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The Healthy Smile Team and SC Public Health are hosting a free oral health training session on 28th January from 10:00 to 11:10. Both internal staff and external partners can attend by booking via Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/smile-for-life-oral-health-training-session-tickets-1978822707988?aff=oddtdtcreator
The session covers child and family oral health, with practical evidence-based advice and resources for partners to use and share. Please share the poster linked below :)
Smile for Life training PDF flyer.pdf
If you are a new manager to setting, you’ve recently stepped up as a manager or have been promoted to a managerial role, support is available to help you succeed. The Education Quality Improvement and Learning Co-ordinator can provide tailored support visits to guide you in your new responsibilities and ensure you feel confident in your role.
To access this service, please contact laurie.johnson@shropshire.gov.uk.
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A safety alert has been issued warning parents and carers not to use baby sleep pillows for under ones. These soft pillows and cushions are often marketed for baby sleep or as somewhere for a baby to be left unsupervised. But this can cause suffocation or overheating, and babies have even died. We urge anyone who works with families to tell parents to stop using these products straight away.
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Parents warned about deadly baby sleep pillows
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. Following the agreements launch, we cannot pass any funding onto providers who do not sign this agreement.
As you know, we held a month-long consultation in October 2025 for all providers to pose any questions or queries to us.
We are planning to launch this agreement to all providers claiming entitlement funding for children, on Monday 2nd February.
The agreement will be sent to all emails registered to providers with a 5 weeklong window to review the agreement, sign and return. We plan on this being all don electronically, so there is no need for printing.
Further details will be shared closer to the date of release, in the meantime, please pose any queries to Dan.Steele@shropshire.gov.uk
Staff Raising Awareness in Safeguarding and Child Protection (Schools and Early Years)-
Early Years Designated Safeguarding Lead Refresher
Early Years Committee Members' Safeguarding Training
Early Years Newly Appointed Designated Safeguarding Lead's Training over 3 sessions (please ensure availability for all 3 sessions)
Part 1 - 24.02.26 - 09:30-11:30
Part 2 - 03.03.26 - 09:30-11:30
Part 3 -10.03.26 - 09:30-12:30
Early Years Newly Appointed DSL - 24.02.26/ 03.03.26 /10.03.26
Childminders Designated Safeguarding Lead Training over 3 sessions (please ensure availability for all sessions).
Part 1 - 22.01.26 - 18:15 - 20:15
Part 2 - 29.02.26 - 18:15 - 20:15
Part 3 - 07.03.26 - 09:30-12:30
Childminders Newly Appointed DSL - 22.01.26 / 29.01.26 / 07.02.26
Thank you to those who have completed and submitted the audit so far as well as for the positive feedback we have received. The feedback is that the new format is more user friendly than the previous Excel spreadsheet.
As a reminder. all school leaders and settings managers/ owners should now have received an email from: forms@ShropshireLA.onlineaudits.org.uk
This will provide a secure link to access the new Safeguarding audit system. If you have yet to action this email, please do so to ensure that you can access the audit. If you need support, or cannot find your email invitation, please email safeguarding.audits@shropshire.gov.uk for assistance and we will be happy to help.
The Education Quality Safeguarding team are able to offer support to you throughout this period including webinars and troubleshooting session. Please visit Safeguarding Audits | Shropshire Learning Gateway for the links and resources.
The closing date for the audit is 27th March 2026.
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I would like to introduce you to Laurie Johnson who is the new Quality Improvement Learning Coordinator for Early Years. She will be covering most of Beverley Jones' role as Beverley enjoys her retirement.
Laurie will be continuing the Virtual Support sessions on a Thursday morning 9:30 -12:00 and can be reached on 01743 250626.
I am sure you will all join with me in wishing her a warm welcome to Shropshire Early Years Team
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At the end of last term Beverley was off ill and wasn't able to attend her retirement party and so we have rearranged it for the end of this month.
Beverley will, I am sure, be bowled over by your kind words and generosity and will write a Thank You message to go out to you all, after she has received her retirement card and gifts.
Webinar Wednesdays
Executive Function & Metacognition - Talking About Learning
5th November 2025 - 9.30-10.30am - Online
Register: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/cytrgjr
Curating an Environment for all Children where learning is inevitable
3rd December 2025 - 9.30-10.30am - Online
Register: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/wdymjy7
Cbeebies Parenting Champions Training
21st January 2026 6.30pm OR 23rd January 2026 1.30pm
Register: https://forms.gle/cCWN6nmZhm8dKa8Z6
Networks
PSED - Supporting Children's Healthy Habits Network
18th November 2025 - 4-5pm - Online
Register: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/zwr6dtt
Nurturing with Respect: Rights-Based Care in the Baby Room Curriculum Toolkit
10th December 2025 - 6.30-7.30pm - Online
Register: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/n5ymu62
CL & Literacy - Early mark making, drawing and writing Curriculum Toolkit
8th January 2026 - 4-5pm - Online
Register: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/9mhqw58
EAL - Designing Interventions for Bilingual Children
13th January 2026 - 4-5pm - Online
Register: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/v49exw3
Use the links above to express your interest in the training.
Please use the links below to look at the information on screen use and young children.
We are recommending that all settings display the poster below to inform parents about screen time and young children. The poster is one that can be found on the Health Professional for Safer Screens website.
The link to a recording of an excellent webinar is here. It is given by the Health Professionals for Safer Screens
Summer_of_Connections
Our kids, their screens, the evidence - YouTube
https://goallin.org.uk/get-involved/early-years-settings/
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Outdoor Learning Curriculum Toolkit Network
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Outdoor Learning Network - Online via Zoom - 2nd February 4-5pm
Join us for an engaging Outdoor Learning Online Curriculum Toolkit hosted by Lisa Sutton (Shelton Infant School)
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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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