Newsletter for Early Years and Childcare providers in West Sussex
#3/2024 - Wednesday 17 January 2024
This week's newsletter includes:
- New 2 Year old Free Entitlement for working families - issues when applying
- Advanced notice of planned downtime
- Expansion of childcare funding offers update - Schools Forum and proposed funding rates
- New Parent Declaration form - coming soon
- Early Years Foundation Stage Leaders Networks
- Early Years Professional Development Programme - closing soon
- The Big Ambition - Early Years responses needed
- How to use research evidence in practice
- Early Years Training
Difficulty viewing this bulletin? Click here to view in your browser.
We have been made aware that a number of parents hoping to access the new 2 year old FE offer for working families in April have raised concerns about their ability to apply for places. This has been due to an issue with eligibility reconfirmation windows.
Currently, families with a GOV.UK childcare account (which can be used to apply for both Tax-Free Childcare (TFC) and other early entitlement offers) must reconfirm their eligibility every three months. There are a number of families who reconfirmed their TFC eligibility at the end of December. This has meant that they cannot reconfirm again (and receive a new code for the new 2 year old offer) until the end of March, just before the new offer comes into effect.
The Department for Education (DfE) have advised:
"We are aware of an issue raised by those parents who have a pre-existing TFC account and whose reconfirmation window, which allows them to apply for the new 2 year old entitlement for April, does not open until late March. This should only impact the minority of parents who reconfirmed their eligibility for TFC in late December."
The DfE says that they are looking into the best next steps, and are hopeful that they will have a more substantive update soon as they "completely appreciate parents will be anxious to sort their codes, and providers will be asking for them in advance of the new offer starting for their own planning purposes".
They added: "It’s worth noting that parents can apply for codes right up until 31 March, and anyone who is eligible for TFC whose circumstances don’t change will be eligible for the new 15 hrs from 1 April (as long as their child has turned 2 on or before 31 March 2024).
As a Local Authority we are collating and feeding back to the DfE any issues we are aware of. Please do let us know if there are any other issues with the application process that families are experiencing by emailing free.entitlement@westsussex.gov.uk.
Please be advised that the Online Provider Portal will be unavailable between 6.00pm and 10.00pm on Tuesday 23 January whilst we undertake planned maintenance. Please note that parents and carers will not be able to submit 2 year old Free Entitlement applications during this time, and our Family Information Service website will also be unavailable to the public.
On Thursday 18 January the Schools Forum meeting will take place from 4.30pm to 6.30pm. Proposed rates and funding formula will be presented and agreed at this meeting. Agenda items to be discussed at the meeting can be found under the agendas, papers and minutes section. The meeting minutes will be published on West Sussex Schools Forum web page.
There are two Early Years Representatives who sit on this panel, plus the heads of the Maintained Nursery Schools. These are:
Please do share your views with the representatives, who will be able to comment on behalf of the sector at the meeting.
An updated version of the Parent Declaration form (which will accompany the updated Provider Declaration April 2024 – March 2025) is due to be published in early March 2024. For any children due to start accessing Free Entitlement at your setting from Summer 2024, please wait until the latest version of the Parent Declaration form is published before requesting parents complete this. All new starters claiming from April must use the newest version of the form, which will be shared in this newsletter at a later date.
Please note we will only be able to accept Disability Access Fund claims for the Summer Term that are accompanied by the newest version of the Parent Declaration form, completed in full. Use of the current form will prevent us from being able to approve funding.
Have you booked your place on one of this term's EYFS leader network meetings? The networks take place between Monday 29 January and Tuesday 6 February in person and online. They are a useful place to meet with other EYFS leads and discuss practice issues together.
This term, the main focus of the networks will be the childcare expansion. This meeting will give you the chance to plan for the expansion and consider how it will affect your business and offer places to families. Attending the meetings will provide you with updates and tools to support you in planning your updated offer. It will also provide you with opportunities to work with peers to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities of the new entitlements. Childminder Network meetings will be held on Saturday 24 and Wednesday 28 February, and will also have a focus on the childcare expansion.
For more information and to book your place, please go to the Learning and Development Gateway and search "network" to enrol and choose which event you would like to attend.
In newsletter #293 we let you know the Education Development Trust would soon be recruiting for the fourth and final cohort of the EYPDP, which will start in April 2024. Applications for the final cohort of the programme are currently open and you can express your interest via the online form.
In newsletter #296 we let you know the Big Ambition Survey was due to close on Friday 15 December 2023. The closing date has been extended and the survey is now due to close on Friday 19 January 2024. More responses are needed from parents and carers of children aged 0-5 years. We therefore ask, if you can please share this survey with all parents and carers in your setting before the closing date this Friday.
