September 2024: The latest early years sector news
National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA)
Brighter thinking for early years / Meddwl disglair ar gyfer y blynyddoedd cynnar
Your free early years activity
Explore large movement mark making
We believe children need lots of opportunities to develop their motor skills to become successful writers. Enabling children to carry out mark-making on a large scale is one of the easiest ways to promote this.? With this activity, support fine and gross motor skills, explore a wide range of art materials and create different patterns with mark making.
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Your free early years top tips
When to intervene with stammering
Some young children may go through a short phase of stammering - repeating sounds or words - as they develop speech and language skills, especially when they are excited and have a lot to say. These top tips will equip you to identify when an intervention might be necessary.
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England early years policy updates
Labour Party Conference – breakfast clubs and nurseries in schools
Chancellor Rachel Reeves?announced that the planned free breakfast clubs in every primary school in England will begin from April. Bidding for the ￡7m rollout pilot of 750 ‘early adopter’ schools begins next month. DfE guidance around the expansion says: “the PVI sector is critical to the successful delivery of the programme.”
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The Chancellor also announced a review of business rates.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced her intention to create 300 additional nurseries in schools by September 2025. Bidding also begins next month.
NDNA research - too many nurseries still closing
Our investigations team revealed that nursery closures are still taking place at similar levels to last year, with 199 shutting their doors from September 2023 to August 2024. This is a huge concern when the sector needs to expand to meet demand. We also discovered that too many local authorities are paying providers late and not consulting with them on how they are paid.
Ofsted: one word judgements and Big Listen
The Government announced that it has scrapped one-word judgements for schools. This two-tier system in early years must be addressed quickly. Providers on the early years register which aren’t school-based – including PVI nurseries – will continue to receive the one-word judgements for at least this academic year. We have told the Government we need urgent timeframes for reform, which the sector must be consulted on. Read more here.
Ofsted received more than 20,000 responses to its consultation from providers, parents and organisations like NDNA. The results: Ofsted needs to reform and engage with our sector.
Free early years factsheet
Induction guide for managers
The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) 2012 sets out the requirement for managers to support their team through induction, supervision and appraisals. The previous EYFS did not have statutory requirements for induction, but it was written into the EYFS practice guidance that inductions should be provided, and cover matters such as evacuation procedures, child protection and health and safety. This factsheet outlines the key points for nursery employers.
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All things babies in October
Provide exemplary practice to babies in your care
Throughout October, we'll be highlighting ways you can ensure you're providing high-quality practice to babies in your care. Have you seen our Exemplary Practice With Babies online course? By taking this popular course, you will be able to provide the highest and most exemplary practice to the birth to two-year-olds in their care. Key topics include how babies and young children communicate, exemplary environments for birth to two-year-olds, how to support the well-being of birth to two-year-olds, supporting different types of transition within your setting, plus much more!
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?Scotland Early Learning and Childcare policy updates
Streamlining ELC Guidance Focus Group
NDNA Scotland's team were asked by the Childcare Sector Working Group (CSWG) for member views on a project to streamline ELC guidance. We facilitated a focus group with members from across Scotland to discuss what the sector would find helpful. We passed the findings on to the CSWG for their consideration, look out for more information on actions moving forward. Thank you to our wonderful members for getting involved!
NDNA at Scottish Parliament
Jane Malcolm, National Operations Manager, met Ms Natalie Don-Innes, Minister for Children, Young People and the Promise and discussed sector issues including continuing support for payment of the Real Living Wage, Sustainable Funding Rates, Shared Inspection Framework and Qualifications. Ms Don-Innes gave her continued thanks to the sector for all it does for Scotland’s children.
Shared Inspection Framework update
We are working alongside other representative bodies with Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland on their draft of the Shared Inspection Framework. They are planning to have a ‘soft launch’ of the framework in the next month. This means that they will share the framework, they will put on some familiarisation sessions for the sector and pilot the methodology for inspection early next year. However, the plan is that the sector will not be inspected upon the framework until September next year (2025). We will bring you further information as we have it.
Let’s Be Heard: Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry
Complete the early years and childcare survey: This survey is designed to hear more from early learning and childcare professionals on delivering and supporting childcare services during the pandemic. It should take around 15 minutes to complete, and you can share as little or as much as you like. It will close on Friday 29th November 2024.
Are you aware of Smart Glasses?
We have been made aware of a situation where a nursery was showing a potential parent around their setting and discovered by chance that the parent was filming the show around using Smart Glasses. Our ‘Mobile phone and electronic device use’ policy and procedure covers mobile phones, smart watches and ‘other electronic devices which can film or record’. However, we have concerns about these glasses in relation to child protection. We sought advice on this from the Care Inspectorate who said:
Services would need to look at their own policies around the use of technology and have procedures for how this is managed and shared when people come to visit the setting, particularly anyone new to visiting. This may be something like having a brief 'safety' talk about safeguarding children, so no photos, videos etc. before people come in or before an event starts. Useful information may also be available from the Information Commissioners Office.
Wales childcare policy updates
New minister following reshuffle
This month, we welcomed the new Minister for Children and Social Care Dawn Bowden MS, who has been Social Care Minister since March.?
NDNA Cymru will meet with her shortly to discuss an urgent review of the funding rates and support for providers to recruit and retain more practitioners.
Director of Policy Jonathan Broadbery told the press: “With the addition of the children’s brief to this role, it’s vital that she gives the learning aspect of the Early Childhood Play Learning and Care sector proper attention. It’s this learning that gives children the foundations for their lifelong education and life chances.”
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We are lobbying for continuation of rates relief
The Welsh Government needs to make a decision shortly on whether to extend the 100% business rates relief for nurseries from April 2025.
NDNA Cymru has been lobbying hard on your behalf to secure this essential relief for the longer term, without which 43% of you said you would have to close your businesses.
Who will speak up for nursery owners during these times of change?
Find out how NDNA gives nursery owners a stronger voice and holds governments to account
Nursery owners and managers are always impacted by changes and initiatives made by governments, local authorities, government departments and others. You may wonder who can speak up for your concerns and represent your views and arguments. You may wonder how you, as a nursery owner, can reach those in power and try to influence decisions that affect your business? Read how NDNA gives you that voice with this summary of the 1,000s of miles travelled, 100s of media appearances and articles and meetings with government carried out in the last 12 months.
Play with pumpkins: using seasonal food for learning opportunities in play
As the nights get darker and the days bring a chill, get cosy and join the Institute of Early Years Education for this seasonal session on using pumpkins through play!
Exploring the world around us is a critical part of early learning, and understanding how seasons change is a fascinating way to discover the wonderful variety of foods on offer. Yet, despite this rich learning opportunity, over half of the UK’s Halloween pumpkins meet their fate as food waste...
?? Book your free place on the webinar here to explore creative ways to use pumpkins in your play sustainably.