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Members' Newsletter

The newsletter is sent via email to all OOSA members at the end of each month. If you have not received your copy let us know by emailing and we'll ensure that you are added to the mailing list.


Issue: June 2010

Welcome to the June issue of the Out of School Alliance newsletter for providers of out of school care.

In this month's newsletter we have lots of summer activity ideas and a fantastic special offer, as well as updates on news and events relevant to the out of school club sector. Budget implications for the out of school sector
The recent budget introduced a number of changes which will affect families and public spending, and which in turn may have some longer-term implications for out of school clubs. This article examines the possible effects of these changes.
Read the full article

Vetting and Barring Scheme halted
After years of planning and vast amounts of publicity, the Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS), which was due to begin taking registrations at the end of July, has been halted. The new government announced on 15 June that the roll-out of the VBS would be put on hold pending a thorough review, although the features of it that are already in place with be retained.

The expectation is that the scheme will only be relaunched in a much reduced form. As it was originally conceived, the VBS would have compelled 11 million people, or one quarter of the adult population to be registered, although this was subsequently reduced to around 9 million in the face of a huge public outcry.

It is important to note that the existing requirements concerning CRB checks will remain in place. The CRB has already issued the new, purple, combined CRB and ISA application forms to registered bodies. The introduction of these new forms will still go ahead as planned, but the parts of the form that captured ISA data will be ignored. Applications using the new forms will start being processed on 26 July.
More details from the Criminal Records Bureau

New Holiday Club pack
With the start of the summer holidays rapidly approaching, holiday clubs and playschemes across the country are finalising their planning and preparations. If you don't already have a set of policies and procedures from your after school club that you can re-use for your holiday club, our new Holiday Club Pack contains handy templates for all the essential documentation that you need to get you started.
More details

Find us on Facebook
We are quite over-excited because we have just created a Facebook page for the Out of School Alliance. We will be posting news snippets and updates here, as well as photos of some of our activities (for example, there are lots from our new water maze activity). Please feel free to add your comments to any of our Facebook postings. You can become a 'fan' of the Out of School Alliance by clicking the 'Like' button at the top of the Facebook page. This also means that you will be automatically notified of any updates via Facebook.
Find us on Facebook!

Updating your account
We have recently added a new feature to the OOSA website so that you can now update your own account details, such as changing your email address, password and other settings. To update your account:
  1. Log-in using your current email address and password.
  2. Click on the Update your member details link that appears in the log-in area.
  3. Choose one of the options (Update your name and address, Update your email or Change your password) that appear.
  4. Follow the instructions on the page.
We hope that this new system will make updating your account details quicker and easier. If you encounter any problems, do let us know.

Transporting children
We have been disturbed to hear reports of some local councils insisting that out of school clubs need to register as Private Hire Operators (PHVs - otherwise known as mini-cabs) in order to collect children by car from a neighbouring school and bring them back to their club. Obtaining a PHV licence typically costs between £300-£1,000 per year (each council sets its own rate) and imposes all sorts of requirements on the licence holder (eg the vehicle must be MOT'd twice a year, the car must be insured as if it were a mini-cab, etc). For most clubs this is clearly totally unfeasible. We are trying to guage the extent of the problem, so if you pick up children from a neighbouring school for your club, we would be very interested to hear of any experiences (positive or negative) that you have had regarding this issue.
Send in your comments

Two things to do right now!
  1. Complaints book
    If you haven't already got one, get a Complaints Book. When I was childminding my inspector asked if I had a complaints book. I replied that I hadn't had any complaints, so didn't have a one. She replied that "It doesn't matter if you haven't had any complaints or not, you still need to have a complaints book". In essence, you just have to be prepared. So as well as displaying a copy of your complaints policy at your club, you also need to have a clearly labelled complaints book or file which contains another copy of the complaints policy and blank copies of your complaints forms (plus of course any actual complaints that you might receive).
    Download a sample complaints record form
    Download a sample complaints policy

  2. Daily EYFS observations
    We all know that we need to make observations for our EYFS children; what is unclear for many of us is how often we should do them and how much detail we should include. As a rough guide, you should aim to make at least one observation per day for each of your reception-age children.

    A good tip is to carry around some sticky address labels or post-it notes at all times so that you can jot down an observation instantly and then stick it onto the child's observation record sheet later. An observation should be one sentence (or two at the most), so using an address label compels you to keep it short. Observations should be brief and objective—essays are not required.
    Download a sample EYFS observation record
What's happening with diplomas?
Since the general election in May, many of us have felt that everything is up in the air with regard to the introduction of the new childcare and playwork qualifications. The new training programmes have been a significant area of speculation since the announcement that the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency, the agency responsible for reforming qualifications and introducing new diplomas, is to be scrapped in the autumn.

