are already starting to grow.






















Zoe who is the Community Champion at Dobbies in Southport has donated lots of lovely items such as two large bags of compost, children's tools, seeds, pots and trays so that the children can really get stuck into their gardening. We would like to say a very big thank you to Dobbies and Zoe. Zoe has lots of great ideas for furthering our gardening and has offered more help when we need her advice.





























As you can see below, lots of super items to aid our gardening project.











One of our managers, Martine has attended the Sefton course 'Sowing and Growing'. Here she learnt how to prepare a digging area properly, taught which plants are good and easy to grow with children. She recycled newspapers into pots and milk cartons into fun mini greenhouses. It was then 'hands on' planting - sunflowers and micro vegetables. This is linking up to the Royal Horticultural Society School Gardening Awards scheme.

Another local business 'Falconer Tree Specialists Ltd' has kindly provided us with much needed wood chip to spread across our garden area and the children have really enjoyed using it in their play and mud kitchen.























Our staff member and SENCO-Link Laura, has been attending Parent Champion sessions linking up with Freshfield Children's Centre. We recently invited some parents of our younger children to attend a session at the Children's Centre, where we made calming bottles and spent some time in the sensory room. The Parent Champion course is aimed at building stronger parent partnerships within the Early Years sector. The course covers a number of key areas including, SHINE therapy, weaning fussy eaters, toilet training, dental health, behaviour and sleep routines and mental health and well-being. The course primarily looks to demonstrate how strengthening parental relationship can support home learning and families well being, coupled with the professional continuous development of nursery practitioners.

Cath Regan ©

http://pinepixies.webnode.com//


https://www.facebook.com/PinePixiesPreSchool/


https://www.facebook.com/Chris-Toal-Estate-Maintenance-1452533791718812/


http://www.falconertreespecialists.co.uk/

https://www.dobbies.com/about-dobbies/dobbies-in-the-community/















Monday, 15 May 2017

General Election candidates could save childcare funding crisis



























Childcare funding is a major concern across the country for many different types of providers. Nurseries, pre-schools, childminders, day nurseries, schools are all struggling to deliver high quality care for ridiculously low funding levels. Even though there is not enough funding available, the current government are introducing in September the added 15 hours of childcare to families in what they call "30 hours free funding".

It is not 'free' funding at all as although parents will not have to pay extra, the providers are going to have to make up for the shortfall by themselves. The government have put SO MANY rules into their "30 hours free funding" that it will make many settings unsustainable and many have been forced to close their doors already. Quite a few settings have opted out of even offering the added 15 hours.

We now see a general election looming in four weeks. It is now time for all political parties to put right this chaotic mess and start again. The National Day Nurseries Association (N.D.N.A.) have put forward an election manifesto of their own to put funding levels right.

The N.D.N.A. say:

"Our election manifesto includes five steps that the new government must take to ensure all parents of young children have a great choice of affordable, high-quality and flexible childcare.
  1. Match childcare funding to real costs
  2. Make sure this funding keeps pace with inflation and costs
  3. Exempt childcare providers from business rates
  4. Make VAT on childcare zero-rated
  5. Introduce the Childcare Passport - pooling all funding streams into one easy account for parents". 




The Facebook page "Champagne Nurseries on Lemonade Funding" has been constantly following this campaign and the admins working very hard to make this problem heard. I would advise anybody to look at this page and read the struggles going on to overturn this crisis.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChampagneNurseries/

As a childcare provider myself (Pine Pixies Pre-School, Formby) I urge all parliamentary candidates to put this proposal forward to your party. Now is the time to act and finally see a green light to proper funding for childcare providers and an easier system for parents and settings.



NDNA's Childcare Passport-make the right election move and give it the green light now!







































Cath Regan ©

http://pinepixies.webnode.com//

https://www.facebook.com/PinePixiesPreSchool/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChampagneNurseries/



General Election candidates could save childcare funding crisis













Childcare funding is a major concern across the country for many different types of providers. Nurseries, pre-schools, childminders, day nurseries, schools are all struggling to deliver high quality care for ridiculously low funding levels. Even though there is not enough funding available, the current government are introducing in September the added 15 hours of childcare to families in what they call "30 hours free funding".

