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
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Wednesday 6 September 2023
Welcome back to those settings who have been closed over the summer holidays. We hope you have all had a wonderful summer whether your setting has continued to operate or you have been able to take some time off.
We have continued to share our weekly newsletters over the summer period. These contain lots of useful information that may still be of interest to those of you who were closed and you can access these at the bottom of this newsletter.
As we commence a new term, we have taken the opportunity to give our weekly newsletter a new look and also have plans to introduce a new, once per term newsletter, specifically targeted at just Free Entitlement providers.
Free Entitlement Autumn term actuals – now open (Free Entitlement providers only)
The Online Provider Portal is now open for you to submit your Autumn Term Free Entitlement (FE) actuals claim.
Key dates:
- Headcount day: Thursday 21 September 2023
- Deadline for submission: Friday 29 September 2023
Help and Guidance:
Important to note:
- FE claims can only be made for children who are in attendance during Headcount week (unless absent due to short term sickness or planned holiday).
- A Parent Declaration form must be fully completed and signed no later than Headcount day in order to claim at actuals.
- Each child’s funding claim requires you to record their ethnicity. Please ensure you refer to the 'ethnic origin' section of the Parent Declaration form and select the ethnicity as stated by the parent/guardian. Please do not select ‘Unknown’ as the Department for Education require this information as part of the mandatory data collection.
Extended FE claims - In order for a 30 hours code to be valid for Autumn term:
- Parents must have applied for, or reconfirmed their 30 hour code before 31 August 2023.
- The code ‘start date’ must be before 1 September 2023 and the ‘Grace period end date’ covers the Autumn term 2023.
To check a code is valid for Autumn term use the online eligibility checker and view our helpful video guide for step by step guidance. Please note, West Sussex County Council cannot fund without a valid code.
Please note: The Online Provider Portal currently reflects the Summer Term rates (not Autumn):
- £6.04 for 2 year olds,
- £4.97 for 3 and 4 year olds, and
- £1.09 Early Years Pupil Premium plus Deprivation Supplement
This is not an error, we will automatically be updating the rates to include the Early Years Supplementary Grant (EYSG) as follows:
- £6.04 + £2.64 (EYSG) = £8.68 for 2 year olds
- £4.97 + £0.54 (EYSG) = £5.51 for 3 and 4 year olds, and
- £1.09 + £0.04 (EYSG) = £1.13 Early Years Pupil Premium plus Deprivation Supplement
This will be updated once the submission window is closed, before releasing Headcount payment. As you are aware the EYSG is only available for Autumn 2023 and Spring 2024 terms.
If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact the Family Information Service via email free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk, or by phone 01243 777807 and ask for the Specialist Team.
Introducing the Setting Support Phone Line
We are replacing our Targeted Setting Support (TSS) Inclusion process with a new Setting Support Phone Line, which will be available from Tuesday 12 September. This is an advice and support service for practitioners and childminders from early years or childcare settings on any inclusion topic, where an Early Years and Childcare Advisor will provide advice and strategies over the phone. Should it be deemed necessary, your query will be referred for a support visit. The phoneline is for inclusion practice support only and cannot accept queries on:
- inclusion funding,
- safeguarding,
- Free Entitlement, or
- business support (TSS forms will now only be accepted for business needs, TSS Inclusion forms are no longer available).
You can contact the Setting Support Phone Line on 01243 777807. Please ask to be transferred to the "Setting Support Phone Line". The phoneline is available every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon from 1.00pm to 4.00pm. For more information please go to our Setting Support Phone Line webpage.
New Targeted Setting Support - Business and Sustainability form
Early years and childcare settings can request business and sustainability support from the Early Years and Childcare team via the Target Setting Support (TSS) process. There is a new form for 2023/24 which can be used to request support around the following areas:
- Business Planning
- Cash Flow Forecasting
- Occupancy Levels/Marketing
- Free Entitlement
- Pattern of delivery
- Recruitment and retention of staff
- Premises
- Selling the setting
- Closing the setting
- Expanding the setting
You can access the TSS Business and Sustainability form via our request targeted support webpage. If you are looking to set up new provision, please refer to www.westsussex.gov.uk/childcaresufficiency.
Setting Review Meetings
Following the first year of carrying out the Setting Review Meetings (SRMs), we have carried out our own review of the process and how we can develop our offer to ensure that visits can be tailored to meet your needs. We will continue to offer you at least one SRM per year and will offer additional visits if required.
