With you, with the child. Every step of the way.
Broadcast for Early Years and childcare providers in West Sussex from West Sussex County Council - Early Help Service
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Friday 3 July 2020
There has been a lot of updates to read and digest this week but we hope this has enabled you to put further plans into place. With so much to take on board and consider, we really hope you are able to take some time out over the weekend, where you can.
Guidance for Local Lockdowns
On 1 July, the government published guidance to support settings to prepare for the possibility of a local lockdown. Although this guidance has been written to support educational and childcare settings in the Leicester area, we would suggest that you read this guidance to support you in making contingency plans in case this situation arises within West Sussex.
Staggered Starts for Children Starting School
We are aware that schools have been planning arrangements for supporting children into school in September. This will look different for many children who have not been in school since the restrictions began and for those who are moving to a new school, having not had the usual transition support that would normally have been arranged.
For children moving on to school from early years provision, much of the transition support will be carried out differently. However, we hope you have been able to put suitable arrangements in place to allow the school to be prepared to welcome the children at the beginning of term.
Short guidance on staggering the start for children transitioning to a new setting, and those with SEND or other needs, has been shared with schools to support them in their planning. It includes some guiding West Sussex County Council principles which have been developed with some of our headteachers. It confirms that staggered starts should be completed within the first two weeks of term. In some instances, a more extended transition may be planned with individual families which may include reduced hours for a longer period. Once children take up their school place, they are no longer eligible for a Free Entitlement place. Therefore, if families wish to access early years provision during a child's staggered start at school, this would need to be funded by the family.
Final Reminder - Autumn Term Free Entitlement Estimates
Today is the deadline to submit your Autumn term estimates for Free Entitlement for 2, 3 and 4 Year Olds via the Online Provider Portal.
- Headcount Day for Autumn term is 17 September 2020
- The deadline for estimate submissions is 3 July 2020
Full details can be found in setting update #56 (22/06/2020) and #59 (29/06/2020).
You can access our quick and easy Estimate video guide, or refer to the Estimate help guide PDF version. If you have any questions, please email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk or phone the Family Information Service on 01243 777807.
Early Years Foundation Stage Reforms – government consultation response
On 1 July, the government published its response to the consultation on the EYFS reforms, and confirms the following:
- The final educational programmes for each of the seven areas of learning.
- The final early learning goals.
- Removal of the ‘exceeded’ assessment band from EYFS Profile assessment, meaning that children will be assessed as either having met the ‘expected’ level of development or not yet reaching the expected level of development (‘emerging’).
- Their intention to proceed with removal of the statutory duty for local authority moderation from the EYFS Profile assessment process.
- New inclusion of oral health within the EYFS safeguarding and welfare requirements.
- The government’s intention to proceed with the early adopter year in academic year 2020/21. Schools choosing to participate in the early adopter year will adopt the reforms a year in advance of all other schools and early years settings, ahead of statutory roll out in 2021/22.
Information from Ofsted for Childminders
As a childminder, you must tell Ofsted when anyone aged 16 or over stops living or working in the home where you look after children. For more information please read the guidance Childminders: tell Ofsted about adults leaving the home.
Please inform the Family Information Service if your current operating status changes. Email family.info.service@westsussex.gov.uk and include your setting name, Ofsted URN, the date you intend to close/open, and any changes to your operating hours. If you inform us of re-opening, you will be reinstated on the public list and appear on our website www.westsussex.gov.uk/fis.
If you are have not been able to open at this time, you should already have submitted a COVID-19 Recovery Plan and sent a copy by email to the FIS. This is so that we can look at the barriers you have identified and support you to re-open as soon as practicable. If we have not received your plan, you will be contacted by your EYCA to support you further.
All providers please complete a short online survey, once a week. The link to the survey is different each time. A link will be provided in each Monday broadcast, and the survey will be open for three full days each week from Monday to Wednesday, closing at midnight on the Wednesday. The latest link to the survey is also available on our website.
If a family you know are struggling to ensure they have food for their family, collect medication, or are in need of any additional support, contact West Sussex County Council Community hub.
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#61 2 July (removal of the requirement for 'bubbles', guidance for out of school provision)
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#60 1 July (Holiday provision, community facilities, OPP downtime, infection prevention and control webinar)
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#59 29 June (CJRS errors with claiming, FE Estimates reminder, PHE flowchart, broadband boost)
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#58 26 June (FE Parent Declaration Form - Word version)
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#57 24 June (updated FE Briefing Note, updates on OOS and HPS provision, Inclusion funding, safeguarding is everyone's business)
We have a range of online training available for you to access for your staff to ensure they have the most up to date information to support them in their role:
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