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This document(Link below) was shared at the recent online Network Meeting and can be downloaded at: Speech and language | Shropshire Learning Gateway Please note the smaller font size so the pages can be printed if necessary.
Early communication screening tool_What next_November 2024.pdf
   Improving early education through high-quality interactions | EEF
SEND Snack – Visual Timetables
Visual timetables are tools commonly used across many Early Years settings and are a highly inclusive way to support all children. They help children to have a element of predictability to their day enabling them to understand what is happening next, reducing anxiety and promoting independence.
Many settings use symbols but is just as easy to use a photograph of the children doing the activities or of a linked object. It maybe that settings combine these two aspects to support with children moving towards abstract symbols thus supporting transition to school.
A visual timetable can be used with the whole group, smaller groups and individual children with all three ways happening together in one setting to meet children's needs. They may refer to a whole day, morning or afternoon and should be in a prominent place within the settings (or portable for individual child use) and should be referred to frequently. The timetable can run from left to right or top to bottom, but it is key that as activities are complete images are removed. The use of a finished envelop or box is very helpful. Some children may also find a now/ next or now/next/ after that board also useful to run alongside a whole setting visual timetable.
Parent Carers may also find it useful to use a visual timetable with their children and sharing symbols with them will support them with this.
It would be amazing to see as many of our Shropshire settings as possible adopting the use of visual timetables as part of our Early Years Ordinarily Available Provision drive to develop inclusive early years education across Shropshire.
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The EYSEND Partnership are offering plenty of training and seminars for early years educators and parents/carers, which can be accessed via our training calendar. Some of the upcoming free training and events include:
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Workshops for Parents and Carers, hosted by Contact and Speech & Language UK:
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The Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP) has recently launched additional catch-up webinars to support practitioners who registered for the programme but are not fully on track with their learning.
Lauren, Support Team Manager for the EYPDP, highlighted that these new sessions are part of an ongoing effort to provide accessible, flexible learning opportunities for practitioners juggling demanding roles.
"These catch-up webinars are designed to help practitioners stay on track, especially those who might have faced barriers to attendance. We’re committed to offering support through every stage of the programme."
If you have registered for the EYPDP and require assistance, please contact the support team at EYPDPsupport@edt.org. For further information about the programme, please visit www.earlyyearspdp.com.
[Please note, the EYPDP is no longer accepting new registrations.]
The early help virtual school advice drop-in is due to run again on 2nd December 2024 between 2.30pm and 4.30pm.
These virtual sessions are designed for schools or settings to discuss, with consent, any concerns or worries they may have regarding families or young people, as well as to seek guidance on accessing Early Help or other wider support. For more information, please see the attached poster.
To book your virtual slot on Microsoft Teams please email earlyhelp.north@shropshire.gov.uk
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 January 2025 (poster attached).
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
The team are also offering free SLEEP TIGHT groups from January and February 2025 (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 included the poster to promote our Parenting Help and Support Line.
Please do not hesitate to contact the team directly if you have any questions: parenting.team@shropshire.gov.uk or call on 01743 250950
Please find the link to the CPD schedule for the Spring Term 2025. We wanted to share the dates of the CPD courses, so you can start to plan for the Spring Term.
Please do not try to book these courses.
Details of how to book onto these course via Eventbrite, will be shared with you shortly, via the newsletter.
They can provide:
- 25 face-to-face training places per LA - this will be a 2.5 hour training
- Each participating setting will receive a collection of bilingual books.
- An online training session (recorded, no resources included).
- A follow-up online network for attendees at the end of March.
The training will cover:
- Complexities of EAL.
- Stages of language acquisition.
- Supporting silent children.
- Risk factors for underachievement.
- Promoting cultural identity.
- Key approaches, practices, tools, and resources.
Training will take place at some point between January and March 2025. This is waiting for confirmation.
Please email alison.rae@shropshire.gov.uk if you would like to book a place for your setting. It will be strictly, first come first served basis.
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Childminding Professional Networking Event
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Share this opportunity for support and networking with your childminders
7.15pm - 8.15pm, Wednesday 4 December
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Not long to go until our first-ever Childminding Professional Networking Event, taking place at 7.15pm - 8.15pm on Wednesday 4 December.
We would love for you to share this with any childminders in your area who you think could benefit from a session dedicated to their questions, on any topic they are struggling with.
During this new series of FREE virtual networking events, we’ll discuss everything from:
- what to do when you get ‘the call’
- how to deal with disputes with parents
- ways to create a positive childminding environment
- how to look after your own wellbeing … and more!
Or - anything else at all! These sessions are led by attendees, and are intended as a safe space for discussions on anything childminding-related.
We will also give attendees the opportunity to share any questions they have about regulatory rules and changes for us to take to the Department for Education and/or Ofsted for a response.
No topic is off limits – so why not encourage your childminders to join us for a virtual coffee and chat this December? Forward this email and help them:
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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
CPD Early Years and Schools | Shropshire Learning Gateway
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:
SEND and Inclusion Newsletter
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
Admin Team (funding queries):
Beth Parry-Jones, Brydie Porter & Sarah Jones
Email: NEF@shropshire.gov.uk
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