It is not 'free' funding at all as although parents will not have to pay extra, the providers are going to have to make up for the shortfall by themselves. The government have put SO MANY rules into their "30 hours free funding" that it will make many settings unsustainable and many have been forced to close their doors already. Quite a few settings have opted out of even offering the added 15 hours.

We now see a general election looming in four weeks. It is now time for all political parties to put right this chaotic mess and start again. The National Day Nurseries Association (N.D.N.A.) have put forward an election manifesto of their own to put funding levels right.

The N.D.N.A. say:

"Our election manifesto includes five steps that the new government must take to ensure all parents of young children have a great choice of affordable, high-quality and flexible childcare.
  1. Match childcare funding to real costs
  2. Make sure this funding keeps pace with inflation and costs
  3. Exempt childcare providers from business rates
  4. Make VAT on childcare zero-rated
  5. Introduce the Childcare Passport - pooling all funding streams into one easy account for parents". 


The Facebook page "Champagne Nurseries on Lemonade Funding" has been constantly following this campaign and the admins working very hard to make this problem heard. I would advise anybody to look at this page and read the struggles going on to overturn this crisis.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChampagneNurseries/

As a childcare provider myself (Pine Pixies Pre-School, Formby) I urge all parliamentary candidates to put this proposal forward to your party. Now is the time to act and finally see a green light to proper funding for childcare providers and an easier system for parents and settings.

NDNA's Childcare Passport-make the right election move and give it the green light now!







































Cath Regan ©

http://pinepixies.webnode.com//

https://www.facebook.com/PinePixiesPreSchool/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChampagneNurseries/

https://www.otsnews.co.uk/30-hours-funding-plan-brings-childcare-crisis/



Monday, 10 April 2017

30 hours funding plan brings childcare crisis


In September 2017 the Government is bringing in the start of the 30 hours 'free childcare'. 

Whilst 15 hours is offered to all children the term after their third birthday, this extra 15 hours is intended to allow parents to get back into work and comes with a certain criteria. 

It is available for families where both parents are working (or the sole parent is working in a lone-parent family) and each parent earns the equivalent of 16 hours a week at the national minimum or living wage and earns less than £100,000 a year. It will be available as long as the family continue to meet the criteria. 

On the face of it, the idea is great. However, the ramifications behind the extra 15 hours funding are immense and will put childcare as a whole in a very dangerous position with many providers having to close their doors due to unsustainability. This is affecting childminders, pre-schools, day nurseries, nannies, EVERY area of the sector. 

A facebook page called "Champagne Nurseries on Lemonade Funding" has been created, which tells the stories of many providers' problems and keeps up to date on current issues. The admins of this page are working very hard behind the scenes to try to fix this Government made problem. What they have achieved since starting up one year ago is amazing. All providers owe the admins a great debt of gratitude and need to stay strong behind them. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChampagneNurseries/

So what exactly is the problem? 

It mainly comes down to funding levels being too low. Many providers' rates per hour are £6 plus, but the Government rates actually paid to providers will start at £3.65 being the lowest in some parts of the country to £6.40 the highest in other parts. 

The majority of rates are approximately £4/hour. From this funding providers are not allowed to pay for meals, snack, nappies and other items, so this charge will have to be met by either the parent or the provider's personal money.  

The Government is saying that providers can ask parents for a 'voluntary contribution' for items, what they really mean is that parents are to be asked to make up for the underpayment by the government. The words 'Free Funding' may appear to be highly attractive but it does not quite meet the needs and is highly ambiguous. 

The funding levels will not be sustainable for many and a lot of providers have already closed their doors for good. We are losing Ofsted - rated 'Outstanding' providers who have been in the business for over thirty years. This is because the Government has clearly not analysed the inherent problems involved, regarding their 'free funding' proposals and put together a workable project fit for purpose. 

So for £4 /hour which is frozen now until 2020, what are providers expected to offer? High quality childcare and resources, highly trained staff, wages which rise each year, pensions, staff holiday pay, rent, business rates, food, consumables ie nappies etc, staff meetings, meetings with other professionals to support parents and families and business advertising amongst many other things. 




