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    Tuesday 5 February 2019
 
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Congratulations to...

Wendy Corah in Charnwood district who received an Outstanding Ofsted grade.
 
The Early Years SEND Inclusion Team

The Early Years SEND Inclusion Team is now part of the Early Learning Inclusion and Childcare Team. It consists of Senior Early Years SEND Inclusion Advisors, Early Years SEND Inclusion Advisors, Early Years SEND Inclusion and Portage Practitioners, Senior Early Years Autism Outreach Advisors and Early Years Autism Outreach Practitioners. The Team Manager is Olivia Dale.

The Early Years SEND team consist of advisors and practitioners who work with children 0-5 years old, who are displaying special educational needs. The team work closely with families and professionals in homes and settings by offering advice and strategies, which may include Statutory Assessment. Following the graduated approach, if a child is presenting with concerns, and require support from the team, settings should first contact the Duty Desk (Wednesday 12pm – 4pm) or the SEND drop-ins. If the child is still presenting with concerns, then Area SENCO advice can be sought. After this has been sought, and recommendations been put into place, if the child is still presenting with concerns, then a referral to the Early Years panel can be made. Evidence of this graduated approach will be considered during panel. Referrals can be made using the Early Years Panel Referral Form

The Early Years Autism Team consists of practitioners and advisors who work with pre-school children who have a diagnosis of Autism. Any pre-school child with a diagnosis of Autism is eligible for support, regardless of developmental levels. The team follow the same working patterns and protocol as stated above.

 
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FEEE


Spring 2019 Final Payment - Delayed

We have received the wrong number of hours being claimed for by over 50 Settings.  This has meant an unprecedented amount of manual amendments being undertaken by the service.  We are working as hard as we can to process these amendments but, unfortunately, this may lead to a possible delay in sending the information to the finance team to enable them to transfer funding through the BACS system. We will endeavour to get payments to you on the published schedule but please be aware that your final payment could be by  Thursday 21st February.  We will keep you updated through Anycomms+.

Provider Agreements 

Provider agreements and updated guidance will be sent to all providers w/c 11 February, with a return date of 12th March.   They will run for 2 years (1st April 2019 – 31st March 2021).
 
Adjustment Task 

The spring adjustment task will be available for completion via the Provider Portal from the 18th February. The deadline for completion is Wednesday 27th February 2019.  Unless a child has carried forward any unused hours from the Autumn period, the maximum that can be claimed in the Spring period is 180 / 360. 
 
Spring Initial Payments - A reminder 

All providers will have received 180 / 360 hours of funding in the initial payment for children on roll in the autumn period.  Term time only providers should have claimed 165 / 330 hours on the headcount task. If this resulted in a negative figure in the final payment we will not claim this back but roll the deficit over to the next payment run.
 
Provider portal 

Guidance has been produced to support you in logging in to the Provider Portal if you forget your password.  Please find details here.
 
Whilst the headcount task is open you will be able to submit children's information multiple times, so making the system more flexible in line with requests from parents or if you notice any mistakes during the open period, these can be rectified and then the headcount task resubmitted.
 
If you are completing information at different times of the day please save this and only submit information once a day.  This will reduce anomalies and  the checking we have to do.

 
Early Years Census

The Early Years Census has been released via Anycomms+ (Guidance here).  The Census is an annual return that the Department for Education (DfE) has requested that you complete and return. 
 
Failure to return it will mean that we are unable to submit your information to the DfE as part of the Census return. This, in turn, will mean that the LA will not receive any funding for your setting. We will therefore need to reclaim the initial payment made for Spring 2019 and we will not be able to provide any funding to your setting for the remainder of the 2018/19 year.
 
Please return by Friday 8th February 2019.


 
 
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Training


Spring 2019 courses are now available to book on Eventbrite.

 
The Big Conference:   School Readiness
Only £15 to £35 per day. Book Friday and get 50% off Saturday
at NSPCC Centre, Beaumont Leys


Book Friday 8th March     Book Saturday 9th March                        Book both days
 
Held on two separate days, this is an excellent opportunity to hear from leading professionals on this year's focus; school readiness.  It will involve key speeches, two workshops per day, numerous information stands, lunch and refreshments and the opportunity to network with other providers.

 
Friday 8th March
Julie Fisher will deliver the Key Note: Interacting or Interfering?
Julie's keynote will consider the strategies employed by adults to extend children's thinking and how to stop this, at times, becoming interference.
 
She will consider the importance of an environment that is conducive to conversation; how effective adults tune in to children's thinking in order to maintain the learning momentum and, most of all, how adults need to learn to talk less and listen more!
 
Julie will also deliver a Workshop: Who Is Leading the Learning?
The workshop builds on Julie's keynote. It will explore the difference between interactions when practitioners have planned for learning and interactions when children are free to plan their own learning.
 
Drawing on a range of DVD material it will consider the changing role of the adult as they lead the learning and when they are following the child's lead.
 
Kirstine Beeley will be delivering a workshop on transition and the characteristics of effective learning.
 

Saturday 9th March
Kirstine Beeley will be delivering the Key Note Speech and a workshop on transition and the characteristics of effective learning.
 
