News and Updates
Early Years Reference Group (EYRG)
New member needed for our Early Years Reference Group!
We have a vacancy for a childminder or a leader from a group-based setting to join the EYRG.
The EYRG is an advisory body to Milton Keynes Schools Forum on matters relating to early years education funding.
The group identifies priorities, objectives and targets of the funded education duties and works with MKCC officers to ensure funding is implemented on time. This is done through meetings – usually three each year.
This would be a great professional development opportunity as well as making a positive difference to the children of MK.
If you are interested and would like more information, please contact:
George Vincent
Democratic and Electoral Services Officer
George.Vincent@milton-keynes.gov.uk
01908 252050
MKCC services
Early years place planning – Forward View 2024
We’ve recently updated the Early years place planning forward view 2024. This document is reviewed annually.
The document reviews the sufficiency of early education and childcare provision throughout Milton Keynes and sets out the local authority’s main legal duties and powers in relation to the market. The ‘Forward View’ is intended to aid providers in mapping demand in Milton Keynes and stimulating the market growth required to ensure sufficient places are available.
Comments and feedback are welcomed and can be sent to: sufficiencyandaccess@milton-keynes.gov.uk
Ethnic Minority Achievement (EMA) Early Years advice and guidance
A reminder about the EMA service offer
Providers, school-based nurseries and reception are able to access:
Advice, guidance and training to support children and families from minority ethnic backgrounds including those with English as an additional language.
- Cultural diversity in early years
- Language development of children learning through English as an additional language (EAL)
- The home learning environment.
The EMA resource centre which contains a wide range of resources to help promote and celebrate the diversity within Milton Keynes. Resources include multilingual books, musical instruments, story sacks, religious artefacts, and much more.
For more information please email Pam Lewis (EMA consultant) - ema@milton-keynes.gov.uk or pamela.lewis@mitlon-keynes.gov.uk.
DfE
Childcare Choices website reminder
A reminder about how parents can use the Childcare Choices website as funded places are extended from April.
With significant changes coming to 15 and 30 hours funded support in England. Parents can sign up for more details about the upcoming expansion from April 2024, as well as how and when to register for support with childcare costs.
EY Stronger Practice Hubs
Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs provide advice, share good practice and offer evidence-based professional development for early years practitioners.
Each Hub is led by a group-based (school-based, private, voluntary, or independent) early years provider and supports settings to adopt well-evidenced practice improvements by:
Establishing regional networks of settings to share knowledge and effective practice.
Proactively sharing information and advice on evidence-based approaches, for example, through newsletters, blogs and social media.
Acting as a point of contact for bespoke advice, and signposting to other funded support.
Working with EEF to select evidence-based programmes to fund and make available to settings.
Milton Keynes is covered by the Thames Valley Early Years Stronger Practice Hub.
Childminder staffroom support and training
There is additional support and training for childminders, available through the ‘Childminder staffroom’ online.
Ofsted
The Big Listen is an opportunity for you to help Ofsted improve. It seeks views from across the remits Ofsted work with.
Ofsted are seeking to explore 4 areas:
- How they report on education and regulatory inspections
- The shape of education and regulatory inspections, ways of working and the craft of inspecting
- The conduct of inspections and the way they work
- The consequences of inspections for children, professionals, institutions and parents’ choices
The Big Listen is structured so that you can engage around the areas of greatest interest and importance to you.
The Big Listen closes at 11.59pm on Friday 31 May 2024. So please make sure you get involved before then.
Please note, the Big Listen for children and young people will open later this month. More information can be found using the link above.
HMCI’s priorities for the Early Years Sector
At the end of February, Sir Martyn Oliver (His Majesties Chief Inspector) outlined his commitment to the early years sector.
He said that, “Children only get one childhood, and getting those precious early years right is absolutely crucial. Without the building blocks laid in the first few years of a child’s life, they may fall behind in language and communication, struggle in school, need additional help later in life, and find it difficult to form meaningful relationships. Ultimately, they may not be able to reach their full potential.” We know that colleagues across MK support this view.
You can read more in his Ofsted blog.
Useful info
Healthier Together website
The Healthier Together website is a digital resource designed to support children, young people and their parents/carers. It aims to empower parents and carers – giving them the right tools to manage their children and young people’s physical health and emotional well-being. In addition, it has a lot of information for young people to access and use for themselves.
The section for Parents/Carers covers key areas such as ‘Should my child go to school/nursery today’, information on a range of common illnesses and childhood vaccinations, in addition to a large section on SEND.
Another section entitled Health for Young People speaks directly to young people and provides information on mental health, sexual health and LGBTQ+ issues. This gives extensive guidance, including ‘What to do in a Crisis’, ‘Where to Get Help’ and ‘Self-help Ideas.’ There is also a lifestyle section which focuses on topics such as healthy eating and exercise, much of which has been co-produced with young people.
Thanks to a functionality called Recite Me, the site is also accessible to people who may be disabled, visually impaired, speak English as a second language or are elderly. The web content can be translated into over 100 different languages.
Please share the website with staff and also with pupils and parents/ carers in your setting/school community.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact Linsay Taylor
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Awake to Know Africa
Awake to Know Africa (ATKA) is a community interest company, working to raise awareness of diversity through the celebration of African culture.
ATKA works in MK schools and the wider MK community to enable children, young people and adults to appreciate different cultures and to promote harmony. They are committed to:
- Breaking down barriers in the community
- Facilitating learning about different cultures
- Celebrating the diverse nature of Milton Keynes
- Developing new learning opportunities
- Involving parents in creative play with children
You can find out more by browsing the ATKA website using the link above, you may find the schools webpage particularly helpful.
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