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The new hourly rates for the early years entitlement funding have now been agreed. The new rates will apply from the Summer term funding period onwards, i.e. from the start of April 2025.
The new hourly rates are as follows...
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Funding Type
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Hourly Rate
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9M – 2YO
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£9.25
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2YO
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£7.15
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3&4YO
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£5.42
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Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)
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£1
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Disability Access Fund (DAF)
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£938 (per annum)
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As part of our ongoing sufficiency work across Shropshire, we need to obtain data relating to numbers in Early Years. This being, capacity, numbers on roll and current vacancies. This data is key in informing future developments, sustainability and overall work we do as a childcare sufficiency team in the county.
From the data we are collecting, we will be creating an informed report that will allow for supply and demand mapping to be held to inform future decisions and work with you as valued settings and providers. We have been working in the background to allow for this data to be collected, in the least labour-intensive methods possible.
There is a Sufficiency tab that’s available to use within the existing functionality of the Provider Portal, which we’re going to use to collect the required sufficiency data from settings. The Provider Portal is a platform that’s already familiar to you as providers, as it’s what is used for the termly headcount submissions.
In order for us to collate this termly collection of data, we require all Shropshire settings to submit their Sufficiency data via the Provider Portal on a termly basis. The sufficiency data collection window will be open for the full duration of each term, so you can either complete it at the same time as you’re submitting your headcount data or complete it at another point in the term. By the end of each term, we will need to have received sufficiency data from all providers.
Instructions on how to submit your sufficiency data are available via this link.
Please can we ask that you submit your Spring term 2025 sufficiency data by no later than Monday 31st March 2025.
If you have any queries, please contact Dan Steele (Senior Development Officer, Early Years and Childcare Sufficiency) Tel: 01743 253913 or email dan.steele@shropshire.gov.uk .
Check an Early Years Qualification digital service launching in Spring
Early Years (EY) qualification requirements, particularly understanding whether a qualification is approved for working in staff:child ratios, can be tricky to understand. With this in mind, we have developed the Check an Early Years Qualification digital service to help EY managers check the approval status of qualifications held by existing and prospective staff members. We expect this to save managers’ time and increase their confidence in having sufficient appropriately-qualified staff to meet demand resulting from the expansion of funded childcare entitlements by September 2025.
The service has been tested with individuals and organisations from the sector during its pilot phase, and further iterated in line with feedback received. It will be made publicly available on GOV.UK later this Spring.
We will let you know when the service is up and running, and provide a link to it, and would encourage EY managers to use the new service from that point.
Help for early years providers : Toilet training
Funded Maths Skills Development Opportunity for Early Years
Maths Champions is a tried and tested model of learning that has been proven to boost children’s attainment by an average of three months and is completely free for all nurseries, including those within school settings, in your area. This programme gives children and staff a great opportunity to thrive at nursery, work and into the future. The programme is a 12 month online programme with bespoke Early Years Advisor support. This programme is flexible and works with practitioners to make the programme work for them around their busy day.
At NDNA we would really appreciate your support in spreading the word about this opportunity so nurseries can take advantage of this unique opportunity so together we can give children the best start possible.
For any settings interested in the programme, please use the sign-up link below:
https://survey.zohopublic.eu/zs/YXDHEX
Further info can be found on the NDNA website : Maths Champions - Bespoke Early Years Maths Training - NDNA . Please also send this on to anyone that may be of benefit.
Important EIG information - an exciting opportunity to be part of the future.
Sincere apologies, there appears to have been an error with one of the links shared last week for the new trial paperwork for our test and learn project supporting the development of the Early Years advice and Funding Panel.
You are able to find and download all forms you need here: Early Years Advice and Funding Panel | Shropshire Learning Gateway
This includes:
- New Request for EYIF (EIG funding)
- Early Years Person Centred Plan (PCP)
- Review of Early years Inclusion Funding (EIG funding)
All paperwork must still be returned to the nef@shropshire.gov.uk inbox
A reminder panels will sit on:
- Wednesday 5th February 2025, 1.30pm to 3.30pm
- Tuesday 18th February 2025, 1.30pm to 3.30pm
- Wednesday 5th March 2025, 1.30pm to 3.30pm
With settings asked to attend panel for all new requests. Each setting will be at a given time for a 10-minute slot in which to present their case and take part in a discussion, answering any questions panel members may have. Guidance on attending and presenting at panel is included in the links below. We ask that the person attending from the setting is someone who knows the child extremely well. Each settings' time slot will be sent in a confirmation email once the request paperwork has been received. The email will include a link to the Teams meeting for the panel to be attended. We ask that you join the meeting 5 minutes ahead of your time allocation; you will enter a waiting lobby and will be admitted to the meeting at your allocated time.
Those settings requesting a review to funding will not need to attend panel but maybe contacted to provide some clarification, if panel feel this is needed.
Presentation advice and Guidance
A guide to what to include with your request, along with support to help you prepare to present at panel can be found through the link below.
Your feedback is vital
After attending panel in your decision email, there will be a feedback link. We welcome all feedback on the request and review paperwork along will the panel process. This will be so important to enabling us to make amendments, if needed, to the paperwork and process ahead of the launch at in April 2025.
We extend our thanks to all those settings who will be involved in this test and learn project.
The Foundation Years website is the best place to find information and support if you work in the early years and childcare delivering services for children and families. The broad range of information accessible on this site is developed by government, professionals and the voluntary and community sector and is continually updated with the latest news, information and resources.
www.foundationyears.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 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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