This year, we will be offering you the opportunity to identify the focus for your visit so that we can support you in your planned areas for review and development. Your EYCA will contact you prior to your SRM to discuss the focus of this meeting which could include:
- an area you have already identified as a priority - such as an area of your environment or age group,
- using a section of the Quality Improvement Criteria (QIC) to reflect on current practice,
- safeguarding,
- business and sustainability, including preparing for the childcare expansion,
- effective use of funding to improve outcomes for children,
- management and staffing, or
- parent partnership.
Fully-funded accredited Level 3 Early Years SENCO training
The Department for Education is delighted to announce that they are expanding their fully-funded, accredited Level 3 Early Years Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) training offer.
An additional 2,000 places are available between now and August 2024, with particular focus on training SENCOs in areas currently underrepresented in training uptake. This offer is part of the early years education recovery programme and will mean up to 7,000 SENCOs will be trained by August 2024.
Existing Early Years SENCOs, or those due to take up the role of SENCO, with a full and relevant Level 3 early years qualification, are eligible for the training. The training is also suitable for Ofsted-registered childminders and Ofsted-registered childminder agencies. To apply and find out more, please visit the Best Practice Network website.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Leaders Networks
These two hour, subsidised networks, are for those who manage and lead practice in early years settings. These networks aim to provide the opportunity for leaders to meet together to hear updates, discuss practice and share ideas. It is an invaluable opportunity to network with other local providers, hear about the latest local and national EYFS news and discuss current issues with colleagues.
The networks cover all elements of the EYFS, including business and welfare as well as the provision of high quality education provision. The briefing will be led by an Early Years and Childcare Advisor who will facilitate discussions.
- Monday 2 October - 1.00pm to 3.00pm - Littlehampton, BN17 7DZ
- Tuesday 3 October - 1.00pm to 3.00pm - Crawley, RH11 9HJ
- Tuesday 3 October - 1.00pm to 3.00pm - Chichester, PO19 1RQ
- Tuesday 3 October - 1.00pm to 3.00pm - Pulborough, RH20 4AY
- Wednesday 4 October - 1.00pm to 3.00pm - Bognor Regis, PO22 9HT
- Wednesday 4 October - 1.00pm to 3.00pm - Burgess Hill, RH15 9LR
- Wednesday 4 October - 1.00pm to 3.00pm - Horsham, RH12 1RS
- Thursday 5 October - 1.00pm to 3.00pm - Online
- Thursday 5 October - 1.00pm to 3.00pm - East Grinstead, RH19 4SR
- Thursday 5 October - 1.00pm to 3.00pm - Worthing, BN11 1HD
- Friday 6 October - 1.00pm to 3.00pm - Shoreham, BN43 6GA
You can book your place via the Learning and Development Gateway and search for the key words ’Leaders'. If you experience any issues, please email early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk and they will book you a place.
Talking clearly - supporting the development of children's speech sounds (webinar)
This online course is suitable for all levels of practitioner. It will introduce how speech sounds, attention and listening skills develop. Learners will explore a range of strategies and approaches which promote the development of these skills. Finally, links will be drawn to pre-literacy skill development. The course costs £17 per person.
- Tuesday 19 September – 10.00am to 11.30am
- Thursday 2 November - 6.00pm to 7.30pm
- Thursday 18 January 2024 - 6.00pm to 7.30pm
- Tuesday 20 February 2024 - 6.00pm to 7.30pm
You can book via the Learning and Development and search for the course using the key word ‘Talking‘. If you experience any issues when booking, please email early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk
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.
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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#281 (Advanced notice of planned downtime; final reminder - submission of sufficiency information; cash flow management; Tiny Happy People Champion training; childhood immunisations campaign - back to nursery resources; new Foundation Years vodcast - EYFS changes from September; early years training)
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#280 (Warning - Online Provider Portal downtime; Early Talk Boost programme from Kent Stronger Practice Hub; Foundation Years online event; East Sussex early years conference; early years safeguarding training)
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#279 (Advanced warning of downtime; reminder - early years funding consultation; early years training)
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#278 (Changes to the early years inspection handbook; Ofsted early years FAQs; support for childcare and the early years inquiry; reminder - changes to inspection complaints consultation; new vodcast - implementing evidence-informed practice in early years; safeguarding training - domestic abuse; online early years courses)
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#277 (New vodcast on the Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP); customise your early years child development training; reminder - working together to safeguard children consultation; early years training)
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