Many highly qualified staff are earning the National Living Wage which is £7.50/hour because the Government funding will not cover anything higher. Many providers are running their businesses voluntarily and having to manage on tax credits as the business will be unsustainable if they take a wage. 

Childcare Minister, Sam Gyimah said:

"The government is now going further than ever before, and will provide an additional 15 free hours to working parents of 3- and 4-year-olds from September 2017 - delivering on a key manifesto pledge.
As part of this government’s commitment to helping hardworking people, we will be investing more than £1 billion extra per year by 2019 to 2020 to fund the extension of the free childcare entitlement.
The Department for Education will also be piloting a new contract with councils, and consulting on a fairer funding formula for the early years, to help ensure that local authorities are passing the money on to providers, and that providers are given a fair rate.

Would the Minister be happy if he was paid £7.50/hour?  Would the minister be happy if he was asked to continue his job but the outgoings were higher than the Government allowed him to spend? I doubt it.

If the money is there to spend then let's re-look at the funding levels and criteria, let's bring in people who actually work on the ground floor of the childcare sector, to hear what will make settings sustainable. 

Another main concern in some areas is that some school-based nurseries are offering parents a half term of free childcare before their child is eligible for the grant. They can do this because their ratios of adult to child are lower and they have no rental charges etc to pay. 

So you may have a child who is perfectly happy, settled and content in a pre-school/day nursery, with an adult to child ratio of 1 to 8 or higher. The school nursery they will then move to is a ratio of 1 to 13 for a child 'only' just turned three. Many school nurseries will refuse children if not toilet trained so the child 'may' move back and be unsettled further.

I firmly believe that the adult to child ratio for children so young should be the same (1: 8) no matter what type of setting or trained staff are in place. 

Going back to the subject of the 30 hours, many childcare settings are refusing to take the Government up on it due to it making them unsustainable. This means that parents will not have quite as much flexibility to use the 30 hours as they would like to. 

Many childcare professionals are meeting up with MPs to discuss the funding level crisis. 

Pine Pixies Pre-School Owner (Catherine Regan) meeting with Southport MP John Pugh

I met up with John Pugh the MP for Southport on 7th April who listened carefully about the problems in the sector. John stated:

 "The Government have designed a system that is supposed to benefit parents but puts pretty well every childcare provider and nursery in financial jeopardy. If only those directly involved on day to day basis had been properly consulted with, we could have avoided the common crisis. The Government can give all the entitlements they wish but if  no-one can make a living delivering them it's a pointless exercise."

I ask all providers and parents to join the facebook group "Champagne Nurseries on Lemonade Funding" and support each other locally. Meet your MP and local Councillors to make them realise the crisis we are facing. 

SOMETHING has to be done to make all childcare providers sustainable. 

This Government has to be made to realise the catastrophic mistake they have made. Let's REALLY work together to save our essential childcare industry.

The current levels of funding by the Government make countless childcare facilities totally unsustainable. Their ill considered policy is basically an insult to thousands of hard working providers and urgently needs to be addressed. 


Calling all parents:- Have you checked?
Claiming the 30 hours funding may affect any benefits you claim.
If you think this may affect you, please contact the tax credits office to make sure you know the full information before you secure any extra funding hours (30) for September.





























Pine Pixies Pre-School
St Luke's Parish Hall
Formby
L372DB

Telephone: 01704 833039 or 01704 571920
Email: pinepixiespreschool@aol.co.uk

http://pinepixies.webnode.com//

https://www.facebook.com/PinePixiesPreSchool/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChampagneNurseries/


Cath Regan ©

Saturday, 11 March 2017

Pine Pixies Pre-School Library trip

Pine Pixies Pre-School children recently went on a trip to Formby Library.

Some liked to read.........


........ while some just felt like 'chilling out'.


The librarian very kindly did some activities with us, we sang songs and had a story.







While some played in the garden others decided to draw before going home.




Pine Pixies Pre-School would like to say a big thank you to Formby Library staff and to the parents/grandparents and children who joined us.