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The DfE are distributing additional funding for early years providers through a new grant, the Early Years Budget Grant (EYBG).
EYBG is to support early years providers who are delivering the government’s early years entitlements with their costs, following the recent teacher pay award, for the period September 2024 to March 2025.
As a result of this additional funding, we will be increasing the 3&4YO hourly rate to £5.03 per hour, backdated to the start of September 2024.
The hourly rate increase will be applied to your Autumn Actual headcount payment, which is scheduled for week beginning the 11th November 2024.
We have received lots of feedback this term about our monthly funding payment dates being too late in the month, which is causing lots of issues for providers. I wanted to reassure you that we are taking all of this feedback on board and will be looking at setting our payment dates earlier, when we create the new schedule of diary dates for Summer 2025 onwards.
When setting the diary dates each year, we have to take into consideration the various headcount data collection points and allow ourselves enough time to process our pre-payment checks and resolve the termly overclaims etc. The level of data we receive has increased massively since the 9 month cohort has been introduced, so these checks are taking longer to work through, than they have done previously.
Certainly for the first 3 monthly payments each term, which are based on the Interim claim, there should be no issues in us releasing payments at the start of each month, but the Actual payment, which falls as the 4th payment each term, this is trickier to schedule in due to working through the various pre-payment checks as mentioned above.
Apologies for all of the issues that our payment dates are causing, unfortunately we never get to know upfront how much funding is to paid out each term until after the termly data has been processed and all overclaims resolved, so we just need to ensure that we are allowing ourselves enough time to process the data when scheduling in the payment dates.
We will hopefully have the new schedule of diary dates ready to circulate later this term, which will apply from Summer 2025 onwards.
Following a few queries we have received regarding the number of funded weeks not covering the term time weeks this term, we thought it would be helpful to provide a reminder of the set funded weeks that have been in place for numerous years now and are detailed in our Early Years Funding Code of Practice (link below).
The number of funded weeks each term are set, regardless of where the school holidays fall. This is to ensure that a child doesn’t exceed their entitlement within a 12-month period.
The table below sets out how the 38 weeks of free entitlement funding is paid through the year:
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Funding Period
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Funding Period Dates
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Weeks Funded
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Summer
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1st April to 31st August
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13
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Autumn
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1st September to 31st December
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13
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Spring
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1st January to 31st March
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12
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It is up to individual providers as to how they distribute the funded weeks within each funding period, they just need to make sure it is communicated to parents from the outset.
We appreciate that there isn't a 'one size fits all' approach when it comes to the Early Years Entitlement Funding. We believe having a fixed number of funded weeks each term helps to avoid children exceeding their 38-week entitlement and provides consistency for providers.
Early Years Funding Code of Practice
Please be aware that after a consultation Shropshire Compass have updated their Multi agency referral form – MARF which can be found at Multi-agency Referral: Reporting concerns (MARF) (procedures.org.uk). There is an expectation that all referrals through to compass should have a MARF completed by the referring agency using the up to date version of this form.
The Childcare Works HUB is a one-stop shop hosting a wealth of resources to support childcare providers in the expansion of the early years entitlements and implementation of the wraparound programme. |
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The attached guide which can be accessed via the link below, provides details of the resources that are currently available and those that are planned.
Helping providers get the most out of the Childcare Works HUB
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is planning to change the cost of DBS checks and the DBS Update Service from 2nd December 2024 (subject to ministerial approval). All product fees will be increasing however DBS checks for volunteers will remain free-of-charge - providing the DBS criteria for a Volunteer DBS check is met.
Details of the individual fee changes will be finalised once the proposal has been laid in Parliament on 4th November 2024, however indicative DBS Certificate fees are below:-
Fee Proposal Date Enhanced Standard Update Service Basic
2nd December 2024 £49.50 £21.50 £16.00 £21.50
Those of you who were able to attend the summer network session will hopefully remember Alex Morris Perkins who spoke about the Early Help 0-5 Team they are available and will support families with children under 5 years old. Working with health visitors, early years settings and midwifery to ensure that families seeking more help than what they already have from these partners can get the support they need at the earliest point.
The 0-5 Team offer includes opportunities to drop-in to talk to a dedicated team member about anything they may be struggling with. You can signpost families to the drop into their nearest family hub, contact Shropshire's First Point of Contact (FPOC) or explore this website for hands-on digital information.
The 0-5 Team can also provide more focused support to those families needing more specific help. This could include a family's early help assessment and plan. These tools will help us provide the right support to meet the needs of the family, and may include working with others.
Please find below a link to the slides from the Early Years Network meetings that took place on the 15th October.
Early Years Network Meeting Slides - 15.10.24
This guidance sets out the principles and approach Ofsted will follow when exercising their enforcement powers. Ofsted exercises these powers to reduce the risk of harm to children who use early years services, to enforce compliance with the law and to improve the quality of services.
The document has been updated to include how Ofsted manage suspected unregistered childminder agencies.
