The main changes are: Guidance updated in line with the UKHSA announcement about confirmatory PCR tests, clarification that children can return to the setting on day 7 if they've had 2 negative LFD tests and guidance on testing under 5s for household contacts.
As part of becoming familiar with the new guidance it is essential you are aware of the changes in How long to self-isolate
Please also see the DfE response to queries received regarding testing below.
‘Critical workers do not include the early years workforce (who access testing kits via the education route), and they will not be asked to test daily as of next week’
If Day Nurseries and Pre-Schools run out of test kits, they can continue to order more through the online ordering platform.
All providers can call 119 if they require further advice or support.
Ordering Lateral Flow Test Kits - Childminders
Childminders should order Lateral Flow Test Kits through the link below, which will give a code to show to their local pharmacist.
The government is reintroducing the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme (SSPRS)
This will be a temporary scheme to support employers facing heightened levels of sickness absence due to COVID-19. The SSPRS will refund small and medium-sized employers’ COVID-related SSP costs for up to two weeks per employee
Ofsted have updated their Question and Answers within the following guidance: Ofsted EIF inspections and the EYFS, this includes the following new questions related to the EYFS Reforms:
‘How will inspectors consider progress’ and ‘Does Ofsted expect practitioners to use the government’s non-statutory guidance, Development Matters, when developing and shaping their curriculums?’
There has been additional clarification to the following three questions:
‘Will Ofsted expect providers to show the progress of a child tracked against the revised non-statutory guidance, ‘Development Matters?’
‘Will Ofsted prefer to see paper assessments rather than those recorded electronically?’
‘How will Ofsted inspect the curriculum and do registered providers need to produce a curriculum map?’
Paragraph 35: Clarification on timing of re-inspection of providers judged ‘requires improvement’ has changed to:
“35. All childminders, pre-school provision and nursery provision judged as requires improvement will usually be re-inspected within 12 months.”
Paragraph 36:Clarification that where a provider is no longer meeting requirements, we ‘usually’ take steps to cancel their registration has changed to:
“36.Provision that has been given 2 previous ‘requires improvement’ judgements is likely to be judged inadequate if there is no improvement at the next inspection. Provision that has been given 2 previous ‘inadequate’ judgements is likely to have its registration cancelled if there is no improvement at the next inspection. We usually also take steps to cancel a provider’s registration at any point if we find that they are no longer meeting requirements.”
Paragraph 101: Clarification that when inspectors discuss children’s learning and development with staff, there will be a particular focus on communication and language has changed to:
“101. Inspectors will also discuss children’s learning and development with staff as part of the inspection. There will be a particular focus on communication and language, as the development of children’s spoken language underpins all 7 areas of learning and development that are set out in paragraph 1.6 of the statutory framework for the EYFS. Much of this will be through incidental conversations prompted by observing the children at play and the interactions between them and adults.”
New EYFS Resources - Help for Early Years Providers
Help for Early Years Providers is a new service from the Department for Education to support childminders and staff in PVI settings to understand and implement changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). There are now videos available on the three literacy resource pages as well as a Vodcast from the National Children's Bureau on the use of the online service.
This data is published fortnightly. It gives the number of registered early years and childcare providers reporting one or more confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) by week.
Guidance has been updated to reflect the withdrawal of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and the Self Employment Income Support Scheme on 30 September 2021.
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