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Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery
14th Feb - 11th April
Bring learning to life with Castle Quest Imagination Playground! Designed especially for EYFS groups, our sessions spark curiosity, confidence and creativity through open‑ended, hands‑on play.
Castle Quest is a child-led, creative and imaginative play experience for young children to explore building, storytelling, role-play and artmaking in a safe, relaxed environment. It supports EYFS learning through creative free play, physical development, and imaginative storytelling, aligning with early years pedagogy that values open‑ended exploration.
Book your class visit today and give your learners a magical adventure they won’t forget!
Castle Quest is inspired by ‘The Castle the King Built’ by Rebecca Colby and Tom Froese.
We have a few slots left - get in touch with us to find out more.
museumbookings@shropshire.gov.uk
Good morning,
Following the announcement of our hourly rates, there have been some questions raised around the methodology and why these differ to other local authorities.
This post aims to address this and provide more information.
Each local authority are told by the DfE in December of each year how much money they are going to receive schools, and most importantly for us, the early years block. This formula is based on the previous years January census data to understand how many children and due to this funding allocated is relative per local authority.
Targets set by the Department for Education are that we pass on 97% of this, directly to providers. This is a target we have achieved this year for financial year 2026/27.
The remaining 3% is retained by us for centralised costs. For example, Learning and development team visits and training, SEND Officers support, funding and systems teams support to submit headcounts etc.
A working example we would like to highlight is that other local authorities cap EYIAF panel funding at £3,000 per child. We do not cap this and have awarded up to £13,000.00 for a complex child within the last year.
We are committed to ensuring we provide the best offer to you as providers across multiple functions within Early Years.
We are delighted that we can award a higher hourly rate this upcoming year, to all age groups through entitlements.
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Entitlement
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24/25
Rates
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25/26
Rates
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26/27
Rates
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Increase
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3&4 YO – both universal and extended
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£4.95 (£5.03 ETYPG*)
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£5.42
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£5.88
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+46p (+8.49% YOY)
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2YO – both disadvantaged and expanded
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£6.90
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£7.15
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£7.70
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+55p (+7.70% YOY)
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9-Month-old
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£9.05
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£9.15
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£9.67
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+52p (+5.28% YOY)
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Average rates
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£6.99
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£7.24
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£7.75
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+6.58% increase YOY
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If you wish to speak further on this topic, please email me on Dan.Steele@shropshire.gov.uk
Many thanks, The Early Years Team
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 with SEND – from toddler to teens - groups from April 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 April and June 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 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)
There is also a poster with all relevant QR cods to the Parenting Team offer.
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
Leaflet_Parenting_QR_Coloured.docx
PHSL.pdf
Sleep Tight Poster All Summer 2026.pdf
UYC Groups Poster 2026.pdf
UYC SEND Groups Poster 2026.pdf
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We are aware that West Mercia Police Vulnerability Hub have contacted some educational settings who have signed up to Operation Encompass. The communication from the Police is based on the National Guidance on implementing Operation Encompass for Educational Settings, which we have asked all schools and settings to ensure they are aware of and following since the local Operation Encompass arrangements changed at the beginning of the academic year (and was previously communicated in Education Update - 16th September).
The National Guidance refers to Designated Safeguarding Leads requiring “Level 3” training. This use of levels in the national guidance is confusing as there are no national safeguarding training levels and we will raise this issue with the Police to request a review of the national guidance.
In the meantime and to clarify, Shropshire’s training expectations for School Designated Safeguarding Leads and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads who receive Operation Encompass notifications are:
- that they receive training that is compliant with Keeping Children Safe in Education Annex C (Schools) and/or The Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework (where they have Early Years provision), which should also include awareness of the local safeguarding arrangements. The Local Safeguarding in Education Training Offer provided by the Local Authority complies with these requirements. Please see our training statement (here) for other ways in which you can meet these requirements if you do not access the Local Authority offer above.
- That they complete Operation Encompass Key Adult Training (online and free).
We will ensure that our training statement is updated to ensure that the above is made clear when we review it in preparation for the academic year 26/27 (given that we are asking schools to review their compliance with the current version as part of the current Statutory Safeguarding Audit 25/26).
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Many thanks to all those settings that have completed and submitted the online Section 11 Audit.
If you require any assistance in accessing or completing the audit, please do not hesitate to access the support of our team. Safeguarding.Audits@shropshire.gov.uk
Further information as to the support available to you to complete the audit can be viewed at: Safeguarding Audits | Shropshire Learning Gateway
If you would like additional support from us in ensuring that your safeguarding arrangements are legally compliant and in line with our local safeguarding arrangements, we also offer the following services on a traded basis (please click the links below to find out more):
Safeguarding Consultancies
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We are excited to offer several webinar training sessions from April-June 2026. These free, 90-minute learning events are open to all frontline practitioners and managers who work with adults, children, and families.
We will be sharing the learning from two family case reviews in Shropshire where there were significant harm and deaths. These are the first SSCP reviews which involve parents and children. For each of the families a joint Safeguarding Adult Review, and Child Safeguarding Practice Review was undertaken. The focus will be hearing and reflecting on the learning, to increase awareness and knowledge, and to understand how everyone can make a different in their everyday practice.
By working together and sharing information across adult and children's services, we can better protect families and prevent future harm.
Please select the date and time that suits you from the list below to be redirected a registration page for this online event.
