News, Updates & Events

17.2.10 OSN's Annual Review for 2009

Following the succesfull AGM and annual awards celebration, OSN are pleased to publish their Annual Review for 2009 - click here to access it.

 

19.1.10 OSN's 2009 AGM Notice

OSN's AGM will be held on Thursday 11th February 2010 at the Quaker Meeting House, Sheffield. This will event will again be joined with our celebration of achievement evening, where students and clubs are awarded for their hard work. Please click here to view the flyer for this event.

 

29.10.09 Finance Manager job vacancy at OSN

Click here to access the Finance Manager post information Job description, Vacancy Summary ,Covering letter & Application Form.

 

6.5.09 Pandemic Planning for settings

The Local Authority are advising businesses and organisations to plan and be ready for a potential pandemic. Settings should take practical steps, making plans to prevent the spread of pandemic flu and consider what will happen should they have to close due to a swine flu pandemic. All settings should prepare plans for a flu pandemic as part of their general emergency planning, and should ensure these plans are shared with staff, and as appropriate, parents.

The general advice to all businesses and services is that they should seek to continue operating as normally as possible during a pandemic - but should consider planning for higher than usual levels of staff absence. However, childcare settings are potentially different from other organizations as children are highly efficient 'spreaders' of respiratory infections, both among themselves and to adults in their families. So, closing settings for a period might significantly reduce the number of children infected.

During a pandemic a setting may need to contact the parents/carers at short notice, for example if a child falls sick during the day and needs to be collected before the usual time. This is why it is so important that parent/carers contact details are kept up to date.

What should a setting do now:-
- Understand who would take the decision to close the setting - either because of Government/Local Authority advice that settings in an area should close, or because of reasons specific to the setting (e.g. too many staff off ill)
- Ensure you have up-to-date contact details for staff and parents
- Try and keep a sick child separate from the other children (and minimise their contact with staff) until you can get him or her home or collected by parents
- Ensure that if you remain open, your plans include systems to minimise the spread of infection, e.g. hand-washing, disposal of tissues etc.

A document covering good hygiene practice is attached, click here to access this.

Want to know more info:-

A National Flu Line has been set up providing recorded information about swine flu: 0800 151 3513.
Health and Safety Executive www.hse.org.uk
Dept. for Health www.dh.gov.uk
Teachernet www.teachernet.gov/humanflupandemic

 

9.12.08 OSN Christmas Closure dates

OSN will be closed for Christmas from the end of the day on Tuesday 23rd December, re-opening on Monday 5th January 2009.

We wish everyone 'Seasons Greetings'

 

9.12.08 OSN's AGM

OSN's AGM will be held on Thursday 5th February 2009 at the Quaker Meeting House, Sheffield. This will event will again be joined with our celebration of achievement evening, where students and clubs are awarded for their hard work. Further details will be posted shortly.

 

3.9.08 OSN had job vacancies for:

A permanent part time Business Development Officer and a temporary full time Business Development Officer (to cover a maternity leave).

Please click to view the Advert, Job Description, Application Form, Covering Letter, Part time Vacancy Summary and Full time Vacancy Summary.

 

Ofsted Consultations

Ofsted are currently seeking the views of all involved in childcare about the inspection of early years provision and fees for all those involved in childcare. Full details can be found on the Ofsted website www.ofsted.gov.uk and most of the consultations close during February 2008.

Consultation on fees 'Future Approach to Fees and Subsidies - this seeks views on the proposed structure and level of fees payable to Ofsted by childcare providers joining the Early Years register or the complusory part of the Ofsted Childcare Register from September 2008, as well as proposals for changes to the subsidy arrangements'.

Full details about the new fee proposals can be found here.

Consultation on inspection of early years provision - this is seeking views about online access to the self-evaluation form and on aspects of inspections of early years settings.

Inspection frameworks and new registers - Most childcare providers will be aware that the new EYFS sets the standard for care and learning for children up to the age of six. Every provider looking after this age group must join Ofsted's new Early Years Register and Ofsted are currently developing the inspection framework for this. Ofsted want your views on the proposed inspection framework for the EYFS and especially on specific areas such as proposals for inspecting.

The consultation can be found at http://live.ofsted.gov.uk/surveys/eyfs/ and runs to 1 February 2008.

Transfer to new registers - A new leaflet called 'Changes to childcare registration and inspection' Ofsted will shortly send this to all providers. Most childcare providers care for children within the EYFS age group. As the leaflet explains, they will be transferred automatically to the new Early Years Register. Ofsted will inspect every provider on this register using the new EYFS framework.

Providers who also care for older children up to eight will join the complusory part of the new Childcare Register - so they will be included on two registers. Those who care only for this age group will be transferred automatically to the new compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

Providers can choose to go on the voluntary part of the register for children over the age of eight. This allows reassurance to parents and allows those parents who are eligible to claim the childcare element of working tax credits to do so.

Ofsted will write to every registered provider explaining which registers they will be transferred to in Spring 2008.

OSN has updated its sample Child Protection Policies in line with current legislation and Safeguarding guidelines. The policies are below, in 'Updates' for you to view. Please feel free to contact the Business Development Team with any queries you may have.

OSN's Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday 1st February at the Quaker Meeting House, near the Cathedral. To read the 2006 Annual Review please click here to link directly to it.

All newsletters, including back issues - can be found on the separate Network News page, click here to link directly.

Updates

NEW - Sample OSN Child Protection Policies - re written to reflect current legislation and Safeguarding principles - updated August 2007, click Child Protection Policy, Integrated Practice Policy and Allegations Against Staff Policy to view them.

Ofsted - Please remember you must notify Ofsted of any changes within your setting, including changes to:-

• Registered Person (ie - Owners, Management Committee etc..)
• Person in Charge (ie - person in charge of day to day running of setting)

Safer Recruitment and Selection Processes added 16 March 2006, click here to view.

Statement of Employment Particulars updated 8 March 2006, click here to view.

Events

OSN's AGM will be held on Thursday 7th February 2008, at the Quaker Meeting House, near the Cathedral, Sheffield City centre. Further details will be posted shortly.