Why display boards are a waste of practitioner time Display boards are usually something that practitioners take a great deal of time and pride in completing and changing and are often fondly admired by the parents; however are there any real benefits of having a room full of display boards or do they simply waste time? Could time that is spent by … [Read more...] about Are display boards a waste of valuable practitioner time?
Ways to help Continuous Improvement
10 ways to get the most out of your staff meeting
Make your staff meeting more valuable with these 10 tips Staff meetings are not always the most popular of monthly events for practitioners to attend. Many practitioners will see them as extra work and not much fun or of use to them. However team meetings can be a great way to convey messages, build staff teams morale and develop knowledge. The … [Read more...] about 10 ways to get the most out of your staff meeting
Why should you carry out exit interviews?
Exit interviews can be a valuable tool in running a successful business When an employee decides to leave the company, exit interviews are a great way to gain additional knowledge about your setting and build staff retention. Some managers may not approach the staff member after they have handed in their notice, or others will use an exit … [Read more...] about Why should you carry out exit interviews?
Why nursery managers should carry out appraisals
The truth about appraisals Within the early years, Ofsted expects to see evidence that regular appraisals are being carried out on all practitioners including management. Appraisals are important for continuing professional development. They are also an opportunity to discuss any concerns, weaknesses, gaps in training and importantly what is … [Read more...] about Why nursery managers should carry out appraisals
Monitoring your early year’s provision
Carrying out a learning walk to monitor and evaluate your early year's provision To make sure your early provision is offering high standards of care and education, managers and practitioners should carry out regular audits to monitor and evaluate the provision. These audits can highlight areas of weakness and give managers and practitioners a … [Read more...] about Monitoring your early year’s provision
Constructive feedback after peer observation
Providing practitioners with feedback after a peer observation It can be very daunting when receiving feedback from either another colleague or the manager. Often people can sometimes get very anxious and automatically think they are going to hear negative comments. With this in mind, it is important that when giving feedback it is done in a … [Read more...] about Constructive feedback after peer observation
Creating a system for peer observations
Why developing a system for peer observations is important For peer observations to be effective, it is important to involve team members in developing a system for peer observations. Involving the team in the process will help them understand how and why these are to be conducted. When discussing with the team about peer observations, … [Read more...] about Creating a system for peer observations
Evidencing the British Values in your setting
How does your setting promote the British Values? In 2014 Department for Education introduced “British Values” into all schools and Early Years providers. The British Values in divided into four categories; DemocracyIndividual LibertyRule of LawMutual Respect and Tolerance for those with different faiths It is important that you … [Read more...] about Evidencing the British Values in your setting
Why developing relationships with customers is crucial?
Ways to develop relationships with customers. If you would like your childcare business to become successful you need to concentrate on creating effective relationships with your customers. This can easily be forgotten which is a shame as these people are a crucial part of your marketing strategy. Happy customers are the ones who will recommend … [Read more...] about Why developing relationships with customers is crucial?
Receiving feedback from parents
7 ways to obtain feedback from parents Receiving positive or negative feedback from parents is important as both these are crucial in helping monitor and evaluate the provision. Listening to what parents say is a contributing factor to running a successful nursery. There are many ways to receive feedback from parents. What does your nursery … [Read more...] about Receiving feedback from parents