 The purpose of the Early Years Expansion Grant is intended to support businesses with the running of their setting during the final phase of the expansion programme, and we will shortly be sending out details to those providers who are eligible to receive the grant.
The grant allocation is based on the child level data that was submitted as part of the summer term 2025 actual headcount task. The data used calculate the amount is based on the number of 2-year-olds and under 2s taking up the early education entitlements in settings, including two year olds taking up either the working parent, or disadvantaged entitlements. The grant will be paid on a flat value per part time equivalent place and is the same rate for all age groups.
While use of this early years expansion grant funding will be diverse, reflecting different provider circumstances, it must be used for the purposes of supporting the delivery of the childcare entitlements and the Department for Education may want us to share examples of how providers intend to use this funding.
The early years expansion grant will be paid to eligible providers before the end of August 2025.
 All providers who deliver the early education funding should have received an email regarding the updated Local Provider Agreement (LPA). Please could you return the completed, signed document to eyfunding@portsmouthcc.gov.uk, (including the chargeable extras template setting out the information that will be shared with parents) by 2 May 2025 to ensure continuity of any future headcount claims and payments for early education funding.
We appreciate that these are difficult times for providers and the team are here to support you as much as we can during this time of transition.
 At the start of the summer term we will be sending out a bulletin devoted to transition.
This will have the updated Transfer Record link, the date and booking link for the annual citywide transition meeting and advice on toileting, starting school skills and projects that support children on their journey into school.
 Early in the summer term we will also be launching the new training programme and you will be able to purchase and book visits, training onsite in your setting and workshops we will be delivering to our Portsmouth Early Years workforce.
 Congratulations to all of our newly qualified EY Professional Development Programme students!
 The programme covers PSED, Literacy and Mathematics and aims to give practitioners:
- The skills and knowledge to enhance the quality of adult-child interactions through sustained shared thinking.
- Support to engage with parents and carers to support the home learning environment. The skills to identify children at risk of speech, language and communication needs.
- An understanding of the theory of child development in Early Mathematics, developed by subject experts, and how to support children’s early mathematical learning in everyday practice.
- The skills to support children’s self-confidence and self-awareness, managing feelings and behaviours, and making relationships through expertly developed Personal, Social and Emotional Development training.
 This event is a great opportunity to engage with the DfE to share your ideas, successes, concerns and challenges and help shape government’s current and future early education and childcare policy. You will also hear about the plan for the Best Start in Life pillar of its Opportunity Mission and activity underway to meet the expanded childcare entitlements from September 2025, and will network with other setting leaders, Local Authorities and organisations which support the sector.
 Teach Portsmouth returns to Central Library (third floor) on Thursday 1 May from 10am - 11.45am and 12pm - 2pm with exhibitors who will help you find training or employment in education. Schools, academies and colleges need people to fulfil a range of rewarding roles to help support children and young people.
If you are curious about what opportunities are available, join Teach Portsmouth for one of two identical sessions where you can learn about the routes into the profession from those who work within it. Each session begins with a series of inspirational talks from local experts who will share their experiences about working in a classroom. A question-and-answer session will follow.
Afterwards, you can meet up to nine exhibitors with jobs and opportunities and sign up to taster sessions to build your confidence and experience before you apply. If you have wanted to help support groups of children or work on a 1:1 basis, there are plenty of opportunities in Portsmouth.
For more information and to get a ticket, please visit www.teachportsmouth.co.uk/TA.
The most significant changes are that the 2025 document:
- Provides more detailed descriptions of the level of need and examples for each tier.
- Has an updated indicators of need section with more descriptors added to provide greater clarity.
- Emphasises the importance of information sharing, providing guidelines and references to national guidance.
- Has more detail in the sections on children in special circumstances, such as children with disabilities, unborn children, young carers, and private fostering.
To support you with understanding and applying the thresholds in practice, new training has been developed which in now available to book. This 2 hour masterclass is designed to be suitable for managers and safeguarding leads across all agencies.
Objectives:
- To understand the legislative framework and guidance which supports sharing safeguarding information with MASH.
- To be familiar with the updated Portsmouth Threshold Document.
- To know what is available for practice and safeguarding decision making.
Dates:
- 25 April, 9.30am - 11.30am
- 28 May, 10.30am - 12.30pm
- 5 June, 9.30am - 11.30am
 Many parents have questions specifically about the code validation stage of the childcare application process. Childcare Works have collated an FAQ designed to support parents to navigate the application, code validation and reconfirmation process.
 Happy Easter from the Early Years team.
 And finally… the Early Years team would like to wish childminder Julie Curran well and send her all our best wishes for a long, healthy and happy retirement after she retired earlier this week after caring for many, many children in her home over the past 36 years.
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