#3/2026 - Wednesday 21 January 2026
This week's newsletter includes:
- Starting school applications - window has now closed
- Early Years Initial Teacher Training
- Wraparound Childcare Parent Survey
- Early Years Skills Bootcamp
- Kent and Beyond Stronger Practice Hub - Makaton Training
- Call for early years apprentices and practitioners to share their story
- Words for Life – a useful resource to share with families
- Wellbeing and Climate Action
- Early Years Training
Difficulty viewing this bulletin? Click here to view in your browser.
Latest Ofsted news and updates here.
Have you checked that all families in your setting with a child due to start school in September 2026 (children born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022) have completed their school application?
If any families have not done this, they should apply today. Although their applications will be considered after those who submitted on time, they will be offered a place on the same date – Thursday 16 April 2025. Any applications received after Sunday 15 February 2026 will not find out the school place they are offered until later in the summer term 2026 which will have an impact on the transition process for that child.
For those employed in a setting
EYITT is designed for graduates of any subject who are employed in an early years setting and leads to the award of Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS).
The Best Practice Network is now offering a fully funded 12-month EYITT. Apply through Best Practice Network by Thursday 25 January 2026 to secure a priority interview.
For childminders
Best Practice Network is offering a unique EYITT route tailored specifically for childminders.
This programme values the vital contribution that childminders make to early development. The dedicated pathway enables childminders to complete EYITT and gain EYTS. Applications are now open for 2026. Apply through Best Practice Network by Thursday 25 January 2026 to secure a priority interview.
The Early Years and Childcare team has launched a new Wraparound Childcare Parent Survey. We are asking for your help to encourage families in your setting to take part. We want to hear from all West Sussex parents and carers, whether they currently use wraparound childcare or not.
The survey asks about what is working well, what could be improved, and how childcare can better meet the needs of local families. This includes availability, travel arrangements, activities, food, booking patterns, cost and how easy it is to find information.
All responses are anonymous. Insight from families will help us understand demand, improve access and support the development of wraparound childcare for primary school-aged children. Your help in sharing this will make a real difference.
Please share this link with your families: https://bit.ly/WraparoundParentSurvey. The deadline is 11.59pm on Sunday 22 February 2026.
Please see below ready-to-use wording to copy and paste into your own communications, and a poster to display in your setting.
Wraparound Childcare Parent Survey
West Sussex County Council’s Early Years and Childcare team would like to hear from parents and carers about wraparound childcare for primary school-aged children. Whether you currently use this type of childcare or not, your views are important.
The survey asks about things like awareness of government help with childcare costs, the type of provider used, days and times attended, travel arrangements, booking patterns, activities, food, and affordability.
The survey is anonymous and the deadline is 11.59pm on Sunday 22 February.
Take part here: https://bit.ly/WraparoundParentSurvey.
Chichester College are offering an Early Years Skills Bootcamp as a part-time programme running over 9 weeks. It is open to adults 19 years and over who live or work in West Sussex and are interested in a career in the early years sector.
The course includes:
- a Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid
- Food Hygiene certification
- a college certificate mapped to Level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship standards, covering child development from conception to 7 years and children’s health and well-being.
This could be an opportunity for someone you are considering taking on as an apprentice, or for an unqualified member of staff to begin their journey towards a qualification. The bootcamp starts on Monday 2 February 2026, to find out more email bootcamps@chigroup.ac.uk or visit the Early Years Educator Skills Bootcamp webpage.
Free Makaton training sessions are being offered online on Tuesday 3 February 2026 and Thursday 5 February 2026. Both sessions start at 4.15pm and run for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Scan the QR code in the poster to secure your place.
As part of the 'Do Something Big' early years recruitment campaign, the Department for Education are looking for early years apprentices and practitioners who would be happy to share their experiences and career journeys.
This is a great opportunity to highlight the value of early years careers and inspire others to join the sector. They are especially keen to hear from:
-
current early years apprentices – to feature in content for National Apprenticeship Week 2026
-
early years professionals in any role – from new starters to highly experienced practitioners
-
staff in all types of settings – including smaller, independent providers and childminders, as well as larger organisations.
There are a range of ways to get involved, depending on what individuals feel comfortable with. This could include:
- media interviews
- social media content
- sharing a quote
- taking part in case studies throughout the year.
If anyone in your setting is interested, they can complete the short case study form or contact Luke Prescott directly, by emailing: luke.prescott@education.gov.uk.
Words for Life is a free resource from the National Literacy Trust. It offers simple information and activities to help parents, carers and young people build communication, language and literacy skills. The site includes ideas for children from birth through to the teenage years. The tips and activities are quick, easy and designed to help families chat, play and read together.
