SE23.com - The Official Forum for Forest Hill & Honor Oak, London SE23
Online since 2002   11,000+ members   72,000+ posts

Home | SE23 Topics | Businesses & Services | Wider Topics | Offered/Wanted/Lost/Found | About SE23.com | Advertising | Contact | |
 Armstrong & Co Solicitors



Post Reply  Post Topic 
Fairlawn Nursery - Proposed Change in Hours
Author Message
bkkmei


Posts: 19
Joined: Oct 2012
Post: #1
25-05-2014 09:20 AM

Dear parents of Fairlawn Nursery children

If your child is continuing at Fairlawn Nursery or starting in September 2014, you should have received a letter regarding a proposed change in their schedule offering.

It may be that these changes are fine with you, BUT, if you disagree with or are adversely affected by the proposals, please do write to the Head of School (Hania Ryans) to voice your objections.

The letter says it is a consultation with parents, but there is no option to disagree with the change!


thank you



Cross posted to East Dulwich Forum

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Aztec


Posts: 4
Joined: Mar 2014
Post: #2
29-05-2014 07:30 AM

Please see link below to thread about this on ED forum:

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/...51,1329774

Has this affected anyone? Have you written to Hania Ryans?

I have written to both Hania Ryans and Robyn Fairman (chair of governors) about the underhanded way these changes are being implemented. There has been no proper consultation with parents or even nursery staff. Many parents had chosen Fairlawn nursery based on the hours being offered - one full day and four half days - only to be told after offer letters had already gone out that this was changing. The letter pretends to be a consultation when actually we are being asked to choose a drop off time, none of which are convenient. It is not really asking for our thoughts. It is being rushed through in the middle of the summer term without any proper warning. I really do not feel that this is the way a significant change should be introduced.

I have pointed out in my letter (inconvenience of new drop off times aside) that I have 3 other children who have previously been at nursery, 2 of which had 5 half days & 1 at Fairlawn who had 1 full day & 4 half days. My child with one full day a week was the one who was best prepared for the transition to Reception.

This post was last modified: 29-05-2014 07:36 AM by Aztec.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
hoona


Posts: 205
Joined: Mar 2011
Post: #3
29-05-2014 12:56 PM

I disagree the proposed changes have been 'underhand'. When my daughter was there we had a consultation about the proposed changes and a form to fill in stating our preferences.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
bkkmei


Posts: 19
Joined: Oct 2012
Post: #4
29-05-2014 01:09 PM

Hi Hoona

would love to know when you had a consultation about the proposed changes and the form to fill out?

I know that probably about a year ago, I spoke to some parents with Fairlawn nursery children and they said there had been a form asking about full days, possibly other options but I don't know the details. I wonder if it is this?

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
trevskirevski


Posts: 19
Joined: Jun 2011
Post: #5
29-05-2014 02:30 PM

Both children have been at the nursery (youngest still there). We do not recollect seeing anything about proposed changes to the hours, only the recent letter, given just before half-term.

We have written to the nursery expressing our objection to the proposed changes. Removal of a full day is a bad thing.

A full day prepares the child for moving up to a full day in reception, allows them to interact with other children etc etc.

New proposed times will put increased pressure on parents who have older children at local primary schools, and we also got the impression from nursery staff that they weren't even consulted.

So, as you can see, we don't agree with the changes, although will we have any choice???

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Aztec


Posts: 4
Joined: Mar 2014
Post: #6
29-05-2014 03:28 PM

My other daughter was there last year and I was not consulted on this whilst she was there. I have a friend who has a child who has been there since last September, they have not been consulted either. There was no mention of it when I went to look around the nursery with my child this time round -I was not asked for my thoughts then nor when I had to fill in my preferences which were for one full day and four half days. To suddenly get a letter in the middle of the summer term after having already made given choices on a form sent out by Fairlawn (and plans based on this decision) with no indication of a possible significant change is not good practice. They did not mention any previous consultation in the letter either - that is why I feel it is underhand. Either that or some very serious communication issues.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Aztec


Posts: 4
Joined: Mar 2014
Post: #7
02-06-2014 11:53 AM

An update.... I just received a letter (via email but beng sent out later today) from Hania Ryans apologising for any distress caused. She is going to honour the time slots that we have already chosen for September 2014. She is also going to meet with the parents of children starting Septmeber 2015 to open up discussions.

