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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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Tuesday 20 July 2021
Reminder - DfE data capture required this week
This week's Department for Education data capture for the numbers of children currently accessing early years provision is open now, and will close at the end of Wednesday (midnight). Please use this link to complete your return.
This will be the last data collection and the DfE have stated that this is not planned to resume in the autumn unless there are significant changes to guidance around attendance at early years settings in relation to COVID-19. We would like to thank you for your ongoing commitment to complete this as it has been crucial in planning for the COVID-19 response.
Following this week's data capture, we will continue to require the once a term sufficiency data capture, which can be completed via the Online Provider Portal. If you have not yet completed this mandatory return for the summer term, please ensure you have done so by 31 August 2021 at the very latest.
Actions for early years guidance updated
On 6 July, the Department for Education (DfE) published updated guidance to be followed once Step 4 of the roadmap commences on 19 July. This has now been updated to include clarification on face coverings and contact tracing.
Key changes at Step 4 include:
- No longer recommending that it is necessary to keep groups apart as much as possible.
- Settings will no longer be expected to undertake contact tracing but may be contacted to help with identifying close contacts. DfE have produced guidance, FAQs and a template letter for settings to send to parents. These can be found here. (Note: link is to Google Drive which may not work in older browsers)
- From 16 August, children under the age of 18 will no longer be required to self-isolate if they are contacted by NHS Test and Trace as a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case but they will be advised to take a PCR test.
- Face coverings will no longer be recommended for staff and visitors in corridors or communal areas. While the Government is removing the requirement to wear face coverings in law, guidance states that it expects and recommends that they are worn in enclosed and crowded spaces where you may come into contact with people you don't normally meet. This includes public transport.
- Parent and child groups can operate as normal and without restrictions in attendance.
The changes to the arrangements for contact tracing mean that it is no longer necessary to have staff available to contact trace when the setting is closed.
New Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Step 4
The DfE has developed a new FAQs document to answer your questions on the Step 4 guidance for early years settings. This covers:
- Contact tracing
- Social distancing / self-isolation / testing
- Face coverings
- Data collections
- and more
Please send any further questions to foundationyears@ncb.org.uk.
Webinar: What Step 4 changes mean for education and childcare settings
To help keep early years settings informed on what Step 4 changes mean for them, DfE have recorded a webinar which provides information on the key changes to COVID-19 measures. The information in the video applies to all early years settings. (Note that the webinar video link may not open via Google Chrome browser.)
The following documents have also been updated to reflect the Step 4 changes:
Early Years and Childcare Providers Survey
In Setting Update #170 (13 July) we shared that we are carrying out a survey with all providers (pre-schools, day nurseries, nursery classes/schools, breakfast clubs, out of school clubs and holiday playschemes).
This is to help identify the current strengths and challenges within the sector, and will allow us to identify the areas where we can focus our support, in order to make the biggest impact.
This survey can be completed online and will remain open until 31 August 2021 to allow as many settings as possible to complete this.
Your responses are really important to us so please do use this opportunity to share your views.
CHIL-led Out Olympics
The Children’s Healthy Life Style Team (CHLT), The Mill Primary School and the Family Wellbeing Team have developed a project to engage families this summer. The project is aimed at promoting the health benefits of physical activity and a balanced diet. Using the theme of the Olympics, the programme provides a range of activities for families which will be shared on its social media channels every day of the 16-day Tokyo Olympics.
On day one, for example, families will be invited to chance their arm at baseball before blazing a new dietary trail by snacking on an Olympic Flame, a tasty treat featuring a wafer cone, peppers, cucumber and carrot.
Three days later they will be encouraged to try their hands at volleyball and then immerse themselves in the Oriental spirit of the actual Games by feasting on Japanese Flag Crackers – eye-catching culinary creations involving fruit or veg.
Please read the flyer and share it with as many families as you can by email, print, on your social media or you can include it in your newsletter.
New course dates - changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Development Matters
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.
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Getting to Grips with the EYFS Changes from September 2021 Webinar for Childminders will outline the main changes to the EYFS and Development Matters. You will reflect on effective practice in light of the updated Statutory Framework, considered alongside the new Development Matters and Birth to Five Matters and consider the implications for provision and practice in Childminder settings. Places are £15 per person.
- Wednesday 8 September - 7pm to 9.30pm - EYT 21/1628
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Understanding The Changes: The EYFS and Development Matters from September 2021 this informative webinar outlines the changes to the EYFS and Development Matters. You will consider the key features of effective practice as outlined in the updated versions of the EYFS Statutory Framework and Development Matters and implications of these changes for provision and practice. Places are £15 per person.
- Tuesday 21 September - 9.45am to 12.30pm - EYT 21/2110
- Tuesday 21 September - 1.15pm to 4pm - EYT 21/2111
- Thursday 23 September - 9.45am to 12.30pm - EYT 21/2112
- Thursday 23 September - 1.15pm to 4pm - EYT 21/2113
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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#171 (DfE data capture, changes to government COVID-19 guidance, Early Help redesign - next steps, request for HAF venues, new staff wellbeing resource, two new courses for fostering wellbeing in the early years)
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#170 (Message from Director of Public Health, provider survey, FE autumn term estimate payments, letter from Ministers, new food safety resource, enhance your practice by learning Makaton)
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#169 (Removal of bubbles in settings, help with HAF venues, 30 hour code deadline reminder, FE leaflets, new virtual webinars for 2021/22)
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#168 (DfE data capture, get ready for changes to EYFS - new DfE service, last chance to book)
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#167 (DfE data capture, changes to furlough, FE deadline tomorrow, early years project for schools and settings, revised learning journal, SEND newsletter, last paediatric first aid this term)
- 31 Aug - West Sussex EYC provider survey closes
- 31 Aug - Deadline to complete termly Sufficiency Update
- 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)
- 8 Nov - Spring term Estimate submissions open (FE providers)
- 22 Nov - Spring term Estimate submissions close (FE providers)
- w/c 6 Dec - Spring term Estimate payments expected (FE providers)
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