The site includes:
- speech and language advice
- recommended books
- home‑learning activities
- resources for teenagers
- SEND‑specific guidance
- support with wider skills, such as financial literacy.
You may find this helpful for:
- sharing with families who need support with speech, language, or home learning
- including in setting newsletters or welcome packs
- offering as home‑learning ideas during holidays
- signposting families to low-cost, accessible literacy resources.
All educational settings, including early years settings, should have a nominated sustainability lead and have climate action plans in place. Foundation Years has information on how nature and wellbeing go hand in hand. The Supporting Early Years Wellbeing Through Climate Action web page has information about the support available from the National Education Nature Park. This programme is commissioned by the Department for Education and led by the Natural History Museum with the Royal Horticultural Society and other partners.
The EYFS Nature Park guide gives practitioners step-by-step support to embed outdoor learning confidently and safely. It also helps educators communicate the importance of nature-based play to parents and caregivers.
Good communication is essential. It helps build strong partnerships with parents so that children receive the best care, attention and experiences possible. The 'Collaborative and Respectful: Communicating with Parents' course looks at how to build these partnerships, how to approach sensitive issues, and practical communication strategies that support positive and long‑lasting relationships with families. To book, click the course name below. You can also visit our booking portal West Sussex Services for Education and select your required course.
If you experience any issues when booking your course, please email early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk.
Useful information
- 30 January - Portal closes for settings to submit actuals and the early years census for spring term
- 13 February - Inclusion Funding deadline for spring term 2026
- w/c 23 February - Payments for spring term actuals due to be released
- 4 March - Portal opens for settings to submit summer term estimates
- 27 March - Portal closes for settings to submit summer term estimates
- w/c 6 April - Payments for summer term estimates due to be released
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:
It is important you follow the correct steps and notify the relevant teams and professionals if your setting needs to close.
Contact your local setting support team and visit our closing your early years and childcare setting web page for step by step support.
We share a weekly Jobs in Early Years and Childcare bulletin with members of the public. You can find guidance and a template for submitting your job adverts to this bulletin on our advertise early years and childcare jobs web page. You will also find useful guidance on advertising your job vacancies on other platforms.
-
#2/2026 (Starting school applications - window closes tomorrow; Important safety alert - check your formula now; Warning - Online Provider Portal downtime; Why a SEND information report matters; Bursaries for Level 3 Diploma for Working in the Early Years Sector (Early Years Educator); Apply to become an Early Years Stronger Practice Hub – deadline approaching; New Potty Training Guide launched for settings and families; Keeping your setting healthy this winter; Early Years Training - submitting actuals claims and census details webinar; Early Years Training - new ideas and activities for the children in your setting)
-
#1/2026 (Spring term 2026 census and actuals claims - action required; Spring headcount date; Starting School Applications – one week to go; Mythbusting Early Childhood Development: writing; Share your experience as an Early Years Teacher; Supervised toothbrushing programme; Update to Portage referral criteria; Early years qualification requirements and standards: minor changes; Checking qualifications are full and relevant; Important changes to the childhood vaccination schedule; Kent and Beyond Stronger Practice Hub updates; Early Years Training)
-
#50/2025 (Safeguarding focus - New weekly online safeguarding drop-in sessions; Christmas and New Year opening times; Submitting Actuals Claims and Census details webinar; Starting school applications; Recent updates to Ofsted guidance; Vaccine hesitancy e-module now live; New disability guidance and training; Designated Safeguarding Lead networks 2026 - secure your space; Keynote speaker confirmed for West Sussex Early Years Education and Childcare Conference 2026; Cyber Security: ministerial letter to small businesses; Childcare Works - free resources; Early Years Training)
-
#49/2025 (Early Years Funded Entitlement spring term estimates - deadline this Friday; Spring headcount date; Checking eligibility for Early Years Funded Entitlement for Working Families; Ofsted regulation changes; Newly Qualified Starters Programme; Tax-Free Childcare; Disclosure and Barring Service campaign: understanding the legal duty to refer; Kent and Beyond Stronger Practice Hub newsletter; SEND and Inclusion Newsletter; Early Years Training)
-
#48/2025 (Business Focus; Warning - Online Provider Portal downtime; Important: Changes to Early Years Census Processes (EYFE providers only); Apply to become an Early Years Stronger Practice Hub; Reminder of upcoming Early Education and Childcare Statutory Requirements – from January 2026; Updates from the Education Endowment Foundation; Tax-Free Childcare; Paediatric Oral Health Access and Prevention Programme; Could you offer work experience placements?; Kent and Beyond Stronger Practice Hub newsletter; Spring Early Years Foundation Stage leaders networks – secure your space; Early Years Training)
Early Years and Childcare newsletter web page.
|
