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Bulletin 270

2 May 2023

Welcome to our Early Years and Childcare bulletin. Previous bulletins are available at: Cheshire East Early years and Childcare Bulletin

Business Support

FEEE Providers / Administrators: Provider Portal Closure – Summer Term

The Provider Portal will close for the summer term on 5 May 2023.   Any further additions or adjustments for the summer term should be emailed, with a copy of the parental declaration form, to the FEEE Team at FEEE@cheshireeast.gov.uk

Early Years Pupil Premium Tracking grid

If you don’t already track your use of the Early Years Pupil Premium, then there is a new EYPP tracking grid for all providers with children receiving EYPP funding to complete. This is a tool to use in readiness for inspection, as the Ofsted inspection handbook states that Inspectors will evaluate the evidence of the impact of the curriculum, including for those children who receive EYPP. The FEEE team will be asking to see it when they carry out an audit. The form is available on our website on the link below.

Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements

Operation Encompass Lunchtime briefing

Operation Encompass is a police and education early information safeguarding partnership enabling schools and settings to offer immediate support to children experiencing domestic abuse. If you haven't yet signed up for Operation Encompass then please book on to our lunchtime briefing on Wednesday 24 May 12.30-1pm on teams.

Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements: Focus on...

Providers must not allow smoking in or on the premises when children are present or about to be present. Staff should not vape or use e-cigarettes when children are present and providers should consider Public Health England advice on their use in public places and workplaces.

Ofsted

Ofsted Education Inspection Framework (EIF) curriculum roadshows

Ofsted is running a series of Education Inspection Framework (EIF) curriculum roadshows for Early Years settings, including childminders. These events will be held in the Summer Term 2023, in seven locations across the country. Please note, there is a separate session for maintained nursery schools.

These half-day events will offer the opportunity to learn more about how we look at language and communication at inspection and what we have learnt about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two representatives from your setting are welcome to attend. Each person attending will need to register separately.

Current Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) are asked not to attend this event, as specific training is provided for inspectors separately.

Please note, this is a repeat of the roadshows delivered in Summer 2022 & Spring 2023, therefore please do not register if you've already attended. There is no charge for attending one of these events and spaces are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Please find below the date/s, session times and links for registration for the curriculum roadshow closest to your setting:

If you have any other queries, you can contact Ofsted at events@ofsted.gov.uk

EYFS Learning and Development

News for twos

BookTrust Screen-Free Week

Rhyme Time Roadshow

SEND

SEN funding panel – April decisions

Due to unforeseen circumstances the feedback from panel may be slightly delayed. If you have not received your response by Thursday 4^th May please ring 01625 374170

EY EHCP funding

If you have not yet emailed to confirm the attendance of children who have an Education and Health Care plan please email earlyyearssenhelpline@cheshireeast.gov.uk and confirm their attendance.

Summer Term SEN panel information

Summer term dates are on the web page SEN and disability in the early years (cheshireeast.gov.uk)

Cheshire East Chatters

Cheshire East Chatters Key Message: ‘Use the language you know and hear my words grow!’

This half term’s key message is ‘Use the language you know and hear my words grow!’ It is a myth that learning two languages confuses children and delays their language development.  We are unusual in the UK in that most of us speak only one language.  Multilingualism is an amazing life skill and should be celebrated.  Research shows that children using English as an additional language will learn English best if they have a solid foundation in their home language.  Families can support their children by speaking their native language, which is also likely the language parents are most comfortable with.  Speaking the home language also maintains links with the child’s heritage and culture, and can often be the only means for communication with extended family.

When the home language is well-developed, English will develop through exposure to the language in the nursery environment, and through living in an English-speaking country.  Don’t worry if children are silent in your setting – this can last for around 6 months.  Multilingual children also typically switch languages mid-sentence – this is a normal feature of multilingual language development. Difficulty learning English is not a language difficulty, if the home language is developing typically.  If a child has difficulty with both languages, this may be a sign of an underlying language difficulty and they may need referral to Speech & Language Therapy.

