Under 5 January 2019 by Under 5

Under 5 WIN

Magazine of the Pre-school Learning Alliance

January 2019

lo A Gruffa les T g a Travelin Hope set from worth n Educatio 9 9 ÂŁ1

Risky play belongs to children Managing risks in your setting

Supporting every child Dingleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Promise shares its expertise

Getting wild Ideas for interacting with nature

Over 1,000,000 parents have used our service to find childcare. Are you missing out?

The UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest childcare website. Register free at www.childcare.co.uk

Contents 4

News round-up

My Under 5

All the latest news, research and policy updates from the early years sector A chance for Alliance member settings to share news of recent events and projects

10 Letters to the editor

Under 5 readers share their views on the early years sector

14 Have your say: Spending Review

How you can help fight for more funding for the early years this year

17 Lifetime Achievement Member Awards 2019

Everything you need to know about entering this year’s awards

18 Supporting every child

How Dingley’s Promise offers tailored support to all the children in its care

20 In the woods...

How Forest School sessions could improve your practice

23 Managing long-term absences

The Law-Call team explains how you can limit disruption to your setting

24 On the ball

Some football-inspired activities for you to try

25 How children learn

An extract from the Alliance’s latest course developed in partnership with EduCare

26 Closing a childcare business

A guide to shutting down a limited company for early years settings

28 Defending against floods

RSA explains how you can limit the damage caused by adverse weather this winter

29 Effective communication

Advice for one of the three prime areas of learning and development

30 Risky play belongs to children

Ideas for making sure children are able to take and manage risks

32 Managing food allergies in toddlers

The ITF shares information on dealing with allergies in your setting and at home

WELCOME & CONTENTS

Welcome Welcome to Under 5 Happy New Year and welcome to the January issue of Under 5! I hope you’ve all managed to find some time to relax and unwind over the Christmas and New Year break. After a well-earned break, it’s time to start preparing for a new term and, as ever, the Alliance is here to help. In November last year, the government confirmed the early years funding rates for three- and four-year-olds for 2019/2020. These are the rates paid to local authorities, rather than to settings directly, but with most rates staying the same, and just two local authorities seeing an increase, this is unlikely to be welcome news for the sector. However, the government will soon be holding a Spending Review, which could present a crucial opportunity for the sector to fight for more funding. We’ve got all the details about how it works and what you can do to help (page 14). During these post-Christmas winter months, it can be tempting to stay firmly indoors away from the cold. However, we’ve heard from the RSPB about their latest scheme to encourage children to keep exploring outdoors (p12). We’ve also spoken to Socatots about how you can try some football-inspired activities to help keep children active all year round (page 24). The Forest School Learning Initiative has also explained why you might want to try out some outdoor activities in your setting (page 20). This time of year can also bring some more unfortunate weather in the form of snow, ice and floods. We’ve heard from insurers RSA about the best way to prepare your setting for potential flooding (page 28) and what to do if the worst does happen this winter. Last year, Ofsted’s new annual report outlined a new focus on allowing children to take risks. Alliance quality and standards manager Melanie Pilcher has shared some ideas for bringing this idea into your setting (page 30). We’ve also got some practical advice for closing a childcare business (page 18). There are many reasons that readers might be looking to close their setting, and while it can be an upsetting decision to make, it’s important to get the process right. As ever, we’re keen to hear your thoughts on all the topics discussed in this issue, and more. Please do keep in touch at editor.u5@pre-school.org.uk. Rachel Lawler, editor

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in brief...

VACCINES: The World Health Organisation has said that the 30% rise in the number of measles cases worldwide is partially caused by parents choosing not to vaccinate their children.

Rise in complaints about tax-free childcare

round-up Ofsted outlines focus on “substance of education” Ofsted has called for a greater focus on “the substance of education” in its latest annual report. Amanda Spielman, chief inspector at Ofsted, said: “In early years, focusing on the substance means recognising the huge importance of early literacy, language and numeracy.” The report highlights improving quality in the early years sector, with 95% of providers in England judged as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ – up from 74% six years ago. There has been a particular improvement in areas of deprivation, with 91% of providers in the most deprived areas graded ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’, compared to 96% in the least deprived areas. This has fallen from a gap of eight percentage points in 2012. The report also notes the improvement in overall performance in the phonics screening test with 82% of children now reaching the expected standard – up from 58% six years ago. Spielman also highlighted a recent survey from the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, which said that 70% of

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staff had noticed more children arriving in Reception unable to use a toilet than they did in 2011. She said that early years practitioners should help identify children unable to use the toilet and work with parents to help them learn. However, Spielman added: “Nurseries and childminders are not substitute parents. Rather than expecting educational institutions to pick up the job of parents, parents must step up here.” She said that “only in the most extreme cases” should parents be excused from helping children learn these skills. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “This year’s Ofsted annual report is yet another testament to the dedication of practitioners, with a record 95% of providers now rated ‘good or ‘outstanding’, up from 74% six years ago. Acknowledging the improving quality of childcare providers alone is not enough: if we recognise the importance of their role, then we should ensure they’re supported to continue delivering it.”

HMRC has received 4,560 complaints from parents about tax-free childcare, as of 31 October 2018. The update, from Elizabeth Truss, chief secretary to the Treasury, came in response to a parliamentary question from Tulip Siddiq MP. Truss said that HMRC does not hold information on the specifics of each complaint but confirmed that those reporting technical issues would be compensated for any missed top-ups. Earlier this year, the government confirmed that it had received 3,496 complaints, as of 22 December 2017, about tax-free childcare. However, it claimed that “significant improvements” had been made to the service since then. However, HMRC has confirmed that its tax-free childcare service again experienced “technical issues” at the start of November, leaving parents unable to make payments and many childcare providers out of pocket. The glitch resulted in 22,000 childcare fee payments being delayed.

“HMRC needs to get a grip on this problem and ensure that the system underpinning one of its flagship policies works.” Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “Enough is enough: HMRC needs to get a grip on this problem and ensure that the system underpinning one of its flagship policies actually works as it’s supposed to.” Tulip Siddiq, Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Childcare and Early Education, said: “For as long as the government pleads ignorance to the problems with tax-free childcare, parents and providers alike will face a real struggle to benefit from what is supposed to be a flagship policy.”

SUGAR TAX: Soft drink manufacturers have paid an additional £153.8 million in tax as a result of the sugar tax. The funds will be used to support physical activities in schools.

AFTER SCHOOL: The DfE has proposed a voluntary code of practice for after-school clubs to help improve the safeguarding of children.

Funding rates for 2019/2020 revealed

Just 377 students enrol on Early Years Teacher course A new report from Save the Children has warned that Early Years Teachers are “leaving the sector due to poor pay, progression and conditions”. It All Starts Here says that there is a “growing crisis” in early years recruitment as just 365 students enrolled on an Early Years Initial Teacher Training course in the 2018/2019 academic year. This is a decrease of 84% since 2013/2014, when there were 2,327 students enrolling on an Early Years Initial Teacher Training course. The report also says that just 13% of Early Years Teachers who responded to an online survey said that their qualification had improved their pay. Many respondents reported that they did not earn much more than the minimum wage. Many Early Years Teachers said that they were being paid the same, or just slightly more than, a level three practitioner. Meanwhile, 79% of managers who responded said that they did not currently employ an Early Years Teacher because of the increased costs.

Save the Children is calling on the government to target investment to support Early Years Teachers, improve career support and increase awareness of existing funding to help staff train as an Early Years Teacher. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “Save the Children is right to argue that more must be done to ensure the early years sector is able to both recruit and retain high-quality practitioners. With salaries in the sector among the lowest across all industries, and a continued lack of funding preventing many providers investing in adequate professional development and training for their staff, we are seeing far too many excellent practitioners making the difficult decision to leave the sector. “This is not, however, just an issue facing early years teachers. There are many passionate and dedicated practitioners in the sector who, while they may not have a degree, have a wealth of experience and a in-depth knowledge of child development.”

Call for clarity as new guidance on summer-born children is published The Local Government and Social care Ombudsman has issued guidance on how to deal with complaints about school admissions for summer born children. Parents of children born between April and August can ask to delay their school start date until they reach compulsory school age. This has been the government’s policy since 2015. However, the guidance published last month has contradicted this, suggesting that admissions authorities, not parents, should make the final decision on whether or not a summer born child can join reception at age five. The Alliance is calling for more clarity on the rules, three years after the government announced its policy on the matter. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s guidance says: “There was a Ministerial statement by the Minister

of State for Schools in 2015, setting out his intention to amend the Code so that summer born children could automatically be admitted to reception at age five, where parents or guardians want this. The Minister has since reconfirmed his commitment to making the change when Parliamentary time allows, but this has not yet happened, so cannot form part of our considerations.” Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “It has now been more than three years since the schools minister pledged to give summer-born children the right to start reception at age five – and yet the admissions process is as confused and inconsistent as it ever was. “It’s time that the DfE took definitive action on this to ensure that no parent is pressured into placing their children into school before they feel that they are ready.”

