Early Years News March 25
March 7, 2025
FAO: Early Years and Childcare leads
A busy week in early years and childcare …………………………….
Early years pupil premium- new guidance
DfE have published guidance for Local Authorities, setting out the government’s expectations for how Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) should be used. In 2024 the EYPP funding increased by over 45% to up to £570 per eligible child per year.
The EYPP is dedicated funding allocated to early years settings offering funded early years entitlements to the most disadvantaged children. It is intended to improve the quality of provision and therefore improve the educational outcomes of disadvantaged children who are eligible for the entitlements. Settings should use the funding to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged children by spending on activities, staff training and resources that specifically impact educational outcomes for disadvantaged children.
The guidance is operational but will come alongside updated resources published on the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) website, to support settings to use the funding effectively. Resources include guidance on focusing spend on evidence-based professional development, personalised support for eligible children, and advice on introducing processes for planning and sustaining approaches.
https://www.gov.uk//government/publications/early-years-pupil-premium-guide-for-local-authorities
https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/early-years/pupil-premium
Department for Education Early Education and Childcare Provider Regional Roadshow – East Midlands Region – 12 March 2025
The Department for Education Early Education and Childcare Provider Regional Roadshows for group-based setting leaders and managers have returned for 2025. The next roadshow is in the east midlands, on 12 March in Leicester. You can now register your attendance.
You can register your interest for future regional roadshows, happening later in the year, via the register your interests form.
These roadshows are your opportunity to find out more about current and future policy, delivery and strategy, including the Best Start in Life pillar of the Opportunity Mission and the expansion of childcare to all eligible working parents of children over the age of 9 months, and to share your views, ideas, best practice and the challenges that settings face.
The dates for the remaining 2025 roadshows set up so far are below.
Date, Location, Venue
- 12 March, East Midlands, Leicester Tigers, Leicester
- 25 March, Yorkshire and Humber, The Met Hotel, Leeds
- 30 April, South-east, Leonardo Royal Hotel Brighton Waterfront
- 21 May, East of England, Norwich City Football Club
- 3 June, South-west, DoubleTree by Hilton, Bristol City centre
- 24 June, North-east, Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle
- 8 July, North-west, The Midland, Manchester
Webinar for early years providers: improving the way Ofsted inspects education
Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM -sign up to find out more here – Registration
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8048138588314514523
Online meeting > Supporting play- including risky play in Solihull settings
‘While children must not be exposed to harm in the realisation of their rights under article 31, some degree of risk and challenge is integral to play and recreational activities and is a necessary component of the benefits of these activities.’
United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) encourages a balanced approach to managing risk in children’s play. The HSE says clearly that anyone planning or providing play opportunities should aim to weigh up the risks and benefits, rather than completely avoid risk.
Microsoft Teams Thursday 10th April 2025 between 1.30pm and 3pm
Join the meeting now [link]
Meeting ID: 340 469 406 278 Passcode: Erm7sD
Audience: Solihull leaders, Councillors, site managers, all age school and settings, holiday play schemes and out-of-school clubs, DSLs, social workers, play workers, community teams, Family Hubs, and anyone with an interest in the benefits of play who works in Solihull.
Join us for an afternoon of reflection. Consider the benefits of supporting children to test their capabilities, challenge themselves, to build resilience and overcome fear. How does the adult supervise and make skilful judgements when supporting children to test themselves and to manage their own measured risks. Access to active play, and its risks, helps supports children’s physical, intellectual and emotional development. At a time when wrap around provision, early education and childcare is being expanded, how can children learn to be safe through active play outside their home.
Presenters:
Ali Wood ~ Ali Wood is a freelance playwork consultant. She is the chair of The Young Opportunities Solihull, has co-managed Meriden Adventure Playground and is a trustee of The Playwork Foundation UK. She is co-author of Playwork in Practice: Applying the Playwork Lens Across the Children’s Workforce [2024] and Reflective Playwork. Ali brings her research knowledge, and practical application of approaches into practice, to this training session.
Ali will explore the benefits of play and risky play. How should we support children’s autonomy so that children can have the opportunity to direct their own play? What is the role of adults in keeping children safe when providing an exciting, inspiring, creative play environment to support children’s independence? She will talk about risk benefit assessment and play sufficiency
Ofsted representatives and Myth Busting ~ Jo Holt and Katie Rudge (Ofsted regulatory inspectors) talk about supporting play as inspectors find out ‘What is it like to be a child or learner in this provider?’