Our home language poster and leaflet are available on our website https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/cheshireeastchatters.  Posters have recently been translated into Polish and Urdu too – if you would like copies of these please email us on cechatters@mcht.nhs.uk. Coming up next week… Tips for supporting children learning English as an additional language in your setting.

Parenting Journey

Continuous Professional Development

Upcoming CPD Opportunities

You can now book places on any of the following training courses by logging onto the new Early Years Training Hub using this link: Early Years and Childcare Training Resources (cheshireeast.gov.uk). Please login in or sign up by clicking on the link at the top right of the page.

Rhymetime Roadshow at Congleton Children Centre - 4th May 23

Join us at our Rhymetime Roadshow where we will host 2 workshops focussing on our Rhymetime document and our Bookstart Corner pack. Learn about the importance of rhymes, songs and stories to support all aspects of a child's learning and development and how you can use these resources to build, deliver and support an effective curriculum. Receive a pack including the “Are you Ready for Rhyme Time?" folder with Rhyme Time programme for all 3 early years age groups and a box of Bookstart goodies that will enable you to deliver the Bookstart Corner programme in your setting.

Delivering Small Groups Language Interventions 10th May 23 – Online

Explore ways to set up small groups focussing on the development of attention and listening skills as well as language skills and vocabulary. Learn how to identify children for the groups as well as sharing thoughts and ideas around using a total communication approach to support children to engage with the activities. Attention and Listening and Vocabulary session planning booklets are included with this training.

First Steps to Reading 11th May 23 – Online

Delivered by Megan Dixon, this course will help you to develop and implement a curriculum that builds on children's individual needs and levels of development. Explore how you can provide rich and stimulating opportunities for children to develop their early reading skills. Look at the essential pre-reading skills, such as phonological awareness, letter awareness and concepts about print, that children need to develop and practical strategies for helping children learn them.

Rhymetime Roadshow 17th May 23 6.45-8.30pm – Online

We are delivering an Online Rhymetime Roadshow for those practitioners who are unable to attend at one of our Children Centres. You will be able to collect your resources from your local Children Centre prior to this session.

Effective Interactions 18th May 23 - Congleton Library

Discuss and define terms relating to communication and why interaction is so important. Look at 'Top Tips for Talking' and ways you can adapt your interactions to promote communication and support the needs of the developing child and focus on the practicalities of how to integrate high quality adult-interaction into your daily routine.

Early Years Training Hub – reminder to sign up

Thank you to everyone who has already signed up to the new Early Years Training Hub.  If you haven’t yet signed up, please do so now.  You can sign up by accessing this link:

Chess Early Years Training Hub (sla-portals.co.uk)

Then click on the SIGN UP link on the top right hand side of the login page.

The Provider Login button on our Early Years and Childcare Training Resources (cheshireeast.gov.uk) webpage will also give you access to the new Early Years training Hub.

Through our Training and Events page you can find information about the training and CPD offer available to Early Years practitioners in Cheshire East. You can access the Hub via the link on our training web page:  however you will need to request personal login details by signing up to the Hub.

Please note : If you already have access to the Schools Chess Hub you do not need to sign up again however please email us to request additional access user rights to the Early Years Hub.

Don't Forget!

FEEE – Afghan and Ukrainian children

Afghan and Ukrainian children aged 2, 3 and 4 years old living in Cheshire East are entitled to 15 hours early education irrespective of the immigration status of the child or their parent(s). To claim FEEE funding for children from Afghanistan or Ukraine, please add their details to the Provider Portal in the usual way. Should the Provider Portal be closed, please email the FEEE Team (FEEE@cheshireeast.gov.uk) who will update your funding claim.

In addition, please also complete the short form (link below), enabling the authority to monitor take-up of the free entitlement.  Please complete this form each time an Afghan or Ukrainian child starts or leaves your setting. If any Afghan or Ukrainian children currently attend your setting, please retrospectively complete this form and continue to use the form as you have any new starters or leavers.

https://forms.office.com/r/RN5KbkKrzL