The Alliance is calling for more clarity on the rules, three years after the government announced this policy.

The Department for Education (DfE) has published the funding rates paid to local authorities for three- and four-year-olds for 2019/2020. Despite the increase in the minimum wage, due to come into effect next year, most local authority funding rates will remain the same. Only two local authorities will see their hourly funding rates rise, while 13 will see a decrease. The rates are due to come into effect in April 2019 and show the hourly rate that will be paid to local authorities, rather than the final rate paid to providers. The rates that will be paid directly to providers will be revealed by local authorities, which must inform providers by 31 March 2019. Local authorities planning on changing their funding rates must consult with their local schools forums by 28 February 2019. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “With the government having already confirmed that early years funding levels are frozen to 2020, today’s funding rates announcement was never going to be happy reading for struggling providers – but that makes it no less shocking to see it in black and white. “As of next April, funding rates will fall in over a dozen local authorities while over a hundred will see no change. Just two councils will see any increase at all. In the face of rising costs and, in particular, next year’s minimum wage increase, the government is asking providers to do the impossible: deliver the same quality service with less resource. It would be an unsustainable approach in any sector, but given how vital the early years is to children’s longterm learning and development, to do so for this sector is downright irresponsible. “We’ve had plenty of studies from various organisations, independent researchers, even the government itself, which clearly show that childcare in this country is grossly underfunded, and that this underfunding is leading to increased parent fees and, in the worst cases, provider closures. It’s now a matter of urgency that the government recognises that and commits to both increasing and annually reviewing funding levels.”

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40% of childcare workers on the National Living Wage are underpaid Ofsted announces early years forum members Ofsted has appointed 22 experts to join its Early Years Pedagogy and Practice Forum. More than 1,400 people applied to join the forum, after it was announced in August 2018. Membership of the forum is unpaid and voluntary. Members include Christine Rogers from the Alliance, alongside representatives from local authorities, universities, early years settings and other organisations. Members will meet for the first time in January 2019 to discuss early years research and practice. Topics covered will include subjects such as how young children develop a love of reading, start to learn numbers and develop their physical skills. The forum is expected to help Ofsted shape its research programme. Gill Jones, deputy director for early education at Ofsted, will lead the forum

alongside Phil Minns, Ofsted’s specialist advisor on the early years and Professor Daniel Muijs. Jones said: “I am delighted so many people expressed an interest in attending this forum; it shows that there is a real appetite for in-depth discussion about the early years. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t ask everyone who applied to join the forum, but we are exploring ways that more people can get involved in the discussion online. We will be saying more about this in the New Year, when the forum will look at the teaching and inspection of physical development, early literacy and maths.” Ofsted will invite a wider group of experts to the forum’s discussions when it is considering specific issues, such as physical development or maths. Those that applied to join the forum, but were not accepted will be invited to join webinars and other online platforms for debates on important early years issues.

Childminder numbers continue to fall The number of childminders in England has continued to decrease, according to the latest statistics from Ofsted. Released today, the figures show that there were 40,800 childminders registered with Ofsted on 31 August 2018. This is a decrease of 900 since March 2018 and a drop of 16,600 – or 29% – since August 2012. The figures also show a slight increase in the number of non-domestic providers. Ofsted had 27,300 childcare providers registered on nondomestic premises. This is a slight increase since 31 March 2018. The number of childcare providers rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted remains high at 95% and this has remained steady since 31 March 2018. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “Childminders are a vital source of quality, flexible early years care and education, and so for us to have lost nearly a third of the childminding sector over the past six years is nothing short of a scandal. “This is not a new trend or sudden drop: successive Ofsted statistical releases have shown a persistent decline for some time, and yet the Department for Education has yet to even acknowledge these shocking figures. “With childminder agencies shown to be a complete waste of investment, and the recent

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scrapping of the Childcare Business Grant Scheme aimed at attracting new childminders into the sector, it remains unclear how, or even if, the government is planning to tackle this concerning trend. “It is vital that ministers look to identify and address the challenges facing childminders, such as consistently inadequate funding rates, and unfair rules around claiming funding for related children, as a matter of urgency. Inaction is simply not an option. The government has promised parents affordable, flexible, high-quality care – childminders are a vital part of being able to deliver this.”

The Low Pay Commission’s latest report has highlighted concerns about staff wages and underfunding in childcare. The report says that two-fifths, or more than 40%, of childcare staff on the National Living Wage were underpaid in 2018. The Low Pay Commission says that this is “by far” the highest rate of underpayment in any one sector. It noted a trend in sectors directly affected by government funding, and said that these sectors were afraid that these concerns would not be alleviated. The report says: “Providers were keen to have the best-qualified staff possible (a key factor for parents choosing nurseries being good staff), but funding pressure made this increasingly difficult.” It also notes that staff are said to be leaving the sector to move into schools or other sectors for better pay compared to the level of responsibility.

“Early years practitioners deserve salaries that reflect the quality and importance of their work.” The National Living Wage is the minimum hourly rate that must be paid to workers aged 25 and over. Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “While the Low Pay Commission report found that, in some sectors, employers have been able to find ways to adjust to the rising National Living Wage without too much difficulty, the same is simply not the case in the childcare sector. No one doubts that early years practitioners deserve salaries that reflect the quality and importance of their work – but inadequate funding rates mean that increases in the National Living Wage are often a cause of concern rather than celebration in the sector. “Staff costs account for around threequarters of providers’ overall outgoings - as a result, increasing statutory wages at a time when funding is frozen at a level set several years ago is putting many in an impossible position. With only two local authorities across the whole of England seeing any increase in early years funding rates next April, the implementation of the next increase in the national living and minimum wages is likely to have a devastating impact on some childcare providers.”

Pyjama part y

Jellybabies N ursery in Rednall invite d people from the local com munity to join them for a py jama party an d movie night. More than 12 0 people from the local area joined the fun, watching the film Polar Express and sharing hom emade cook ies and hot choc olates. Children wer e also given a chance to m eet Santa an d receive a sm all gift.

Outdoor play Making mem ories

Children at M ontague Road Pre-school in visiting the ne Sale have be arby “Memor en y Café” for peop dementia and le living with their carers. Th e café is held church next do once a week or to the setti in the ng . The children songs they ha sang some of ve learnt with the the café, play the group an ed dominoes d worked on w ith some arts an already been d crafts. Feed positive and back has the groups ar to sharing mor e now lookin g forward e events toge ther.

announced the opening of a new Boys & Girls Nursery in Watford has d area, which was officially play area in their setting. The refurbishe Taylor, includes water chutes, r opened by the Mayor of Watford, Pete ren to explore. Bryony child the a chalk board and climbing wall for ed and proud of excit so am “I Tuffy, manager at the setting, said: here.” ren child our for what we have managed to deliver

Harvest celebration Little Acorns Pre-school and Nursery in Essex has celebrated the harvest season by growing their own runner beans. The children watched the beans grow, observing the changes they went through as they started to grow, learning a song called “I am a little bean”. The children also collected harvest donations for a nearby foodbank.

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Halloween

Children at Hops cotch Nursery in Kelvedon Hatch Halloween with a celebrated special Fun Day. The children and guests enjoyed fac their e painting, jelly pla y and potion-makin Deputy Manager g. Karen said: “The y really enjoyed mi the different potio xin g all n ingredients and, without knowing were doing basic it, the y science experimen ts.”

Festival of lights Children at Jellybabies Nursery and Pre-school in Rednall celebrated the festival of Diwali. After learning about the story of Diwali, they made and lit their own Diwali lamps ready to help guide Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, find her way into people’s homes. The setting also celebrated bonfire night with fancy dress and cakes.

Reverse advent

celebrate a party day to y has hosted ur tb es W s Natasha or in Joint Direct Pre-school Ofsted report. The Early Bird st te ing. la ad its gr in sed with the utstanding” tremely plea getting an “o ex th nts” bo re e pa ar ith anie Gobey rtnerships w Elliot and Mel xemplary pa “e l na f’s io af ot st e ildren’s em r praised th to promote ch The inspecto w nging ho ra of eg id in “w nt understand n develop a re ild ch at th and “excelle also noted mmunity”. ”. The report hers in the co attachments lv se es and ot em th of g in understand

ess Ofsted succ

Children at King sway Pre-school in Essex celebrat Christmas with a ed “reverse advent” basket in Decemb Staff, families an er. d the church comm unity were able to donate food and hygiene items in the basket each the build up to Ch day in ristmas. The items were then taken the Southend foo to dbank to be share d with families in need.

