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The actual headcount form for the Autumn term needs to be completed by the 15th of September.
Dear all,
We are sure you will have been following the post-election news closely over the past few days. It was confirmed on Friday 5th July that Bridget Phillipson has been appointed as Secretary of State for Education.
Yesterday our new Secretary of State for Education wrote to all those working in early years, children’s services, schools, further and higher education. If this letter has not yet reached you via your DCS, you can read it in full here. You are also invited to join the live event taking place on Tuesday 16th July at 4pm with the new Secretary of State where she will share her vision for education, children's services and skills, and through a live chat function you will be able to share your views too.
Please cascade the letter and event invitation to EY/Wraparound childcare providers in your local area.
The Local Authority will be bringing the schools and early years safeguarding training (CPD) offer in house, as our Partnership with University Centre Shrewsbury comes to an end this term.
To view the CPD Schedule, costs and booking information for the Autumn Term; please follow this link: https://www.shropshirelg.net/teaching-learning/cpd-schedule-and-booking-information-autumn-term-2024/ .
Ofcom’s report Childrens Media literacy report 2024 (ofcom.org.uk) into children’s media use and attitudes found that 84% of 3-4 year old children access the online world, 34% (of the 84% ) of their parents stated that it was hard to control their child’s screentime. Early years children are more aware and at ease with technology and the online world, it is part of their world.
Here are some useful links and resources that can be shared with parents around online safety.
Fire Safety
The EYFS states :
3.46 - Providers / Childminders must comply with requirements of health and safety legislation, including fire safety and hygiene requirements.
3.65 - Providers / Childminders must take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of children, staff, and others on the premises in the case of fire or any other emergency. Providers/ Childminders must have:
- An emergency evacuation procedure.
- Appropriate fire detection and control equipment (for example, fire alarms, smoke detectors, fire blankets and/or fire extinguishers) which is in working order.
- Fire exits must be clearly identifiable, and fire doors free of obstruction and easily opened from the inside.
Premises that are used to provide childcare are subject to Fire Safety Requirements under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This legislation states that all early years settings must identify a “responsible person”.
The “responsible person” is:
(a) the employer in relation to a workplace, if the workplace is to any extent under their control.
(b) the person who has control of the premises (as occupier or otherwise) in connection with the carrying out the care, (for profit or not)
or the owner, where the person in control of the premises does not have control of the care/ service provided
The “responsible person” must ;
- Ensure that a risk assessment is carried out by a competent person and kept up to date. (a competent person should be someone who has the necessary skills, experience and knowledge relating to fire safety)
- Ensure that all equipment (fire extinguishers/ fire detectors- heat and smoke/ fire blankets/ emergency lighting / fire doors/ fire alarms/ signage) are checked and are clear and in working order. It is good practice to record who carried out the checks and when. It is recommended that alarm systems are checked weekly, but in addition the equipment should be at least twice a year by a competent person. The competent person is often a specific health and safety / fire safety professional or company.
- Ensure staff complete fire safety training, including fire safety procedures and evacuation procedures specific to your setting/ building/ ratios.
If you do not implement and adhere to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 correctly this could affect not only the safety of the children in your care and your staff , but also could affect your business insurance.
Useful guidance and information :
The government relating to your responsibilities regarding fire safety
https://www.gov.uk/workplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilities
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fire-safety-legislation-guidance-for-those-with-legal-duties.
Shropshire fire and Rescue :
https://www.shropshirefire.gov.uk/safety-at-work/generic-fire-risk-assessment-template
https://www.shropshirefire.gov.uk/safety-at-work/choosing-competent-fire-risk-assessor
Please share this information with parents/carers, teams, colleagues and your wider networks
The Parenting Team will be delivering free Understanding Your Child from toddler to teen and Understanding Your Child SEND from toddler to teen groups from end of September 2024 (poster attached).
We are incredibly fortunate this term to be able to deliver more groups with our partners and have therefore created posters by areas.
