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Our updated Child Protection and Safeguarding model policies are now available to download on Schoolsnet:
Child Protection and Safeguarding model policies (Derbyshire Schoolsnet)
The Prevent duty guidance has been refreshed and updated to reflect several recommendations of the Independent Review of Prevent. It's simplified into one document for all education settings - this helps to create greater consistency in the core expectations, whilst still acknowledging differences between education phases.
The Prevent Duty guidance has updated information around; tackling the ideological causes of terrorism, terminology updates, training, managing risk and information sharing – do you know what the updates are and what they mean for you and your setting?
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Prevent duty training - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Derby and Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (DDSCP) Website provides a wealth of information for the public, children, young people, parents, carers, and professionals, to improve local safeguarding arrangements and hold each other to account as to how they are keeping children safe.
The website has links for staff and volunteers, parents and carers, children and young people as well as online training opportunities, serious case reviews and links to polices and procedure.
https://www.ddscp.org.uk/
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It directs potential applicants to use Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Find a Job vacancy platform to search for early years, childcare and wraparound roles in their area.
As an employer, you can create an ‘employers’ account and post vacancies for potential applicants to see. This service is free to use and will ensure vacancies are seen by a large pool of potential candidates. Providers should use the term ‘early years’ in the title of their job adverts and select ‘Education jobs’ for the job category. For more information please see email that was sent out from CS.EYS@derbyshire.gov.uk on Thu 1st Feb with instructions in an accompanying PDF.
If you have any queries, or experience any issues, please contact DWP Contact us (dwp.gov.uk) and select “I’m an employer and I need help posting my job adverts’’. The Find a Job YouTube channel Find a job service - Employer help - YouTube also provides helpful video tutorials on how to post job adverts and manage your employer account.
Ofsted have updated their guidance Ofsted inspections: what EY providers and practitioners need to know for schools, registered early years providers and childminders. It details what you need to know about delivering the early years foundation stage (EYFS), and Ofsted inspections under the education inspection framework (EIF).
On 29th January Ofsted also updated their guidance Additional inspections of independent schools: handbook for inspectors.
 The current Physical Development landscape in the Early Years was shared at our recent Leaders and Manager’s briefings with some interesting facts and questions to consider. How do you reflect upon the importance of physical development and its impact upon children’s learning?
Being physically active has countless benefits, it maintains health and weight, develops muscles and bones, encourages movement and coordination, improves sleep, builds relationships and social skills, and contributes to brain development and learning (Physical Activity Guidelines for the Early Years).
Movement skill development in early childhood is also a significant predictor of achievement in reading and mathematics in primary school. So, the more a child moves the more the brain is stimulated and the more they will learn!
 To ensure children are physically ready, eager and able to learn, Derbyshire Early Years Service offers several opportunities to support EYFS providers in meeting children’s physical development through the ‘Every Child a Mover’ (ECaM) programme.
ECaM is a Derbyshire physical development support package that will:
- enable children to be physically ready, eager, and able to learn.
- encourage positive adult role models who inspire children to move and be physically active.
- support the development of a movement-rich environment and culture.
- support the physical development needs of individual children with emerging difficulties.
Introductory and follow-on training sessions are available to guide you through the use and implementation of the ECaM Assessment Tool documents and the ECaM Package. ECaM documents are available to download from the Prime areas of learning page on Derbyshire Schoolsnet.
The ECaM Package comprises of:
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ECaM Assessment Tool – a tool which gives a detailed assessment of a child’s physical development needs. The tool helps to identify if a child has emerging difficulties and requires effective and planned interventions putting in place. A copy of the ECaM Assessment Tool and decision making and guidance materials are available here.
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ECaM Pack – a support pack containing information and materials to enable children to be physically, ready, and eager to learn. (Can be purchased directly via Eventbrite ECAM pack
or contact CS.EYS@derbyshire.gov.uk. £25 for providers in Derbyshire, £30 for non-Derbyshire providers.)
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MOVERS – a ‘Movement Environment Rating Scale (MOVERS) for 2-6-year-olds provision’ which offers a brand-new method of measuring the quality of environment and pedagogy in which young children are encouraged to move and be physically active. MOVERS is a part of a family of rating scales and uses a similar scoring system to other environmental rating scales.