What’s been happening in your setting? Under 5 wants to know! To share your own stories, please email editor.u5@pre-school.org.uk with the subject line ‘My Under 5’.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Letters to the editor STAR LETTER SEND concerns We are a specialist early years centre and a charity. The early years funding covers only 40% of our expenditure. Last year, we were promised extra funding by our county council to enable us to enhance ratio for our children with high needs. We worked really hard to provide all the paperwork they asked for before the end of the academic year so that this could be in place for September, as they agreed that it was necessary funding. Our early years team at the county has since been informed that they now have to attend all review meetings and that no funding can be given until they have done this. This has put an enormous delay on us being granted the funding and in the meantime, we continue to face challenges both with finances and resources. Unfortunately, we are now at the end of term two and only last week were we informed that we have been granted some of the funding but for only one of these four children. We are also picking up extra family support work that the health visitors can no longer do due to cuts within their sector as well as for mental health provision. The fact that the universal grant funding is not going up to meet costs is adding to this overall problem. We are a sessional pre-school, open term-time only. We work hard to offer the 30-hours funding to parents by working closely with other settings and childminders. However, the process of claiming seems very complicated as settings that are open all year can stretch the funding, whereas term-time only settings like us can’t. It got so complicated for one family that they gave up and decided they would pay fees instead. Another one of our families was investigated over their 30-hours claim, and although they had done nothing wrong and it all worked out, they were so traumatisd by the experience that they are now afraid to go through the process with their

youngest, who was due to start with us in January but has now delayed his start until 2020. Our families rely on our support now more than ever because of these negative funding experiences. Catharine Fowler, Cirencester Opportunity Group Early learning Having just read about the £18 million funding for early learning schemes, I do feel that there are some really good ideas coming through from Damian Hinds. However, it might be worth also considering endeavouring to support parents to remain at home to be with their children in order to support some of the learning they have suggested. Instead, they constantly try to get them back into work with the 30-hours entitlement, which at the moment is a complete farce. It seems somewhat a contradiction in terms. I do fully appreciate that going back to work is a parent’s choice, but if we are going to support parents to play, read and chat with their children, then it can’t be a half-hearted system. We have all known for some time that education begins long before children arrive in the classroom. I am sure that encouraging or even financially supporting parents to be at home will see a huge change in the abilities of children when they do eventually start in Recepetion. Candy Head, Tigglets Montessori

Send your letters to Under 5 magazine, Pre-school Learning Alliance, 50 Featherstone Street, London, EC1Y 8RT or email: editor.u5@pre-school.org.uk using the subject line ‘Letters’.

This month’s star letter wins a copy of The New Early Years Employee Handbook. Divided into six accessible sections, The New Early Years Employees Handbook covers employee rights, policies and procedures resolutions and grievance procedures. The book also covers early years standards, safeguarding and health and safety information. To order your own copy visit shop.pre-school.org.uk call 0300 330 0996 or email shop@pre-school.org.uk

www.facebook.com/PreschoolLearningAlliance

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Run a

to teach road safety and save lives Wednesday

1 7 20 0 2

y Wednesda

MARCH 2019

JULY 2019

Wedn esday

NOV EMB ER 2

019

Every year thousands of tots and infants aged 2-7 take part in a special Beep Beep! Day • A great way to engage children with road safety basics. • Raise awareness among parents and the wider community. • Brand new free and low-cost resources for each event. • A fun and easy way to raise valuable funds for Brake.

Register now and receive a free e-resource pack • Bumper packs available for just £10.50+VAT. These include: stickers, certificates, posters and lots of road safety activities to run with up to 50 children!

““Brake’s Br Beep Beep! Days are a great way for children to start understanding the importance of road safety from a young age and are an excellent addition you to oour pre-school safety education programme delivered alongside our pro Neighbourhood Policing partners.” Nei Suzanne Preston, Corby Borough Council

Organised by

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the road safety charity Registered charity No. 1093244

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ACTIVITY IDEAS

Getting wild The RSPB has launched a free reward scheme encouraging children to interact with nature. Nicky Thomas, early years project officer at the RSPB, explains how you can get involved

hildren will always remember their first discoveries when getting wild in nature – from the thrill of finding an earthworm under a rock to spotting a family of starlings squabbling for food. Nature can have a positive impact on children’s learning, physical health and emotional wellbeing. So it is more important than ever that we are teaching children to value the world around us. The Wild Challenge is a free reward scheme, open to everyone, which prompts children to connect with nature through a series of fun outdoor activities. All the activities are available on the RSPB website, where you can create your own profile to start logging them as you and the children complete them. You can work your way through these as quickly or as slowly as you like. After you complete each activity, you’ll need to submit evidence online to show what the children did.

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Recording evidence Details about what information you need to send for each task is listed in the “what to send us” section, which you should read through before you get started. You won’t need to complete any long reports, and photographs of the activity can usually be used as your ‘evidence’. You’ll receive your bronze award after you have completed your first six activities, followed by silver after the next six and gold after the final six activities. Each award includes a certificate for your setting and a set of stickers to share with the children. You shouldn’t need to find any extra time or purchase any additional resources to introduce these outdoor activities. However small your outdoor space and budget are, there will be activities that you can enjoy while complementing the Early Years Foundation Stage. Lots of the activities can be completed with resources you already have, or items that you can easily make.

Going outdoors We believe that your outdoor space should be an extension of your continuous provision. That doesn’t just mean taking indoor resources outside. Nature should be discovered first-hand by children. They might choose to count what they can see, compare colours and shapes or describe their discoveries and what they mean to them. We recognise the outdoors as a tool for exploration and discovery all year round, as children discover the wonders of every season. Ask children what wildlife they would like to see more of, or find out more about. Use your existing space or pay a visit to your

local community green spaces. It should all be an adventure waiting to happen.

How to get involved All you need to do is visit the RSPB website and create an account and an online profile. Then you are ready to get started – the scheme is open to early years settings and childminders as well as schools. Visit bit.ly/2NZ6hgv to sign your setting up.

Activity – pond dipping You’ll need: pond dipping net shallow trays pictures of common pond creatures to help you identify them (you can download a free guide sheet from the RSPB website) Children will need to carefully sweep their nets through the water. Once they have collected something, they can empty the contents into one of the trays. These trays should be filled with a little water from the pond first. Then they should try to identify what they have managed to find. Make sure you return any wildlife you found to the pond when you’re finished!

Activity – weather wizard You’ll need: paper and pens to record how the children feel Head outside – whatever the weather is like – and discuss the weather what the children can feel. For example, children might feel the sun on their skin, or the wind blowing about. Write this down, you might want to repeat this each day for the week, making your own weather diary.

We are now recruiting in Cambridge Level 3 Nursery Practitioner £8.65 – £10.27 p/h Level 2 Nursery Practitioner £8.46 – £8.56 p/h Unqualified Nursery Practitioner £8.15 – £8.24 p/h Our Ofsted Outstanding Edwinstowe and West Cambridge day nurseries are currently recruiting for various positions. As an employee owned company we offer a wide range of benefits to all employees, personalised training plans and opportunities to study childcare in other countries.

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Have your say:

Spending Review Alliance press and public affairs director Shannon Pite explains why the upcoming government Spending Review is a crucial opportunity for the early years sector to fight for fairer funding

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HAVE YOUR SAY

What is the Spending Review? It is a government review of how money is allocated across different departments. It takes place every three years or so and is led by the Treasury Deparment, which are in charge of government spending. The decisions made at this year’s review are expected to last until at least 2020/21, and, quite possibly, two years after that.

Why does this matter for the early years? The government has confirmed that current early years funding levels will remain frozen until 2020. That means that while funding rates for individual local authorities and providers may vary slightly, overall the money going into the sector won’t change. In November last year, the government published the rates that local councils will be receiving from central government as of April 2019. Only two local authorities (Hounslow and Richmond-upon-Thames) are seeing an increase, 13 are seeing a decrease and the rest will see no change in funding levels. This is despite the fact that the government has confirmed that the national living and minimum wages will be increasing in April, and that many other costs – including pensions contributions, rents, business rates, insurance and utilities – are likely to rise as well.

Do we know what to expect from the review? In short, no. Early last year, Chancellor Phillip Hammond said: “…if in the autumn, the public finances continue [to improve]… I would have capacity to enable further increases in public spending and investment in the years ahead.” So, in a nutshell, if things go as well as they government thinks they will, they should be able to spend more money. Good news, surely? The problem is, there is a lot of uncertainty around the Spending Review plans, largely due to the fact that many aspects of Brexit (the UK’s exit from the European Union, due to take place on 29 March) remain up in the air. At the time

of writing, the date for the Spending Review hadn’t even been confirmed. Martin Wheatley, a Treasury expert from thinktank the Institute for Government, summed it up well when he said: “Simply put, we don’t know what the spending envelope is going to be, we don’t know when the Spending Review is going to start or finish, we don’t know how many years it’s going to cover and we don’t know when we will know.”