Solihull Health, Safety and Risk Service ~ Nicki Evans (Health and Safety Advisor) considers children’s play and leisure: promoting a balanced approach
Read more about risky play ….
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people/articles/znpwkty
- Risky Play Leaflet – Play Scotland
- https://play.wales/play/play-and-risk/
Further support for wrap-around providers on Childcare Works Hub
Inclusive practice in wraparound provision: a package of resources from NASEN.
These 10 bitesize video resources produced by NASEN support providers to enhance inclusivity and better support the needs of children with SEND and include information on:
- The 4 broad areas of need, ‘labels’ and EHC plans.
- SEND legislation, guidance and reasonable adjustments.
- Inclusive environments
- Working in partnership with parents, carers and children
- Behaviour as communication
- and much more!
Three Solihull schools are breakfast club early adopters
Three Solihull schools have been announced as early adopters for the breakfast club government funded scheme.
- Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Primary School
- Kineton Green Primary School
- Kingshurst Primary School
Introducing our new Solihull family helpline [EH poster]
Our (Early Help) Family Helpline has now launched to provide help and support to families (and professionals) before things escalate. This means that people can access early help/family support without the need to go via MASH. The line will operate Monday – Friday (office hours), on 0121 788 4327. It is available for advice, information, strategies & support on things like parenting, family conflict and difficulties managing children’s behaviours.
We can offer:
- Signposting to services and what’s on offer at the Family Hubs
- Referral to a Family Support Worker
- Advice and Support on the wider Early Help offer & how this works
The SSCP revised thresholds launched the same day, and this link will take you to the live document. Please remember and share that we remain a non-safeguarding service, so if you are worried about a child not being safe – please call the MASH on 0121 788 4300.
The next SSCP education and early years safeguarding subgroup meeting takes place on 17 March. Please contact your collaborative/network representative if there are any issues that you would like to be raised. The poster and subgroup feedback form are here – Safeguarding and welfare
The new multi-agency safeguarding procedures are now live
Please click on this link to view the new look regional safeguarding procedures. You will need to update any links to the old procedures site set up on desktops, mobile phones or within documents.
The link will take you to the Solihull portal, which will contain a local resources section specific for Solihull including documents such as the threshold guidance and dispute resolution procedures.
MS Teams training> West Midlands Child and Young Person’s Sexual Assault Service special event
When: Friday 14th March at 1:30pm – 2:30pm
https://www.solgrid.org.uk/eyc/training/special-events/
Domestic abuse- Baby’s Sake shocking findings about the need to protect very young children from harm.
For Baby’s Sake has published new data on children’s social care referrals and domestic abuse in England, looking specifically at babies and young children aged 0 to 2-years-old. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to break cycles of domestic abuse, to protect babies from harm and reduce the financial burden on public services.
Read the press release: New data reveals almost 50,000 babies are referred to children’s social care each year with domestic abuse as a factor
Read the Channel 4 news story: Exclusive: Nearly 50,000 babies referred to social services every year due to domestic abuse
See also on NSPCC Learning > Protecting children from domestic abuse
Spring 2025 Designated Safeguarding Leads briefing
Watch the recorded briefing – local, national updates and training information.
Makaton training event [flier attached]
Training at Kingshurst Caterpillars Playgroup in north Solihull
Monday 10th March 2025 part 1 from 15:30-17:00 & Monday 24th March 2025 part 2 from 15:30-17:00
Sure Start for Success: funding & growth for early years providers [flier attached]
📅 Date: Wednesday, 27th March 2025
⏰ Time: 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Location: 1 Snowhill, Birmingham
🎟️ Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sure-start-for-success-funding-growth-for-early-years-providers-tickets-1259357023759?aff=oddtdtcreator
Solihull College employers event and flexible learning information [flier attached]
Wednesday 26th March 2025 5:30PM – 8:30PM
Solihull College & University Centre – Blossomfield Campus
Further information in the attached flier
Finally from me it is British Science Week 7-13 March with a theme of change and adapt. I loved watching the excitement as children tried this experiment . Have fun and talk about what children see, notice and wonder why or how something happens. This document has further ideas for exploration with 3 to 5 year olds.