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ECaM Training – a variety of training events are available to support practitioners to acquire a greater knowledge of physical development and ECaM. Training courses available include:
- Introduction to ECaM & the ECaM Assessment Tool (online)
- Movement: How it develops and how to support children with emerging difficulties (online)
- Learning to Move & Moving to Learn – Making Every Child a Mover! (face-face)
If you would like to purchase the ECaM pack or would like further information about our ECaM package, including costings for having a MOVERS audit and/or training please contact CS.EYS@derbyshire.gov.uk.
Congratulations to:
- Alfreton Nursery School
- Barlborough Primary
- Barlow Preschool
- Bramley Vale Primary
- Kinderview Nursery
- Lons Infants School
- The Pines Nurseries
for achieving the award through Derbyshire’s Confident Communicators accredited package.
It has taken inspirational efforts of personal and whole staff training, mentoring, and implementing change over a year to gain this award.
From some of the Lead Communication Practitioners (LCP):
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To join in this exciting journey for your setting or EY classes in school, you can sign up here: https://forms.office.com/e/G4BTrvRsgL
On Eventbrite and S4S
Physical Development Resources & Training | Eventbrite including:
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Movement: How it develops & how to support children with emerging difficulties in physical development
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Learning to Move and Moving to Learn - Making Every Child a Mover!
Communication and Language Resources & Training | Eventbrite
Dr. Helen Bilton will be the live virtual guest on 12 and 13 March
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Communicating, moving and cooperating through quality outdoor learning:
On Eventbrite
Developing my understanding of Equal Opportunities in the Early Years Mon 26 Feb & Mon 11 Mar, 6.30pm – 8pm (both sessions must be attended)
Get ready, get set, count! Develop deeper understanding of number concepts Wed 6 Mar & Wed 20 Mar, 6.30pm – 8.00pm (both sessions must be attended)
On S4S
Get Ready, Get Set, Count 3-5 years including Reception Wed 6 Mar, 1.15pm - 2.30pm
Assessment in the Reception Year Wed 17 Apr & Wed 5 Jun, 1.15pm – 2.30pm (both sessions to be attended)
EYFS Assessment Community of Practice: Agreement Trialling for Reception teachers Wed 12 Jun, 10.00am - 12.00pm (County Hall, Matlock)
Details of other courses can be found on Eventbrite or S4S:
Derbyshire Early Years on Eventbrite - 'Follow us' to be the first to hear when courses become available to book.
Derbyshire S4S Early Years Improvement Service
Derbyshire S4S/Training (Filter using 'Early Years' as the key word)
The courses above and others can be delivered bespoke for your team or cluster - please email us with your training needs for more information:
CS.EYS@derbyshire.gov.uk
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Come join the Derbyshire Virtual School Early Years Network on Mon 18 Mar 2024 1.15pm – 2.45pm.
This online network is open to schools, settings and childminders.
The focus for this term will be supporting children's behaviour, self-regulation and Executive Function skills with input from Derbyshire Virtual School's Educational Psychologist.
To find out more and register a place please email virtual.school@derbyshire.gov.uk
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Referrals to the EYSEN service
Please continue to refer children to our service if you feel they need support at a specialist level of the graduated response. This will be after you have carried out cycles of assess, plan, do and review at a targeted level. Funded children should already be in receipt of Early Years Inclusion Funding (EYIF) before you can refer them – EYIF is part of your response to children’s needs at a targeted level of the graduated response.
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The cut-off date for children starting school in September to be referred to the EYSEN specialist teaching service is Friday 16th February 2024. Younger children can be referred at any time. Please use the latest referral form (dated October 2023) from the Local Offer website: Early Years SEN Panel - Derbyshire Local Offer
After 16th February, if you require support for a school starting child with SEN, please contact the EYSEN Helpline who will send you an SEN transition pack which is currently being updated for 2024.