According to SkillsActive, the sector skills council for playwork, there have been some interim arrangements made to ensure that training within the playwork sector is still available. The existing Playwork NVQs (levels 2, 3 and 4) have had their accreditation periods extended and will be available for registration until 31 December 2010, with candidates normally having three years to complete the qualification. From 1 January 2011, no one will be able to register for these qualifications. However, the Learning and Skills Council has announced that funding will be switched to the new Qualification and Credit Framework qualifications, (ie the new diplomas) when they gain accreditation, and away from NVQs. This means that public funding for NVQs may cease in the coming months, as the new Playwork qualifications become available.

The good news for those who have successfully completed the NVQ in Playwork, is that they will continue to be accepted as 'full and relevant' for registered early years and childcare settings.

Playwork leadership and management training
There is still just time to sign up for the brand new Playwork Leadership and Management course, which is being fully funded by CWDC (Children's Workforce Development Council) and SkillsActive. The degree-level course is aimed at managers and lead practitioners in playwork settings. The course has been developed by University College Plymouth (UCP) Marjon and will be delivered by training partners across the country.

Applicants will typically need:
  • at least one year's management/supervisory experience in a playwork setting
  • knowledge of child development and the core values of playwork, whether on a paid or voluntary basis
  • commitment to continuing professional development and collaborative working
  • to evidence their ability to benefit from a level 6 (final year undergraduate) course
  • computer skills plus access to a PC
The course starts in August, so if you might be interested in applying you should do so without delay. For more information visit the Marjon website: www.marjon.ac.uk or contact Margret Head on 01752 636863 or mhead@marjon.ac.uk.

We love Funky Fountains
This clever piece of water-play equipment is deceptively simple—a pipe, some holes and some water— but it will have the children squealing with excitement and keep them occupied for ages.
Read the full product review here

Activity idea: Water fun day
When the weather gets hot, the children get grumpy. Cool them down and cheer them up with an afternoon dedicated to water-based activities (and come prepared with some spare towels). This activity suggests a selection of tried and tested watery ideas.
Download the Water fun day activity sheet here

Activity idea: Water maze
No water fun day would be complete without a water maze. We show you how to set up this activity using cheap, readily available materials. Get the kit out, challenge the children to make the best maze possible, sit back and watch the interaction (keeping your address labels handy for all those EYFS observations of course)! You can also use the maze inside at other times of year, just substituting small balls or marbles for the water.
Download the Water maze activity sheet here

Activity idea: Fruit salad
No, not a healthy snack, but a great circle game. Very easy rules so that even the youngest ones can join in, and lots of running around and shouting to use up some energy.
Download the Fruit salad game activity sheet here

Fact or fiction: Data Protection means you can't photograph children
Have you been told that you are not allowed to take photos of children due to the Data Protection Act? This is a common misconception: the Data Protection Act is concerned with ensuring that any data that you keep about named individuals is kept safe. The Act is not concerned with whether you take photographs or not, only that you keep any such photographs safe and use them appropriately.

If you want to take photos of the children in your care, (and most of us do in order to keep a record of activities and to personalise your setting), you just need to ensure that you have written permission from their parents or carers.

If you notice a stranger taking photos of the children, for example whilst they are playing outside, you should regard this as a potential safeguarding issue. In this situation you should take the children back indoors and, if you feel it safe to do so, go and ask the photographer why they are taking photos, and ask them to stop. It would also be prudent to complete an incident record form. Only contact the Police if you feel threatened by the situation—remember, just taking photographs in a public space is not illegal!
Read the full article about use of photographs

FREE Funky Fountain!
This month we have a really special offer for OOSA members. Creative Cascade Ltd is offering a FREE Funky Fountain (worth £35.00) with every purchase of their flagship Creative Cascade product. See the product review for the Funky Fountain for more information about how to obtain this special offer.

Forthcoming events
4 August 2010
Throughout the UK		 Play Day
www.playday.org.uk
3 September 2010
Somerford Grove Adventure Playground, Tottenham		 Spirit of Play - London
www.skillsactive.com
10-12 September 2010
Staffordshire		 The Beauty of Play 2010
www.ludemos.co.uk
28-29 September 2010
Ricoh Arena, Coventry		 Childcare Expo
www.childcareexpo.co.uk
1-2 October 2010
London Olympia		 TES Education 2010 London
www.teachingexhibitions.co.uk

If you know of other events that should be included in this list, please drop us an email with the details.