The West Sussex approach puts the child first. We work with children, families, communities, our partners and schools in a restorative, strength based way. Strong relationships are at the heart of what we do.
Broadcast for Early Years and childcare providers in West Sussex from West Sussex County Council - Early Help Service
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Thursday 1 July 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.
Changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
From today, 1 July, the level of government contribution decreases to 70%, with the employer expected to make up the additional 10% of the 80% of any furloughed employees wages. The government contribution further decreases to 60% in August, with the scheme set to finish on 30 September 2021. There is more information on the thresholds for the funding and the expectations on you as the employer available here.
Free Entitlement Autumn Term Estimates – Submission Deadline Tomorrow
A reminder that the Online Provider Portal (OPP) is open for you to submit your Autumn term estimates for Free Entitlement (FE) 2, 3 and 4 Year Olds.
- Headcount Day for Autumn term is 16 September 2021.
- The deadline for estimate submissions is tomorrow, 2 July 2021 at 11.59pm.
For help and guidance view our quick and easy Estimate video guide, or you can refer to the Estimate help guide PDF version.
Please note, we only require estimate information at present and we will request your actuals (child-level) data in due course.
30 hour code deadline reminder: In order for children to access an Extended FE place in the Autumn term their 30 hour code must be issued by HMRC by 31 August 2021. Any existing codes with a grace period ending 31 August 2021, or earlier must also be reconfirmed by this date. Please note, the online eligibility checker is always available to check a child’s 30 hour code is valid for the upcoming term.
If you have any questions, please email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk or phone the Family Information Service on 01243 777807.
Early Years Funding for Health and Physical Development: update
Thank you to all the providers who submitted an application. We were very impressed with creativity of some of the projects and appreciate that this was done with such a quick turnaround.
The team have been busy assessing the applications and will be sending out further communication to individual applicants imminently. Thank you for your patience.
West Sussex Early Years Project for schools and settings
In the next academic year, West Sussex Education and Skills team will be running an exciting project to support practitioners with the Early Years Foundation State (EYFS) reforms, ensure consistency of pedagogy and practice within the EYFS and improve outcomes for children across West Sussex. The project is aimed at creating closer working relationships between pre-school settings and schools and developing a shared and consistent understanding of high quality inclusive early years provision across West Sussex.
The programme will be led jointly by a practitioner from an early years setting and a teacher working in a school in your locality. They will be supported by the local authority and other partners to lead four two-hour workshops over the next academic year. These workshops will be provided free of charge for your early years leads to attend. The workshops will take place after school in order to allow attendance from both schools and pre-school settings.
The dates of the workshops will be available early in the autumn term along with booking and joining information. We hope that you and your teams will engage in this project in the coming academic year to support both the children and your staff during this period of change.
Revised Learning Journal and Guidance
The West Sussex Learning Journal and guidance has been updated to reflect the changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage from September 2021. This is available as a tool that settings might like to use or adapt as a format for recording and celebrating children's progress and for sharing with families. There is no requirement for settings to use this.
The Learning Journal is available as a PDF or as a Word document. The guidance notes may be used by settings to support them in planning how they want to review their recording, even if they choose not to use the Learning Journal format.
SEND and Inclusion Newsletter June 2021
The latest SEND and Inclusion Newsletter has been published and available for you to read.
Last Paediatric First Aid date this term
We have a few spaces left on Paediatric First Aid in Arundel Museum. The course structure is one day online and one day face to face. The venue is easy to get to from the train station and also has a large parking area next to it. First Aid training should be renewed every three years. COVID-19 safety measures are in place. The cost is £60 per person.
- Tuesday 13 July – 9.30am to 4.30pm - Arundel Museum - EYT 21/1830
To book, search for the course code on the Learning and Development Gateway. If you have any questions, please email early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk.
All early years providers must follow a new reformed EYFS framework from September 2021. View the new framework and how the changes affect you.
The West Sussex Learning Journal materials have been updated to reflect the changes to the EYFS from September 2021 and are available on our website.
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.
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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#166 (DfE data capture, clarification on testing and self-isolation, EYFS disapplications, free SENCO training, supporting children's creativity, confidence and progress)
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#165 (PCR tests for close contacts, COVID-19 contingency framework, HAF funding may still be available, SEND under 5's, enhance your nurturing techniques)
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#164 (DfE data capture, large group activities during the summer term, final reminder - EY funding to support health and physical development, FE autumn term estimates now open, FE summer term payments, communication courses, supporting children in EY settings who may have experienced trauma)
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#163 (DfE data capture, transition day, large group activities during the summer term, EYFS reforms, INCO/SENCO training, meeting the needs of every child)
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#162 (Changes to the planned ending of COVID-19 restrictions and transition days in schools, reminder - EY funding to support health and physical development, changes to the EYFS and Development Matters)
- 2 Jul - Autumn term Estimate submissions close (FE providers)
- w/c 12 Jul - Autumn term Estimate payments expected (FE providers)
- 1 Sep - Autumn term Actuals submissions open (FE providers)
- 1 Sep - New EYFS framework effective
- 16 Sep - Autumn term headcount day (FE providers)
- 24 Sep - Autumn term Actuals submissions close (FE providers)
- w/c 18 Oct - Autumn term Actuals payments expected (FE providers)
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