The Helpline: EarlyYears.SENhelpline@derbyshire.gov.uk
New!! EYSEN Outreach Team
From the summer term there will be a new team as part of the EYSEN service – the Outreach team. They will be taking on the assessment and support of children in their settings (both PVI and maintained nurseries and nursery classes) in place of the specialist assessment nursery placements. Assessment will no longer be offered through the assessment nurseries at Spire and Stubbin Wood. Instead, you will be able to refer children for short term, intensive assessment and support in your setting. Please see the Local offer website for more information, referral criteria and referral forms: Early Years SEN Panel - Derbyshire Local Offer
This is a great new offer at the targeted level of the graduated response, and available to all early years children at a Derbyshire setting. More information will be shared at the EYSENCO briefings (this week on February 12th, 14th and 15th). Book on for FREE via Eventbrite: Derbyshire EYSEN Service Events | Eventbrite
Book your SEND training!
EYSEN training for Spring 2024
Derbyshire EYSEN SENCO and Foundation Stage Inclusion Leads briefings:
- Mon 12 Feb 1.30pm - 3.00pm
- Wed 14 Feb 9.30am - 11.00am
- Thu 15 Feb 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) training: Derbyshire EYSEN SEMH (Becoming curious, calm and competent practitioners in response to complex behaviour), 27 Feb and 29 Feb 6.30pm - 8.00pm (both sessions must be attended)
Derbyshire EYSEN Foundation Stage Inclusion Leads/SENCO training: Mon 4 and Tue 5 March, 1.00pm - 4.00pm (both sessions must be attended)
Autism training: Including children with ASD in early years settings, Tue 5 Mar, 9.30am – 12.30pm
Sensory Processing Needs: Reducing Sensory Processing Barriers to Learning, Tue 12 and 19 Mar 9.30am – 12.30pm (both sessions must be attended)
Derbyshire EYSEN Inclusion training (Addressing Inclusion for young children with complex needs): Wed 13 Mar 1.00pm – 4.00pm
Derbyshire EYSEN Makaton training (An introduction to Makaton for the Early Years): Wed 13 Mar 9.00am - 11.00am.
All these courses can be booked on Eventbrite (or S4S for maintained EY settings) – visit Derbyshire EYSEN Service courses on Eventbrite and
Book through Eventbrite Derbyshire EYSEN Service courses on Eventbrite or on Derbyshire S4S Early Years SEN.
To be first to hear about EYSEN Service training and events go to Derbyshire EYSEN Service training and events | Eventbrite, log in on Eventbrite and click 'Follow'. You'll then receive an email notification each time a new event or training is added.
Level 3 Early Years SENCO award
This is free to access and our team are one of the delivery partners with Best Practice Network. Every setting can apply for one free place for their SENCO – follow this link for more information:
Early Years SENCO - Level 3 | Best Practice Network
We want to make sure that all Early Years settings are aware of the Local Offer website and all the information on it. It is a great resource for you all and for your parents and families.
We would be really grateful if you could publish a link to the Local Offer website on your setting website or Facebook page to help raise awareness amongst families who have children with SEN:
Home - Derbyshire Local Offer
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The Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire Early Years Stronger Practice Hub are delighted to invite you to their open day events – please see the details below.
Keep informed and up to date on their Hub activity by registering here. For further information, please contact enquiries@DNEYhub.org
Click here to see their latest newsletter
A) Early Years Provision Series with Rachel Mortlock
click here to view
B) EYSEND Project Webinars
Hear more about the EYSEND project - that includes colleagues from a range of specialist organisations including nasen, Speech and Language UK, Contact, Dingley's Promise, and Council for Disabled Children.
Venue: Virtual
Date: Monday 12 Feb, 4.00pm - 6.00pm and Monday 18 Mar, 10.00am - 12.00pm
Book here for Monday 18th March
C) Open day – Sarah Smith childminder services
Hear more about Sarah’s approach to social communication and the impact it has on children’s development and learning around PSED.
Venue: Sarah Smith’s home setting, Buxton
Date: Saturday 24th February
Book here: 9am – 10.30am
Book here: 11 – 12.30pm
Open to all Early Years practitioners, particularly childminders.