Penny Cartwright will be delivering a workshop on Effective transitions for young children. This session will give participants opportunities to consider:
  • The importance of transitions (from home to nursery/school and nursery to school)
  • The key principles which underpin the transition process
  • The role of the key person in supporting children's transitions
  • A range of simple and practical ideas which support effective transitions for all children
 
February Courses now available to book
Course CodeCourse TitleDayDateTimeVenueDirectBook link
8030Letters and soundsMon4.2.192:00pm – 4:30pmThe Samworth Centre, Melton MowbrayBook Now
8062Send drop in eventWed6.2.199.30am - 12.30pmWigston Magna Children's CentreBook Now
8057Listen and learnWed6.2.191:30pm – 3:30pmThe Salvation army, WigstonBook Now
8001Date Change - Positive BehaviourWed8.5.199.30am - 4.30pmThe kings centre, WigstonBook Now
8012Essential Safeguarding AwarenessSat9.2.199.30am - 4.30pmThe Samworth centre, Melton MowbrayBook Now
8002Everyday maths in the early YearsTues12.2.199.30am - 12.30pmThe George ward centre, BarwellBook Now
8043Two Hour how to write send plansWeds13.2.199:30am – 11:30amPark House, GlenfieldBook Now
8009Essential safeguarding Awareness – RefresherThurs14.2.199:30am – 1:00pmGorse Covert Community Centre (Morrison's Carpark)Book Now
8025Paediatric first aid – one day blended course with e – learningThurs28.2.199:30am – 4:30pmGreen Towers, HinkleyBook Now
8022Committee workshopSat2.3.199:30am – 12:30pmDBS Managed offices, GlenfieldBook Now
8063SEND Drop In EventFri8.2.199.30am - 12.30pmSupporting Leicestershire Families
Coventry Road
Market Harborough
Leics
LE16 9BX
Book Now
8026Paediatric First Aid - One Day Blended Course with E-LearningSat2.3.199.30am -4.30pmThe King's Centre, WigstonBook Now
8034Understanding the Prime Areas of the EYFS.Tues12.3.199.30am-12.30pmSalvation Army, WigstonBook Now
8033Attachment and TraumaWed13.3.199.30am-12.30pmSyston Town Council  Book Now
8027Paediatric First Aid in Childcare - 12 HourTues19.3.19 & 26.3.199.30am -4.30pmThe Samworth Centre, MeltonBook Now
8004Music & Movement in the Early YearsThurs21.3.199.30am -4.30pmThe Samworth Centre, MeltonBook Now
 

Partner Training
Forest School Training
Holmsdale Manor is holding Forest School leader and assistant training.  These are led by the current nursery world trainer of the year.  Please see the poster below for details.
 
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Local News


Inclusion Support for Out of School Clubs Children's Mental Health Week
 
Our Play and Leisure Inclusion Officer Alison Birkin, is now able to offer Out of School Clubs support with the inclusion of any child with a special educational need or disability. The support can be by email, phone or if required an Inclusion Support visit to your setting. She can be contacted via the Childcare Duty Desk 0116 305 7136, or by email: alison.birkin@leics.gov.uk
 
Children's Mental Health Week 
 
We're proud to support @Place2Be's Children's Mental Health Week 2019 (4-10 February) and take steps to be Healthy: Inside and Out by looking after our bodies and minds together. www.ChildrensMentalHealthWeek.org.uk #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek
 
Check out these FREE resources to help you get involved in #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek 2019 (4-10 February). Whether you're a parent/carer, work with children or are passionate about #mentalhealth, @Place2Be need your help to reach people across the country www.ChildrensMentalHealthWeek.org.uk

 
JOB VACANCIES

Don't forget our new jobs page is now up and running
 
If you have a vacancy to advertise click here
 
If you want to find a new job click here
Leicestershire Partnership Trust – Healthy Together
Find out about new content on the three Healthy Together websites – Health for Under 5s, Health for Kids and Health for Teens,  along with suggestions for how you can use and share the information not only with children, young people and families, but also with other professionals.

 
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National News


Leap Training/Leap UK

If you or any of your staff are affected by the cessation of trading this autumn by Leap Training/Leap UK please open the attachment and follow the advice provided.

Ofsted
Education inspection framework 2019: inspecting the substance of education: Ofsted Consultation

Ofsted is seeking views on its proposals for changes to the education inspection framework from September 2019. With regard to early years (registered provision) the main document states:

"We know that, to make a real difference to a child's life, high-quality education and care between birth and the age of 5 are crucial. These early years should provide the foundation of a happy, successful future. The statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (EYFS) sets out the education and care standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children, from birth to 5, learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. Once a provider is registered on the Early Years Register, Ofsted carries out regular inspections to evaluate the overall quality and standards of the early years provision in line with the principles and requirements of the EYFS. This will not change, but we propose to put a greater emphasis on the curriculum…We have seen an industry develop around assessment and tracking of young children. What children learn is too often coming second to the delivery of assessment information. The education inspection framework will put more emphasis on the quality of education and care. It will ensure that we consider children's experiences and how they are being developed, alongside assessments."

Launch date: 16 January 2019
Closing date: 5 April 2019

Draft Early years inspection handbook: Ofsted consultation.
Alongside this consultation Ofsted have published a proposed inspection handbook for early years.

Education inspection framework: overview of research.
This paper presents the research evidence underpinning Ofsted's proposed education inspection framework.

Ofsted have published two blogs about the early years. The first one is about the education inspection framework consultation. The second is about the need for childminders to be regulated.


 
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This message was sent to Nicola.thompson@leics.gov.uk.
 
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