Have you heard about the DfE Covid Recovery Programme?
The DFE Covid recovery programme is free to join and offers Early Years settings face to face support from an Early years Expert and online support for your team from an Early years Mentor.
Providers who have already been on the programme have found it valuable support in developing areas of practice and provision, such as curriculum, environments, routines, quality interactions and child development knowledge. More information about the programme can be found in the attached ‘information for settings’ document.
Any provider can self- refer onto the programme by following the link below (priority may be given to settings meeting the eligibility criteria)
Early Years Experts and Mentors programme - Request for support Spring 2024 (office.com)
Applications are now open for Spring term 2024. For more information or to discuss the programme further with a member of our team please contact Earlyyearsandchildcareteam@cheshireeast.gov.uk
Early Years Educator apprenticeships
Early Years Educator apprenticeships are available now for level 2 and 3 entry. Earn as you learn valuable skills in a fun environment, while advancing your professional development.
Security and emergency planning guidance for education settings
The Department for Education are aware of several recent malicious email threats to education settings in a number of local authority areas. The police have said these incidents are malicious communications and there has not yet been a credible threat. The DfE recognise that threats of this nature are very upsetting and can be disruptive to the calm learning environments you strive to create.
Education settings are not advised to initiate a lockdown unless it is actively recommended by the police, or you are satisfied that it is a proportionate response to an immediate physical threat on-site.
If your education setting receives a threat, alert the police immediately and follow their advice and guidance. You should also engage your local authority as the management responsibility for school security is shared between local authorities, governing bodies, proprietors and headteachers. Local authorities also have established links with police and local resilience forums.
The DfE had published guidance to support settings in planning against security related risks and incidents. The School and college security guidance and the Emergency planning and response for education, childcare, and children’s social care settings guidance also covers agency responsibilities, and the robust plans and measures settings should have in place to protect their students and staff.
All education, childcare, and children’s social care settings should have emergency plans in place. Your plan should explain how you would respond if you needed to take any temporary actions in the event of an emergency. The aim of an emergency plan is to help you and your staff plan for and respond effectively to an emergency.
- Your emergency plans should be generic enough to cover a range of potential incidents including those happening during, and outside, normal working hours including weekends and holidays.
- Education settings should have a competent person or persons to lead in health and safety, and security including online or cyber security attacks. This may or may not be the same person and this role will sit alongside the designated safeguarding lead.
Share information on Measles / MMR vaccination
Measles cases are rising across the country, with over 102,000 children starting primary school in England being at risk of catching the disease. The DfE are asking education settings to share key messages from the NHS about MMR / measles and how to get vaccinated.
The Back to school MMR Guidance from the NHS includes information to share, as well as example social media posts which can be found here: NHS Vaccine Poster and NHS MMR Poster.
Measles is highly infectious and if left unvaccinated nine out of ten children in a classroom can catch the disease if just one child is infectious. Please share these resources with colleagues, parents, and where suitable, community organisations to increase awareness and encourage parents to get their children vaccinated.
|