Online Webinars – 90 minutes
April 2026
May 2026
June 2026
If you have any queries, please feel free to contact the SSCP Business Unit: sscpbusinessunit@shropshire.gov.uk
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Measles vaccinations The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is encouraging parents to catch up on missed MMR vaccinations due to ongoing measles outbreaks. In 2024 there were 2,911 laboratory confirmed measles cases in England, the highest number of cases recorded annually since 2012. Most of these cases were in unvaccinated children under the age of 10. Figures reported for 2025 to date record 957 laboratory-confirmed measles cases. Early years providers can help by encouraging parents and carers to take up the offer of vaccines for their children when they are due. The MMR vaccine is a free, safe and effective way of protecting against measles, as well as mumps and rubella. For further information please see the NHS page on the MMR vaccine and the NHS vaccination schedule.
PEGS is a social enterprise set up to support parents, carers and guardians who are experiencing Child to Parent Abuse (including those with adult offspring). We don't directly work with the child displaying the behaviours but have a network of partners whose expertise lies in this area.
We also train frontline professionals to recognise and effectively respond to CPA, and work with national and regional organisations to develop and implement policies. Parental Education Growth Support - PEGS Events - 9 Upcoming Activities and Tickets | Eventbrite
Safer Sleep Week - 9th March - 15th March
Early Years and Childcare Providers – Information updates
Safer sleep advice can be life-saving but only when it reaches families. You can help keep babies safe in your area by taking the three steps below this Safer Sleep Week.
How to be a Safer Sleep Week champion 1. Create a safer sleep display: Download and print some of our key safer sleep resources (suggestions below) or order hard copies from our shop to display in your community or workplace. 2. Raise money to keep advice accessible for all: Whether you hold a Pyjama Day in your local Early Years setting, a coffee morning at work, or simply pop a collection box out with some of our leaflets, the money you raise will help save lives. Get fundraising ideas here. 3. Sign up for training: If you care for babies as part of your profession, or manage staff who do, sign up for one of our safer sleep training sessions to ensure that you feel confident in practising safer sleep and sharing advice with families.
It is recommended that all professionals working with children and young people complete Tier 1 of this nationally recognised free training, you can register here:
https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/children-and-young-peoples-asthma/ The Tier 1 training is designed to provide essential knowledge and skills for professionals who work with children and young people, to better manage and support those with asthma. The online module takes 30-45 mins to complete and you gain a certificate.
Play Breaks - Kinder United Kingdom and Ireland
Created in collaboration with early years expert Dr Alistair Bryce‑Clegg
Kinder Play Breaks is a new, research‑informed initiative designed to help parents bring imaginative, meaningful play into everyday family life. Backed by expert guidance from Dr Alistair Bryce‑Clegg, a leading early years consultant, the programme offers simple, joyful ideas that strengthen children’s development and deepen parent‑child connection.
About Dr Alistair Bryce‑Clegg
Dr Alistair Bryce‑Clegg is a highly respected early years specialist, consultant and researcher known for his work on purposeful play, continuous provision and child‑led learning. His expertise shapes the Kinder Play Breaks approach, ensuring activities are grounded in what we know children need most: rich experiences, responsive adults and opportunities to explore.
Why Play Matters - Through Kinder Play Breaks, Dr Bryce‑Clegg highlights how even the simplest play moments like a balloon game or a quick imaginative challenge can:
- Boost communication and language
- Strengthen emotional bonds
- Support problem‑solving and creativity
- Build confidence and independence
What Are Kinder Play Breaks? Kinder Play Breaks provide families with:
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Quick, easy play ideas that fit naturally into daily routines
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Expert tips on how play supports learning and emotional wellbeing
- Activities designed to build confidence, imagination and connection
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Reassurance for parents that small moments of play can have a big developmental impact
Share With Families
This is a fantastic resource to signpost to parents in your setting. It reassures families that play doesn’t need to be complicated or time‑consuming to be powerful. Encouraging parents to explore Kinder Play Breaks can help them feel more confident, connected and inspired in supporting their child’s development at home.
Early years settings | National Year of Reading 2026
Early Years Providers – What Are You Doing in Your Setting?
The National Year of Reading 2026 is a brilliant opportunity for early years settings nationally to celebrate stories, language and the joy of reading. The campaign highlights how “small stories make a big difference” in the Early Years Foundation Stage, where early reading experiences help build vocabulary, strengthen brain pathways and lay the foundations for lifelong learning.
Shropshire is proudly supporting the national Go All In reading campaign, with libraries offering themed events and reading challenges throughout the year.
National Year of Reading | Shropshire Council
🌈 How Is Your Setting Getting Involved?
We’d love to hear how you are celebrating reading in your early years environment. Whether you’re planning something big or keeping it simple, every reading moment counts.
Here are some ideas inspired by the National Year of Reading early years guidance:
- 📖 Daily Story Moments – build short, playful story sessions into routines
- 🎶 Songs, Rhymes & Repetition – boost language through rhythm and rhyme
- 🌿 Outdoor Storytelling – take books outside and bring stories to life
- 🧺 Story Baskets & Small‑World Play – encourage children to retell stories
- 👨👩👧 Family Reading Links – invite parents to share favourite books or join storytime
- 🎨 Mark‑Making Inspired by Books – let children draw, paint or build from a story
- 📚 Explore the 12 Reading Themes – link to Shropshire Libraries’ year‑long “Read‑a‑Lottery” challenge for inspiration
🌟 Let’s Make 2026 a Year Filled With Stories, Imagination and Joyful Reading!
Other useful sources of information are on the National Literacy Trust webpage – all are FREE!
Schools And Early Years Settings Offer Toolkit & Resources | National Year Of Reading | National Literacy Trust
01._Supporting_reading_in_the_early_years_-_FINAL.pdf
Telling_stories_in_EY_2026.pdf
03b._CPR_practitioner_guidance.pdf
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.:
Laurie Johnson: Laurie.Johnson@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
Laurie Jones
Quality Improvement & Learning Co-ordinator
Education Improvement Service
Tel: 01743 250626
Email: Laurie.Johnson@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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