Newsletter for Early Years and Childcare providers in West Sussex
#9/2024 - Wednesday 28 February 2024
This week's newsletter includes:
- Safeguarding focus - Free county lines video and resource pack
- Early Years Funded Entitlement - Provider Declaration
- Online Provider Portal downtime
- Ofsted inspections - Support from the Early Years and Childcare team
- New resource to support practitioners with Early Years Foundation Stage assessment
- Kent Early Years Stronger Practice Hub newsletter - February 2024
- Early Years Training
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'Life-Lines' is a new film and resource pack designed to delve into the exposure of young people to criminal exploitation through county lines involvement.
The film aims to challenge the widespread misconception that individuals willingly choose to engage in criminal activity. It highlights that exploitation is not always obvious. If you employ young people within your setting, or support students on placement, the film and resources may help you understand the nuanced challenges young people face. It may also support you in identifying safeguarding concerns relating to children who attend your setting and their siblings.
The resource pack provides guidance, discussion points and activities related to the films content. The resources can also equip you with the necessary tools to identify and address potential signs of exploitation. It is designed to be easily customised to suit different audiences based on life cycle, age and demographics and could form part of any inhouse training you provide at your setting. To find the video and resource pack, visit the Safer West Sussex Partnership website.
Further to newsletter #07/2024 sent on 14 February 2024, and previous newsletters, we have indicated that the EYFE Provider Declaration would be published in early March. Currently, the work involved in updating this and ensuring it is put through the relevant governance and sign-off processes may mean that we are not able to release this as early as we had hoped.
Please be reassured we are doing everything we can to send this out as soon as we are able, as we know how many queries you have that are reliant upon the content of the Provider Declaration. However, we felt it was important to be clear and transparent about the potential risk of a delay and apologise in advance if we are unable to meet our original timescales.
We intend to publish the Parent Declaration separately in a special newsletter.
Please be advised that the Online Provider Portal will be unavailable Wednesday 28 February from 7.00pm to 10.00pm whilst essential maintenance takes place. Please note, parents and carers will not be able to submit 2 year old Local Authority issued funded entitlement applications and our Family Information Service website will also be unavailable to the public.
Recent changes to the Early Years Ofsted Inspection handbook includes guidance on leaders having someone to support them in feedback at the end of the inspection. Section 50 emphasizes the importance of leaders having a support person during the pre-inspection phone call, while Section 68 specifies that the inspector will confirm details of the support person at the start of the on-site inspection.
There are benefits of having another person present for the Ofsted feedback, including, providing emotional support to the leader. It is recommended that all settings identify the best person to attend the feedback session alongside the leader in advance. We also recommend having more than one person listed in case the first choice is unavailable on the day. Unfortunately, as a local authority we are unable to provide this support during inspections for Early Years and Childcare providers in West Sussex.
Although the inspection outcome is confidential, you can contact West Sussex County Council (WSCC) for support once your inspection is complete. You can contact the Family Information Service at family.info.service@westsussex.gov.uk or 01243 777807. You can also contact your local Early Years and Childcare (EYC) team:
Paragraph 3.3 of the Free Entitlement Provider Declaration April 2023 - March 2024 requires providers to inform WSCC of Inadequate or Requires Improvement inspection outcomes promptly. This triggers support from the local EYC team, facilitates discussion about the inspection process and identifies any additional support you may need.
We are aware that the inspection processes and the current challenges within the Early Years and Childcare sector can impact practitioners' mental health and emotional wellbeing. WSCC provides a list of supportive online and telephone resources on the Your mental health web page. We have also developed a mental health and well-being support document that signposts you to a number of services you may find useful.
The Department for Education’s EYFS Profile communications page on Foundation Years provides teachers with support to complete the EYFS Profile. It is updated regularly throughout the 2023/24 academic year. Each update covers a new area of the EYFS Profile, focusing on topics the sector has asked for more information on.
The most recent update was published on the 20 February. It provides information on completing the EYFS Profile for children who transfer schools. Previous updates include completing the EYFS Profile for children with special educational needs and disabilities and exemptions from the EYFS learning and development requirements.
This page now sits under a new resource on Foundation Years to support practitioners completing all statutory EYFS assessments. The most recent content added to this resource provides information on:
- what assessment means in the EYFS,
- the format for completing the progress check,
- integrated reviews, and
- the writing of Early Learning Goals.
Content will continue to be added to this throughout the next year to support practitioners with:
- ongoing assessment,
- the progress check at age two,
- the reception baseline assessment, and
- the EYFS Profile.
Please find attached the February newsletter from the Kent Early Years Stronger Practice Hub.
With March approaching, we wanted to share some of our upcoming courses. All of our safeguarding courses have been filling up quickly, if you or one of your team need to refresh your knowledge required then make sure you book on to one our safeguarding refreshers. Click the course name to find out more and book your place on the relevant course.
Please remember to pay for your space after you have booked via the course page under the ‘How to Book and Pay’ section. If you experience any issues when booking your course, please email early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk.
Useful information
- 06 Mar - Portal opens for Summer term estimates
- 22 Mar - Portal closes for Summer term estimates
- W/C 01 Apr - Summer term estimate payments due
- 12 Apr - Spring term Sufficiency deadline
- 15 Apr - Portal opens for Summer term actuals
- 02 May - Headcount day
- 10 May - Portal closed for Summer term actuals
- 31 May - Inclusion funding deadline for Autumn term
- W/C 03 Jun - Summer term actuals payments due
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:
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 EYCA team 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.
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#08/2024 (Business focus - Things to think about when making changes to your Ofsted registration; Early Years Funded Entitlement - Spring Term payments; Early Years and Childcare heroes - Do you know someone who deserve an Honour?; Ofsted curriculum roadshows in West Sussex; Foundation Years Live - March events; Kent Early Years Strong Practice Hub webinar recordings - Maths and Self-regulation; Early Years Training)
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#07/2024 (Statement from the Department for Education on charging; Level 3 qualifications and offering Early Years Funded Entitlements; Early Years Funded Entitlement eligibility checker updated; Notice of planned downtime; Early Years Foundation Stage Leaders Network slides; Final chance for free training and support; Early Years Conference - Embracing Inclusivity; SEND and Inclusion Newsletter; Early Years Training)
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#06/2024 (Free Entitlement for 2 year old funding; Early Years and Childcare newsletter webpage; Jobcentre Plus - support with recruitment; Letter from Department of Education to Early Years and Childcare providers; West Sussex Health Visiting and School Nursing services survey; Early Years in Mind new guide on self-regulation; Early Years in Mind survey; Newsletter from Early Years Stronger Practice Hub; Webinars from WORTH services; Learning and Development Gateway - new payment system live; Early Years Training)
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#05/2024 (Safeguarding focus - NSPCC case reviews on parental substance use; Warning - Online Provider Portal downtime; Final call - Expansion of Childcare offers survey; National Early Years Recruitment Campaign; Increase in Measles cases in Europe; Transition for Children starting school in September 2024; How parents apply for eligibility codes; Early Years provider emails hacked; Early Years in Mind; Early Years in Mind speech and language webinar recording; Cancellations and substitutions - Early Years Training; Early Years Training)
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#04/2024 (Online Provider Portal downtime; Free Entitlement Funding rates 2024/25; Termly childcare provider form; Funding support for medical training; Update to Early Years Inspection Handbook; Funding support for medical training; Update to Early Years Inspection Handbook; Learning and Development Gateway payment update; Childcare Expansion Forum update; Follow the Family Information Service Facebook; Department for Education Experts and Mentors programme)
Early Years and Childcare newsletter web page.
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