ORGANIZATIONS

OFFICE OF STANDARDS IN TRAINING AND EDUCATION (OFSTED)
Alexandra House, 33 Kingsway, London, WC2B 6SE
Switchboard Phone: 0207 421 6800
General enquiries Phone: 0207 421 6744
Media enquiries Phone: 0207 421 6617 / 6574 / 6773
Free publications distribution centre Phone: 0207 510 0180
Fax: 0207 421 6707
Established in September of 1992 the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED), officially the Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in England, was set up as the non-ministerial government department which was to be independent from the Department for Education & Employment.

The purpose of OFSTED is to improve the standards of achievement and quality of education through regular independent inspection, public reporting and informed independent advice. OFSTED's principal task is the management of the independent system of school inspection defined originally by the Education (Schools) Act 1992. This provides for the regular inspection of all 24,000 schools in England that are either completely or partially state-funded. A similar system of inspection applies to all institutions in receipt of public funding providing education for under 4-year-olds.

OFSTED has various publications that can be viewed online under the following categories: Inspection Guidance, Inspection Findings, LEA inspections, School Management, Literacy, Numeracy, and Special Education Needs.

ORGANIZATION MONDIALE POUR L'EDUCATION PRESCHOLAIRE (OMEP)
@Mrs. M. O'Hagan, 5 Dale Lodge, 68 Shepherd's Hill, London
N6 5RL
Phone /Fax: 0208340 7119

PARENTS AT WORK
5th Floor, 45 Beech Street, London, EC2Y 8AD
Phone: 0207 628 3565
Fax: 0207 628 3591
This organization was formed in 1985 and is a network of support groups geared towards working parents for the exchange of information. It seeks to establish good practice guidelines for children's day care.

PARENTS FOR INCLUSION
Unit 2 70 South Lambeth Road, SW8 1RL
Phone: 020 7735 3335
Fax: 020 7735 3828
E-mail: hantsinf@hants.gov.uk

PLAY MATTERS/NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TOY AND LEISURE LIBRARIES
68 Churchway, London NW1 1LT
Phone: 0207 628 3565
Fax: 0207 383 2714
E-mail: admin@natll.ukf.net
The National Association for Toy Libraries (NATLL) provides preventative services to help families with children and those with special needs.

Publications include: "Good Toy Guide" an annual consumer guide of toys available in the U.K. Various ‘special needs' publications are available including "Hear and Say" and "Look and Touch".

The NATLL also provides various training courses dealing with issues relating to play.

PARENTS NEWS
Fergus McCarthy, 10 The Manor Drive, Worcester Park, Surrey, KT4 7LG
Phone: 02083376337
Fax:02087152842
E-mail: info@parents-news.co.uk
Parents News UK was established in 1993 in Southwest London with the aim to supply information for busy parents in various parts of London and Northern Ireland.

Parents News publishes 11 times per year with articles and information pertaining to family issues and advertises various family events.

PRE-SCHOOL LEARNING ALLIANCE
69 Kings Cross Road, London WCIX 9LL
Phone: 0207 837 5513
Fax: 0207 837 942
EMAIL: pla@preschool.org.uk
The Pre-School Learning Alliance assists parents in understanding and providing for the needs of their young children by promoting playgroups, parent-and-toddler groups and other under 5 groups.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NURSERY NURSES (PANN)
2 St James' Court, Friar Gate, Derby
DE1 1BT.
Phone: 01332 343029
Fax: 01332 290310
E-mail: TriciaPritchard@pat.org.uk or E-mail: pann@pat.org.uk
Founded in 1982 by a group of nursery nurses who wished to commit themselves to the principle of not striking, PANN became a section of the Professional Association of Teachers (PAT) in 1995. PANN still has a separate identity and provides the same personal service, but with all the backing and resources of the 35,000 strong PAT. It also means that nursery nurses in eduction can be in the same union as their teacher colleagues. PANN both looks after the interests of its members and works to promote the best possible practice in childcare.