Is there any chance this could mean more money for the early years? Quite possibly. Back in July, as part of an inquiry into life chances, children and families minister Nadhim Zahawi told the Education Select Committee: “We have a spending review coming up and I see my role as very much working with the sector to put our best evidence forward.” Sounds positive doesn’t it? The only problem is – he was actually talking about maintained nursery schools. When the government introduced the Early Years National Funding Formula (EYNFF) one of the biggest changes was that as of April 2019, all local authorities would be required to pay all providers – whether they were private or voluntary pre-schools or nurseries, childminders, primary school nursery classes or, crucially, maintained nursery schools – the same base rate of funding would apply (although, they can still pay different supplements). This was called the universal base rate. This understandably caused a lot of concern among maintained nursery schools, who have historically enjoyed a significantly higher funding rate than PVI providers – so much so that in 2016, the government agreed to provide additional ‘transitional funding’ until 2020 to help nursery schools adjust to the new rates. Maintained nursery schools are now calling on the government to provide additional funding beyond this date – and the government seems to be willing to do so. Zahawi has repeatedly indicated that he will push for more funding for maintained

nursery schools in the Spending Review, telling councils not to make any premature decision about the future of such settings in their area until the review has taken place. In November, Chancellor Phillip Hammond told Conservative MP Martin Vickers, who had raised concerns about maintained nursery school funding, during a parliamentary debate: “As my hon. friend will know, we are putting a record £6 billion into childcare and guaranteeing working parents 30 hours a week of childcare for three- and fouryear-olds, but I am happy to ask one of my colleagues to meet him. We are always happy to discuss such issues. This aspect of funding, along with all others, can be considered in the round at the Spending Review.”

What does this mean for the PVI sector? Clearly, there is scope for the government to review early years funding. The challenge for the PVI sector is, of course, that there are many more PVI providers (around 63,000) compared to nursery schools (397). This would make it a lot more expensive for the government to address funding issues for the whole sector than it is to focus solely on nursery schools. It is absolutely critical, then, that the sector puts pressure on the government and presents a strong argument as to why the whole sector, and particularly PVI providers, needs more funding.

Making the case Despite a wealth of evidence that clearly shows that providers are underfunded, the Department for Education has, to date, refused to work with the PVI sector in the same way as it has promised to do so with maintained nursery providers – i.e. to gather the evidence needed to convince the Treasury to increase funding levels. As such, it is important that we as a sector present a strong argument, not only to the DfE but also to the Treasury.

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So how can you help with this? Contact your MP MPs have been very vocal about the impact of underfunding on maintained nursery schools – in fact, in September, 70 MPs from across the political parties wrote to both the DfE and the Treasury to call for more funding for nursery schools. If the PVI sector is to have any chance of successfully arguing for more investment, there will need to be substantial political pressure on the government. So contact your local MP: write to them, go to meet them or, better yet, invite them to your setting. This will be all the more effective if it comes from the people in the government’ own party, so contacting your local MP is doubly important if that MP is a Conservative. Work together If you are struggling on your current funding rates, chances are that other pre-schools, childminders and nurseries in your area are too. If you are able, work together to lobby your local MP to raise your concerns to the Department for Education and Treasury. This helps demonstrate that the problem isn’t with you or the way you run your business – it’s with the funding itself. Use facts Which do you think is more convincing: “The government need to pay us more money. Childcare isn’t free!” or: “For every child who takes up the funded entitlement, I make a £1.07 loss per hour. This year, I’m forecast to lose around £12,000 in total. When the national living wage increases, this will rise to £16,000,”? To be clear, both are valid points, but basing your arguments on hard facts, rather than just emotion, makes it much harder for anyone to dismiss your claims by talking about “record investment in childcare”. Get parents onside This is absolutely critical. The government

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often argues: “Of course providers are going to say that they want more money, it’s in their interest!” But if parents start to complain about the scheme the government will have no choice but to listen. The DfE often responds to concerns about funding, and the 30-hours scheme in particular, by saying how good parents think it is. If we as a sector can demonstrate that this isn’t necessarily the case, we’ll have a much stronger argument.

Useful resources The Alliance’s Fair Future Funding campaign, which is calling on the government to ensure that funding rates increase to cover the rising cost of delivering quality care and education, has just under 6,000 practitioner supporters and more than 1,000 parent supporters. Visit our campaign page at www.preschool.org.uk/fairfuturefunding to: sign up as a practitioner supporter encourage parents to sign up as parent supporters download a free template letter to send to your MP (we have one for practitioners and one for parents) access free resources to help explain underfunding issues to your parents, including a downloadable poster and an interactive explainer find facts and figures about funding to help you make solid, evidence-based arguments to both parents and politicians.

Nominate

now!

The Alliance’s Lifetime Achievement Member Awards 2019 This year’s Alliance awards have changed. In 2019, the Alliance Member Lifetime Achievement Awards will focus on recognising the extraordinary contribution made by special individuals who have devoted themselves, over many years, to making a real difference to young children’s care and learning. This is your opportunity to formally acknowledge the incredible support made by one individual to your service – whether pre-school, nursery, baby and toddler group or childminding environments. Of course, this Award also offers a broader opportunity to highlight the incredible passion which exists across our sector and celebrating these extraordinary individuals will undoubtedly inspire others.

Who can nominate? Anyone can nominate this special person – you can be a parent, practitioner or professional.

The award The Alliance member’s Lifetime Achievement Award 2019 recognises special early years individuals with extraordinary contributions to children and their families.

Families are encouraged to be involved and can provide positive testimonials or personal feedback to support the nomination. Please note: Alliance-managed provision and Alliance employees are not eligible to be nominated. “The Alliance’s Lifetime Achievement Award is a chance to celebrate the very best of the early years and the great work being done to help young children realise their potential. “The sector is defined by those who have dedicated their careers to this vital work and it’s important that we never forget to celebrate that. Of course, I know it won’t be easy to choose a winner, as I’ve never met a childminder, nursery or pre-school practitioner whose dedication hasn’t impressed me. Nevertheless, I encourage all Alliance members who know or work with someone whose commitment to the early years deserves greater recognition to put them forward - and I look very much forward to reading all the nominations.” Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance

Next steps Who can I nominate? Any parent, volunteer or practitioner who supports or works in a member childcare service is eligible. Anyone showing incredible commitment, dedication and expertise with others. Your nominee should have been involved with the sector for a minimum of 10 years. Trustees, directors, owners, volunteers and other unpaid roles are eligible too.

It’s easy to nominate – simply complete an online form at www.pre-school.org.uk/ awards2019. You can also call our Information Line to request a nomination form. The closing date for entries is Monday 11 March 2019 To assist you, the following criteria can be addressed in your short submission:

a high level of personal commitment positive contribution or benefit to your wider community overcoming particular difficulties or obstacles in order to deliver their role benefited children, parents and setting or a project in a significant or unique way a high level of growth and development huge amounts of enthusiasm, expertise and real commitment Please note: to give your nominee the best chance of being shortlisted, please do provide examples, photos or feedback from children and/or parents to explain how this particular individual made such a big difference to your service or project. You need only provide 600 words, or around one-side of an A4 piece of paper.

Don’t forget Please complete and return your nomination form to us by Monday 11 March 2018. You are welcome to submit your form online or by post to: Information Service team, Preschool Learning Alliance, 50 Featherstone St, London EC1Y 8RT. Nominees shortlisted for the Award will be invited to a special awards celebration at the Alliance’s annual conference, which will take place in central London on Friday 31 May 2019. Travel and expenses will be covered for all those shortlisted. The Awards highlight the outstanding contribution made by every committed Alliance member or volunteer. We look forward to receiving your nominations!

More information If you have further questions, please contact our friendly Information Services team on info@preschool.org.uk or call 020 7697 2595.

Supporting every child Dingley’s Promise offers support for under fives with SEND, as well as their families. Here, they explain how their setting works to meet every child’s unique needs

ll children should be able to access a good education – including in the early years – and children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) are no exception. Every child has a right to be educated in a mainstream school, and targeted support in the early years can be crucial in helping them achieve this goal. Dingley’s Promise works exclusively with children with additional needs to help them on their way towards this transition. Catherine McLeod, chief executive at Dingley’s Promise, explains: “While we ourselves are not inclusive, we are able to work with more children in a targeted way and put them on the pathway to inclusion.” Dingley’s Promise originally launched in 1983 when a group of parents of children staying on the Dingley ward at Battle Hospital in Reading were looking for more than just 18

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medical interventions for their children. Catherine says: “They wanted their children to have fun, make friends and learn – they wanted their children to just be children!” Since then, Dingley’s Promise has evolved from a small parent-led group into three Ofsted-registered centres in Reading, Wokingham and Newbury, which now support around 150 families each year. The settings offer learning through play sessions based on the EYFS and aim to give all children the best possible start. “When a family comes to us, we share with them our pathway document which outlines our entry criteria, pathways to development and our exit criteria,” Catherine explains. Dingley’s is not intended to serve as a destination for children – instead they aim to be a step on the way to mainstream education.

Tailored approach Each child attending Dingley’s Promise is allocated a key worker who will gain a full understanding of their interests, likes, dislikes and ways of communicating, while developing a relationship with them. This allows the setting to mix tailored work with inclusive practice. “The strategies we use in the setting are inclusive, and, while there will also be tailored one-to-one work, most of the activities can include all the children,” Catherine explains. The group also works closely with external specialists such as language therapists, educational psychologists and physiotherapists to give children tailored support. This might take the form of a meeting, an assessment or sessions with the children. Catherine says: “These relationships are vital to ensure that we

BEST PRACTICE

support specialist interventions and work together with other professionals in a way that makes the support around each child appear coordinated to all involved.”

