#17/2026 - Wednesday 29 April 2026
This week's newsletter includes:
- Reminder – EYFE termly census and actuals are open
- New webpage for childminders – Changing who you are registered with
- White Paper on education reform – consultation reminder
- Supporting families with childhood immunisations
- Making Every Contact Count vaccination training – supporting early years conversations
- Share a Story month
- National Education Nature Park webinar
- National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership autumn cohort
- Early Years Training
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Latest Ofsted news and updates here.
The Online Provider Portal (OPP) is now open for you to complete your EYFE termly census and actuals. Further information can be found in our Early Years Funding Newsletter for Summer 2026 and in our EYFE updates video below.
 Please note the video has been updated. The version we provided last week had an inconsistency with a date which has been fixed. Because of this, the link provided in our previous newsletter will no longer work.
If you are considering changing who you are registered with as a childminder, a new webpage is now available to support you.
The Changing who you are registered with webpage outlines key considerations, including what changing your regulatory body may involve, the potential impact of doing so, and the requirements you may need to meet.
The webpage is designed to help you make informed decisions, plan ahead, and understand what is involved before making any changes to your registration.
As first mentioned in newsletter #11/2026, the SEND reform: putting children and young people first consultation closes on 18 May. If you have not already shared your views, please take the opportunity to respond before the deadline. We encourage early years providers to consider how the proposed changes may impact children with SEND in their setting and to share practical feedback. Please also consider encouraging parents and carers to take part so that a wide range of experiences and perspectives are reflected.
Early years providers play an important role in supporting the health and wellbeing of young children and helping families access accurate, trusted information.
Routine childhood immunisations give children the best protection against serious and preventable illnesses. Attending appointments on time helps ensure children are protected at the earliest opportunity and supports wider community health.
Providers are encouraged to:
- remind parents and carers of the importance of routine vaccinations
- signpost families to trusted local information if they have questions or concerns
- support positive conversations about keeping children healthy and safe
Simple, clear advice for parents and carers is available on the West Sussex Childhood Immunisations web page. Sharing this information with families can help them feel informed and confident when making decisions about their child’s health.
West Sussex County Council’s Public Health team has been delivering MECC vaccination training since November 2025. The training supports staff, including those in early years, to have confident conversations with families about vaccination.
The training:
- helps staff feel more confident and equipped to talk about vaccination
- provides practical tools to address questions and concerns
- supports tackling vaccine hesitancy and improving uptake through everyday conversations
- is suitable for both clinical and non‑clinical staff
Sessions are available both online and in person to support flexibility and accessibility. Please see the attached flyer for upcoming dates and book your place via LearningPool.
May is National Share a Story month. West Sussex Libraries are celebrating with fun Storytime sessions for families across the county. Some sessions include special visitors.
Please encourage families to come along and enjoy sharing stories together. All Storytime sessions are free, and no booking is required. Families can simply turn up and take part. Information about local sessions can be found at Storytime | West Sussex Libraries.
Sharing stories is important because it helps children to:
- build communication and language skills
- develop empathy
- understand the world around them
Top tips for sharing stories include:
- letting children help pick the stories
- sharing many different types of books
- engaging children by asking them to join in or answer questions about the story
- repeating stories helps build language and communication skills
All early years settings and childminders can join West Sussex Libraries. You can borrow books and other useful resources. To find out more about Share a Story Month or library membership, email FandW.Enquiries@westsussex.gov.uk.
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The National Education Nature Park programme supports children and young people to make a positive difference for their own future and for the natural world.
This free programme provides you with practical resources and guidance.
These resources help you embed climate and nature into learning in ways that suit your setting and learners.
Find out how your setting can get involved with the National Education Nature Park and develop meaningful outdoor experiences. These experiences support children’s learning and development while helping nature to thrive in your setting. The webinar will share ready‑to‑use session plans and continuous provision ideas linked to all seven areas of learning and development. It will also explain how the regional team can support you throughout your journey.
If you are unable to attend, you can still register and receive a recording after the event.
GLF and West Sussex Teaching School Hub, have opened the expression of interest form for autumn 2026 National Professional Qualifications (NPQs), including NPQEYL. If any staff in your setting are interested in undertaking the NPQEYL as part of the autumn cohort, please complete the expression of interest form.
GLF will contact you with further information about your submission and available funding once this is confirmed. Please note that funding arrangements are not yet known. For more information about the programme content, duration, and costs for non‑funded settings, please visit the NPQEYL webpage of the GLF Teaching School website.
At the start of April, the new early years training programme for 2026/27 was released. All courses are now bookable, and the Early Years Training Programme brochure is available online.
This programme includes several courses that are ideal for new starters and help them begin their role with confidence. Two essential courses are running during the summer term. To book, click the course name below, alternatively you can visit our booking portal West Sussex Services for Education and select your required course.
If you experience any issues when booking courses, please email early.years.training@westsussex.gov.uk.
Useful information
- 30 April - Headcount day for summer term
- 8 May - Portal closes for settings to submit actuals for summer term
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.
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#16/2026 (Safeguarding Focus: Safeguarding during transitions - what you need to do; West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership safeguarding drop-in sessions; West Sussex Best Start Plan; Inclusive Early Years Fund; New practical advice for families to get children school ready; Foster carers event from the Virtual School; Funded Level 3 Early Years SENCO qualifications; Help improve the ‘Check an early years service qualification’ online service; Thriving In Education Grants; Early Years Training)
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#15/2026 (Good Level of Development Focus - Physical activity and children's development; Summer term 2026 census and actuals claims - action required; Transition events 2026; Supporting families - Starting Reception website; Month of the Military Child - activities for settings; Early Years Training)
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#14/2026 (Business Focus: Wickes Community Programme - support for local projects; Get Tax Confident; National Living Wage increases to £12.71 per hour;
Online Provider Portal downtime; Where to find your submitted forms on the Online Provider Portal; Early years speech and language referral deadline;
Stronger Practice Hub March Newsletter; Early Years Training)
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#13/2026 (Advanced warning - Online Provider Portal (OPP) downtime; Update: confirmed changes to Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework safer sleeping requirements; Summer 2026 – increase in funded weeks for term time only providers; Understanding Month of the Military Child; Early Years Specialist Advisory Teachers (EYSATs) referral deadline 2026; Updated childcare sufficiency assessment; Healthy Child Programme Continence Support 2026; Early Years Training)
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#12/2026 (Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 - updated statutory guidance; Update on Post Headcount Exceptional Payments Request Forms processing times; Launch of the West Sussex SEND Strategy 2026–2030; New Ofsted blog post - scam text messages claiming to be from Ofsted; Updated guidance for childminders on household expenses; Digital tools webinar for early years and wraparound providers; Childminder‑led language enrichment webinar; Early Years Training; Grow, Learn and Flourish West Sussex Teaching School Hub – March 2026 newsletter)
Early Years and Childcare newsletter web page.
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