A BIT WHIFFY One setting has been ticked off by environmental health officers for not putting packed lunches into a fridge. This setting was then sent a letter from Ofsted saying that its registration could be at risk.
DATA LOOP Figures for the number of EYTs qualified during one year of the scheme remain elusive. A request byNursery World for the 2015-16 data in September last year was rebuffed on the grounds that DfE ‘is currently reviewing the data collected on early years initial teacher training…’ This is the reason why, the department says, it has decided not to publish it in the 2015-16 or 2016-17 NCTL annual reports. A further FOI request pointed us to the official statistics publications – for which there isn’t a relevant one for 2015-16.
INCOME FLOORED Self-employed recipients of Universal Credit, including childminders, will soon have their benefit calculated using a Minimum Income Floor (MIF) rather than based on their earnings, according to the Resolution Foundation. Sector bodies are concerned that in those parts of the country with low hourly fee rates, childminders may struggle to meet the MIF.
NO CASH FOR SEND? Are cash-strapped councils struggling to provide extra SEND support to match the doubling of the free entitlement? One council in the south west has reportedly not been given any increased funding since the 30 hours came in, leaving settings there to pay for their own speech and language support. Examples on a postcard please.
BAD LANGUAGE Some parents who missed the deadline of 31 August set by HMRC to apply for 30 hours have taken out their frustrations on staff. Those experiencing difficulties logging on had become ‘very upset and frustrated’, said a spokesman for one nursery group. ‘It’s a shame this has affected some relationships between parents and providers, but it is the parents’ responsibility to apply for this on time.’