Family support Part of the group’s work also includes partnering closely with each child’s family. “We have a strong family support ethos at Dingley’s Promise,” Catherine explains. As well as signposting families towards further information and advice, the setting offers group activities including coffee mornings, stay and plays and trips out. “These are vital for our families who tend to make lifelong friendships during these crucial early years.” The setting also offers a rare chance for some families to get a break – many of whom care for their child full-time – giving them a chance to spend time alone or with their other children. In the holidays, Dingley’s offers less structured sessions allowing children more time to play while still giving children continuity. “For some children, our holiday sessions are the only sessions they are able to access, giving them and their families a much needed break,” Catherine says.

Overcoming challenges Like many in the early years sector, Dingley’s Promise is facing significant challenges. “We have to maintain a skilled and committed workforce in a sector that typically has a very high staff turnover,” Catherine explains. “Our staff are our greatest strength so we have invested in their wellbeing, development and pay to ensure that we can keep them

for as long as possible.” Funding is another key concern for the setting. “Our model is expensive compared to a standard early years setting,” Catherine says. “With local authority budgets being squeezed, we are increasingly concerned about funding the work we do.” That said, Dingley’s Promise also finds real rewards as it watches children thriving at the setting. “Moments that particularly stand out are when a family has come to us in despair, telling us that they know their child will never be able to access mainstream activities because they have been told this by specialists,” Catherine says. “In many cases, after time with us, they see their child move onto a mainstream primary school.” Supporting children in the early years can have a huge impact on them in the long term, as well as their family. “Parents tell us all the time that we see the promise in their child, even when others don’t,” Catherine explains. She says that small milestones bring huge

happiness to many families. “Being able to hold a cup, or join in an activity, or to press a button are all massive achievements for some of our children that fill our staff with pride, and are wonderful stories of progression to share with families.”

Welcoming children into your setting Dingley’s Promise is committed to helping children transition into mainstream schools and settings. Catherine says it’s important to make sure that your setting is accessible before the child arrives. She suggests that any settings preparing for a child with SEND to start should plan the transition carefully. “Find out about the child and any particular needs they have so necessary and reasonable adjustments can be made where possible.” She also recommends reading the child’s profile and any relevant past reports such as progress reports, provision maps and education, health and care plans. “To get a true picture of the child’s capabilities and needs, arrange to meet the child and family, and go to observe them in the setting they are transferring from.” Dingley’s Promise runs a course in “early years inclusive practice” to help support mainstream early years settings in welcoming children with SEND. It is also campaigning alongside national charities to highlight the current lack of access to the 30-hours funding offer for children with SEND. It is also working with several local authorities about how they can support children with SEND in the early years more effectively.

Find out more For more information about Dingley’s Promise and its work, visit www.dingley.org.uk

In the woods... Robbie Dee, forest school leader and trainer at the Forest School Learning Initiative, explains why you should consider taking your sessions outside

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BEST PRACTICE

What is forest school? There is no set definition of ‘forest school’ and to put a full description of the concept into words would be difficult. But despite the differing opinions on what forest school is, all forest school practitioners will share similar aims. Forest school practitioners have a shared goal – providing children with an opportunity to further their learning in an outdoors environment. Forest school is a long-term approach that works to develop children’s confidence and self-esteem. While its roots are firmly planted in our best understanding of the ways children learn, forest school puts the child at the heart of their own learning experience. Practitioners set realistic goals through small, achievable tasks. Forest school pedagogues offer children and young people an opportunity, over repeated sessions, to engage with the rich diversity of natural environments to help build their confidence, sensitivity, resilience and curiosity.

What are the main benefits of forest school? The educational value of these outdoor sessions is endless. The natural environment caters for every child’s cognitive, linguistic, emotional, social and physical needs. Outdoor play is often considered the “raison d’etre” in early years environments, allowing children to express their desire to understand

the world. Play can teach children problemsolving skills and should have a central role in learning, but many believe this aspect of learning is gradually being forgotten. Outdoor play can be risky, but it helps children to develop their emotional and social wellbeing. The emphasis in forest school sessions is on ‘risk benefits’. How can we allow a potential risk to become a learning experience for children? It is important to note that forest school is not about survivalism. Instead, it is a learning environment, allowing for situations that are not usually available indoors. Children should be developing gross motor skills and physical literacy. Forest school should allow for them to experience situations not available in the classroom, allowing them to take risks and learn to manage these themselves. Today’s children are perhaps wrapped in cotton wool by our risk-averse culture. Forest school can help children learn to manage real risks and negate red tape ideology, which can cause anxiety and can unfortunately teach children to be couch potatoes, as they try to avoid all risks. This carries its own risk in itself – with almost a quarter of children obese by the time they start school.

When will we start to see the benefits of forest school? Most children starting forest school sessions will have a slight fear of this new concept and

what they will be expected to do. They might have little knowledge of the natural world and lack self-confidence in this new environment. Forest school leaders might also lack confidence, as they worry about the health and safety of the children and face unfamiliar activities. Both children and practitioners might approach the sessions with a “need to avoid failure” attitude. This approach can see children express self-doubt in their ability to climb a tree, or their failure to find any bugs one day. This might also lead to them trying to please the leader, in the same way that some children do in an indoor setting. However, with support and time, children and practitioners will become more confident about their forest school sessions. Practitioners can help children complete tasks, and encourage them to support each other. If a child is struggling with something, let their peers help them. The “need to avoid failure” attitude can slowly start to become a “need to achieve” attitude that help both children and practitioners relax and engage more fully with each activity.

What will we need? Some of the equipment you might need for outdoor forest school sessions Clothing – you might want to keep a set of spare gloves, hats, waterproofs and wellie boots ready for any children who haven’t bought their own. Natural resources – if they are not abundant in your outdoor space, you could visit a nearby woodland or similar area to collect up sticks, pebbles, pinecones and other natural objects to use. Buckets – for any activities that need water or mud, you’ll need some buckets or other containers to carry a small amount of water, ready for mixing. Tools – spades, string and a penknife could all come in handy for some activities.

Find out more The Forest School Learning Initiative offers training that can be applied to all age groups and link to the Early Years Foundation Stage. If you’d like to find out more about training to be a forest school leader, visit www.forestschoollearning.co.uk call 01242 602476 or email office@fsli.co.uk

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What an Unbe-leaf-able -leaf-able opportunity! What is Forest School? Forest School uses the outdoor environment to help all children develop independence skills, improve their decision-making and raise their self-esteem.

Eye Opener… - 10% of children play in natural areas, compared to their parents figure of 40% Why does it work? -  Forest School Sessions meet every area of the Early Years Framework.

What FSLI can offer YOU: -  BECOME A FOREST SCHOOL LEADER… FSLI gives YOU the opportunity to undertake Forest School Leader Training Level 3 (OCNWMR) -  INTRODUCTION TO FOREST SCHOOL... Suitable for INSET Training Days & Staff Team Building Days -  HELP TO GET YOUR SCHOOL/SETTING STARTED… Providing 6 two hour sessions of Forest School -  SUPPLY FOREST SCHOOL COVER… If your Forest School Leader is absent to allow sessions to continue

Interested? Further Information @: office@fsli.co.uk OR www.forestschoollearning.co.uk

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LAW-CALL

Managing long-term absence The team behind Law-Call, the legal helpline for Alliance members, explains how long-term staff absences can be managed Long-term absence can be more difficult to tackle than short-term absence and there are no real short cuts. Employers need to be proactive in their approach to staff on long-term sick leave, while being sensitive to the cause of their absence and the wider context. Each case should be considered on its own merits and how frequently you contact the employee or how you support their return may differ accordingly.

Policies and procedures Your employment policies should state when you expect to see evidence of sickness, usually in the form of a doctor’s ‘fit note’. It is reasonable for you to request an original as copies can be tampered with. Your policy should also explain when statutory sick pay (SSP) would be paid. It is important to include a requirement for timely evidence as HMRC are clear that SSP should not be delayed if an employee is late in producing a fit note, but it can amount to a breach of sickness absence reporting if you have made this clear in your policies.

Common myths Employers and employees are often confused about the subject of contact during long-term sickness absence. The most common myth is that you can’t contact an employee who is signed off sick from work. In reality, you can and you should. As an employer, you need to reassure the employee

that they are still a valued member of the team and not forgotten during their illness. You will also need to get regular feedback from them about their progress. But remember that regular doesn’t have to mean frequent. Employees need to keep their employer informed about their health and their likely return. As with so much in employment law, there is a balance to be struck between business needs and the employee’s needs. Again, policies can support this by setting out the expectation for contact from both sides.

