This is a Product Safety Alert from the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) for a product commonly known as ‘water beads’. Water beads can pose a serious risk of a) gastrointestinal blockage requiring surgery or b) asphyxiation (suffocation or choking). This Alert is for consumers (particularly parents and caregivers to young children), childcare and educational establishments, local authority trading standards and businesses to warn of the potential harm that water beads can pose.
In line with Safeguarding requirements for all agencies, early years settings, schools and colleges are asked to complete an annual Safeguarding audit which is part of Shropshire’s Safeguarding Community Partnership Audit Framework.
The updated template focuses on your safeguarding processes within your setting and provides you with an electronic tool to evaluate your own practice. It can be found at Safeguarding Audits | Shropshire Learning Gateway (shropshirelg.net).
Please do NOT return the completed template to the Local Authority unless you receive an email request from the safeguarding audit team to do so. The email to request submissions from selected settings will be circulated on 16th October 2024
Those settings required to submit audits will be notified separately by email.
If you have any queries please contact Charlotte Percival Charlotte.Percival@shropshire.gov.uk
Shrewsbury College's are offering FREE NCFE CACHE Level 2 Distance Learning courses. Applicants must be living in Shrewsbury College’s permitted post codes area, over the age of 19 (if you are under the age of 24, you must have a *Full Level 2 qualification to be eligible to enrol).
You can read more information in regards to this here- SCG FREE L2 Distance Learning Courses 24-25.pdf
A link to this bite-size CPD can be found on the Shropshire Learning Gateway Babies and toddlers | Shropshire Learning Gateway (shropshirelg.net)
The Local Authority Early Years Safer Recruitment policy template has been updated to reflect government guidance, the template can be found at Early Years and Schools Safeguarding Policies and Guidance | Shropshire Learning Gateway (shropshirelg.net) along with the template for Early Years Settings Safeguarding policy template/ Childminders Safeguarding policy template and Early Years Attendance Guidance.
Please contact Charlotte Percival if you have any difficulties in accessing the documents.
Effective immediately, Ofsted will no longer provide a single overall grade of effectiveness when inspecting state schools. State schools will still receive sub-judgements across different areas of school life. Early Years provision in maintained schools and academies for children aged 2 and above, and Maintained Nursery Schools are included in this change.
Further information can be found at: Ofsted | Shropshire Learning Gateway (shropshirelg.net)
Local Authorities covered: Dudley, Sandwell, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Walsall, Wolverhampton
Overview:
Our Hub’s vision is to make evidenced-informed and practice-based research accessible to all Early Years providers to enable their babies and young children to thrive. About the Hub | Stronger Practice Hubs
Sign up to the Hub
To keep updated on our latest developments, events, professional development opportunities and advice, we are asking for our early years providers to register with us.
Fill in the Google Form to register with us: https://forms.gle/4RUpf2pHyfkQBghZ8
Have you read?
The role of the Adult in EYFS: why are high-quality interactions so important? Posters (strongerpracticehubs.org.uk)
This can also be found under links to further resources Speech and language | Shropshire Learning Gateway (shropshirelg.net)
We have an exciting Career opportunity at Baschurch Pre-School & Nursery CIC
We are looking for a Level 3 Practitioner/Room Leader to join our busy Nursery, with the potential for further progression. We are in a growing rural village & take child from 1 year to School Age. We are open from 8-6 51weeks/year.
If you have a Level 3 in Early Years/Childcare, are passionate, enthusiastic & think this is something you might be interested in please contact Sally Willis for more information on 01939 260643 or email baschurchps.staff@gmail.com
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 Funding for Foster Children
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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