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Please find below a copy of the new diary dates for Summer 2026 through to Spring 2027. These include headcount opening and closing dates and also the monthly funding payment dates. Please ensure that you add them to your diaries/calendars.
Diary Dates 2026/27
Please note: From Summer 2026, the early years census data will be collected on a termly basis, so we have had to extend our Actual headcount closing dates to ensure that the headcount window remains open on census day each term . This means that we will have a much tighter window to work through all of our pre-payment checks/resolve overclaims following each Actual headcount submission. Therefore, any funding changes that come through after the Actual headcount window has closed each term, will have to wait and be added to the adjustment payment run towards the end of term.
Further information relating to the termly early years census data capture will be circulated in due course.
The 2026/27 early years census dates are as follows:
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Summer 2026
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Thursday 21 May 2026
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Autumn 2026
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Thursday 1 October 2026
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Spring 2027
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Thursday 21 January 2027
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Please find attached the School Admission Arrangements for 2027/28. Please can we ask you share this with all parent/carers. school admissions.pdf
Just to let you know, we have raised the January payments early to ensure that they reach you ahead of the Christmas break.
Payment should be with you early next week 
Preschool Assistant required in Bomere Heath Sunshine Preschool - Ofsted rated ‘Good’.
Relevant level 2 childcare qualification must be held. Level 3 childcare qualification is preferred. Paediatric First Aid training is desirable as is recent Early Years experience.
The vacancy is a permanent post for a minimum of 16 hours per week, school hours and term time only, to start in January 2026. Applicant needs to be flexible. Hours are dependent upon number of children in pre-school so varies from term to term. The salary which exceeds the national minimum wage, will depend on qualifications and experience, to be discussed at interview.
Necessary qualities required: caring, nurturing, enthusiastic, creative and a good team worker.
Responsibilities: taking on a ‘key person’ role for a group of children. This will include care routines, teaching in the moment, planning, observing and assessing individual needs.
We promote British Values and equal opportunities. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to declare any criminal convictions and will be subject to online checks. The successful applicant will be subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS check (to include a children’s Barred List Check).
Details from sunshinepreschool@live.co.uk
Closing date 12th December 2025
It's important that we learn from case reviews, where the deaths of people in Shropshire are related to domestic abuse. This is an opportunity to understand what we can all do to prevent further serious harm, and deaths.
Join us for one hour to increase your knowledge, understanding and how you can make a difference in your everyday practice.
Understanding Intrafamilial Abuse Tuesday 13th January 7-8pm click here to book
DA related Deaths: Homicide and Suicide Wednesday 14th January 7-8pm click here to book
DA Why Don’t Men Come Forward Tuesday 20th January 7-8pm click here to book
We have seen an increase in levels of Hate related incidents not only in schools but also within early years settings, this is something that we need to be aware of and look at how we can support our children, families and communities. Here are some resources which you may find useful:
At times when children transition to and from other settings, it is important that any safeguarding files are sent through to the new setting as soon as possible, ideally within 5 working days (Shropshire Transition in Education Guidance).
If you have any concerns relating to a child’s level of vulnerability or special educational needs, you should contact the other setting to discuss what and if any support or actions have been taken in relation to these needs or vulnerabilities, for either the child or their family. If you have concerns that another setting has not recognised the child’s increased vulnerability , special education needs, or disability, please contact either Charlotte Percival (Charlotte.percival@shropshire.gov.uk) or Heidi White (Heidi.white@shropshire.gov.uk).
This will enable us to offer support and guidance, so all children to meet their best outcomes within high quality and inclusive early years settings across Shropshire .
Please review this letter from David Shaw outlining the Statutory Safeguarding Audit Process for 2025-2026 (this will also be sent via direct email to all early years settings and childminders in Shropshire). Further communications will be shared when the audit process is launched with detailed information as to the support that will be provided by the Education Quality Safeguarding Team whilst the audit is open for completion.
Safeguarding Audits Escalation Flow Chart Provider Copy.pdf
Statutory Safeguarding Audit 2025-2026 Notification Letter DS Dec 25.pdf
 
It is important that we learn from case reviews, this webinar will focus on hearing the voice of the person, sharing good practice when the adult or child’s voice has been heard and also identifying what we can do differently when their voices haven’t been heard.
Learning from Case Reviews - Voice of the Person – Tuesday 31st March 7pm - 8.30pm
Hello all,
There are still places available!