She has quite clearly listened to parents and taken everything on board. I take it back about it being underhand, I think she just went about it all the wrong way in the first instance. A mistake but she has dealt with the the situation promptly and accordingly. She has my respect for that.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
hoona


Posts: 205
Joined: Mar 2011
Post: #8
02-06-2014 03:35 PM

bkkmei - yes that sounds like the same form I had.
I also think everybody forgets that this is FREE nursery provision. If it doesn't fit around work then you have to find something that does... a childminder to drop off/pick up or a full time private nursery. Sorry but I just think everybody tends to have such high expectations of state run provision...

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
trevskirevski


Posts: 19
Joined: Jun 2011
Post: #9
03-06-2014 11:22 AM

Underhand is the wrong word. Ill thought out is probably better. I'm not sure the school were expecting such a reaction, so I think as previous post has said, they need to be given credit for listening to concerns.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Rayray


Posts: 19
Joined: Mar 2013
Post: #10
04-06-2014 05:45 AM

To be honest, what surprises me most is that the proposal was not to offer parents the choice to pay extra for a full day. As I understand it the nursery is undersubscribed. With all of the demand in the area, and waiting lists for many other reasonable or good nurseries, this seems like such a wasted opportunity. I have spoken to several parents who would have sent their children there, if only they offered a pattern working parents could work around without having to employ childminders to ferry their kids back and forth.

The location, facilities and staff of the nursery are excellent. The business model (or lack of) seriously flawed in my opinion.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
ringingcod


Posts: 84
Joined: Jun 2005
Post: #11
04-06-2014 12:08 PM

The mention of a "business model" when discussing education always fills me with joy.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
michael


Posts: 3,255
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #12
04-06-2014 12:39 PM

I find it difficult to believe that the nursery is currently under-subscribed. It always seems quite full to me and it was not so easy to get the full day session, or morning rather than afternoon, as we would have preferred. Not that I'm complaining, I just don't think Fairlawn Nursery has any problem attracting children.

I also know other parents who would have liked to send their children there, if hours had been different. 2.5 hours per day provides very little time for a parent to spend at work, actually it is virtually impossible. What is interesting, although it may not be intentional, is that it is likely that many of the children who attend are exactly the children whose parents would not otherwise be able to afford full time child care, exactly the children who most benefit from a pre-school boost to prepare them for primary school.
Of course it also benefits parents who can afford child care for the remainder of the day, or who have helpful grandparents living in the area and providing unpaid child care.

The demographics of Fairlawn nursery seem to me to be far more reflective of the area than some private nurseries in the area (which generally have children of better off parents who can afford the high cost of child care). And I'm rather pleased that Fairlawn nursery's primary consideration is not revenue generation, in fact I believe that as part of a state school it would be illegal for them to take children based on payment.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Perryman


Posts: 820
Joined: Dec 2006
Post: #13
04-06-2014 02:34 PM

Well said Michael.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Rayray


Posts: 19
Joined: Mar 2013
Post: #14
04-06-2014 02:53 PM

Maybe business model is the wrong term and operating model is more appropriate.

The manager told me they had spare places so I use that to mean "undersubscribed".

The nursery wouldn't need to make a profit, just recover the full costs for providing care over a "full" day. This would still make it very competitive compared to private nurseries so help on affordability.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
michael


Posts: 3,255
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #15
04-06-2014 03:19 PM

I still think it would be illegal for a state primary to introduce partially private funded places, but I'm no expert on such matters.

It is great if there are spare places, I think they have done everything they can to meet the high levels of demand for places.

Some people use childminders to help with pick up and drop off as well as providing the other half day child care. If shared with other parents at the nursery it is likely to be cheap than if paying a private nursery for the half day, so it can be cheaper - provided you can find a childminder you are happy with.

I should say, in case it is not obvious, that my daughter currently attends Fairlawn nursery and loves it.

Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply

Friends of Blythe Hill Fields


Possibly Related Topics ...
Topic: Author Replies: Views: Last Post
  Fairlawn nursery to close roz 19 18,655 24-02-2016 02:31 PM
Last Post: P1971