EARLY YEARS NEWS

Urgent and important information...!

Launch of Nottingham City Council’s Childcare Expansion Funding Programme

This week the Early Years Team have launched the Childcare Expansion Funding Programme, which provides opportunities for schools and childcare providers to apply for capital funding to support the expansion of the early years entitlements and capital and revenue funding to increase the supply of wraparound childcare provision.  The first application round deadline is 17^th October 2024 and full information can be found on the Extended Early Years Entitlements and Wraparound Childcare Programme pages of our Early Years website.  If you have any queries regarding this funding, please email [email protected]

Important but not urgent information...!

Peep information

Peep is an evidence-based learning together programme, that supports parents in beginning to understand their child's development and improve the Home Learning Environment through everyday activities/experiences. The programme has a firm belief in Low cost - no cost activities. 

Peep provide 222 different session plans on 75 different topics for ages 0-5 under 5 strands of learning: 

-Personal, social and emotional development

-Communication and language

-Early literacy development

-Early numeracy development

-Health and physical development

By attending Peep training, you will be given the opportunity to complete a level 3 practitioner qualification in 'Supporting parents and children to learn together'. Your setting will receive a resource pack to get started. 

Training dates: 

These are one a first come first serve basis

8th & 9th October - Bestwood Family Hub - 9-5

7th & 8th November - Bestwod Family Hub - 9-5 

Cost:

Free! Funded by Family Hubs 

How to book:

Email Charlotte Haigh - [email protected] 

EYFS Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements Briefing

Following requests for support in relation to all aspects of Safeguarding and Welfare requirements, particularly Emergency Planning procedures, we are holding a Microsoft Team’s briefing session on Thursday 17^th October 2024 at 10am -11am. This session will focus on and explore tools which you may find useful when reviewing all of your Safeguarding policies and procedures. We are very pleased to be able to welcome David Thompson (Schools Health & Safety Manager) to join us at this session.

To secure your place please book on using the link below

https://myaccount.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/service/Early_Years_Course_Booking

Could you champion the Early Years Sector?

The DfE’s ‘Do something BIG’ campaign is seeking inspiring and standout real-life stories from early years professionals working in nurseries, pre-schools, before and after school clubs, or as childminders. Their goal is to champion the early years sector as part of their campaign and through DfE newsletters and social media channels. The DfE are interested in hearing from staff of all ages and backgrounds, showcasing that anyone, from any walk of life, can work in the sector and bring something unique and valuable to the role.  The DfE campaign team would work with the candidate depending on their story and agree where and how their story will be used to positively promote the great work they do and inspire others.   If you would like to be considered for a case study as part of this campaign, please email [email protected]

PVI Key EYFS & HLN Dates for Academic Year 2024-25

Please remember to book in moderations discussions prior to moderation week via [email protected]  Due to the continued increase in requests being submitted after deadline dates, and taking in to account the complications and delays that this causes, going forward any requests received after the above deadlines will not be accepted.

Information you might find interesting....

Talking Tots and Babies

The National Literacy Trust are running a Talking Tots and Babies programme in Meadows Children’s centre in November.  Details for booking are on the flyer, click here.

Free Children’s Oral Health Training

The Oral Health Improvement Team for Community Dental Services in Nottingham are working in partnership with Nottingham City Council to provide free Oral Health training to professionals and volunteers working with children or supporting families in the city.  All training is free of charge and is CPD verifiable.

Various dates throughout the year are available, If you would like to know more about how to sign up, please contact the team [email protected].

Further information can be found here: City Oct 24- Notts Children's 0-11 years old training..pdf

Early Years SEND assessment guidance and resources

The Department for Education, in collaboration with Dingley’s Promise, has developed new Early Years SEND assessment guidance and resources. These materials are crafted to foster a child-centred, strengths-based approach to assessing children’s needs and sharing their progress with parents, carers, and professionals.

The guidance offers practical advice, tools, and downloadable resources to help early educators:

• Evaluate what children with SEND can do.
• Capture children’s voices.
• Set SMART targets for progress and learning.
• Develop Achievement Play Plans (SAPPs) to outline long-term goals and needs.

Aligned with the SEND Code of Practice and Early Years Foundation Stage assessment policy, these resources use best practices and evidence-based methods to support early educators in meeting the needs of children with SEND.

Little Moments Together Cards

The National Literacy Trust's latest campaign Little Moments Together Cards shares key messages encouraging families to make the most of little moments together with their 0-2 year old throughout the day. All content signposts families to our two brand new resources, which share tips and conversations prompts that families can use at key points throughout the day. The resources are split into two guide age brackets: 0-9 months and 10-24 months.

You can view the campaign landing page and two free resources on this webpage: Little Moments Together Cards | Words for Life. (soon to include versions of the cards in 18 additional languages)

You can also find practitioner guidance for the resource here: Little Moments Together cards | National Literacy Trust