Newsletter for Out of School providers in West Sussex
#3/2024 - Monday 20 May 2024
This newsletter includes:
- Free business planning courses
- National Wraparound Childcare Programme
- Childcare Works - Expansion of Childcare resources
- The Holiday Activities and Food programme- when you need to register with Ofsted
- SEND and Inclusion Newsletter - May 2024
- Virtual school newsletter
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To support you around the expansion of childcare, you may find it useful to access a series of free business and management courses. The courses have been developed by the NDNA and provide introductions to some of the key skills required to run an effective childcare business. These online courses are self-led e-learning modules and are free for NDNA members and non-members.
In the special newsletter shared on Friday 26 April and newsletter #18/2024 we let providers know the Expression of Interest (EOI) form for Wraparound Childcare Funding opened. This EOI closed on Friday 17 May 2024. Viable projects identified through this process will be invited to complete a formal funding application during summer term 2024. There will be further opportunities for childcare providers to express interest in wraparound programme funding during the programme period between September 2024 to September 2026. All new or expanded wraparound childcare places must be available to parents by September 2025 at the latest.
Providers who are planning to set up or expand the number of wraparound places they offer, as part of the National Wraparound Childcare Programme, should continue to refer to the information and documents available on the web page. It is essential that providers consult with the schools they do or intend to serve as part of their plans. Childcare providers wishing to set up wraparound childcare provision should refer to the Start a Childcare Business web page for further guidance.
Childcare Works have developed the HUB, which is a bank of resources available to Local Authorities and childcare providers implementing the Expansion of Childcare offers. The HUB contains a library of resources developed to support the roll-out of the early years and wraparound childcare expansion project. The webpage will be updated with new resources as and when they become available.
A new post, “The Holiday Activities and Food programme – when you need to register with Ofsted” has just been published on the Ofsted: early years blog.
The May SEND and Inclusion Newsletter is now available.
The Virtual School have launched the Virtual School newsletter. It contains information about the work of the Virtual School and links to their training and events offer. Please remember that the training and events are all free for West Sussex education providers, including Early Years and Childcare providers. The newsletter will be published at the start of each term. There is no need to subscribe as we will make sure we include the latest edition in this weekly newsletter.
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 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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02/2024 (Welcome our new Early Years and Childcare Team Manager - Wraparound Childcare; National Early Years and Childcare recruitment campaign; Reminder - Expressions of Interest for Holiday Activities and Food programme are open; Update guidance; Wrapround childcare report; Tax-Free Childcare - help parents save money)
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01/2024 (Expansion of childcare offers survey; New Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework; Holiday Activity and Food programme; Setting Support Phone Line; Free workshops - cost of living support for families; Ofsted outcomes; Out of School Alliance - National Wraparound Childcare programme factsheet)
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#8 (Government guidance - the wraparound childcare programme, Capital funding for the childcare expansion, Holiday Activity and Food Programme - Winter bookings, Sufficiency updates - deadline approaching, Consultation on the mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse, Holiday Activity and Food Programme - Expression of Interest 2024, The Big Ambition survey, Right from the Start: West Sussex Early Years and Childcare Strategy event, The National Playwork Conference)
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#7 (Spring budget - wraparound care update; new targeted setting support - business and sustainability form; holiday activities and food programme - expression of interest; the 14th annual playwork awards; the national conference for out of school clubs)
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#6 (HAF programme; HAF expression of interest; tax-free childcare webinar; reminder to submit - termly childcare provider update form; food safety and sensory food education webinar)
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