 Wind in the Willows Nursery have been thinking about their climate action plan. They have been:
- Running a walk to nursery week (or at least park a few roads away)
- Recycling and repurposing with empty cartons junk modelling
- Exploring diversity in their local community local parks
- Thinking about food from their allotment to their plates
 For just £70, book your place on our two hour virtual Creating Your Climate Action Plan in February, run by our Early Years Quality and Sufficiency Officer, Vicky Taylor.
Or you could choose a bespoke session to support you with your plan. You could choose from a 2 hour onsite training workshop for your whole staff team for £265, whole staff training to be delivered to your team virtually for £160 or an onsite visit for £265. Please email eyworkforce@portsmouthcc.gov.uk to book.
We've also prepared a climate action plan template for use within your settings.
 Answering your questions on food brought in from home (packed lunch) policies
Since September 2025, early years providers have been required to have regard to the Early Years Foundation Stage nutrition guidance. This guidance supports settings to meet the EYFS requirement that meals, snacks and drinks provided to children must be healthy, balanced and nutritious, whether meals are served in the setting or brought from home.
This forms part of the Government’s commitment to give children the best start in life by supporting healthy eating habits in the early years and helping to reduce health inequalities.
If your setting has chosen to implement a policy on food brought in from home, the Department for Education wants to hear your questions and early concerns about how implementing the policy is working in practice. This will help them understand what further information and support would be helpful for providers to get the most out of this guidance.
Please submit any questions you have to foundationyears@beginbright.com by Monday 13 October.
 Applications are now open for Maths Champions - a fully funded programme delivered by NDNA through the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and Department for Education (DfE).
Maths Champions is a 12-month online professional development programme that helps nurseries boost staff confidence and children’s outcomes in maths. Research shows children in Maths Champion settings make up to 3 months’ extra progress in maths and language - rising to 6 months for disadvantaged children.
Each setting nominates a Maths Champion and Deputy Maths Champion (level 3 qualified practitioners) who will:
- Complete engaging online training
- Lead staff confidence and environment audits
- Implement 10+ core maths activities with children
- Access one-to-one support from Early Years Advisers and a bank of resources
Who can apply?
Private, voluntary, independent (PVI) nurseries, maintained nursery schools, children’s centres, and school-based nurseries in England with 3- & 4-year-old provision (minimum 15 hours).
Delivery begins February – June 2026.
The first 50 settings to submit their expression of interest by Friday 28 November will be entered into a prize draw to win 1 of 10 bundles of Maths Number Books – delivered in time for Christmas!
Early years maths isn’t just counting and compare bears!
Or if you are interested in a practical maths training workshop, take a look at 'early years maths isn’t just counting and compare bears!' This two hour, face to face workshop is just £70 and will be run by our Early Years Quality and Sufficiency Officer, Vicky Taylor in February.
 Halloween can be an exciting time of year for children, dressing up and going out after dark. But, whilst Halloween is supposed to be spooky, there are some horrors that families will want to avoid. So here are Child Accident Prevention Trust's (CAPT) top tips to share with families for a safe Halloween they can remember for all the right reasons.
Halloween costume safety tips
Did you know some Halloween costumes are highly flammable? They can ignite almost instantly and burn fast. That’s why CAPTs free poster highlights four key safety tips to avoid getting tricked into an unsafe costume. Please download and display in your setting to spread the word.
Firework safety tips
Did you know sparklers can burn 16 times hotter than a kettle? Or how easy it is to buy powerful rockets unsuited to family back gardens? With Bonfire Night and Diwali quickly approaching, our fireworks advice hub covers all the safety essentials.
Online interactive training course on home safety for the under 5’s
Designed for practitioners who work with families with young children, CAPTs online home safety training builds your knowledge, skills and confidence so you can better support the families you work with.
 Your setting could have formal recognition of inclusive practice, membership of NPA, mentorship and support from NPA members, use of the NPA logo.
Do you have - an Ofsted rating of at least ‘Good’, have at least one practitioner that has successfully completed a Portage Workshop, hold a current NPA membership and applying the Portage Principles in your setting. If so, see attached flyer for details.
 Baby Loss Awareness Week
Baby Loss Awareness Week happens every year from 9 - 15 October. The Lullaby Trust will share how you can receive support through your own bereavement, and also how others can support those who may be navigating life after baby loss.
The final day of the week is the Global Wave Of Light where families across the world light candles to commemorate the lives of their babies.
Light a candle in memory of a loved one and share a photo and message on The Lullaby Trust's dedication page. You can also make a donation in your loved one's name. Remember to buy your BLAW pin badge to show your support. If you feel like content about baby loss may be challenging for you during this week, they are there to help if you need support. Their bereavement support helpline is open to everyone on 0808 802 6868, 10.00am - 2.00pm on weekdays, and 6.00pm - 10.00pm on weekends and public holidays.
