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Welcome to our new Monthly Newsletter. It will come out on the 2nd Thursday of a month.
Please accept my apologies that the change in distribution frequency was not communicated to you. Various sources said that they felt that the information on a weekly basis was sometimes a little thin, that meant they didn’t really look at it properly and then missed something important. I hope you all agree that monthly is more manageable in your inbox.
Best wishes
Alison Rae
Just a reminder that the Summer term Interim headcount window is currently open on the Portal and the deadline for submissions is the end of this week (Sunday 16th March). The Interim headcount is where you enter your weekly hours totals for each age group that you're claiming for and is what your first 3 funding payments of the term are based on.
The Actual headcount window for the child level data will open on the following Monday (17th) and will remain open until Sunday 11th May 2025.
All headcount opening and closing dates are available on the homepage of the Portal.
A reminder that we will not be able to accept late working family eligibility codes from the start of the Summer term onwards.
For codes to be valid for the Summer term, they must have a start date no later than the 31st of March 2025.
New applications for working family eligibility codes...
Parent/carers can apply for their working family eligibility code via as early as the term before their child turns 9 months old, but the funding will not start until the term after the child has turned 9 months old.
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When your child turns 9 months old
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When they can access 15 & 30 hours from
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Application deadline
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1 January to 31 March
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Term starting on or after 1 April
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31 March
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1 April to 31 August
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Term starting on or after 1 September
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31 August
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1 September to 31 December
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Term starting on or after 1 January
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31 December
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Reconfirmation of existing working family eligibility codes...
Parents of children already on the scheme should receive up to three reminder emails from HMRC, advising them that they must reconfirm their eligibility every three months from the date of receiving their code. If they don’t do this, they will automatically be put into their 'grace period' (the duration of the following half term) before losing their funding. If a child is new to a setting or has already attended the current setting but is making a claim for expanded/extended hours for the first time, then unfortunately the grace period won't apply. The grace period only applies when settings have previously claimed expanded/extended hours for a particular child.
The earliest parents can renew their code is 4 weeks before the code validity end date (not the grace period end date). As long as the eligibility codes are always renewed on time, then the start date of the code should never change.
Parents must have a valid eligibility code by the end of the month before a new term starts.
We would be grateful if you could share this message with your parents, asking them to keep an eye on their code expiry dates and to ensure that they renew them on time.
We have attached a useful information sheet below which you can pass on to parents.
EY Working Family Entitlement Funding - Advice for Parents
Following receipt of additional early years expansion grant funding, we're increasing our 9M and 2YO hourly funding rates even further from the start of the Summer term 2025.
The new hourly rates that come into effect from the start of April 2025, 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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£9.52 (includes an additional 10p base uplift, plus 17p grant uplift)
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2YO
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£7.28 (includes 13p grant uplift)
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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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*It's hoped that there will be an increase to the 3&4YO hourly funding rate from the start of September 2025, however we don't have any further details to share on this at the moment.
Please find below a link to the new parent declaration form template for the 2025/26 academic year.
Parent Declaration Form 2025/26
Please see below links to the latest update letter to schools from David Shaw (Assistant Director of Education and Achievement) and an accompanying document outlining the key roles and responsibilities related to Learning & Skills, for your information.
Update Letter to Schools - March 2025
Learning & Skills Senior Leadership Team
The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation has launched Allergy School, offering free resources to support staff in creating inclusive and safe environments for children with food allergies.
Settings may wish to utilise such resources alongside fulfilling their statutory duties to manage allergy risks in early years settings.
Guest author, Tricia Wellings, explores the 'red flag figures' of nursery finances. Keeping track of these five numbers will give you a much better grasp of how your setting is faring financially.
Please note all CPD can be found on the SLG.
CPD Early Years and Schools | Shropshire Learning Gateway
Face-to-face Early Years Providers’ Network Meeting Clayton Hall, Shrewsbury College, London Road,SY2 6PR
Tuesday 11th March 2025 AT 19:00 – 20:30 (The EY Team will be there from 6:30pm)
Please book on.
Please share this information with parents, carers, teams, colleagues and your wider networks
The Parenting Team will be delivering free Understanding Your Child and Understanding Your Child SEND groups from April 2025 (poster attached).
Parenting help and support line.pdf
Sleep Tight Poster Summer 2025.pdf
Understanding Your Child Poster Summer 2025.pdf
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 groups from June 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 our poster to promote our Parenting Help and Support Line.
If you can, please share the links to our webpage with further information on free online courses and other offers from the parenting team.
The Parenting Team | Shropshire Council
The Parenting Team | Shropshire Council (Local Offer/SEND)
Please do not hesitate to contact us directly if you have any questions or need the posters in a different format
parenting.team@shropshire.gov.uk or give us a call on 01743 250950
Kind regards
Parenting Team
Tel: 01743 250950
Please find links for useful resources to share with staff or use with parents, where you re supporting them and there may be parental conflict present.
www.shropshire.gov.uk/getonbetter
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/reducing-parental-conflict-what-is-parental-conflict
Get ready to jump, stretch, wriggle and roll, as this year we are celebrating all things active with our theme Busy Bodies. Even before birth, babies move instinctively, showing that physical activity is not simply about burning energy. It’s the foundation for learning, growth and long-term health. NDNA’s annual Healthy Body, Happy Me campaign encourages better health and happiness, by giving nurseries free resources for play, learning and fun, to aid children’s development for all ages.
