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What can settings expect from Local Authority (LA)?

Our aim is to secure good or outstanding early years provision in all settings across Solihull. While settings are self-managing, and responsible for their own performance and improvement, Solihull Early Years and Education Improvement Service has a role in supporting this.

Solihull Setting Improvement support may include: –

  • An introductory visit for new settings, or where an Early Years team member is working with a setting or provision for the first time. These visits will be used as a starting point for joint working, and to introduce the scope of the work of the service.
  • Solihull Setting Improvement Joint-evaluation visit (for appropriate settings) is to review, with settings, the quality of provision offered to children and families, the strengths of the provision, areas for development and the settings support needs.
  •  If plans for improvement need to be put in place, targeted support from the LA and/or partners will be determined. This will be in proportion to need.
  • Ofsted inspection feedback- please let a team member know if you have an Ofsted inspection and would like us to attend feedback. This is especially useful for Requires Improvement and Inadequate settings. We can take notes and support post-Ofsted. Being part of the feedback enables us to get a fully rounded picture of the celebrations and areas which require improvement. Inspection reports are short and some comments are not recorded in the final report. We cannot guarantee we will be able to attend feedback but we will try our best. The following summary sheet Ofsted grades grid will enable you to make notes during the feedback, and to link them to the Ofsted grade features.
  • When a setting has received an Ofsted grade of inadequate, or there are concerns about the welfare and safety of the children in a setting, the LA will ask key senior staff from the setting to meet with LA representatives. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the setting’s quality improvement plans and to co-ordinate the LA support. Further meetings will be arranged to monitor the standard of the provision and to deploy support appropriately.
  • The Early Education and Childcare: Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities outlines the DfE statutory requirements, which the LA and providers must comply with. The Operational Guidance and LA agreement outline the role of Solihull LA, and it’s providers, in ensuring sufficient high quality places for children and their early education entitlement in the borough.