These 10 week groups aim to:
- Promote understanding of children’s behaviour within the context of developmental issues
- Promote the development of parent/child relationship
- Increase confidence and self-esteem in both parents and children
- Give parents a strategy for repair when things go wrong
- Promote reflective, sensitive and effective parenting
We are also offering free Sleep Tight and Sleep Tight SEND workshops from September and November 2024 (poster attached).
These 5 week workshops cover:
- Recognising the role of sleep hygiene to improve sleep
- Identifying causes of sleep issues and appropriate practical strategies to try
- Completing sleep diaries and identifying potential sleep issues
I have also attached new poster for our Parenting Help and Support Line.
Please do not hesitate to contact us directly if you have any questions: parenting.team@shropshire.gov.uk or give us a call on 01743 250950
If you need the poster in a different format, please contact Natasha.Heath@shropshire.gov.uk
The schedule and prices for our CPD courses in the Autumn Term can be found on the Shropshire Learning Gateway CPD Schedule and Booking Information: Autumn Term 2024 | Shropshire Learning Gateway (shropshirelg.net)
Please note the Early Talk 0-5 courses ‘Early Talk 0-5: working with parents’ and ‘Early Talk 0-5: working with under 3’s’ are non-chargeable in the Autumn Term. However, from January 2025 these courses will be chargeable.
- Evidence shows that educators can implement approaches that benefit young children’s physical development. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) Early Years Toolkit finds that physical development approaches may benefit children’s cognitive development.
- Focusing on a specific physical development skill can help children improve competency in that skill.
Further information can be found at: EEF | Physical Development (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk)
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:
Shropshire SEND Local Offer
Support Request Form (SEND)
Funding Claims, Free Entitlements, Eligibility Codes, Provider Portal etc.:
Admin Team: NEF@shropshire.gov.uk
Job Vacancies:
Admin Team: NEF@shropshire.gov.uk
Buildings, Premises, Accommodation, and any related issues including schools looking to adopt their local pre-school:
Andy Nicholls: andy.nicholls@shropshire.gov.uk
Wraparound Childcare Programme:
Rachel Reynolds: rachel.reynolds1@shropshire.gov.uk
School Sustainability Funding:
Jo Morris: Jo.morris@shropshire.gov.uk
Qualifications, Ratios, Staffing etc.:
Beverley Jones: beverley.jones@shropshire.gov.uk
Safeguarding and Child Protection:
Charlotte Percival: Charlotte.percival@shropshire.gov.uk
Early Intervention Grant - applications and admin:
Admin Team: NEF@shropshire.gov.uk
Applications for EYPP and 30-Hour Entitlements for Children who are Looked After:
Admin Team: NEF@shropshire.gov.uk
Applications for Disability Access Fund:
Admin Team: NEF@shropshire.gov.uk
Information, advice and guidance in relation to SEND children:
earlyyears@shropshire.gov.uk
Any other queries that don’t fall into the above:
earlyyears@shropshire.gov.uk
Remember – we also have the MS Teams site:
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/team/19%3a9e2862aae963406b9ffc01b034aae950%40thread.tacv2/conversations?groupId=dd786852-0af3-4592-b069-7cf66e48df55&tenantId=b6c13011-372d-438b-bc82-67e4c7966e89
If you are not already a member of this group, then please email nef@shropshire.gov.uk and we will get you access.
Alison Rae
School’s Improvement Commissioner Adviser Early Years Foundation Stage
Education Improvement Service
Tel: 01743 254467
Email: alison.rae@shropshire.gov.uk
Beverley Jones
Education Improvement Service
Early Years Consultant
Tel: 01743 254454
Email: beverley.jones@shropshire.gov.uk
Charlotte Percival
Safeguarding Officer
Tel: 01743 254147
Email: charlotte.percival@shropshire.gov.uk
Sue Carroll
SEND Lead Early Years / Severndale case manager
Tel: 01743 254242
Mobile: 07458124424
Email: sue.carroll@shropshire.gov.uk
Judith Pilkington
Early Years Intervention Officer
Tel: 01743 254287
Email: judith.pilkington@shropshire.gov.uk
Admin Team (funding queries):
Beth Parry-Jones, Brydie Porter & Sarah Jones
Email: NEF@shropshire.gov.uk
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