Infection Prevention Week
This year, from 19 - 25 October, The Lullaby Trust will discuss how we can all work together to prevent infection in babies. The theme for Infection Prevention Week 2025 is ‘never a nuisance’. Too many parents/carers have delay seeking medical help for their baby, due to being worried about “wasting” NHS time. No parent should hesitate to speak up if they’re worried about their baby. But too often, families worry about being a bother.
Baby safety in colder weather
As we wave goodbye to sunny skies and welcome the chillier, shorter days, it can be tempting to wrap your baby up to keep them warm and cosy. But make sure you go for lightweight sheets or blankets and avoid thick, fleecy or padded blankets or duvets. If you think your baby is cold, add an extra lightweight blanket or layer of clothing.
It’s important to remember that it’s possible for them to overheat, and this increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In fact, research has shown that babies are safer when they’re a little bit cooler, rather than too hot.
 The Portsmouth Learning from Children & Practice Committee (LCPC) implemented a review of ‘Malachy’ in August 2024. ‘Malachy’ became a Looked After Child under Section 20 at age 11, later subject to a Care Order until he turned 18. Prior to him sadly ending his life shortly after leaving care, concerns had been raised about his mental health and offending behaviour.
 Join the National Education Nature Park
The National Education Nature Park invites children and young people across the country on an exciting journey to explore, understand and care for nature. Together, they're making their outdoor spaces better for wildlife and their nursery or school community.
This autumn, a tailored version of the Nature Park programme launches for early years settings. Free, quality-assured activities are designed to meet early learning and development goals, while building curiosity, empathy and confidence in the natural world. By taking part, you’ll be supporting children to develop a lifelong connection with nature and the skills to become its future advocates.
The programme has been commissioned by the Department for Education and is led by the Natural History Museum with the Royal Horticultural Society and additional partners, and has seen more than 7,500 schools, colleges and nurseries get involved so far!
Seven effective tips for supporting transitions in the early years
Transitions, whether between activities, spaces or routines, are pivotal moments in early childhood. Supporting young children through these changes helps them feel secure, confident and ready to learn.
Here are seven effective tips to try:
- Create a ‘Transition Treasure Box’
- Use role reversal play
- Pack a ‘Goodbye Bag’
- Use visual timelines with real photos
- ‘Spy Missions’ to the new setting
- Create a ‘Feelings Forecast’
- Make a ‘Connection Chain’
For detailed guidance on how to use these tips in practice, see the Foundation Years website for 7 Effective Tips for Supporting Transitions in the Early Years written by Begin Bright.
Sharing the Science: The Early Childhood Explainer Series
15 October 2025 12.00pm - 13.00pm
In this lunchtime webinar, Sally Hogg, Assistant Director at the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, will share the centre's work to support educators to promote social and emotional development in babies and young children. This will include explaining how different services are using the Early Explainer Series, a new suite of bitesize films and resources that support adult-child interactions.
Marketing and Promotion Tips for Early Years Educators
Marketing and promotion are important tasks for all providers, schools and childminders to support ongoing business sustainability.
Need some inspiration and practical tips? Check out the Childcare Works resources:
Early Years Toolkit for marketing advice and guidance.
‘The 3 Ms of Marketing’ A series of three recorded presentations to support childcare providers with successful marketing and promotion:
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Market - Who is your target market? Identifies different segments of your market and explores different purchasing roles to help you reach and engage new and potential customers.
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Message - How to bring all the market information together to create messages for those involved in buying your services.
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Methods - How marketing activity reaches your target audience in a way that is affordable.
 Find your future supporting children and young people in Portsmouth
If you're looking to make a difference in the lives of children and young people, the Teach Portsmouth Support and Teaching Assistant Jobs Fair is the perfect place to start. Taking place on Wednesday 19 November at Portsmouth Central Library, this event offers valuable insights into working in schools and supporting pupils in the classroom.
You can choose to attend one of two identical sessions, running from 10.00am - 11.45am and 12.00pm - 2.00pm. Each session includes short presentations on how to become a teaching assistant, with practical advice on joining a school and what to expect in the role.
Attendees will hear directly from experienced support staff and a senior school leader, who will share practical advice and top tips for starting a new career in education. The event will also provide information on training and apprenticeship opportunities for those interested in gaining qualifications while working. A jobs board featuring current vacancies from local schools will be available to browse, helping you take the next step in your journey.
Visit the Teach Portsmouth website to book your free ticket and start your journey towards a rewarding role in education.
 We’re excited to share that, thanks to popular demand, we’ve added in an extra PSCP Basic Awareness Safeguarding Children workshop this term, and spaces are still available!
Date: Wednesday 19 November 2025
Time: 6.00pm – 9.00pm
Location: Northern Parade Family Hub, Doyle Avenue, PO2 9NE
Cost: Absolutely free!
This is a fantastic opportunity to refresh your safeguarding knowledge at no cost. As you’ll know, the revised EYFS framework requires all practitioners to renew their basic safeguarding training every two years, so why not take advantage of this free session to stay up to date?
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