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 – from toddler to teens - groups from January 2026 (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
We are also offering free SLEEP TIGHT and Sleep Tight with SEND groups from January and February 2026 (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 new poster to promote our Parenting Help and Support Line which reflects the inclusive offer to all families.
In addition I have attached our training brochure with dates for 2026.
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
Dear Colleague
We would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the resources developed by Childcare Works for local authorities, providers, schools and childminders as well as an update to the Department for Education's workforce toolkit.
UPDATED Recruiting and Retaining your Workforce
The Department for Education has developed a recruiting and retaining your workforce toolkit, designed to support those involved in delivering free breakfast clubs and wraparound childcare. This includes local authorities, schools (including EA schools offering free breakfast clubs), and private, voluntary, and independent (PVI) childcare providers.
The toolkit contains a variety of practical resources, such as tools, templates and tips to aid recruitment and retention in free breakfast clubs and wraparound childcare settings.
NEW Dingley’s Promise Inclusive Practice
Childcare Works has recently worked in collaboration with Dingley’s Promise to create a collection of resources and videos to support inclusive practice for early years providers, childminders and schools working with young children. The resources on inclusive practice are available on the HUB for providers - HUB: Inclusive Practice in the Early Years.
In addition to the provider resources, we have created a handbook to support local authorities’ work. This can be accessed on the LAB - Driving Early Years Inclusion - childcareworks.org.uk
UPDATED Childcare Works Resource directory
Created for local authorities, the resource directory is a useful short cut to finding information and support. The directory features links to resources from across the Childcare Works website. Please see link to the updated version here.
Childcare Works' Toolkits
The Childcare Works' toolkits bring together everything you need to set up, grow and sustain childcare provision. With content curated by experts, you will find a wealth of useful, relevant, information, all in one place.
The toolkits contain information specific to operating childcare provision, plus general information for businesses, childminders and charities, including expert marketing, HR and leadership and management, partnership working and more.
Access the Wraparound Toolkit
Access the Early Years Toolkit
We hope you find this information and the resources useful. Please share this with your colleagues and wider network who might benefit from the content.
Please watch the webinar, which can be found here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN-2N1UDrtE
And then share and display the poster.
Poster to display can be downloaded here :- 12_Sept__EY_thrive.pdf
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We are delighted to share an exciting fully funded professional development opportunity for early years settings across our region – the Maths Champions Programme, delivered by the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) and supported by the Department for Education (DfE) and the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).
This 12-month online programme is designed to increase practitioner knowledge, confidence, and skills in early mathematics, leading to improved outcomes for children. Participating settings nominate a Maths Champion and a Deputy Maths Champion to lead on embedding high-quality maths experiences throughout the setting.
✨ Why sign up?
· Proven impact: Children in Maths Champions settings made on average 3 months’ additional progress in maths and language, rising to 6 months for disadvantaged children (EEF 2023).
· Boost staff confidence: 100% of settings said staff confidence in supporting early maths improved.
· Flexible and accessible: Complete the nine steps of the programme around your schedule, without the need to release staff for external training.
· Practical tools and support: Includes online training, audits, action planning templates, core activities, a large resource bank, and ongoing 1:1 support from an Early Years Adviser.
· Certificates: Champions and settings receive certificates and a Maths Champions logo upon completion.
💡 Who can apply?
· PVI nurseries, school-based nurseries, academy nurseries and nursery schools with 3 & 4 year-old provision are eligible to apply.
· Fully funded places are available to eligible settings – no NDNA membership required.
Programme starts: February – June 2026
Expressions of interest are open now!
Join many other settings who describe the Maths Champions Programme as “transformational” for staff practice and children’s mathematical learning.
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Wednesday 21st January @ 6:30pm
OR
Friday 23rd January @ 1:30pm
Explore the new-look CBeebies Parenting – your go-to BBC resource for families with children under five
(Previously known as Tiny Happy People)
CBeebies Parenting is a completely free resource created by the BBC, offering over 1,300 videos and articles full of expert advice, trusted content, and simple, fun activities to help boost children’s speech, language and communication – while also supporting parents and carers with everyday challenges like routines, potty training, emotional development and school readiness.
We’re inviting professionals to a free, practical 30 min session designed especially for those working with families.
What you’ll gain:
· A guided tour of the website and how to get the most from it
· Time-saving tips on sharing relevant content with families
· Easy ways to embed communication-building into everyday practice
· Ready-to-use resources backed by experts
Whether you’re new to the resource or looking to get more out of it, this session will leave you feeling confident, informed, and equipped with tools that really make a difference.