Early years and childcare enforcement policy - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The main changes will:
- create a new category of childminder called ‘childminders without domestic premises’. This is for childminders who will work solely from somewhere other than a home, such as a community or village hall
- increase the total number of people (including childminders and assistants) who can work together under a childminder’s registration from 3 to 4
- give you more flexibility to operate outside of your home (or someone else’s) for more of your time. This will remove the requirement that at least 50% of the childcare must be provided in a home
- mean that any childminders who want to work with 4 or more other adults (5+ in total) will need to register as ‘childcare on domestic premises’.
Please access the flyer via the link below.
The event is aimed at clarifying the support available through Autism West Midlands to support parents and families of children aged 0-18 (& professionals) and the Shropshire Adults autism hub.
Wednesday 6th November 2024 – Oswestry Library
Wednesday 13th November 2024 – Bridgnorth Library
Autism Awareness Event - Flyer
The Education Quality Advisers for SEND and AP are starting half-termly SEND and Inclusion Network events. The first of these will be face to face events after half term and all SENCOs, Inclusion Leads and pastoral staff who support children with SEND are invited to attend. These initial events are an opportunity for you to meet the EQAs, let us know what you want to get from the new Shropshire SEND and Inclusion Network and provide the opportunity for you to network with SEND staff from other local schools.
Bookings in North, Central and South locations are live now and are via Eventbrite – you only need to attend one event and you must book a place in order to attend due to fire restrictions at the venues.
Refreshments will be provided but please bring a mug!
Monday 11th November 2024, 1.15pm-3pm at The Marches, Oswestry https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1041970661297?aff=oddtdtcreator
Tuesday 12th November 2024, 1.15pm-3pm at William Brookes, Much Wenlock https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1041984933987?aff=oddtdtcreator
Wednesday 20th November 2024, 1.15pm-3pm at The Lantern, Shrewsbury https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1042001333037?aff=oddtdtcreator
Any questions or suggestions, please e-mail: EQA@shropshire.gov.uk and we look forward to seeing you there.
ELSEC is now active across Shropshire:
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ELSEC (Early Language Support for Every Child)
Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin only
ELSEC seeks to support education settings by modelling how they might access a more flexible, responsive workforce for children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs within Early Years and Primary School Settings.
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A team of 7 SLCN Practitioners have now been recruited and have undergone training in the use of ‘Talk Boost’. An ELSEC launch for participating settings was held to communicate the offer and Practitioners are now engaged in screening young people across both Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin. |
Next Steps:
- Analyse the baseline data derived to establish next step intervention.
- Continue to work with Schools and Teachers to support inclusive practice and CPD opportunities.
How you can get involved:
- Look out for further information and opportunities to get involved with co-producing the SLCN Universal Offer
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The English hub is offering free EAL training. The EAL Teams training is on:
Wednesday 6th November 1-3pm –EAL Best practice
Tuesday 14th November 1-3pm – Meeting the EYFS Profile requirements for EAL Learners
See below:
https://www.st-johnbosco-englishhubs.co.uk/Medium-Level-Support/
https://forms.office.com/e/DZTG9LpLb0
Our Early Help Locality Area Development Leads within the Family Hubs have set up new support sessions for school, FE and early years staff who need some advice on supporting those vulnerable children, young people or family members you may have within your education setting and support with accessing Early Help or wider support services. These sessions will be held via Microsoft Teams.
You must have consent from the family to discuss any concerns or worries you may have.
If you would like to book to attend one of the sessions, please email your relevant Hub (i.e. North, South or Central locality area – emails are on the poster) and which date(s) you would be able to make. Your appointment date and time will be confirmed by the relevant Hub and an invite sent to join via Teams.
For further information information, please access the Poster via the link below.
Early Help School Advice Drop-ins - Poster
Please access the Poster for families via the link below.
Meet and Chat SEND - Poster
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Effective 1st November 2024 EYFS Update
We have clarified that the 'Childminder EYFS Framework' applies to childminders both with, and without, domestic premises.
We have also confirmed that childminders who are registered without domestic premises need to inform parents and carers that they cannot provide any provision from domestic premises (unless they hold a separate domestic premises registration for the specific premises).
On the 'EYFS statutory framework for group and school-based providers' we have clarified the qualification requirements for staff counting in the level 6 staff:child ratios in early years settings.
Minor changes to both frameworks include clarifications to existing policy, spelling and grammar'.
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The Department for Education (DfE) has published its response to the consultation on proposals to strengthen EYFS safeguarding requirements, which ran from 22 April to 17 June 2024.
Based on consultation responses DfE will proceed with implementing all of the proposals consulted on, including for: safer recruitment, child absences, safer eating, safeguarding training and paediatric first aid training.
Additionally, there are 2 new proposals on providing employment references and to support whistleblowing.
DfE intends to implement the EYFS safeguarding reforms from 1st September 2025.
Click here to find out more
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:
Dan Steele: Dan.steele@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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