Newsletter for Early Years and Childcare providers in West Sussex
#29/2024 - Wednesday 17 July 2024
This week's newsletter includes:
- National Wraparound Childcare Programme Update
- Letter from Sussex Police regarding FGM/C
- Early years and childcare training booking portal now live
- National Professional Qualification for Early Years Leadership
- SEND and inclusion newsletter
- Summer reading challenge
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Thank you to all providers who expressed an interest in creating or expanding wraparound childcare places as part of the National Wraparound Childcare Programme. This information has supported the development of our local authority delivery plan which was submitted to Childcare Works/Department for Education on 14 June 2024. We have been advised that the DfE are working at pace to ensure local authorities receive a funding decision as quickly as possible and are currently awaiting further decisions from the new Ministerial team.
In the autumn term our Early Years and Childcare Advisors will begin making contact with schools and childcare providers to offer further support regarding your plans to expand or create new places. Over the next academic year we intend to work with all schools who do not yet have wraparound provision available (between 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, term time only) to support those schools to plan provision.
We appreciate your patience regarding the full funding application process. This will be uploaded to the Wraparound Childcare Programme Funding webpage as soon as possible. Schools and providers who did not complete an expression of interest will still be able to apply to access funding.
We hope you have a lovely summer break. Our team will continue to be available should you wish to discuss anything further over this time, please contact: wraparoundchildcare@westsussex.gov.uk.
Sussex Police are asking for support from early years and childcare providers to help raise awareness, identify and protect young girls who may be at risk of FGM/C. Please read the letter to early years and childcare providers from Sussex Police.
In the special newsletter, shared with you on 27 June 2024, we let you know the early years and childcare training and support programme will be moving platforms. We have successfully cloned all Learning and Development Gateway (L&D) accounts and moved them to West Sussex Services for Education (WSSfE). Account details mirror L&D accounts. Please activate your account by:
- Visiting the WSSfE portal.
- Select ‘Login to Early Years and Childcare’ then ‘forgotten password’ at the bottom of the page. You will then be sent a password.
- If you or a staff member did not have a L&D account, please select ‘Create a new account’ and complete all the relevant fields.
- If you receive an error message saying your account already exists, click ‘login’ (top of the page), then request a password reminder via ‘forgotten password’ (bottom of the page).
- If you receive an error message saying your organisation already exists, please speak to your manager who can create an account for you.
Once logged into WSSfE, you can search for courses in different ways:
- Enter the course name in the search bar at the top of the page and click ‘search’. When results appear, click the relevant course to find out more or book. Individuals can book for themselves, and managers can book for themselves and their team
- Click ‘Training and Events – By Category’ at the top of the page. Then select the relevant category to view upcoming courses within this category.
Once a place is booked, a payment request appears in your setting ‘basket’ (top right of the page). Places are not confirmed until payment has been received. Managers can book and pay for staff places, as well as authorise and pay for bookings made by staff members.
Please see the User Guides on the landing page if you need support. If you need further assistance, please contact early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk.
Grow Learn Flourish (GLF) West Sussex Teaching School Hub (TSH) are partnering with Teach First to deliver NPQEYL.
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Target Audience: Early years leaders qualified to at least level 3 who are, or are aspiring to be, a nursery manager, headteacher of a school-based or maintained nursery, or registered childminders with leadership responsibilities. Providers must be Ofsted registered.
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Course Length: 18 months, plus three months for an assessment period.
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Programme start dates: October 2024.
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Brochure to find out more: Teach First.
You may not yet be aware of the bursary funding changes to the NPQEYL. There is bursary funding available for providers working in areas where high numbers of families experience disadvantage. To find out more about your eligibility contact Caroline Carroll at the TSH by emailing caroline.carroll@millais.org.uk.
The July SEND and Inclusion newsletter is now available.
The Summer Reading Challenge is back for 2024. It aims to encourage reading throughout the summer holidays and is aimed at children aged 4-11. Local libraries will be taking part and offering a range of activities and challenges. The Summer Reading Challenge started on Saturday 13 July 2024. It is free for families to take part and is a great way to encourage children to explore and share books for enjoyment.
As libraries will be offering lots of free activities throughout the holidays, it is a great opportunity for families to visit their local library this summer. For more information, see the Summer Reading Challenge 2024 flyer and please promote this challenge to families in your settings.
Useful information
- w/c 15 July - Autumn term estimate payments due
- 30 Aug - Sufficiency deadline for summer term
- 02 Sep - Portal scheduled to open for autumn term actuals
- 19 Sept - Autumn term headcount day
- 27 Sept - Portal closes for autumn term actuals
- w/c 21 Oct - Autumn 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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#28/2024 (Recruitment and support - advertise your job vacancies; Early years training moving to new platform - final reminder; Reminder to have your say on EYFE payments; Childcare expansion forum - opportunity to join; Early years training)
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#27/2024 (Updated safeguarding letter for parents/carers; Early Years Funded Entitlements - parental leave; Early Years Funded Entitlements for working families temporary codes; Action required - checking codes for Early Years Funded Entitlements for working families; Childcare Expansion Forum updates; Spring term network presentations; Early Years Training moving to a new platform; Early Years Training)
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#26/2024 (Safeguarding focus - Water safety - always supervise children around water; Heat Health Alerts - Yellow; Consultation open - Early Years Funded Entitlement payments; Gypsy, Roma, Traveller and Showman terminology; Dingley's Promise - Fostering Meaningful Inclusion in Early Years Settings; Early Years Training)
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#25/2024 (Early Years Funded Entitlement autumn 2024 term Estimates now open; New Early Years Funded Entitlement leaflet; Business opportunity in Shoreham-by-Sea; Childcare Expansion Capital Funding - expressions of interest; Gypsy, Roma and Traveller month - June 2024; Ethnic Minority Traveller Achievement Service resource; Early Years Training)
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#24/2024 (Business focus - Changes to holiday entitlement; Sign up arrangements regarding Early Years Funded Entitlement for 9 month olds; Post Headcount Exceptional payment request for children starting between 6 May - 14 June; Early Years Funded Entitlements for 9 month olds - key messages for parents/carers; Childcare Expansion Capital Funding - expression of interest; Early Years Foundation Stage Leaders Network slides; Masters in Early Years Education with Early Years Teacher Status; Early Years Training)
Early Years and Childcare newsletter web page.
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