Finance news
A reminder that the Summer Forecast Task is open from 5 to 12 March 2025. This is for children attending your setting during the funding period 1 April 2025 to 31 August 2025 (Summer).
There are 13 weeks Summer term-time funding, the first 2 of which will be weeks commencing 31 March 2025 and 7 April 2025, before Easter.
Alternatively, stretch funding can be offered up to a maximum of 20 weeks across the funding period 1 April 2025 to 31 August 2025.
For any new under 2 year olds, please ensure that they are age eligible before including them on your Headcount. Children will need to have been born on or before 30 June 2024 to be eligible and will need to have an eligible code.
For working parents claiming the funding with you for the first time, check all codes carefully before confirming a funded place. For the Summer Term, the code needs to have a start date prior to 1 April 2025 and an end date after 1 April 2025. A grace period can only be relied on if the child has claimed working parents funding with you in the Spring Term. Any codes currently with a grace period ending 31 March 2025 will need reconfirming before you can claim on the task. You can check your current codes on the Expiration Dashboard.
If children have claimed with a temporary code (beginning 114) in the Spring Term, then you will need to obtain and run a check on the permanent code (beginning 50) before trying to claim for the Summer funding period, and ensure that this new code is against the child’s record on the Headcount.
For Think2 children, please ensure that a Placement is done on the portal before claiming and this will place the child on the Headcount for you.
Payment dates
A reminder that the payment week dates are changing from the 1 April 2025. The first payments for the Summer funding period will be made week ending 4 April 2025. Those on monthly payments will receive the second payment week ending 2 May 2025 and the third payment week ending 6 June 2025.
The Summer Actual Task is open 4 to 13 June 2025. The first payments for the Actual Task will be made week ending 18 July 2025. The date has had to be moved to accommodate the DfE Summer Census requirements. Those on monthly payments will receive the second part of this payment week ending 1 August 2025.
For any queries contact the Finance Team on 01785 854009 or email eefportal@staffordshire.gov.uk, quoting your provider portal ID.
Click the link below for a full summary of task and payment dates up until 2026.
Free training opportunities
Childminder Network meeting
The termly network meetings, aimed at Childminders and Childminding Assistants, will provide an opportunity for regular dialogue and collaboration with other Childminders to share good practice, discuss concerns and possible solutions to current issues and contribute to a shared agenda.
Tuesday 4 March 2025 6:30pm to 7:45pm via MS Teams
Wednesday 19 March 2025 6:30pm to 7:45pm via MS Teams Guest speaker - Early Years Ofsted Inspector
-
Daily routines, planned learning, and free play. How is learning consolidated?
-
What are inspection reports telling us? How can we reflect on these and make changes to our own practice.
-
Ofsted reports -what will these look like?
All places must be booked through the Practitioner Hub. Click the links above to book your place on the EY Practitioner Hub.
Wraparound Inclusive Practice Pathway - understanding behaviour and de-escalation strategies
This face-to-face session, aimed at wraparound care providers, will explore our understanding of behaviour, recognising that behaviour is complex and impacted by many factors. It will cover preventative strategies we can implement to manage behaviour and how to create a positive environment, de-escalation strategies for challenging situations, and restoring relationships following challenging situations.
Wednesday 5 March 2025 10:30am to 1:30pm
Northfields Centre, Magnolia Avenue, Stafford, ST16 3BZ
All places must be booked through the Practitioner Hub. Click the link below to book your place on the EY Practitioner Hub.
For any enquiries regarding Wraparound courses email WRAPTraining@staffordshire.gov.uk
|
Early Years updates for schools
These face to face sessions, aimed at teachers and practitioners working in nursery and reception classes in schools, will help you stay informed with the latest insights and updates from the EY sector and offer an opportunity to collaborate with other school-based EY colleagues to discuss and share practice. Facilitated by an EY Teacher Consultant, the session will allow practitioners to keep up to date with emerging trends and enhance and elevate their practice. It will help you to:
• develop a deeper understanding of the latest national updates in early years and reflect on their impact on the sector,
• discuss local developments in early years across Staffordshire,
• network with other schools and foster a community of knowledge and improvement.
|
10 March 2025
|
4pm to 5:30pm
|
Princefield First School, Penkridge, ST19 5EP
|
|
12 March 2025
|
4pm to 5:30pm
|
Maybank Infants School, Basford Park Road, Maybank, ST5 0PT
|
|
17 March 2025
|
4pm to 5:30pm
|
Bridgtown Primary School, North Street, Cannock, WS11 0AZ
|
|
18 March 2025
|
4pm to 5:30pm
|
Dunstall Park Primary School, Austen Drive, Tamworth, B78 3BQ
|
Schools may send a maximum of two practitioners. All places must be booked through the Practitioner Hub. Click the link below to book your place on the EY Practitioner Hub.