Further steps It may be appropriate to hold a welfare meeting with the employee in which you can discuss how they are, how they are progressing and what steps might be taken to help them get back into work. The tone of the meeting is important. It should be positive and encouraging and you should be sensitive to the nature of the condition. If an employee has been off work for a significant period of time you should consider getting an employee’s consent to obtain a medical report from their GP. You should inform them of their rights under the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988. With consent, you can ask their GP more about their condition and how it affects their ability to do their job, as well as any suggestions they may have for reasonable adjustments. You can then have an informed discussion

with your employee about the best way forward. Long-term illness could amount to a disability and some conditions will automatically be considered as such. You should therefore be mindful of your legal obligations to make reasonable adjustments for the employee.

Small businesses There can be compelling reasons why a smaller organisation may need to dismiss someone on a protracted period of absence. As a minimum, you would need to consider and be able to evidence the financial or organisational difficulties the absence presents. Evidence should help you show why the decision to dismiss was taken at that time and could not be deferred. You should keep written records of these concerns. Employment Tribunals must bear in mind the size of your business and your available resources when considering whether or not your actions were reasonable. You would need to make decisions based on information available to you, combining any medical information, occupational health reports, the employee’s own account of their illness and their view of the future. If the medical view is that a full recovery is likely, or there is an indication that a return to work is imminent, it may be less reasonable to be considering a dismissal than an indeterminate prognosis. These types of dismissal should always be approached cautiously as long-term absences are more likely, although they will not always, fall under the Equality Act 2010. This means that issues of disability and associated obligations may apply and you should always take advice before deciding to dismiss for capability or under the ‘some other substantial reason’ provisions of the Employment Rights Act.

More information This article is a general guide only. If you need specific advice, please contact the Law-Call helpline. The contact details can be found on your membership card or in the members’ area of the Alliance website at: www.pre-school.org.uk/members-area

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ACTIVITY IDEA

On the ball Socatots shares some ideas for getting children in your setting more active

ecent technological advancements have helped us become more connected than ever before. But while tablets and computers are helping us in some ways, there are rising concerns about children’s physical development and health. Some young children are starting school underdeveloped physically, emotionally and mentally. It is of paramount importance that we ensure that the next generation of children are kept active and engaged on the right things while they are in their formative years.

Daily active minutes In 2011, physical activity guidelines were introduced in the UK, which recommend that children aged three and above should enjoy 180 minutes of physical activity every day. But recent statistics show that 79% of boys and 84% of girls in England are still not meeting this target. As a result, some children are starting school with lower levels of physical development than they would have done 10 years ago. But growing numbers of people are beginning to understand the benefits of a nonsedentary lifestyle for their children. There is also growing evidence that reduced levels of physical activity can impact child’s early development. Socatots has worked with researchers, including Dr Rebecca Duncombe, university teacher in physical education and sport pedagogy at Loughborough university. Duncombe, who works on the Movement for Learning project, says: “A child’s physical development level impacts their ability to complete simple tasks such as sitting still, holding a pencil, putting

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on their shoes and especially reading – all skills essential for school. Our research shows that not only are children starting school less physically ready than ever before, but that teachers are noticing this change and its impact in the classroom.”

Benefits of football practice improve balance, coordination and posture develop new cognitive skills increase self-confidence practice social skills encourage healthy muscle and bone development

Healthy habits Early years settings can play a crucial role in reversing this trend. This can be achieved without having to spend large amounts of money on extra equipment or staff, but while still being hugely beneficial for children. Toddlers are not too young to start learning basic football skills and it can help them develop a healthy habit at an early age. Football can help children develop balance and coordination. Children will use all the different parts of both of their feet, preventing them from developing any imbalances. They will enjoy the repetition of the exercises, adding structure to their sessions. You can also add music to help their learning, with action songs a good way to start practising some of the skills. Here are some exercises you could try with children in your setting. These can be adapted for groups of all sizes but try and have as

many staff on hand as possible to help: Balancing – Ask the children to try balancing small bean bags or other small objects on different parts of their body. They could try their shoulders, arms, feet or heads. Tapping – Encourage children to practice tapping with a stationary object such as a cushion. They can try tapping the object with different parts of their feet, such as their toes or heels as they get better. Passing – Children can practise passing a football by tapping it towards different stationary targets. You could use cones, beanbags or chalk markings depending on your available space. Catching – Use either a small beanbag or football to practise passing and throwing using both hands. Fishes – Ask children to move around the space, pretending to swim and listening for instructions. The leader should then call out instructions for them to follow: o high tide: start running o tide turns: change direction o coral reef: jump o fisherman: crouch down to avoid the net o sharks: walk backwards o sea horse: stand on one leg Tidying – After the games have finished, children can help tidy equipment away. Give them each a different colour or type of toy that they need to collect and return to the box.

More information To find out more about Socatots, visit socatots.co.uk

EDUCARE

How children learn

This extract from Theories Underpinning the EYFS, a training course developed in partnership between the Alliance and EduCare, explains how brain development affects children’s early learning skills

t birth the brain has all the 12 billion nerve cells it will ever have. During early development, connections or pathways form between the cells – these are called synapses. The connections that form through this physiological process make up the mental process that is known as learning. Millions of these connections will form, some will be pruned off through not being used, others will develop in more complex ways by being used frequently. Babies and young children learn about similarities through having repeated familiar experiences, which allows them to form patterns, or templates of understanding. From this, babies are then able to predict outcomes, or generalise.

Rewind and repeat This is why ‘cause and effect’ toys and games are so popular with young children and why they like to hear the same story or song repeated again and again. It is also why they do not respond well to changes in familiar routines. Repetition strengthens memory and the brain shapes changes but negative experiences, including poor adult responses to the child, will slow down brain growth and lay patterns of negative behaviours that may emerge and embed later on in the child’s life.

Some of the connections that are made become “hardwired” into the brain – such as walking. Once this is learned, the processes are laid down forever. Some pathways become obsolete and die out. For example, babies will lose the ability to distinguish a full range of language sounds from six months as their brains start to fine tune to the sounds of their own language.

Storing information Repetition and familiarity allow mental pictures or representations to build up packets of information that are bound to memory. They also become embedded in emotion and are shaped by meaning before finally being coded and filed in the brain, available for recall. Sensory triggers, as well as cognitive triggers, awaken these representations as memories that are connected to emotions. Learning is therefore an interleaved process involving thought, emotions and senses. New information and experiences build on the existing so that new brain cells are formed – as if new lights are connected and switched on. The new patterns respond to physical and emotional stimuli and are based on patterns formed from previous experience. During the first few years of life, the formation of synapses is rapid and peaks at three- or four-years-old.

What does this mean for practitioners? A child’s learning is dependent on the stage of their brain’s development. The EYFS requires practitioners to recognise that children learn at different rates. So providers must consider the individual needs, interests and stage of development of each child in their care. The EYFS recognises that the role of the people around each child is critical as they will determine the child’s day-to-day experiences and the connections they will make. With younger children, the focus should be on the prime areas and as they grow, the balance will shift towards a more equal focus on all areas of learning. New information and experiences build on the existing so that new brain cells are formed. Practitioners must tune into the child and plan for their next steps, building on what they already know. The EYFS requires practitioners to provide ‘enabling environments’ in which their experiences respond to their individual needs.

Find out more Theories Underpinning the EYFS is a course created in partnership between the Alliance and our training partner, EduCare. It is available free to all Alliance members and their teams, alongside a suite of other useful courses. Visit www.pre-school. org.uk/EduCare for more information.

Closing a childcare business Here, we explain some of the main things to consider if you have taken the decision to close your childcare business – if your organisation is run as a limited company

hile often a very difficult decision, opting to close your childcare business involves an important process. If you have made the decision to close your childcare business, for whatever reason, it is important to ensure that all your legal responsibilities have been fulfilled, while minimising disruption to children, families and staff. The closure of a limited company will need to be agreed by the company’s directors and shareholders. Once this has been decided, and if there is time, you should try to collect any outstanding payments due before you make an announcement about the closure.

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This guidance is for childcare settings running as limited companies, for advice on other types of organisation, please contact Law-Call or the Information Line.

Who you need to notify: Your employees – Alliance members can contact Law-Call, the free 24-hour helpline, for legal advice. You should use this service for any questions about matters including redundancy and TUPE (transferring employees to another childcare provider). The number for Law-Call can be found in the Members’ Area on the Alliance website. Creditors – You need to tell anyone that the company owes money to and make sure you pay off any outstanding debts.

Grant providers – Any organisation that has provided your setting with grants will need to be informed. Check your funding agreement for any obligations you may have. Insurers – Notify your insurers, in writing, of your planned closure date. Local authority – You must inform the early years team at your local authority if you are registered to receive funding for early education places. Ofsted – If you are registered with Ofsted, you must notify them of your closure date. Parents – Aim to give families at least six weeks’ notice if you can and try to help them find alternative childcare where possible.

BUSINESS

to vacate. You may need to pay rent for a specific period after you have notified them.