Be prepared for Healthy Body, Happy Me. You can download your free resources, home learning pack and check out all of the week’s activities: Health Body, Happy Me
Source: For Baby’s Sake
Date published: 26 February 2025
For Baby’s Sake has published new data on children’s social care referrals and domestic abuse in England, looking specifically at babies and young children aged 0 to 2-years-old. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to break cycles of domestic abuse, to protect babies from harm and reduce the financial burden on public services. Read the press release: New data reveals almost 50,000 babies are referred to children’s social care each year with domestic abuse as a factor Read the Channel 4 news story: Exclusive: Nearly 50,000 babies referred to social services every year due to domestic abuse
There is free Domestic Abuse training available that SSCP have the link on their website: Domestic Abuse Essential Training - IDAS Online Training Courses
There has been an update to what events childminders need to notify Ofsted about, it states:
“That Ofsted needs to be notified of any changes to the health of those associated with Ofsted-registered childcare that may affect their decision-making and resilience, even where the individual is not working directly with children.”
A new post, “When do you need to notify Ofsted?” has been published on the Ofsted: early years blog.
We know that keeping children safe and happy is the biggest priority for all of you in the early years and childcare sector. Caring for young children in a safe environment helps them to develop the skills they need as …
Read the new post: https://earlyyears.blog.gov.uk/2025/02/14/when-do-you-need-to-notify-ofsted/
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NDNA’s Healthy Body, Happy Me is back for 2025 with ‘Busy Bodies’
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It’s back! NDNA’s week long Healthy Body, Happy Me campaign returns on Monday 24 March.
Get ready to jump, stretch, wriggle and roll, as this year we are celebrating all things active with our theme Busy Bodies.
Even before birth, babies move instinctively, showing that physical activity is not simply about burning energy. It’s the foundation for learning, growth and long-term health.
NDNA’s annual Healthy Body, Happy Me campaign encourages better health and happiness, by giving nurseries free resources for play, learning and fun, to aid children’s development for all ages.
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Be prepared for Healthy Body, Happy Me. You can download your free resources, home learning pack and check out all of the week’s activities: https://ndna.org.uk/ndna-campaigns/healthy-body-happy-me/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=foundation_years_newsletter&utm_campaign=NDNA_healthy_body_happy_me_07_02_25
NEW CPD advertised on SLG for Summer Term 2025
CPD Schedule and Booking Information 2024 - 2025 | Shropshire Learning Gateway
NEW information on Babies and Toddlers SLG site Birth to 3-year-olds | Shropshire Learning Gateway
https://startingreception.co.uk/
And don’t forget Shropshire’s School Readiness leaflet for parents of children from birth onwards.
How I learn and grow | Shropshire Council
Please follow the link to access a wealth of information from pregnancy to 4 years old
Shropshire Best Start in Life Programme | Shropshire Council
EY providers network March 2025 ar.pptx
Launch of the Early Years Inclusion and Advice Funding (EYIAF) Panel
Please find below an additional briefing session for the launch of the Early Years Inclusion and Advice Funding (EYIAF) Panel which will formally replace the EIG funding process from the 1st April 2025.
This is an additional session online session taking place on 25th March 2025 between 11am and 12pm for school-based nurseries, PVI providers and Childminders who were unable to join us yesterday for our face-to-face Early Years Network meeting.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1280590333159?aff=oddtdtcreator
New Early Years Inclusion and Advice Funding (EYIAF) Panel Guidance and Paperwork will be available on both the Shropshire Learning Gateway and Shropshire Local Offer very soon. From the 1st April 2025, old request forms will no longer be accepted.
A graduate response through the Assess-Plan-Do-Review (A-P-D-R) process - How to write a Early Years Person-Centred-Plan (PCP)
Below are four opportunities to attend a short session which will be delivered free to support practitioners in writing an Early Years Person-Centred-Plan (PCP). An effective PCP is a useful way to focus support on small steps which will help a child make progress. This small steps approach helps you to celebrate with a child and parent the progress they are making. PCPs will also provide clear evidence that you have implemented an A-P-D-R cycle thus supporting both EYIF funding applications and the ECHNA request process should you feel this is an appropriate step to take for a child.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-graduated-response-through-the-assess-plan-do-review-a-d-p-r-process-tickets-1280927040259?aff=oddtdtcreator
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-graduated-response-through-the-assess-plan-do-review-a-d-p-r-process-tickets-1280985063809?aff=oddtdtcreator
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-graduated-response-through-the-assess-plan-do-review-a-d-p-r-process-tickets-1280995675549?aff=oddtdtcreator
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-graduated-response-through-the-assess-plan-do-review-a-d-p-r-process-tickets-1280998995479?aff=oddtdtcreator
Heidi White
Education Quality Adviser (SEND and AP)
Learning and Skills
Email: heidi.white@shropshire.gov.uk
Phone: 01743 252228
As the Wraparound Childcare programme lead for Shropshire council, we are continuing to search for providers to apply for the scheme.
The scheme itself applies to providers who are looking to either expand existing number of places or start providing wraparound provision.
The criteria is as follows; for primary school aged children only ages 5-11, term time only, Monday to Friday, between the hours of 8am to 6pm (or equivalent, e.g. 7:30am to 5;30pm).
I understand that some providers, while mainly providing childcare for early years children, also provide provision for the above parameters for primary school aged children.
Guidance can be found here: Wraparound childcare: guidance for schools and trusts in England
If you feel this is something you meet the criteria for and wish to apply for funding, please email me for a claim form. (Dan.Steele@shropshire.gov.uk)
Any questions/queries, please let me know. It would be great to get some of you on board.
Kind regards
Daniel Steele
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
Please click the link below to view the slides from the last early years network meeting.
Network Meeting_11.02.2025.pptx
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