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DFE Consultation ()
This is a great opportunity for providers to have your say in amending EYFS spacing guidance in aid of place creation!
The expansion of funded childcare for working parents is supporting families and helping parents to enter work or increase their hours.
To meet demand for the expanded entitlements, additional childcare places are required. However, one of the barriers to expanding childcare provision is the indoor space requirements in the EYFS frameworks.
Therefore, we are consulting on potential options for amending the EYFS indoor space requirements. This is in addition to other initiatives planned to increase places by September 2025.
Link for your input is enclosed, please follow the link below.
Space requirements in early years childcare settings in England
Department for Education
We are seeking views on options for amending the indoor space requirements in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory frameworks.
![]() GOV.UK
New tool available to check Early Years Qualifications.
Please see DfE Announcement below we have been asked to share with you:
This new digital tool from the Department for Education (DfE) helps early years managers quickly check whether staff qualifications meet the requirements for staff:child ratios in England.
About the Check an early years qualification service
- Early years managers can enter details about the qualification such as the course start date, level and awarding organisation, and receive a clear outcome that can be printed for their records
- The service aims to simplify qualification checks, reduce administrative burden and save valuable time during recruitment and workforce planning
- It supports the sector in preparing for the expansion of funded childcare entitlements in September 2025
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The link for the service can be found here;
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This free GOV.UK tool allows managers to check a qualification’s approval status by entering key details such as:
- course start date
- level
- awarding organisation
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Once you have used the service, please complete .
As a not-for-profit provider of HR advice and training courses, we are looking to develop services for the EY sector across Shropshire and would be grateful for your contribution as to how this might work for you and your setting.
Initial ideas include a monthly, HR briefing session, offered online and FREE OF CHARGE between 11-11.45am and/or 6-6.45pm on a weekday, and low-cost training courses where venues could be provided by EY settings, potentially on Saturdays.
To gauge your thoughts, we would be grateful if you could please take a few minutes to respond to the questionnaire, accessible by the link below.
Questionnaire | HR Advice and Training Services for the EY Sector
If you prefer to make direct contact to discuss your ideas, please email deborah.smith@shropshire.gov.uk
The Health Protection Team would welcome your support in sharing the attached letter with parents regarding Chicken Pox.
Whether you're a computing lead or completely new to coding, this session will equip you with the knowledge, strategies, and confidence to lay strong foundations for future coders - one playful step at a time.
Led by Martin Bailey: Book here
As a statutory child safeguarding partner, Shropshire Council is required to monitor settings safeguarding arrangements and compliance with Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework and Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024. We also need to ensure that the DSL information that we hold on record about your setting is correct as it will be used to ensure that operation encompass notifications are sent to the correct person within your setting/ school. Please complete this form Education settings information, it should take no longer than 4 minutes to complete.
Follow the link below to find out more
https://parentinfantfoundation.org.uk/our-work/imhaw/
The fantastic video clip below explains the importance of sharing books with babies and toddlers.
https://www.booktrust.org.uk/about-us/reading-rights-books-build-a-brighter-future/
You can register today and start planning a fantastic week of rhyming in November, with your free downloadable resource pack.
Our 5 official rhymes are:
- Sing a Song of Sixpence
- Humpty Dumpty
- When I Was One
- I Hear Thunder
- Two Little Dickie Birds
This year you can enjoy some fantastic free resources from our sponsors and supporters Music Bugs, Phonics Shed and Sing with Piccolo Music
We have seen a number of incidents involving dogs and early years children within Shropshire which have resulted in children being bitten. Sadly Children are most likely to be bitten at home, by a familiar dog. Luckily most bites are preventable and close supervision is key. Here are some resources which you may find useful to share with parents and staff. Child-safety-around-dogs-fact-sheet-2023.pdf / Your-dog-and-your-new-baby-fact-sheet-2023.pdf (this factsheet is also available in a number of different languages at Free educational resources | Child Accident Prevention Trust).
It is important that if you become aware of a child being bitten that this is reported to FPOC to ensure that appropriate actions are taken to safeguard that child or others from further harm.
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Grant Funding Open for Shropshire HAF (Holiday Activities & Food) Programmes in Ludlow, Castlefields (Shrewsbury), Much Wenlock and other areas across the county
Shropshire Council invite organisations to apply for funding to deliver new face-to-face HAF holiday clubs and activities for HAF eligible children and young people.
We are looking for organisations to run core HAF holiday clubs for primary aged eligible children in Ludlow (potentially at Ludlow Primary school, needs to be located on Sandpits Estate), Castlefields (Shrewsbury) and Much Wenlock during the Summer and Winter/Christmas school holidays 2025.
Existing clubs in other areas of the county are being invited to apply for funding to offer places for HAF eligible children during the summer holidays only. These clubs must already be in operation over the summer holidays and in areas with limited HAF provision, high numbers of HAF eligible children living locally and offering different opportunities/activities to existing clubs in the area.
All potential HAF providers will need to offer enrichment, physical activities a nutritious meal and food education.
Funded by the Department for Education (DfE), HAF offers free places at clubs during the three main school holidays for children and young people, aged 4 to 16, who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals (FSM).
Alexa Pugh, HAF Programme Manager, said: “We welcome applications from organisations interested in running these holiday clubs and activities for children aged 4 to 11.
There are currently over 7,000 school aged children and young people in receipt of benefits related FSMs and eligible for HAF in the county, a figure which is continually increasing.
The Council aim to reach as many eligible children and young people as possible. We are working in partnership with a core group of over 20 local organisations to offer accessible, safe and welcoming holiday clubs.”
Deadline for Applications – 9.00am Monday 23rd June 2025.
Grant Criteria and Guidance and Application Form are available to download from the Shropshire HAF website. https://next.shropshire.gov.uk/holiday-activities-and-food-programme-haf/
We appreciate the very tight deadlines. This opportunity has just become available.
The next HAF programme will be during the school summer holidays.
For more information about Shropshire HAF and how to apply for a grant contact alexa.pugh@shropshire.gov.uk
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Further information
Please contact the HAF Programme Co-Ordinators – email: haf.programme@shropshire.gov.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
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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