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Bulletin 271

9 May 2023

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

Business Support

All FEEE Providers / Administrators: Provider Portal Closure – Summer Term

The Provider Portal has now closed for the summer term. 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

Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements

Operation Encompass Teachers’ Helpline for staff in all education settings

The Operation Encompass Teachers’ Helpline is available for all education staff to speak in confidence with an educational or clinical psychologist, about how best to support children in their setting who may be experiencing domestic abuse. The helpline is available on 0204 513 9990 8am to 1pm, Monday to Friday, term-time Calls are charged at a local rate Please note that calling the helpline should not replace statutory safeguarding processes. Further information and resources are available from the Operation Encompass website.

Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements: Focus on...

A practitioner must be designated to take lead responsibility for safeguarding children in every setting. Childminders must take the lead responsibility themselves. The lead practitioner must attend a child protection training course that enables them to identify, understand and respond appropriately to signs of possible abuse and neglect.

Latest Safeguarding Scenario

The latest safeguarding scenario is now available on our webpage.

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 Eurovision

SEND

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.

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!’ Research shows that children using English as an additional language will learn English best if they have a solid foundation in their home language.  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.  There is no ‘magic wand’ for supporting children using English as an additional language: ‘The principles of good practice for children learning English are the principles of good practice for all children’ (DCSF, 2007a).

So, if you have quality first teaching in place you will be supporting all children effectively, whatever their first language is! Keep your language simple, at the child’s level (if they are using single words, you use single words only) Follow the child’s lead in play, watch what they are doing and comment on what they are interested in Offer verbal choices whilst showing the objects – this will increase exposure to vocabulary and give children the opportunity to communicate Support talk with visuals – these could be pictures or sign Share songs, rhymes and stories regularly Be inclusive of all cultures in planning your nursery activities Involve children learning English as an additional language in small language intervention groups eg Cheshire East Chatters Vocabulary group, WellComm activities Bilingual books are available to order for free from Booktrust – email bookstart@cheshiresharedservices.gov.uk for more details.

Useful tools for monitoring progress of children learning English as an additional language include: Resources from the Bell Foundation https://www.bell-foundation.org.uk/resources/detail/assessment-framework-eyfs/?_gl=1*1ejct5e*_up*MQ..*_ga*OTEzOTEyMzg4LjE2ODI2NzE5Nzg.*_ga_QBGWH5CZBF*MTY4MjY3MTk3Ny4xLjAuMTY4MjY3MTk3Ny4wLjAuMA The EcAT tracker https://preview-chesheast.cloud.contensis.com/pdf/livewell/early-years-and-childcare/speech-and-language-therapists/eal-progress-tracker.pdf 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 if they are not making progress.

Parenting Journey

Continuous Professional Development

Opportunity to register for the Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP)

The Early Years Professional Development Programme is funded by the Department for Education and offers a comprehensive package of professional development that is based on current early years pedagogy. It will help to build upon practitioners’ skills and knowledge to improve the quality of adult-child interactions. It offers the opportunity to:

• Improve skills to identify children at risk of speech, language and communication needs
• Provide an understanding of the theory of child development in early mathematics
• Develop skills to support children’s self-confidence, relationships, and self-awareness through expertly developed Personal, Social and Emotional Development training 
• Improve engagement with parents and carers to support the home learning environment

Registration is open for the September 2023 cohort and so if you are interested in participating in the Early Years Professional Development Programme then you can apply here: Apply – Early Years Professional Development Programme (earlyyearspdp.com)

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.

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.

Standing in the shoes of a 2 year old 22nd May & 5th June 9.30-11.30am or 6.30-8.30pm – Online

This two part training is suitable for all practitioners who work with two year olds and will provide them with the skills and knowledge needed to work with this special age group. Look at the Role of the Key Person, building attachments and how children like to learn in session 1 and the physical and emotional environment for twos, patterns of play, supporting feelings and emotions and effective practice in session 2.

Rhymetime Roadshow at Monks Coppenhall Children Centre 24th May 23 9.15am-11.45am

Join us at our Rhymetime Roadshow and hear about 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.  Everyone will receive a pack including the “Are you Ready for Rhyme Time?" document and a box full of Bookstart goodies.

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.

Education Endowment Foundation: Guide to Effective Professional Development in the Early Years

The Education Endowment Foundation has published a Guide to Effective Professional Development in the Early Years. This guide explores four areas they recommend professional development includes and considers some of the key features or mechanisms of each area which could make the professional development more effective. Further information on the link below.

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