PANN believes in always putting the interests of children first, so it's members never strike, or take other forms of industrial action, although they are free to petition and lobby, demonstrate outside working hours and invoke the protection of employment law and contractual rights. PANN is highly effective and widely respected because of its policy of resolving problems between employers and employees by negotiation, not conflict.

PANN gives its members free help and advice on practice, pay and conditions. PANN campaigns nationally on childcare issues. It's services include personal representation & legal advice, professional support, a quarterly journal, and personal liability insurance.

PANN has numerous publications relating to various Nursery Issues. Also available on the web-site are mini factsheets available to non-members for £1.00: FS43: Avoiding Allegations of Child Abuse, FS39: Bullying in the Workplace, FS44: Children with Special Needs in Scottish Mainstream Schools, FS2: Conditions of Employment: Some Guidance for Head teachers, FS16: Conflict at Work, FS24: Contractors in Schools, FS47: Controlling and Restraining Pupils, FS53: Directed Time, FS32: Disability and Employment, FS19: Employment Rights: Health and Safety, FS36: Equal Pay, FS31: Redundancy and Related Problems, FS41: Fire Safety, FS46: First Aid in Schools, FS37: Fixed-term Contracts, FS42: Guidance for Teachers on Sex Education, FS18: Independent Schools: Redundancy and Related Problems, FS45: Job-sharing for Teachers, FS15: Maternity Rights and Benefits, FS29: Medicines in Schools, FS30: Obtaining a post in teaching, FS34: Outdoor Activity Centres, FS48: Pay and Conditions for Supply Teachers and Part-Time teachers, FS25: Preparing for Teaching Practice and Beyond FS49: Reducing Bureaucratic Burdens, FS28: Saying ‘No' to your employer, FS35: School Buildings, FS27: School & College Inspections in Scotland, FS26: School Minibuses, FS38: School Security, FS20: Starting a Day Nursery, FS13: Stress in Schools, FS17: Supervision and the Duty of Care in Schools, FS50: Teaching in Scotland, FS33: The Health & Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996, FS9: The Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations, FS52: The Internet and E-mail, FS1: The Management of Asthma in Schools, FS5: The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, FS10: The Manual Handling Operations Regulations, FS7: The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations FS8: The Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations, FS11: The Rights of the Child within the School, FS23: The Role of Teacher Assistants, FS21: The Role of the Nursery Nurse FS51: The Working Time Regulations 1998, FS6: The Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations, FS6: (Revised Scottish Edition) The Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare Regulations), FS14: Voice Care for Teachers, FS12: Working as a Self-Employed Teacher FS22: Working Together in Powerful Partnership: Nursery Nurses and Teachers.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CURRICULUM AUTHORITY (QCA)
29 Bolton Street, London W1Y 7PD
Phone: 0207 509 5555
Publications Order Line: 0208 867 3333
E-mail: info@qca.org.uk
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) brings together the work of the National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ) and the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (SCAA) with additional powers and duties. This gives it a unique overview of curriculum, assessment and qualifications across the whole of education and training. QCA has numerous publications available mainly in the form of standard reports, including information on education of 3-16's, lifelong learning, and educational qualifications.

Publications include the quarterly QCA newsletter.

QUALIFICATION, CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT AUTHORITY FOR WALES
Castle Buildings, Womanby Street, Cardiff CF1 98X
Phone: 01222 375400
Fax: 01222 343612
E-mail: info@accac.org.uk
The Qualification, Curriculum And Assessment Authority For Wales is an independent advisory body responsible for monitoring and reviewing all aspects of curriculum in maintained schools and advises the Secretary of State for Wales.

Recent publications include "National Curriculum Orders-Index", "Desirable Outcomes for Children's Learning before Compulsory School Age", "PSE-Personal and Social Education Framework". The ACCAC also has a range of publications intended for the use of curriculum and assessment issues. The publications are organized into sections including English, Science, Mathematics, Art, Geography, Design & Technology, History, Special Education and Religious Education.