#32/2026 - Wednesday 19 August 2026
This week's newsletter includes:
- Business Focus - The power of work experience in early education and childcare
- Inclusive Early Years Fund 2026/27
- Webinars now available - changes to claiming for children after headcount from autumn 2026
- Early Years Teaching Degree Apprenticeship at Roehampton University
- Early Years Training
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Latest Ofsted news and updates here.
Media headlines can sometimes suggest that young people are unwilling to work or unprepared for the workplace. Having met lots of young people across 13 careers events in schools last term, we found most were eager to learn, gain experience and explore career opportunities. But some felt there were limited opportunities for them.
Work experience plays a vital role in bridging the gap between young people’s enthusiasm for work and the experience they need to enter the workplace confidently. It helps young people build confidence, communication skills, teamwork and professional behaviours that can only be developed through real-life experience. Rather than expecting young people to arrive fully "work-ready", work experience helps them become work-ready. The Modern work experience. Let's make it work video shares a student perspective.
For the early education and childcare sector, this presents a fantastic opportunity. By welcoming students into your settings, you can inspire future early educators and showcase the rewarding impact of a career working with children.
The benefits of work experience extend beyond the young person. Hosting a work experience placement can bring fresh perspectives, enthusiasm and energy to a setting. It can also help existing staff develop their coaching and leadership skills, build stronger relationships with schools and local communities, and encourage more young people to consider a future career in the sector. The Careers and Enterprise Company tell us that employers who offer any form of work experience are 77% more likely to report business benefits than those who offer none. Almost 40% of employers say working with schools and colleges has helped them to reduce their recruitment costs.
Many early educators first discovered their passion for the profession through a work experience placement. By investing a small amount of time today, you can help shape the workforce of tomorrow. Work experience is not just about giving young people an insight into work. It is about challenging stereotypes, unlocking potential and inspiring the next generation of early educators.
West Sussex, Brighton and Hove Careers Hub can help you develop and refine work experience opportunities for secondary school students, whether the workplace lasts a few hours, a couple of days or involve a longer-term placement. They have a range of ready-made resources to support work experience, including assemblies, teacher encounters, work experience placements and classroom-based activities. Whatever your capacity, there are different ways to get involved. Email careers.hub@westsusex.gov.uk to find out more.
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In newsletter #21/2026 we shared with you that the Department for Education (DfE) had announced a new £47 million Inclusive Early Years Fund for 2026/27, designed to help early years providers become more inclusive for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The fund is intended to support setting-wide inclusive practice, reduce reliance on individual child-based applications, and promote early intervention. It will sit alongside existing funding streams such as SEN Inclusion Funding, Disability Access Funding, Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP), and High Needs Funding.
The funding should support:
- workforce development and training
- strategic planning for inclusion
- improvements to environments, resources, and provision
West Sussex County Council will allocate funding to settings based on spring term participation data for 3 and 4 year olds, using a formula that includes:
- a base rate plus additional funding based on universal entitlement and EYPP hours claimed
In line with DfE expectations, your setting allocation will be confirmed by the end of August, with payments made as a one-off lump sum by 30 September 2026.
Settings will be required to keep clear records of how funding is used, and local authorities may review spending through audits, funding reviews, or setting review meetings.
Please refer to Inclusive Early Years Fund - Frequently Asked Questions for further information.
How do I access my final allocation?
To keep your financial data secure, you can only access your personalised final allocation through the secure Online Provider Portal. To run your report, follow the same steps outlined in this help guide, which you would normally use to access your Indicative Budget.
If you have any queries, please email eyfe@westsussex.gov.uk.
In newsletter #27/2026, we announced our intention to change the way providers request funding for children starting after headcount. We can now confirm that submitting adjustments on the Online Provider Portal (OPP) will replace the current Post Headcount Exceptional Payment request form from autumn term 2026.
As mentioned previously, this is for a number reasons, the primary reason is this will allow us to process your requests much more quickly. Additionally, submitting an adjustment request will be very similar to submitting your actuals.
Adjustments will open on the OPP on Wednesday 23 September 2026. This is the day after the deadline for actuals to be submitted.
We will be able to provide more information, including links to a new help guide and video in our upcoming Early Years Funding Newsletter for autumn 2026.
In the meantime, we have scheduled 3 free webinars which will show how to submit an adjustment on the OPP.
