Have you signed up to hear about ofsteds new early years blog?
You’ll find out more about developments in the early years sector here. The team will use the blog to raise awareness and promote a better understanding of education and care in children’s early years.
Childcare Choices campaign promoting financial support with the cost of childcare
The Department for Education has developed a provider toolkit which contains a step-by-step guide on how to register and promote government funded childcare support to families using your service.
You can also use the parent toolkit to raise awareness of the campaign and direct your parents and carers to the Childcare Choices website which has all the information they need about the funding that eligible families could get to help pay for their early years and school aged childcare needs.
The Childcare Choices campaign aims to raise awareness and understanding of the support available from the government with the costs of childcare. You can help ensure your parents and carers aren’t missing out by directing them to the Childcare Choices website, where they can easily find the right offers of childcare support for them.
Communications toolkits and resources
Big Garden Birdwatch
Big Garden Birdwatch is fun, free and for everyone. And you don’t need a garden to take part! Counting birds from your balcony, or your local park will play a vital role in helping us understand how UK birds are doing.
Sign up for your free guide and let's look out for birds together on 27-29 January.
Free online event - Multilingualism in the early years: Celebrating every child
Louise Campbell White, EAL advisor at the Early Years Alliance, will be speaking at this free Nursery World webinar on multilingualism.
The webinar will look at approaches that celebrate and support bilingual and multilingual children as well as strategies to ensure all children are engaged in their setting's language and literacy learning.
Register for free here.
Ofsted inspections: what EY providers and practitioners need to know
Ofsted has added answers to wide range of new questions in its 'Ofsted inspections: what EY providers and practitioners need to know' guidance, including: 'How will leadership and management be looked at during my inspection?', 'Can I leave the children alone with the inspector?', 'Do I have to allow inspectors to use their phones during an inspection?' and 'Does Ofsted expect me to use formal words with children?'.
They've also made some amends to answers to existing questions.
Sensory food education
Get insights on how sensory food education can help young children engage with food, and benefit them in early years (EY) settings.
TastEd works with EY settings and primary schools, training practitioners in delivering sensory food education. TastEd - based on the Sapere method used in Finland and Sweden - gives children opportunities to explore food, using their senses, to help them learn to love eating vegetables and fruit, for life.
TastEd’s sensory food education activities support the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework and Development Matters guidance and can be used in any EY setting.