Childcare and Education

Primary School

A primary school is a statutory sector which is funded by the government through payment of taxes. By law, this service must be made available to young children in the UK. The targeted age of children that attend Primary school ranges from 5 to 11 years of age.

A Primary school is a structured environment which helps support young children to develop and perfect basic skills needed in life; some of which are: reading, writing, and social skills. Primary School starts at 9am and ends at 3:30pm depending on a breakfast or after school clubs. Like any other organization, there is an organizational structure by which each school must have. Within a Primary School, one will find a Head Teacher, Class Teachers, Dinner Ladies, Care Takers, Cleaners, Cooks, a Chef and also Teacher Assistants whom help to keep order and maintain a class room in a Teacher’s absence. Teachers within a Primary School are obligated by law to teach from the National Curriculum which is distributed to every Primary School. The ratio of teachers to children is twenty-eight to thirty.

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A primary school also helps support parents and families, for example; while the parents are at work their child and/or children are at school in a safe environment whilst gaining an education parents can work and provide a better quality of life for their families.

Play group

A play group is a voluntary sector. A voluntary sector is a service provided by organisations such as charities where some or all of their funding come from donations the practitioners here often give their time freely but must be trained to level 3 in childcare and education or working towards it.

The age range of children in a play group is two to three years old and children have to be dry throughout the day (being potty trained). Play groups are free and are two hours a day twice a week and can be done anytime throughout the day. Staffs at play groups are voluntary. All the staff at a playgroup is trained to a Level 3 in Childcare and Education and is required to have a Criminal Record Bureau Check. With the play groups, parents have to stay and allowed to help but must have a Criminal Record Bureau Check also.

This setting supports families in the community if they are feeling isolated mums can socialise and chat about problems that other mums may be experiencing too. A variety of activities are done in a play group (e. g. painting, story time, colouring time) helping children with their social skills which helps them in moving into educational nursery at 3 to 4 years old. Play groups are supportive for parents because they help Moms and Dads to share problems with other people with rather similar or same experiences, have a cup of tea or just talk with other parents.

Private Day Nursery

A private day nursery is a private sector which is a profit making service. A private day nursery opens from 7am and closes at about 6:30pm parents pay a weekly or monthly fee. The age range of children in a private day nursery is three months to five years old. The staff at a private day nursery “Nursery Officers” has to be trained in Level 3 Childcare and Education. Children within a private day nursery are split into four different age ranges.

Three months to five months are in Baby Room where there is allowed one staff member to three babies. Twelve months to twenty-four months are in Toddle Room, two to three years old are in Tweenies and three to five years old are in Pre-School. A private day nursery help supports parents because it is more family orientated and the setting is very much like what parents do at home with their child or children (e. g. caring, bottle feeding, changing nappies).

A private nursery also supports professional parents who can afford to pay to take their child to a day nursery and don’t have to give up their work (e. g. doctors, entrepreneurs, nurses) to start a young family.

Children Act 1989

The Children Act 1989 introduced “parental responsibility” not just parental rights so therefore statutory services like schools and nurseries must include “Partnership with Parents” Within my setting and by the Children Act 1989 that came in to force in England and Wales in 1991 it is important for the practitioner to be in partnership with parents. This is to ensure that the needs, interest and decisions of the child comes first and are being met. Also, it is by law that parents be responsible and knows everything about their child when they are away from them or home.

This can be done by having a two way relationship with parents for example parent’s evenings, this is when staff discusses children’s progress open days so parents can come in be welcomed and look around their child’s school or nursery. There can be coffee mornings, sharing information or just giving feedback to parents when they pick their child up from school at the end of the day. The welfare of the child is paramount and that is why partnership with parents is crucial.

Many schools and nurseries also have bi-lingual staff for children who do not speak English fluently so that the parents are fully aware of what is going on in a school at all times this helps to meet the Equal Opportunity policy of the setting.

Children Act 2004

The five outcomes of Every Child Matters are the central focus of the Children Act 2004. This Act is the amendment of the Children Act 1989 which came about because of the death of Victoria Climbie who was tortured and murdered in 2000 by her great Aunt and even though lots of professionals dealt with the case it still led to her death.

The Lord Laming Inquiry made changes in schools because he felt that organisations were not working together to support young venerable children in the setting. The Children Act 2004 was made to ensure that services for children and young people worked together to make sure children are safe and their well-being is adhere to. For example one of the outcomes is “Stay Safe” in Every Child Matters and is of utmost importance. Within my setting as a practitioner you are to make sure that children within the setting are safe by following the Health and Safety policies.

For example, knowing what allergies as a practitioner that a children or children may have within your setting or making sure that the right person “Parental Responsibility” picks them up from school at the end of the day.

Childcare Act 2006

They must take the lead role to meet the needs of working parents, in particular those on low incomes and disabled children). The Childcare Act 2006 came into force from Autumn 2007. The main part of this Act is the establishment of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights.

The (EYFS) Early Years Foundation Stage came out of the Childcare Act 2006. The main reasons why the Childcare Act 2006 came into force were: To ensure that local authorities improve the outcomes for children and young people under five years and this must be available despite the area in which they live. This affected the curriculum taking into account children’s rights and backgrounds for example the EYFS is taken into account and reformed simplified children and early year’s regulations farceur to reduce bureaucracy and focus on raising equality.

Schools made sure children were heard their cultures celebrated for example displays were bi-lingual Sure Start centres supported families that were in deprived areas whilst mum was in the setting learning English for example a child could go to the playgroup at the same time. If a mum could learn English she could gain employment and this seemed to be the idea to help and support the whole family.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child grants all children and young people (aged 17 and under) a complete set of rights. This legislation was authorized on the 16th December 1991 and it came into force in the UK on 15 January 1992. This legislation ensures that the children and young people’s rights are upheld, giving them the rights to: protection and assistance, access to educational and health services, to develop their personalities and abilities to their fullest potential, live in a happy environment with love and care and understand their rights.

This helps prevent children from being miss treated, abused and neglected from their basic needs and rights, therefore providing them with the support and opportunities that each child/young person should rightfully have. Article 28 “A child’s right to education with access to equal opportunities. ” So as with other children’s laws, schools must take into account culture, different religions, and language barriers so that all children regardless of their ability can be fully included in their setting.

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