• Application Window for 9 Months+ Age Group
• Job Centre Plus - Employer Guide
• SLCN for Shropshire Early Years SENCos
• Talking Time. A free and funded research project for Shropshire settings and schools
• Summer DSL Network Session
• Useful Links
• Early Years Team Contacts

Application Window for 9 Months+ Age Group

The application window for the 9 months+ age group opens through Childcare Choices from Sunday 12th May 2024.

The DfE are asking local authorities to ensure that providers are aware that they should be verifying eligibility codes before the child takes up the new place at their nursery setting. Every parent taking up a place from the start of the autumn term should have their code validated ahead of their start date, therefore we would appreciate you working with your parents to ensure that this takes place. The DfE are closely monitoring the validation of codes and are pushing local authorities to make sure that all codes received from parents are validated promptly.

You validate an expanded hours code simply by running an eligibility check via the Portal, so if you have any codes that you have not yet done this for, please can we ask that you do so by the end of this week.

Job Centre Plus - Employer Guide

The slides from our colleagues at Job Centre Plus following the network meeting earlier this week, are available by following this link. Also below are links to the officers in your locality where you can contact for support and guidance in relation to any recruitment related questions:

Shrewsbury-Liz Jervis, Deb Mcardle and Suzanne Jennings   elizabeth.d.jervis@dwp.gov.uk   debbie.mcardle@dwp.gov.uk  Suzanne.jennings@dwp.gov.uk

Oswestry-Jayne Lloyd and Claire Westwood- Jayne.lloyd@dwp.gov.uk  Claire.westwood@dwp.gov.uk

Market Drayton- Suzanne Jennings- Suzanne.jennings@dwp.gov.uk

Whitchurch-Jayne Lloyd jayne.lloyd@dwp.gov.uk

Bridgnorth-Suzanne Jennings Suzanne.jennings@dwp.gov.uk

Telford- Lara Rooney and Claire Westwood - lara.rooney@dwp.gov.uk claire.westwood@dwp.gov.uk

SLCN for Shropshire Early Years SENCos

The slides from Alison Parkinson presented at the network meeting this week are available by following this link.

Talking Time. A free and funded research project for Shropshire settings and schools

Early Years settings in Shropshire are being offered an opportunity to take part in Talking Time^© as part of an Education-Endowment Foundation-funded research study. 

Talking Time^© is a universal oral language programme for children aged 3-5 years, which includes evidence-based professional development for nursery staff. It supports Early Years practitioners to deliver engaging, structured small-group activities to children, and enhance their oral language through high-quality interactions and conversations. Talking Time^© is designed to be used flexibly and adapted to suit individual children and settings.  Settings will receive training and mentoring to support implementation, and develop their early years team’s expertise in supporting early language. 

Talking Time^© was developed by leading academics at the University of Oxford and UCL Institute of Education, working closely with speech and language therapists and early education professionals. It has been shown to enhance children’s oral language and staff practice in other research studies.   

Visit the Talking Time website to find out more about the programme and how to get involved: bit.ly/49K8TFB  

Or join a webinar to find out more.  Click to register for the date which suits you or send us an email at talkingtime@education.ox.ac.uk. 

15 May 10-10:45

22 May 3:30-4:15

29 May 10-10:45

5 June 3:30-4:15

Future webinar dates will be posted on the website. 

Summer DSL Network Session

We have had lots of you book onto the Summer DSL network sessions next week (15.05.24) which is great, but this is a reminder to those who wish to attend but have not yet booked on.

The session is going to be focused on Domestic Abuse with Harriet McInnes (DA training lead) leading the session, she has used the feedback from the questionnaire to base the session around so it should be a really informative, beneficial and relevant session.

These are the links to book on: 

AM - UCS Shrewsbury CPD (ucshrewsbury.ac.uk)

EVE - UCS Shrewsbury CPD (ucshrewsbury.ac.uk)

Useful Links

Early Years Funding Code of Practice

Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework for Childminders

Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework for Group and School-Based Providers

Early Years CPD

Early Years Information Pages on the SLG

Early Years Resource Library

Funding Diary Dates (headcount windows and payments)

Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF)

Parent Declaration Form (Summer 2024 to Summer 2025)

Recruitment:

• External Advert Request Template
• National Early Years Recruitment Campaign

Shropshire SEND Local Offer

Support Request Form (SEND)

Early Years Team Contacts

For more information about us visit our website.