Many congratulations go to Leasowes Extra (2664239) in Stafford for their recent Outstanding Ofsted judgement.
Business Manager Joanne told us 'This is wonderful recognition of all the hard work and dedication our brilliant staff and Trustees put into achieving the very best outcomes for the children in our care every day. We are delighted with our Outstanding achievement and feel very proud of the positive comments made in the inspection report. The inspector was friendly, interested in everything we had to show her and she put all the staff and children at ease; it was a very positive experience all round.'
Congratulations also go to Kids Planet (2671181) in Cheadle for their recent Outstanding Ofsted judgement.
Manager Melissa said 'Achieving Outstanding is notoriously difficult and we are delighted that the quality of staff’s work has been recognised. Our passion and high standards were noted many times during the inspection. We have built an amazing partnership with so many families within the community and we can’t thank them enough for their continued support.'
|
FREE-EY SENCO training-correction
Tuesday 2 July 2024 6:00-7:30pm via MS Teams
In issue 20 (published 14 June) we told you about a virtual online workshop for practitioners who are new to the role of SENCO or require a refresher update, delivered by the EY Senco team.
Unfortunately the date we gave you of 7 July was incorrect (although the booking form showed the correct date).
To clarify, the correct date for the training is Tuesday 2 July. We apologise for any confusion this may have caused. If you have already registered for this training there is no need to re-register.
Places are still available; click the link below to complete the form to register before Monday 1 July at midday. You will receive the link to the workshop once you have registered your interest.
Provider Briefings-EY Portal Claim process
The Finance team will be holding Provider Briefings via MS Teams which will concentrate on the claiming process on the Early Years Portal for the new Working Parent entitlement for under 2-year-olds, ready for the Autumn Forecast Headcount task which opens on 9 July.
There will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have. These are duplicate sessions; you only need to attend one session.
Monday 1 July 2024 10:00am to 11:00am
Tuesday 2 July 2024 6:00pm to 7:00pm
There is no need to book on; just click the MS Teams link above just before the start of the session you wish to attend. If you have any queries regarding these briefings please email eefportal@staffordshire.gov.uk
Early Years Financial Incentive (EYFI) ‘Golden Hello’
Staffordshire is currently part of a national pilot with a focus on encouraging people to return to or start up a career in Early Years childcare.
It is hoped that the pilot will help Staffordshire childcare providers attract new staff and fill vacancies by providing an incentive payment of £1,000 to individuals who meet the criteria and take up a job with them.
If you have upcoming staff vacancies and would also like to recruit using the Golden Hello, then please access the web page for further details and submit an Expression of Interest form through the link below.
Providers who wish to proceed will be sent Terms and Conditions which must be signed and returned to us to take part. Vacancies can then be advertised to highlight that the position may be eligible for a Golden Hello subject to the eligibility criteria.
This is now open to more than one application per setting.
Click the link below for more details and the EOI form.
New-Parent Declaration Guidance notes
Parents and providers must complete and sign a Parent Declaration and Privacy Notice as stated in the current Provider Agreement. This form gives consent to providers to share a child's information with the local authority and the agreement of the number of funded hours a provider will claim for a child.
The completed form must be signed by the parent/carer and returned to the provider who must store it securely in line with GDPR requirements.
Click the link below to find new Guidance notes on our website to help you complete the PD, along with an example of a correctly completed form.
Celebrating childminders and welcoming change
Childminders do excellent work to give families much-needed flexibility, and children the best start in life. 97% of Ofsted-registered childminders were rated good or outstanding at their last inspection, which is the highest of any type of provision that are inspected by Ofsted.
Read the latest blog on Ofsted: Early Years by clicking the link below.
Dingley's Promise
Mark of Achievement
Settings can now achieve their very own Mark of Achievement to reflect their passion and commitment to inclusive practice in the early years. Dingley’s training has been specifically designed to provide practical skills and knowledge to help practitioners support the growing numbers of children with SEND. With the Mark of Achievement, your setting is recognised for embracing the training within your teams and the dedication to transforming the lives of children with SEND through inclusive practice.
Click the link below for more details on the Mark of Achievement.
|
Just a reminder that you can still sign up to the FREE Early Years Inclusion Programme Dingley’s Promise training.
Click the link below for more details and to sign up.
|
MPFT Speech and Language Therapy Service Information
The MPFT paediatric speech and language therapy service provided by Midlands Partnerships NHS Trust have updated their service model. For information about how to access support and make referrals please click the link below to read the attached guidance.
Information from Families' Health and Wellbeing Service
Starting school is an important time in a child's life. As an EY provider, you are key to helping ensure the smooth transition to full-time schooling.
The Families’ Health and Wellbeing Service 0-19 (the Health Visiting and School Nursing service at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust) would like to introduce themselves, share some top tips and offer information on ways in which we can work together to support children and families within our care.
Click the link below to see a short e-leaflet, showing some of the key areas that support a child’s growing, learning and overall health.
Duplicate codes issued by HMRC
HMRC have informed us that around 1,000 duplicate temporary codes have been issued to a small cohort of parents who fit both parameters for the TFC reconfirmation issue and new maternity leave policy.
The DfE are advising parents (and providers) to use the code with the later expiry date (which will be in the most recently issued letter) though both codes will work.
If parents have queries they can call the Childcare Choices customer interaction centre on 0300 123 4097.
|
