Can disciplinary action be taken for an employees behaviour at a works party?

The Case study below is based on a question asked due to an employee’s behaviour at a works party? Natasha, a Nursery Manager contacted the helpline to discuss Sam, a member of the team who had been with them for five years. Sam has been a good employee but had recently started acting very strangely….

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Some school and early years staff may be barred under new disqualification rules #earlyyears

In November 2014, the Department for Education (DfE) published Keeping children safe in education: childcare disqualification requirements – supplementary advice available from gov.uk. The guidance reminded schools that, as well as their other safeguarding children duties, they must also comply with additional requirements under the Childcare Act 2006 and the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2009. This…

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Early years pupil premium roll-out begins

The early years pupil premium scheme has been kick-started in seven local authorities. Blackpool, Bristol, Cambridgeshire, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Hackney and Stoke-on-Trent have each received a share in £1 million with the hope of helping the most disadvantaged children in their areas to receive high-quality early education. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “This new…

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Separate registration for two-year-olds provision on the way out

The Government is putting in place legislation to remove the requirement with Ofsted that schools must register separately their early years provision for two-year-olds. Subject to the approval of Parliament, this should come into effect in September 2015. The aim is to make it easier for schools to offer early years provision for two-year-olds, whether…

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More joined-up help needed to “get it right” for families

The Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) has published a new report claiming that families with young children are not receiving “joined-up” support from public services. Getting it Right for Families: A Review of Integrated Systems and Promising Practice in Early Years gives practical advice for local areas together with examples of how services can be integrated…

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Mum of abused boy says change the law

A mother whose toddler was sexually abused at a Douglas nursery has spoken for the first time about the family’s ordeal. And the woman, who can’t be named for legal reasons, has revealed how her son was denied access to counselling before his abuser was jailed. She has welcomed proposed changes to the criminal justice…

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Latest from Ofsted: “sustained improvement”

Ofsted has reported that most early years providers were judged “good” or “outstanding” at their most recent inspection. More than 83% of providers active on the Early Years Register at the end of August 2014 were awarded grades of either good or outstanding according to the most recent Ofsted statistics. This figure represents an increase…

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Councils struggling to deliver on flagship nursery care policy

Councils are struggling to deliver a flagship policy to provide free nursery care to vulnerable two-year-olds because of a shortage of nursery places, a new survey shows. Under the Scottish Government policy local authorities were expected to offer 600 hours of childcare to two-year-olds from workless households by August this year. However, a survey by…

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'Inadequate' nursery failed to vet its staff

A nursery has been rated “inadequate” by Ofsted for failing to properly vet staff members. The Beeches Montessori Nursery School in Banstead was visited by an inspector from the education watchdog for the first time earlier this year. In the report inspector Jacqueline Carolan said: “The provider does not carry out the required Disclosure and…

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Family Friendly Report Card: Government could do better

The Family and Childcare Trust has published its 2014 Family Friendly Report Card, and there’s room for improvement. It takes a close look at how well families are supported by the Government and is “the only annual assessment of how family friendly the UK is”.  It includes factors such as: financial resources work-life balance essential…

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