Network Whispers

SYNOP-WHAT? News that the new vocational T-Levels will be ‘assessed synoptically through rigorous practical assignments’ has been met with amusement by early years experts, particularly as one definition of ‘synoptic’ is ‘relating to the first three Gospels of the New Testament’. The other meaning is ‘a broad view’, i.e. assessment will test the knowledge gained throughout the year. One expert said, ‘Can we please have fewer of the Oxbridge-educated classics graduates writing this stuff and get someone who has actually met a child before?’

THE RIGHT ‘F’ Victory for settings in Nottinghamshire, who managed to get wording on their council’s 30 hours poster changed. Irene Kakoullis at the council said, ‘Nottinghamshire initially designed the posters which stated that childcare was “free” for three- and four-year-olds. However, there has been some confusion among parents, and providers requested that publicity materials be changed from “free” to “funded”.’

BABY STEP FOR MANKIND For the first time, the Government will record the gender of the paid workforce in its 2018 Survey of Childcare and Early Years Providers. David Wright, chair of a Government taskforce on the issue, said this was a ‘small but nonetheless significant first step to understanding how many men are currently working in the early years sector before we determine how best to recruit more’.

GDP-ARGH! Confusion over GDPR – new EU regulations designed to prevent unscrupulous use of data – abounds. Voucher company Sodexo had tried to get early years settings to sign a data agreement on the basis they were a ‘data processor’. PACEY, which contacted the Information Commissioner’s Office, was told this was not the case, and Sodexo backtracked. Providers meanwhile are also involved in a last-minute flurry – panic? – about the new rules. The NDNA estimates that it has put on 100 GDPR workshops between now and January.