Effective practice for under 2 year olds workshop
This virtual session is aimed at practitioners working in settings who provide childcare places for children aged 0-2 years. It will focus on high quality practice, environments to enable the development of the age group, and encourage practitioners to reflect on their own development to feel fully equipped to meet the needs of the babies in their care.
- Weds 12 March 2025 10am to 11:30am via MS Teams, or
- Weds 12 March 2025 4pm to 5:30pm via MS Teams, or
- Tues 1 April 2025 6pm to 7:30pm via MS Teams.
All places must be booked through the Practitioner Hub. Click the link below to book your place on the EY Practitioner Hub.
Level 3 Designated Lead Multi-agency training
This course is available for people working with children and families in Staffordshire. For those working with children and families outside of Staffordshire please contact your local Safeguarding Children Partnership.
Participants must have undertaken Level 1 Child Protection training, SSCP Multi-agency Level 2 Working Together to Safeguard Children training and SSCP Multi-agency Level 3 Role of Designated/Deputy Safeguarding Lead Training before attending this course.
This course will update your Level 2 certificate to continue to be the Designated/Deputy Safeguarding Lead in your organisation for another 2 years.
For training costs visit Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership.
Tuesday 18 March 2025 9am to 1pm via MS Teams
Click the link below to book your place on the SSCP website.
Trauma informed practice and understanding adverse childhood experiences launch
Aimed at practitioners who work with children and young people and who would like to make a significant difference to the lives of children and young people in our community through trauma informed practice.
Dr Lisa Cherry, Director of Trauma Informed Consultancy Services Ltd, will share her extensive experience in supporting professionals across various sectors and provide valuable insights on trauma-informed practice.
Event Highlights:
- Launch of a creative suite of online resources designed to help professionals recognise and support children and young people experiencing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Trauma.
- Resources developed based on feedback and needs from practitioners.
- Aim to raise awareness and provide effective support, ultimately helping to prevent and reduce violence in our communities.
Tuesday 1 April 2025 9.30am to 12.30pm (registration from 9am)
Bridge Centre, Birches Head Road, Birches Head, Stoke, ST2 8DD
Places are limited. Click the link below to visit the SSCP website to book your place at this free event.
When do you need to notify Ofsted?
The early years foundation stage (EYFS) sets out the requirements you must meet for learning, development and care. It is a statutory requirement that you notify Ofsted or your childminder agency of:
- any changes to your registration
- a failure to meet the EYFS requirements
- any significant events and/or serious childcare incidents.
Ofsteds' guidance gives more detail on the types of incidents you must tell them about and how to report them.
For more details, click the link below to take you to the Ofsted Early Years blog.
Stoke Speaks Out conference 2025-Talking before words
Friday 20th June 2025 9:15 to 3:30pm
St George’s Hospital, Stafford, ST16 3SR
Cost: £75 per person including light lunch
An exciting day dedicated to supporting speech, language and communication needs from birth. Featuring guest speakers from BBC Tiny Happy People, National Literacy Trust and MPFT Speech and Language Therapists.
Places are limited. Click the link below to complete the booking form and return it to stokespeaksout@mpft.nhs.uk
|
EY Stronger Practice Hubs
The Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs programme has been extended until March 2026.
This means Hubs will continue to provide funded support and advice to improve quality in EY settings, by sharing evidence-informed practice through their local networks.
The Thrive Together Stronger Practice Hub (SPH) draws on a breadth and depth of EY knowledge and leadership including trusted experts and partners, SENCOs, EY Area Experts, PVI managers and childminders.
The Hub's facilities include a bespoke training venue and access to a range of high quality schools and group-based settings that exemplify best practice in early years’ education and care.
Click the link below to visit the Thrive Together EY Stronger Practice Hub (West Midlands) website.
If you have started a role working in an early years setting with children under 5 in the last 10 months, or recently applied for a role like this, the DfE would like to hear your views on jobs and careers in early education.
Your feedback will help the DfE to learn more about what attracts people to work in early education. They will use this information to make decisions about working conditions and pay.
Simply click the link below, and choose the area from the drop down list. You will be able to complete a short 5-10 minute survey, and will receive £5 on completion as a thank you for taking part.
|