‘Diamond Nuggets’ – Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire Early Years Stronger Practice Hub on YouTube
A series of short videos focusing on communication and interaction have been designed to give you simple approaches that you can easily implement. These are available to view here, with more content being added … so keep your eyes peeled!
When a child turns 2 years old, they'll be offered two development reviews; one by yourself, and one by your health visitor. Each review is important and has a different focus on your child's progress and development. If you complete the progress check at 2 years as soon as you can, please email the relevant Health Hub using the following email addresses:
South Hub secure email: dchst.0-19ChildrensAdminSouth@nhs.net
(For the council wards in Amber Valley, Erewash and South Derbyshire & South Derbyshire Dales.)
North Hub secure email: dchst.0-19ChildrensAdminNorth@nhs.net
(For the council wards in High Peak and Dales, Chesterfield, Bolsover and North East Derbyshire.)
For both hubs, if you have concerns about the child’s progress, please write *CONCERNS* in the email subject box.
Integrated Review guidance for providers can be found at the bottom of the page here:
Ready for school in Derbyshire - Derbyshire County Council
The Government have announced that applications for the first wave of the rollout of the expansion of funded childcare for working parents opened on 2 January 2024. Eligible working parents of two-year-olds can now apply to access 15 hours of funded childcare per week from April 2024.
Please encourage your families to apply for this funding as soon as possible to ensure they have their code well before the April 2024 start.
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The DfE have announced an update to the application process for parents who already have a Tax-Free Childcare account and who’s reconfirmation window does not open until on or after the 15th February.
Please see the Early Years Business Bulletin - February 2024 for more details.
Stage 1 - From April 2024, eligible working parents of 2-year-olds will be able to access 15 hours childcare support.
Stage 2 - From September 2024, 15 hours of childcare funding will be extended to eligible working parents of children from the age of 9 months to 3-year-olds.
Stage 3 - From September 2025, eligible working parents of children form 9 months to school age will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare a week.
To be eligible for stage 1 of the roll out, children will need to have reached their second birthday on or before the 31 March 2024, and their parents will need to have successfully applied for, and be in receipt of, a code by the 31 March 2024 deadline to be eligible to access their funded childcare from April 2024.
The eligibility criteria for this new cohort of families are the same as the current offer for 3-and-4-year-olds and are detailed in the following link: www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.
Parents can also now sign up to the new Childcare Choices Newsletter to receive details about the upcoming expansions, as well as information on how and when to register for support with their childcare costs. Please could you promote this to your families and encourage them to sign up for updates from Childcare Choices so that they are aware of their potential eligibility for this new funding, and that they can apply within the required timescales.
We have also designed fresh marketing materials to help you promote these new offers which you should have received by email. If you have not received this, then please contact us at info.fis@derbyshire.gov.uk and we can arrange for this to be shared with you. We will also be promoting the new entitlements and the relevant application dates on our Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/DerbyshireFIS. Again, please promote this with your families by inviting them to like and follow the page.
Derbyshire’s Families Information Service (FIS) provides free, impartial information and guidance for parents, carers, practitioners, children, and young people on a wide range of services, activities, and events available in Derbyshire.
You can contact FIS via:
Follow us on Facebook
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 Monthly updates about services and activities, in and around Derbyshire, that support the wellbeing, mental and physical health of families, children and young people can be found here:
Derby and Derbyshire Emotional Health and Wellbeing Community Updates
Services are free of charge and available to all nursery and pre-school settings in Derbyshire. Please contact your local library or email ask.library@derbyshire.gov.uk for more information.
You are welcome to bring groups of children for a library visit to your local library. Just give the library a call or enquire through ask.library@derbyshire.gov.uk to arrange a time and date.
There are also regular rhyme times and story times in most libraries, where you are welcome to bring small groups along. Again, contact the library for details.
Early Years Service general enquiries: CS.EYS@derbyshire.gov.uk
Early Years Quality Team - info on Schoolsnet
Funding & contract queries: cs.enquiries.groupcare@derbyshire.gov.uk
OR cs.enquiries.childminders@derbyshire.gov.uk
OR cs.enquiries.schools@derbyshire.gov.uk
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