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Broadcast for Early Years and childcare providers in West Sussex from West Sussex County Council - Early Help Service
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Thursday 20 May 2021
Advance notice - DfE data capture required next week
Next week's Department for Education data capture for the numbers of children currently accessing early years provision will be open from Monday, and will close at the end of Wednesday (midnight). Please use this link to complete your return.
Protective measures out of school providers updated guidance
The guidance Protective measures for holiday or after-school clubs and other out-of-school settings for children during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has been updated to include the following:
- residential visits, which can commence from Step 3
- the use of face coverings
- indoor group sizes
- parental attendance at out-of-school settings.
Advance Warning - Holiday Activities and Food Programme
West Sussex County Council are looking for providers across the county to provide activities and food for children in the summer and/or Christmas holidays.
We have received funding as part of the governments Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme. HAF is for school age children, eligible for Free School Meals (FSM), to participate in holiday clubs and activities and receive a nutritional meal.
We want to hear about how you can participate in creating an effective HAF provision to reach as many FSM children as possible. Provision during the summer needs to be over a period of at least four hours a day, four days a week for four weeks. For Christmas the requirement is at least four hours a day, four days a week for one week. More information about the guidelines and standards is available at the Department for Education’s HAF webpage
We are interested in proposals from providers who can deliver within one or more of areas of the county, and from providers who would be interested in 'scaling up' their current provision. Expressions of interest from organisations that cater for school age children will be invited from next week and details will be made available after Tuesday 25 May but before then you can email HAF@westsussex.gov.uk.
Watch out for more news about funding for Early Years.
Free Entitlement Summer term Actuals - final reminder
A final reminder that the Online Provider Portal is open for you to submit your Summer term Free Entitlement (FE) actuals claims for 2, 3 and 4 year olds. Please submit your FE claims for children who were in attendance during Headcount week (Headcount day 6 May 2021) by midnight on Friday 21 May 2021.
For help and guidance please refer to Setting Update #146. For information regarding Early Years Pupil Premium and Disability Access Fund please refer to Setting Update #149. If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact the Family Information Service on 01243 777807 and ask for the Specialist Team, or e-mail free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk
Important Reminder - Do you have any children starting FE at your setting between 10–21 May 2021?
As the numbers of children submitted through the Early Years Census in January 2021 were lower than normal, due to the current pandemic, the Department for Education has provided the opportunity for local authorities to submit further Census information in the summer term.
It is important that West Sussex County Council (WSCC) is able to secure the maximum amount of Dedicated Schools Grant for the financial year 2021-22. Therefore, funding claims for children who started at your setting week commencing 10 May, up to and including 21 May 2021, must be submitted to us via a Post Headcount Exceptional Payment (PHEP) form by Tuesday 25 May 2021.
As these children were not in attendance during headcount day (6 May 2021) you must not include them in your summer term actuals claim.
Please note, WSCC will approve PHEPs for eligible children starting FE during this period (no exceptional reason required), where a PHEP has been received by 25 May 2021. Any PHEPs submitted after this deadline will have the normal PHEP rules applied as stated in the Provider Declaration 2021-2022 section 4.14.
The PHEP request form can be found on our webpage under ‘Additional scheme documents’.
Makaton spaces available
We have two Makaton dates with space available.
Makaton Taster is an introductory level where you will learn some common signs. Places cost £30.
Makaton Foundation Webinar Level 1 is the first part of the Foundation stage. You will receive hints and tips for effective signing and symbol use in everyday situations. You will receive a high quality manual, which includes the Makaton symbols and signs that you learn in the workshop and a Makaton certificate. Places cost £72.50. Please note this is a two day course and you will need to attend both sessions to gain your certificate.
Both these courses are available as whole setting options, on a date of your choice. If you have any questions, please email early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk.
To book, search for the course code on the Learning and Development Gateway
- Makaton Taster Webinar - Tuesday 25 May 9.30am to 12.00pm - EYT 21/1538
- Makaton Foundation Webinar Level 1 - Wednesday 26 May and 9 June 9.30am to 12.30pm - EYT 21/1548
Please inform the Family Information Service if your setting needs to close or is re-opening. 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 closing due to COVID-19 please ensure you read and follow all the steps in the PHE South East Health Protection Team ' Managing Suspected and Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Early Years and Childcare settings' flowchart.
In the event of your setting having a confirmed COVID-19 case, if Public Health or the Department for Education have stated you must close for any period of time you must inform the Family Information Service. However, if Public Heath have not explicitly stated in correspondence to you that the setting must close, we would expect you to make contact with your Early Years and Childcare Adviser (EYCA) to talk through your circumstances, where possible, before making the decision to close the setting. If you are not able to make immediate contact with your EYCA then please email your nearest Early Help Hub using the following email addresses:
Where there are not clearly evidenced reasons why the setting had no option to close, there could be implications for funding received as per the government guidance.
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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#154 (No DfE data capture this week, COMF update, preparing for the introduction of EYFS reforms, the role of the INCO, graduates in early years research, free traumatic bereavement resources)
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#153 (Final reminder - Early Help redesign consultation, amendment to #152, writing readiness and pencil grip, survey on SEND and Inclusion resources, SEND newsletter, public health survey)
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#152 (DfE data capture and change in frequency, updated guidance, children starting FE between 10-17 May 2021, FE summer term Actuals reminder, new online service to support implementation of revised EYFS, safeguarding and child protection refresher, supporting bereaved children)
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#151 (DfE data capture, changes on how to order testing kits, testing of staff, new resource to support diversity and inclusion)
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#150 (support available to providers to engage with asymptomatic testing, FE summer term actuals final reminder, extended FE claims reminder)
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:
- 21 May - Summer term Actuals submissions close (FE providers)
- 21 Jun - Autumn term Estimate submissions open (FE providers)
- w/c 21 Jun - Summer term Actuals payments expected (FE providers)
- 2 Jul - Autumn term Estimate submissions close (FE providers)
- w/c 12 Jul - Autumn term Estimate payments expected (FE providers)
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