These dates can be booked at the links below:
We are pleased to share that Roehampton University will be running an Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship from September 2026.
It is a 3 year, employment-based programme for people working 30 hours or more a week in early education and childcare settings. This apprenticeship is bachelors degree level study and leads to Early Years Teacher Status. As childminders are self-employed, they are not eligible for the programme. However, childminding assistants who meet the eligibility criteria can apply.
Delivery is a mix of online learning every Friday and 2 days of in-person learning at the university each term. For 2026/27, the university will cover the apprentice’s accommodation and subsistence costs while on campus. Please note, the government is also offering employer support grants of £8,000, making this an even more valuable opportunity for your setting. Please refer to the guide for employers and partners for funding information. For non-levy employers, the apprenticeship is fully government funded for candidates aged 18 to 24. For candidates aged 25 and over, employers will need to contribute 5% of the cost, which is £1,350.
If you have any further questions, please use the contact details below and the university will arrange a Teams meeting to answer your questions.
The Programme will start early October 2026. Prospective candidates can apply online using the apprenticeships application form.
When completing the application, please make sure the candidate submits the supporting evidence requested in the online form, including evidence:
- of the required academic qualifications
- of employment in a genuine role within an Early Years Foundation Stage setting, along with confirmation of employer's support for the apprenticeship application
- demonstrating eligibility for UK apprenticeship funding
Early educators have conversations with parents every day. Whether discussing everyday matters or more sensitive and challenging issues, the aim of this course is to build respectful and collaborative relationships with parents and carers. These relationships help educators provide children with the care, attention and nurturing life experiences they deserve.
To book, please click on the course name below or log in to the booking portal, West Sussex Services for Education.
Useful information
- w/c 24 August - autumn term estimate payments due to settings
- 31 August - deadline for parents to reconfirm/apply for their Working Family Eligibility codes to use for the autumn term
- 31 August - summer term sufficiency deadline
- 31 August - summer term termly childcare provider update deadline
- 1 September - portal opens for settings to submit actuals for autumn term
- 17 September - autumn term headcount day
- w/c 21 September - autumn term monthly estimate payments due to settings
- 22 September - portal closes for settings to submit actuals for autumn term
- 1 October - Department for Education census day for autumn term
- w/c 19 October - autumn 26 actuals due to settings who are paid twice termly
- w/c 26 October - monthly estimate payment due
- w/c 23 November - actuals payment due for settings who are paid monthly
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.
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.
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#31/2026 (Moderate air pollution alert and amber heat-health alert; Early Years Funded Entitlement autumn term estimates - submissions close Friday; Paying your annual fee with Ofsted; Sussex Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP) report; West Sussex Neglect Strategy 2024 to 2029; What have we learned about children born during the pandemic; Celebrating good practice; New Podcast from Ofsted available; July update from the Kent and Beyond Stronger Practice Hub; Making Every Contact Count vaccination training – supporting early years conversations)
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#30/2026 (Safeguarding focus – Department for Education and National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children early years safeguarding training; Emerging safeguarding consideration: tracking and recording devices; Amber heat health-alert; Safer sleep product guidance; Early Years Training)
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#29/2026 (Remittance advice update; New Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship; Why vaccination matters; Signpost families to the Best Start in Life website; Early Years Training)
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#28/2026 (Good Level of Development Focus - mathematical development; Changes to the early years foundation stage statutory framework; Service update: West Sussex County Council phone line issues; Early years funding consultation 2026; Have your say on early years teaching reforms; Regulated activity: removal of the supervision exemption from 1 September 2026; Priority Services Register – support for families and staff; Business support tools for providers; Watch the webinar: bringing a reading-rich culture to life; Good news to share from the 2026 Annual Literacy Survey; SEND and Inclusion newsletter; Early Years Training)
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#27/2026 (Update to weather heat alert for early education and childcare; Connect with the Family Information Service and your local Best Start Family Hub on Instagram; Changes to the way you request funding after headcount; Have your say on the Competition and Markets Authority Childcare Services review; Watch the webinar: how new government funded training can help you support SEND in your setting; Free online early years child development training; National Programme Qualifications update; Childminding UK - have you read their blog?; Kent and Beyond Early Years Stronger Practice Hub; Early Years Training)
Early Years and Childcare newsletter web page.
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