MAKE IT ALL INCLUSIVE
I read with interest the feature on the paint area (24 July) which had valid suggestions for resources to paint with. It mentioned hands and fingers, but not feet.
Feet painting itself is always a fun activity, but how many settings have tried foot painting and mouth painting with brushes? We did this following some in-house training with our area SENCO when we thought about how our setting is an enabling environment for children with special needs. This was one activity which was easily made inclusive.
Settings don't always need to provide tables and easels to do craft and painting, or any activity for that matter. Most things can be taken to floor level. Many children enjoy lying or kneeling down to play.
Maybe Nursery World could aim to always ensure that articles of this nature are SEN-inclusive, instead of having 'special' articles just about inclusion.
Clare Bush, Rowhedge Under-Fives, near Colchester
Letter of the Week wins £30 worth of books
THINK OF INSPECTORS
As the ongoing debates about the new early years curriculum suggest, many challenges lie ahead for nursery inspectors working in Ofsted. From September they will roll out a new framework for inspections. However, the staff charged with the vital task of inspecting nurseries and introducing these changes are totally undervalued by their employers.
Members of Unison and the Public and Commercial Services Union working in Ofsted are currently locked in dispute over the imposition of a divisive new pay structure and below-inflation pay award. They have taken strike action, and have withdrawn overtime and the use of personal cars for business - not a decision taken lightly.
This new pay structure means many nursery inspectors will have their pay frozen for three years. In the current climate of increases in living costs, this is totally unacceptable. To add insult to injury, 40 per cent of school inspectors are getting 6 per cent plus and Ofsted's chief inspector, Christine Gilbert, was awarded a 21 per cent rise last year. On top of her £230,000 salary she received a £7,555 car allowance.
There is money available to fund a fairer deal for staff. Ofsted underspent by £8.4m last year, and Unison has suggested ways to redistribute money already on the table to fund a fairer deal. So far, Ofsted has refused to negotiate.
Ofsted needs well-trained and motivated staff to deliver a rigorous inspections system. It is a sad fact that any ongoing dispute could seriously undermine the process from the start.
Helga Pile, Unison National Officer for Social Care
WHY NETWORKS WORK
I would like to highlight some of the advantages of Children Come First (CCF) accredited networks, following the news story on the lack of accredited childminders (24 July).
The NCMA CCF network model is well respected by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, who used the CCF model as an example of the type of network that extended schools and children's centres should work with, and accredited this model for childminders to deliver the free entitlement to early years education.
Although there are over 100 accredited CCF networks, NCMA would like to see additional accredited networks developed. This would enable more registered childminders to offer the free early years entitlement, complementing the provision offered by other settings and extending the choice for parents of using a childminder to provide their child's free entitlement. Where an accredited network is not available, parents' choices are limited, particularly where a registered childminder could offer continuity of care and increased flexibility in accessing the free entitlement. This will be particularly important as the free entitlement is extended, when parents may wish more options to be available.
NCMA is working with the DCSF to update the CCF model to reflect the requirements of the EYFS, with a view to more childminders being able to join an accredited network. Those who will already be delivering the EYFS and want to also deliver free early years education will then be able to benefit from the dedicated support of a network co-ordinator.
Marian Pearson, director of operations, National Childminding Association
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The Editor, Nursery World, 174 Hammersmith Road, London W6 7JP letter.nw@haymarket.com. 020 8267 8402.