Discover how CBeebies Parenting can support the families you work with – quickly, easily, and for free.
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The Department for Education have asked us to put a provider agreement in place; this is a statutory requirement for all local authorities and is essential that we have this in place between the LA and settings. The agreement itself encompasses the already published statutory guidance from the DfE, with some more detail in relation to Shropshire.
You will remember in October 2025, we conducted a 4 weeklong consultation period in which providers were able to ask questions and receive answers back from the team. This was a positive exercise and all questions have now been answered.
This comes in a particular important time following the September 2025 entitlement uplift. A key aim of the expansion of the 30 hours free childcare for working parents is to support parents to work. Making early education and childcare more accessible is a key pillar of The Best Start in Life strategy and central to delivering the government’s Plan milestone of a record number of children being ready for school. Whilst providers will need to adapt patterns of provision according to staff availability, and care should be taken to ensure providers continue to be able to meet staff ratios, this should be balanced with the importance of flexibility and access for parents.
This agreement has been created collaboratively by the Early Years team, Shropshire Council Legal team and Shropshire Early Years Partnership board members.
We plan to launch the Provider agreement on 26th January 2026, whereby providers will have 4 weeks to review, sign and return to us.
Specific guidance will be given on how to sign. Please rest assured, this will be electronic and will not require any printing.
If you have any questions in the meantime, please email Dan.Steele@shropshire.gov.uk
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Thank you to all of the settings who completed the Expression of Interest form for our Best Bets for Boys training. Based on the feedback shared, the consensus was for online delivery — therefore we have now confirmed dates for two online cohorts: one in the afternoon and one in the evening, giving settings flexible access to take part.
Best Bets for Boys is a free, evidence-informed training programme aimed at supporting Early Years practitioners to better understand and engage boys in their learning—particularly in self-regulation and early writing.
Designed for all EY provider types (Nursery – Reception), this training explores the key role of executive function skills in boys’ development and offers practical strategies to create inclusive, high-quality learning environments for all children.
Practitioners will explore:
The myths and evidence around boys’ learning
Three evidence-based approaches that support self-regulation and emergent writing
Specific teaching practices in mark making, literacy, and communication
Training includes:
- Follow-up online modules with reflection tasks
- A practitioner workbook for planning and implementation
- Ongoing support through Literacy and PSED networks
Training Schedule
Online: 2 × 1.5-hour session
Afternoon Cohort
2nd February 2026 Part One 1-3pm
9th February 2026 Part Two 1-3pm
OR
Evening Cohort
3rd February 2026 Part One 6.30-8pm
10th February 2026 Part Two 6.30-8pm
Followed by:
2 × 1-hour Sustainability Webinars
For all participants that attended the in-person & online training:
Tuesday 4th March 2026 — 6:30–7:30pm
Tuesday 25th March 2026 — 6:30–7:30pm
Certificate on completion of in-person/online training & sustainability webinars
Open to: All Early Years providers working with children aged 3–5 across the region.
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We are holding an online engagement session on Wednesday 7th January 2026 for Education Providers. The purpose of the sessions is to provide an opportunity to contribute to the development of the local implementation of the Families First Partnership Programme, which will change our local safeguarding arrangements over the next 12 months and beyond. The session will be led by Natasha Moody, Shropshire’s Families First Partnership Strategic Lead and supported by the Education Quality Safeguarding Team.
Best Start in Life Parent Hub (formerly known as Childcare Choices)
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 Advice and Funding (SEND)
Early Years CPD
Early Years Information Pages on the SLG
Funding Diary Dates (headcount windows and payments)
Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF)
Parent Declaration Form - 2025/26
Recruitment:
SEND and Inclusion Newsletter
Shropshire SEND Local Offer
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 Years Inclusion Funding (EYI) - 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
Early Years Consultant
Education Improvement Service
Tel: 01743 254454
Email: beverley.jones@shropshire.gov.uk
Charlotte Percival
Safeguarding Officer
Tel: 01743 254147
Email: charlotte.percival@shropshire.gov.uk
Dan Steele
Senior Development Officer (Early Years and Sufficiency)
Tel: 01743 253913
Email: dan.Steele@shropshire.gov.uk
Admin Team (funding queries):
Beth Parry-Jones, Brydie Porter, Lauren Goodhead & Sarah Jones
Email: NEF@shropshire.gov.uk
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