EY News April 2025
April 16, 2025
FAO Solihull early years and childcare leads
Walk and talk reminder
Meet up with other setting owners and managers to ‘walk-and-talk’ with Lisa Whitehouse [Tender Years Nursery]……….
On Friday 2nd May I’m planning to host a walk and talk meet up for setting owners / managers. My thinking behind it – being a nice way to catch up and its good for our health to be out walking.
So, my plan is to meet at 10am for coffee at Newlands Bishop Farm on Berryhall Lane, Solihull, B91 2RY, followed by a walk around the really lovely block that includes crossing a ford, the canal and past the horses in their fields (approx. 45mins) should be finished by 12. Contact Lisa at – lisa@tenderyears.co.uk
Team and setting Dingley’s Promise certificate.
Well done to the settings who have achieved their recent Dingley’s Promise mark of achievement. This includes Solihull Early Years Team, Woodies at Damson Wood School and St Augustine’s Catholic Primary School who achieved their mark in March/ April.
Sign up to access this free to Solihull training here- Early Years Inclusion Programme – Dingley’s Promise. You can now access 7 modules including leadership and management for inclusion, early years transitions, and managing behaviours that challenge. Find out more about applying for a mark of achievement here – https://www.solgrid.org.uk/eyc/training/training-from-other-providers/ [Dingley’s Promise tab]
Babies- supporting young children to settle in well
Listen to Active Angels share their approach to help very young children settle into nursery. This was recognised in their recent Ofsted report which begins …
’Children receive excellent care and education at this warm, welcoming and totally child-centred setting. They are incredibly happy and content, which shows they feel safe and secure.‘
https://www.solgrid.org.uk/eyc/resources/learning-and-development/ > babies
Ofsted focus on and definition of inclusion [link]
– listen to what Ofsted inspectors are looking for in the linked video.
Ofsted requirements – the guidance has been re organised to make the training requirements clear
Compulsory register childcare training [link]
You must:
- complete a relevant childminding course to enable you to meet the requirements
- provide training on the procedures in your safeguarding policy to everyone who looks after children
- attend child protection training
- make sure that at least one person looking after children has an appropriate first aid qualification.
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Childcare Works- marketing guidance
The attached summary from Childcare Works outlines some of the support available to help you market your offer at a national level. If you would like some support from our Solihull business support adviser Jenna, then please complete this form…. Microsoft Forms – Business Support or contact her at jenna.handley@solihull.gov.uk
Business Growth West Midlands
There are a range of webinars and face -to- face meetings for businesses offered by Business Growth West Midlands. This includes suggestions to help you become more sustainable . You can also contact BGWM to get tailored, free support from a business adviser on how to grow your business in sustainable ways. Link this to your business plan and the climate sustainability action plan section.
Having recently talked to a setting about their experience of this reflection, and how it has helped them become more sustainable by making tweaks to what they do, we would recommend it to you.
Supporting play and risky play
Unfortunately, we were not given permission to share all of the presentations from this session. We will share what we can on the solgrid/eyc website here – https://www.solgrid.org.uk/eyc/training/special-events/
Councillor Grinsell shared that she had taken part in some of the nationally available training on play. It is great that Solihull Council believe children should have time, space and permission to play. Look at the collection of videos and podcasts at Play Wales and Play Scotland for examples of recorded briefings.
Someone mentioned this story to me (Weather Inside Me by Bruce Delong). They had used it in class to discuss emotions and the children continued to reference it for a long time after.
It is great for children to see adults reading. Adults can get lost in a book and ‘escape’ for a while, which can help with stress levels and well-being. Can parents and children look at a book together for World Book Night on Wednesday 23rd April? Perhaps make a blanket den and snuggle together, or you might want to buy one of the £1 World Book Night quick-reads for adults as a read-treat. Let’s promote reading for pleasure. It helps build reading skills and gain knowledge and also supports relaxation and happiness levels.
Mrs Noah’s Song shows the power of listening and Martha Maps it out in Time is a follow on from Martha Maps it Out. Both recommendations are in this month’s edition of The Open University reading for pleasure newsletter.