Closing a company There are several different ways of closing down a company. If you are unsure about the best way to close down a company, you should contact a financial advisor and seek legal advice – Alliance members can contact Law-Call using the number listed on the Members’ Area of our website, or on your membership card. If your childcare business is solvent, meaning you still have money to pay bills, you have two options for closing it. You can dissolve the company by applying to have it struck off the register of companies at Companies House. Alternatively, you could liquidate it by starting a members’ voluntary liquidation. Having the company struck off is usually the cheaper option. However, income tax will need to be paid on any assets worth more than £25,000 after your creditors have been paid, as this will be treated as income. If you are a higher rate tax payer, or the assets are likely to be more than £25,000, in some circumstances, you may choose the liquidation route instead.

Striking off a company

Contact nearby settings and pass their details on to parents. You can also direct parents to the Family Information Service at your local authority for further support. The Alliance – Contact the Alliance membership team in writing with the date of your closure and indicate whether you would still like to receive mailings from us, and access to Law-Call, until the end of your membership, as is advised. Suppliers – Notify the companies providing your gas, electricity, water, catering and/or milk suppliers about the closure. Landlord – Carefully check your agreement with your landlord, including the notification

To strike off a company, you will need to download a DS01 form from the government website at bit.ly/29WlfRk. To do this, your childcare business must: have been closed for business for the last three months have had the same name for the last three months not be threatened with liquidation have no agreements with creditors to repay debts in the case of insolvency or where there are concerns such as a Company Voluntary Arrangement A majority of your directors will need to sign the DS01 form and you will need to sign the form to close down the company. There is more information on the process for this on the government website here: bit.ly/29WlfRk.

Members’ voluntary liquidation You may decide to choose this option to close your childcare company if you:

want to retire choose to step down from a family business and there is nobody else to run it do not want to run the business any more A majority of your directors will need to sign a Declaration of Solvency. You will then need to appoint a liquidator to take control of the company and start selling off assets, paying creditors and sharing out remaining funds. There is more information about this process available here: bit.ly/2hkb3EK.

Closing an insolvent company If you company is insolvent, meaning you do not have any money left to pay bills, then it can be liquidated. 75% of your shareholders (by value of share) will need to agree to this by voting to pass a “winding up resolution”. Once this has passed, you should appoint an authorised insolvency practitioner as a liquidator. More information on this process can be found here: bit.ly/1gGkQ3f.

Retaining paperwork Once a company has been struck off, you must keep any business documents for seven years. This will include bank statements, invoices and receipts. You must also keep copies of your employers’ liability insurance policy and schedule for 40 years from the date the company was dissolved. If your company has been liquidated then you should consult with your liquidator about retention of the business records. Much of the paperwork relating to your childcare provision will need to be retained and archived safely and securely. Legislative requirements and best practice guidelines for retaining common early years records can be found in the Alliance guide, Retention Periods for Records, available free to members in the Members’ Area of our website.

More information This article was adapted from an Alliance mini-guide. Visit www.pre-school.org. uk/membersarea to access all the free guides, as well as the contact details for the Law-Call service. Alliance members can also contact the Information Line on 020 7697 2595.

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INSURANCE

Defending against floods Richard Daisley, claims account manager at RSA, explains how you can be prepared for the worst of weathers this winter

s any early years business owner will know, serious weather-related events can have a disastrous effect on a setting and your usual processes, even if you have adequate insurance cover. Recent years have seen some of the worst flooding on record in the UK, highlighting just how disruptive a flood can be for an early years setting. Even if you have adequate insurance cover – including buildings, contents and business interruption cover – you should know the ways in which you can help reduce the effect a loss like this could have on your setting.

Be prepared Don’t be taken by surprise. Listen out for flood warnings on local TV and radio. You should also look out for updates from the Environment Agency, which provides a helpline offering information and advice. Contact your local council to see where they are distributing sandbags and whether you can have any. You will need to make sure you have considered all the ways water could potentially enter your property, and not just the doorways. If a red weather warning for flooding has been issued, then there could be a threat to life. If such a warning has been given, then it is likely that flooding will occur in the region. Ensure that you have an evacuation plan ready. You will need to know quick and safe routes out of the property and the best road routes out of flooded areas. Keep a roadmap somewhere accessible so you know your options should your usual route become inaccessible. Be ready to switch off the setting’s gas and electric supplies if you are advised of imminent flooding. Consider having a “flood pack” prepared – including torches, batteryoperated radios, spare batteries, a first aid kit, spare clothes, blankets and bottles of water. Make sure staff know where it is.

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Keep all your insurance documents in a watertight container somewhere that’s easily accessible. Back-up electronic documents in case computers get damaged. Ensure that fire and security systems will still work and that the property is adequately protected against theft and burglary. Relocate any items that could be damaged by low levels of water. As a minimum, don’t store any items that could easily be damaged by water on the floor.

After a flood If the worst does happen and your setting is flooded, contact your insurers straightaway. If you are a tenant, get in touch with your landlord so that they can contact their building insurers. You can get further advice from the Environment Agency’s floodline advice number (below). Make sure that nobody touches any electrical equipment after the flood. Qualified professionals will need to check your electrical and fire systems first. Once the water has started to recede, you should open windows to try and dry the building out. Only do this in the mornings, as the air is likely to turn damp in the afternoon. Don’t be tempted to use extreme sources of heat to try and dry out the building’s contents. This can cause more damage which could cost you more in the long term. Store any damaged furniture and photograph any food damaged if your refrigerator fails.

Take care Remember that floodwater is often contaminated so be careful when touching anything. If you do enter any water, wear overalls, overshoes and rubber gloves. Your welfare is of prime importance. You may need to remove debris from airbricks and take rubberbacked carpets outside to dry.

Don’t be tempted to redecorate until you are certain that the property has dried out – it can take months and you could end up with mould problems if you do it too soon. It is important that you check with a decorator or other expert to ensure that the walls and other surfaces are fully dried out and, if necessary, treated to prevent mould before you start. Your insurers and/or your landlord’s building insurers may appoint contractors to clean and dry the property where appropriate. Your contents insurer may appoint a contractor to clean and dry your contents, should it be worthwhile. The contractors can start to make lists of the items which are beyond economic repair and need to be disposed of. Installation of drying equipment and air movers will occur. Where the loss is significant, a loss adjuster will be appointed by either your buildings and/ or contents insurers to assist you in dealing with this traumatic experience. The loss adjuster will be there to help coordinate the buildings reinstatement works and/or assist with the settlement of your damaged contents/ buildings interruption claim.

Back to business If the flooding means that you cannot operate, you should look for nearby locations you can use instead. Make enquiries to see if these can be rented. Ensure that parents are always kept up-to-date with the progress of works to reinstate provision as good communication is essential. If you have followed the advice here, you’ll have taken all the necessary steps to allow you to get back to business as usual as soon as possible.

More info If you have any questions about your insurance organised through the Alliance, contact the insurance team at 020 7697 2585. For flood advice, call the Environment Agency’s Floodline on 0345 988 1188.

RESOURCES

Effective communication As one of the three prime areas of learning and development required by the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), it’s clear that communication and language skills in young children are vital. This has been recently acknowledged by the government with an £18 million programme of projects announced to support parents in developing children’s early communication learning in the home. The EYFS expects strong partnerships to be built between practitioners and parents and/or carers but we should also aim for this with the people we work with and any external agencies. This can only happen through effective and meaningful communication. As practitioners, we may be proficient at promoting communications skills in children but, as adults, it may have been a long time since we learnt them. It is useful to remind ourselves of the key factors in being a successful communicator.

Respect your audience Consider the knowledge and understanding of your audience and be receptive to their viewpoints, even if you might not agree with them. This is a crucial part of being an effective communicator. It means being in

honest and clear in the message you wish to convey. This might mean spelling out acronyms, using simpler words or explaining things in a different way. You should also choose when and where you wish to communicate carefully, especially when conversations are concerned with sensitive or important topics. Decide on the method of communication you are choosing to ensure that this meets the needs of everyone. For example, a notice on your setting’s door might not be understood very well by parents for whom English is an additional language. Speaking to these parents faceto-face might be much more productive. You should consider if there are ways you can practically demonstrate what you would like to happen, instead of just telling others. For example, five minutes spent with staff learning how to do something together, such as conducting peer observations, will much more easily instil this in their practice than an email directing them to do so.

Be a good listener Communication is a two-way process. A good listener appreciates the opinions of the people they are communicating with.

If you listen well then you will understand your audience’s thinking and recognise where there are misunderstandings. Allowing space for their feedback is vital. If you’re making an important proposal at a staff meeting, for example, allow time for members to process this before coming back with their responses and ideas. This might mean having a break, talking about another topic in between or coming back to the proposal at a later date. It’s not just what you say, but how you say it. In face-to-face meetings your body language can say a lot. Think about your posture, if you are sitting with arms and legs crossed this might seem like you are closed off from the conversation. When you adopt a more open, relaxed posture this can help encourage a more receptive atmosphere. In emails, chose appropriate words for the situation and be sure to re-read what you have written checking that your words cannot be interpreted differently. Effective communication within the setting supports a peaceful and healthy environment conductive to successful and happy staff and children.