Parents and carers can complete the survey via the online form. Your support in sharing this survey with parents is much appreciated.
The Education Endowment Foundation have developed a using research evidence guide. It gives an overview of different types of education evidence, what they can be used for and what the limitations might be. It is designed to help you make sense and utilise the wide range of education research available.
Staff Supervision for the Early Years (Webinar) is a half day webinar suitable for managers, deputies, room leaders and any others with responsibility for supervising staff. The aim of this course is to understand the benefits of regular supervision as part of staff professional development. It will look at how the supervision process supports the quality of learning experiences and staff confidence. The key word for this course is "staff" and costs £27 per person.
- Thursday 25 January – 9.30am to 12.30pm
What Makes a Good Personal Education Plan (PEP) (Webinar) is led by the Advisory Teacher and PEP champion for each phase. You will explore the different elements needed to complete a PEP, how best to prepare and plan for a meeting and your role in the process. If you have a child that is a Child We Care For in your setting, this training will support you to ensure PEPs you complete are of good quality. The key word for this course is "PEP" and is free to attend.
- Wednesday 31 January – 3.30pm to 4.30pm
Communication Friendly Early Years Settings (Webinar) will enable you to promote a communication friendly environment in your setting. It is an opportunity to look at how, when and why to include signing, pictures and other visual support in your daily activities. All attendees must have basic speech and language training and/or have attended Talking Clearly or Practical Communication Activities and Information. The key word for this course is "communication" and costs £17 per person.
- Monday 5 February – 10.00pm to 11.30pm
Diversity, Identity and Culture (Webinar) is a half day course and is suitable for all levels of practitioner. The aim is to support you to explore equality and diversity issues within the context of the Early Years Foundation Stage. You will consider how an awareness of identity and culture can make your setting a more inclusive environment. The key word for this course is "diversity" and costs £27 per person.
- Tuesday 12 March – 9.30am to 12.30pm
Impact of Trauma - Through the Eyes of a Child (Virtual Reality Training) uses immersive Virtual Reality (VR) technology. This full day session will enable attendees to explore and understand the impact of adversity and trauma on a young person. Using a combination of neuroscience and VR footage, this revised training provides a powerful insight into the lived experiences of children and young people. It gives practical advice and strategies to support attendees in meeting the needs of children and young people in their setting. A manager or senior leader from your setting must have attended an online demonstration and agree to a staff members attendance. The key phrase for this course is "impact of trauma", is free to attend and lunch will also be provided.
- 27 March - 9.30am to 4.30pm - Horsham, RH12 1XH
- 1 May - 9.30am to 4.30pm - Worthing, BN13 1NP
- 18 June - 9.30am to 4.30pm - Crawley, RH11 9SL
To book please log on to the Learning and Development Gateway and search for the course using the corresponding key word or phrase. If you experience any issues when booking your course, please email early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk
Useful information
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 but 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:
-
#02/2024 (Expansion of childcare offers survey; Expansion of childcare funding offers update - proposed funding formula and Free Entitlement rates; Starting School Applications - five days to go; Transition events; Wellbeing webinar for practitioners; Free professional development course for Early Years leaders; Early Years Training)
-
#1/2024 (Mandatory Early Years Census and FE spring term actuals; expansion of childcare funding offers update; understanding changes to the EYFS; starting school applications - 12 days to go; updated guidance - working together to safeguard children; admission arrangements consultation; bilingual support with school applications; best start in life part two; early years training)
-
#297 (Safeguarding focus - when to contact the Local Authority Designated Officer; New Early Years Foundation Stage statutory documents published; Speech and Language Support in the Early Years; Free Early Years Special Educational Needs and Disabilities training; SEND and Inclusion newsletter; Free workshops cost of living support for children and families; Prevent duty guidance updated; Updates to GOV.UK login for training; Early Years Training)
-
#296 (Advanced notice - Mandatory Early Years Census 2024; Coping with crying and safe sleep for babies training; Ofsted curriculum roadshows in West Sussex; Final reminder - the Big Ambition survey; Stronger Practice Hub new website; New Foundation Years blog post on National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership; Network meeting presentations; Early Years Training - e-learning modules available; Ofsted FAQ videos)
- #295 (Warning - Online Provider Portal downtime, Final Reminder - Childcare Expansion Forum Invitation, Early Years Alliance - webinar on Childcare Expansion, Provider survey - Childcare Expansion, Childminder agencies - changes to guidance, Updated - Childminder Start-up Grants, Updated Ofsted guidance - checks on household members and visitors, New mental health support resources for babies and children, Early Years Training)
|