Newsletter for Out of School providers in West Sussex
#2/2025 - Monday 17 March 2025
This newsletter includes:
- National Wraparound Childcare Programme Grant Funding - deadline extended
- Inclusive practice in wraparound provision
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Wraparound Childcare Toolkit
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The deadline for Wraparound Childcare Funding Grant applications has been extended. Following the release of additional grant funding we have been able to secure a new application window.
This window will open on Tuesday 1 April 2025 and will remain open until Friday 23 May 2025. This will be the last chance for you to apply for a share of £4.5 million.
So far, schools and settings in West Sussex have accessed over £1.7 million in grants, creating over 1500 wraparound places for children.
To support the continued expansion of early years and childcare provision, the Early Years and Childcare team, along with a number of key stakeholders, have produced this comprehensive guidance. This guidance is for anyone wishing to establish early years and childcare provision in a school. It will support you with your wraparound childcare plans, from the initial planning stage through to opening your provision.
Wraparound childcare is for school aged children that wraps around the conventional school day, ideally from 8.00am to 6.00pm. Equivalent hours would be considered on request, but your provision can open no later than 8.00am and close no earlier than 5.30pm.
Please visit the Wraparound Childcare Programme Funding web page for further information and to apply (by the 23 May 2025 deadline).
If you have any questions, please email: Wraparound.Childcare@westsussex.gov.uk.
The National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN) has produced resources that support inclusive practice in wraparound provision, on behalf of Childcare Works.
NASEN have also developed 10 bitesize videos to help providers enhance inclusivity and better support children with SEND. These videos cover topics such as:
Have you explored the Childcare Works Wraparound Childcare Toolkit yet? The toolkit has been designed to support childcare providers at every stage and brings together expert guidance in one place.
The free content can be sorted by topic or business stage to help you find the information you are looking for.
To support the different needs of providers Childcare Works have included information in a range of formats such as:
- guides
- learning
- toolkits
- templates
- articles
- case studies
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and much more.
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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We’re committed to providing excellent support to all providers we engage with. Please take a moment to complete our Early Years and Childcare Provider Feedback Survey and let us know about your experiences. Your feedback will help us improve our service and better support settings like yours. You can visit the web page or scan the QR code. |
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01/2025 (Childcare Expansion Capital Grant Funding – applications open for further projects; Wraparound Childcare Funding Grant - spring term 2025; Childcare Works provider toolkit launch; West Sussex Early Years and Childcare Conference 2025: Champions of Childhood – Celebrating Early Years Heroes; Early Years Training)
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06/2024 (National Wraparound Childcare Programme; Early years and childcare expansion - Funding timeline of events; e-Bug programme online focus group; Wraparound training)
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05/2024 (Right from the Start: Early Years and Childcare Strategy; Do Something Big Campaign re-launch; Childcare Works HUB; New workforce toolkit; New workforce toolkit; SEND support for wraparound and out of school providers; When do Holiday Activities and Food providers need to register with Ofsted?; Wraparound training)
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04/2024 (National Wraparound Childcare Programme update; Termly Provider Update form; Review of the National Occupational Standards for Playwork 2024/25; Setting Support Phone Line; Ofsted blogs; Expansion Support Training Offer 2024/25)
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03/2024 (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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