OFFER: 10% off The New Early Years Handbook Pre-school Learning Alliance (Ref: A120). £12.60 members, £18.00 non-members Employees are one of the most important assets in any organisation. Keeping your staff members fully informed of your expectations and what they should expect from you is vital in ensuring a united team and healthy working relationships. Specifically developed for the early years settings, the newly updated The New Early Years Employee Handbook is an effective tool for employers in welcoming new employees and providing all employees with information on policies, procedures and guidelines. In a clear written format, easy to understand and use, this handbook allows Please visit shop.pre-school.org.uk, call 0300 330 0996 or email important information to be consistently and effectively communicated to all shop@pre-school.org.uk. employees so they know where to go for help and how difficulties can be resolved.

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Risky play belon Melanie Pilcher, quality and standards manager at the Alliance, shares ideas for incorporating risky play into your activities

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ACTIVITY CORNER

ngs to children W

hen we hear the word “risk”, our thoughts will often turn towards health and safety before anything else. In some circumstances, risk management and the perceived need to remove all risk has stifled children’s opportunities for risky play. But it is vital for children’s development. Commenting in Ofsted’s Annual Report last year, chief inspector Amanda Spielman said: “While it is a basic expectation of any institution that cares for children to carry out proper risk assessments, some level of risk is an essential part of childhood. Without it, we stifle children’s natural inquisitiveness and their opportunities to learn and develop and deny them those opportunities to build that muscular strength and dexterity. We hope that nurseries and other childcare settings take a common sense approach to managing risk.” Risky play is more than activities that may, or may not, result in children hurting themselves. It is not about hazards that must be eliminated in the name of health and safety. In fact, while not referred to explicitly, it is reflected in the ‘characteristics of effecting learning’. For example, ‘playing and exploring’ is about “having a go, investigating and experiencing things”. These are risky activities for a young child, when every new experience is untested and the skills required have yet to be fully mastered. When children are playing they test their physical skills, rehearse ideas and set up their own personal challenges. Play, and particularly risky play, must belong to children. It helps them dare to learn, to take considered chances and to make sense of their world. It should not be defined by adults whose main focus is health and safety. Where this is the case, the adults may inadvertently change the focus from risky play with its potential for meaningful active learning, to safe play where the outcomes are predetermined by adults. As children play they develop ‘risk perception’. This in turn builds their confidence in their own abilities and gives them the

essential skills they will need to stay safe in real-life situations that may actually harm them. Unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer opportunities for children to really test themselves and, more importantly, to decide what risks to take and how to approach them.

Risky play opportunities Children need to make risky decisions in their play – this is about independent thinking and self-reflection. Children demonstrate this from a very young age, when they first let go of the edge of the sofa to reach for a toy, despite falling over many times, or when they first leave their carer’s side to join their peers at play. In time, children learn to reflect on their decisions. Did the risk lead to success? What needs to be done differently next time? Each time a child goes through this process it strengthens their independent thinking skills. Practitioners must give children the time to make their own decisions rather than assuming that they always know what’s best. Children will take risky actions in their play – When a group of children construct a bridge of wooden blocks and planks, the practitioner may see that it is unstable and may intervene to prevent the children from attempting to stand on it. But the children will learn more if they are able to test it for themselves and experience the consequences first hand. Children will have risky interactions with others during play – Children often take risks while playing with others. It allows them to develop confidence among their peers. The risk itself might be to stand up to a child who wants to take their toy. Reasonable risk-taking allows children to develop the assertiveness and self-confidence they need to actively participate in the early years setting. Practice will help them to balance assertiveness with empathy, recognising that their peers may have other ideas and other needs.

Children will develop confidence through taking risks – Every small success goes some way to compensating for the many failures that a child experiences when they are mastering a new skill. The first time a child climbs to the top of the ladder on the big slide will probably have been preceded by several failed attempts. The child may even stop trying for a while, until they feel physically ready and mentally ready to try again. It’s vital that children learn the thrill and reward of success, the strategies they will need to manage failure and the perseverance to try and try again, even if it is difficult. There is little doubt that when practitioners consistently prevent children from taking risks there are consequences in that they themselves are a hazard to children’s development. By taking risks, children develop age appropriate strength, coordination and body awareness. Without daily opportunities to engage in risky play children are likely to become more accident prone, they have less spatial awareness and are less likely to be able to fully engage the characteristics of effective learning. Risk management and health and safety considerations will always be a priority, and are of course important. But when we begin to place risky play in the same context as risk management, we are in fact taking the focus away from the real health and safety hazards.

A final word to practitioners Understand what ‘risky play’ really is and stop seeing it as a health and safety issue. Enable children to take acceptable risks when they play, knowing when to step back and when to step in. Facilitate opportunities for children to make judgments for themselves. Observe the learning – look for the riskbenefit before stopping an activity. Provide challenges and allow children to make their own mistakes.

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NUTRITION

Managing food allergies in toddlers The Infant & Toddler Forum shares helpful advice for managing food allergies in toddlers

eported cases of food allergy are on the rise, with the most notable increase amongst babies, children and young people. The exact cause for the rise in allergies is not yet fully understood and is unlikely to be down to a single reason. A number of recent cases of severe allergic reactions when eating outside of the home has put the spotlight on the seriousness of this issue. Understandably, parents of children with food allergies are anxious to ensure that their toddlers are kept safe when eating away from the family home. There are a number of tactics that can be used to help manage food allergies in toddlers. It is important that those involved in their care understand these, as toddlers are unable to communicate their allergy requirements, or their symptoms of an allergic reaction. The essential factor in managing allergies is exclusion, of the allergen and associated foods, from the toddler’s diet. This advice is simple in theory, but can prove quite difficult in practice, especially as the extent to which food needs to be avoided will vary from toddler to toddler. While some children can tolerate small amounts of the allergen in question, others will have a reaction to trace amounts.

Label awareness Understanding food labels and familiarising yourself with how allergens are highlighted in ingredient lists will make it far easier to recognise whether a food is safe for a toddler with allergies or intolerances. If a toddler suffers from a severe allergy, and there is any uncertainty around the ingredients or the food, or if it says it “may contain” an allergen,

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the food should be completely avoided. It is important to check ingredients labels regularly, even of foods routinely purchased, as manufacturers sometimes modify their ingredients and recipes. Never assume that a product will be safe.

Parents may prefer to send children with their own food if they have an allergy, but it is important that, wherever possible, toddlers are included in family occasions, eating out and nursery mealtimes.

Planning ahead

Advise parents who have a child with a food allergy to: Always inform people about the child’s food allergy in advance – and provide information on symptoms to watch for in case of exposure. Ask for help from healthcare professions if needed. Speak to the setting manager/chef/ host about seeing menu options and ingredient labels so that parents can check for foods their toddler is allergic to, and suggest suitable alternatives. Serve the toddler with an allergy first and watch out for any forms of crosscontact, such as food touching other foods or someone using the same utensil to mix or scoop from different dishes. Carry necessary medication and ideally make sure you have a copy of their allergy action plan to hand – this is usually provided by the child’s doctor.

Parents can look after their toddler’s allergies and intolerances by planning their food shop thoroughly. Shopping for a special diet can be a challenge for parents. It can be timeconsuming at first, but building a routine for their food shop can make this easier. Another time-saving tip when food shopping can be to use apps like Food Maestro and Spoon Guru as they have a barcode-reader which will help them establish whether foods are free-from specific allergens or ingredients. A dietician can always advise on foods that can be safely substituted for the allergen in question, while still ensuring that a toddler’s diet remains nutritionally balanced. This can also be a great opportunity to ask for advice on how to modify recipes for family meals and find some new favourites.

Staying in control Staying safe while eating outside of the family home can be challenging, especially when a toddler has a severe food allergy. Communication between parents and whoever is preparing the food is essential – whether a toddler is eating with family, friends or in your setting. Parents should also be able to ask questions about the ingredients used, methods of food preparation and how you are avoiding cross-contamination.

Allergy checklist

Find out more For more information and advice on the management of food allergies in children, down the Infant & Toddler Forum ’s general guidelines on the Management of Food Hypersensitivity at www.infantandtoddlerforum.org

The Infant & Toddler Forum is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition. The views and outputs of the group, however, remain independent of Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition and its commercial interests.

COMPETITION

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The views expressed in Under 5 are not necessarily those of the Pre-school Learning Alliance. The editor reserves the right to shorten submitted material and to reprint copy from newsletters. No responsibility can be accepted for loss of MSS, photographs or artwork. Unused material will be returned if submitted with a stamped, addressed envelope. The editor is unable to enter into correspondence about unsolicited copy. Unless copyright is indicated, material from Under 5 may be reproduced without charge, for non-commercial purposes only, on condition that the source is acknowledged. Acceptance of advertisements for Under 5 does not constitute endorsement by the charity of the advertisers’ products.

UNDER 5 MAGAZINE ISSN 0969-9481 EDITOR: Rachel Lawler DESIGN: room111.co.uk

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