You have recently been sent the local public health guidance in relation to ‘Living Safely with Covid-19’ that also included a letter to settings explaining the recent guidance.

If you do become aware of confirmed cases within your setting, please continue to report this to us using the online form. 

In October 2021, the Department for Education (DfE) announced funding to help address the impact of the pandemic. This includes the early years Covid-19 recovery experts and mentors programme.

This programme offers bespoke early years support delivered either face-to-face or virtually by trained experts and mentors to:

• early years practitioners
• leaders
• whole settings

Find out more information on the GOV.UK website.

The DfE have released the EYFS profile exemplification videos to support schools making judgements against the revised early years goals at the end of the reception year.  You may find it interesting to view the professional discussion that takes place in the videos around children's development, and the expected level for children at the end of the EYFS. 

The entire suite of EYFS support videos from the DfE can be accessed via their YouTube channel.

Ofsted's Enforcement Policy

Ofsted has made some updates to its early years and childcare enforcement policy.

New sections added include information on CCTV, childminder agencies, data protection and a new Annex B listing criminal offences.

The updated guidance and a summary of the changes can be found on the GOV.UK website.

Education recovery series

Ofsted has held briefings on education recovery and how schools, early years providers and further education and skills providers are responding to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children is well documented. These briefings draw together evidence from a sample of routine inspections and can be viewed on the GOV.UK website. 

Notifying significant events to Ofsted

Ofsted has published amended guidance on significant events to notify Ofsted.

Guidance for childminders, nannies and other registered childcare providers with examples of what Ofsted considers to be a significant event can be found on the GOV.UK website.  

The DfE have been working to get choking prevention information out to the sector in as many ways as possible. Please find below useful information for both providers and parents.

A food safety page on the ‘Help for Early Years Providers’ online platform has been created.

They have been working with the Food Standards Agency to produce two choking prevention posters as well as working with OHID’s Start4Life campaign to promote choking awareness via their website. 

There is still time to take advantage of the Government’s Incentive Payment scheme when hiring a new apprentice. The closing date for applications is 15 May 2022.

To be eligible, the apprentices must have started their employment at your organisation between 1 October 2021 and 31 January 2022 and start their apprenticeship between 1 October 2021 and 31 March 2022.

More information can be found on the GOV.UK website. 

Each group setting has an assigned community nursery nurse (CNN) that they can liaise with about any problems and complete integrated assessments with. If you need the details of your CNN, please contact your Early Years Development Officer.

You can contact your link CNN directly but if the CNN does not respond within a timely manner, please contact the Single Point of Contact on 0800 0199 951.

We are now seeking the views of early years professionals in this final consultation stage to conclude with an agreed definition of school readiness on entry to reception, which will be used to improve children's transitions between settings, home and school.

Please provide your views by completing the online consultation by 9am on Monday 14 March 2022.