Alice Apel is the head and owner of three settings: Atherton House School in Crosby, Homeland Day Nursery, Altrincham and Richmond House Kindergarten, Hale. Alice undertook the validation-only pathway in September 2007.
Some candidates consider this standard to be challenging in terms of finding 'proof'. Alice reflected on how she could show how she built fair and respectful relationships with the children and also how she promoted that with her staff. She discussed this with the manager of one of her settings and asked key questions such as 'How do I do this?' and 'How do you know that I do this?'.
Alice considered the way in which she engaged children in finding out their opinions on things such as the choice of lunch menus, and showed how she involved the children in decisions and respected their opinion, changing content and choices - in one case adding more sweetcorn as a vegetable choice!
For documentary evidence, Alice used annotated photographs that showed her engaging with the children in constructive ways, with a progression of asking opinions and acting on feedback from the children. Annotation going with the photos was essential to demonstrating the standard.
The witnesses that Alice nominated to give evidence were briefed by her beforehand on what the standards meant and she had discussed with them how she showed the standards in her practice. In their interviews they told of how she modelled behaviours to form positive, supportive and constructive relationships with children.
Additionally, the tour evidence also showed how Alice related to the children when they approached her during this part of the visit. Alice asked open ended questions of the children when talking to them and this was noted by the assessor.
This blended approach enabled Alice to give a strong account of how she met this standard and supported others in their practice.