Under 5 Nov/Dec 20202

Under 5 the magazine of the early years alliance November/December 2020

WINfrica

a giant A le z map puz y from Ver Puzzled

Christmas is coming Celebrating the season in 2020

Let’s get fundraising Raising money in the lockdown

Sweet celebrations Healthy eating ideas for special events

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contents 4

welcome

News round up

Welcome to Under 5

All the latest news, research and policy updates from the early years sector

Welcome to the November/December issue of Under 5 magazine. After an already busy year, this issue arrives at another worrying time for everyone as England gets ready for a second national lockdown that started on 5 November.

While this time early years providers have been permitted to remain open, we know that many providers are still seeing lower uptake of places than normal and with more parents asked to work from home or put on furlough again, this could continue for some time.

That said, this is still an exciting time of year for children and we know that many of our readers will want to make the most of any celebrations and events as best they can after such a difficult year. We’ve got some ideas for hosting Christmas events (page 12) while still complying with Covid restrictions.

If you’re worried about all the sugary treats often shared with children at this time of year, we’ve also got some ideas from the Early Years Nutrition Partnership for ensuring that celebrations fit with your healthy eating ethos (page 24).

We’ve got an exciting update about the Alliance’s online event, taking place on 25 November (page 10).

We’ve also heard from road safety charity Brake about this year’s Road Safety Week – which runs from 16-22 November (page 16).

Many charitable settings have been struggling with fundraising since the start of the pandemic, with cake sales, summer fayres and Christmas concerts all cancelled. We’ve compiled a list of suggested fundraising ideas that can still take place this year to help you find some creative ways of raising funds (page 22).

Despite the difficulties of the past year, we’ve heard some fantastic stories about the work of providers from across the sector and the surprising resilience of children. We’ve spoken to the Montessori Group about recent research into what families got up to during the first lockdown (page 20) and heard from Alliance inclusion manager Nicola Gibson about the impact of so much time at home on children’s behaviour (page 14).

I am also pleased to announce that in the new year, Under 5 will be going back to print. I look forward to sharing better news with you in 2021. In the meantime, please do keep sharing your good news and updates with us at editor.u5@eyalliance.org.uk.

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November lockdown: FAQs

10

Alliance virtual Connect event

12

Christmas is coming

15

Post-pandemic behaviour

16

Road safety for the early years

18

Building foundations for literacy

Answers to common questions about the latest coronavirus lockdown

See the full line-up for the Alliance’s new online event

18

How to celebrate the festive season during Covid-19

Alliance inclusion manager Nicola Gibson shares insight into children’s behaviour since the first lockdown

24

Get ready for this year’s Road Safety Week

The next instalment of our series on the new Educational Programmes

20 Taking the Montessori method home

A recent survey shows surprising insight into children’s learning at home

22 Let’s get fundraising!

Finding creative ways to raise money post-pandemic

24 Sweet celebrations

Alternative ideas for celebrating events without compromising your healthyeating ethos

27 Reviewing employment terms and conditions

A guide to making changes to employment contracts

28 Christmas all over the world

Considering different Christmas traditions and cultures

30 Introducing vegetarian meals

Ideas for reducing meat in your early years menus

31

WELCOME & CONTENTS

Competition

30

Rachel Lawler, editor

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in brief...

HEALTHY START: Marcus Rashford’s End Child Food Poverty is calling on the government to expand the Healthy Start voucher scheme to more families and increase the value of the vouchers.

Alliance calls for £240m early years funding in next Spending Review

round-up Early years exempt from second lockdown Early years providers will be allowed to remain open during the four-week nationwide lockdown which began on 5 November 2020. With people in England told to remain at home as much as possible for at least the next four weeks, education will be one of the exemptions with children still allowed to attend early years settings.

The Prime Minister has announced that the furlough scheme will no longer be closing in November and will continue until at least March 2021.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “We welcome the confirmation that early years providers in England will be able to remain open during the upcoming second national lockdown.

“We know that many nurseries, pre-schools and childminders across the country are already struggling to remain viable as a result of the combined impact of the pandemic and historic underfunding, and that many would not have been able to survive another order to temporarily close.

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“That said, with so many sectors instructed to shut down during this period, it is highly likely that the need and demand for childcare provision will nevertheless fall once again over the coming months, resulting in another fall in income for many early years providers. It is therefore critical that the government provides the financial support the sector needs to get through the upcoming lockdown and beyond, if it is to survive in the long term.

“What’s more, given we are being asked to remain open at such a frightening and worrying time, it’s vital that early years providers are able to feel confident that they can keep themselves, their staff, the children in their care and their own families safe.

“For this to happen, government must ensure that all providers have priority access to Covid testing, including home tests; affordable access to PPE; and support with the costs of keeping their settings as clean as possible. Our sector is putting itself on the frontline in the middle of a global pandemic anything less is simply not acceptable.”

The Alliance is calling on the government to commit to a £240 million Early Years Sufficiency Fund at the upcoming Spending Review following a recent survey of providers.

The survey found that one in six early years providers could close by Christmas 2020 without additional funding, rising to one in four in the most deprived local authorities.

Just a quarter of the providers surveyed said that they expect to make a profit between now and March 2021. More than half (51%) of those asked said they would need emergency funding to stay open for the next six months while two thirds (65%) said that the government had not done enough to support providers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

June Deebank, owner and manager of St Oswald’s Pre-school in Rickmansworth, said: “We have been significantly impacted by the lack of extra financial help for all the cleaning resources we have had to buy, and the cost of paying staff for extra time needed to clean.

In addition, we are lower on numbers than previous years and so, are finding it hard to retain staff. At the moment, I am managing to do having to do so by not paying myself, but this is a situation that cannot continue.”

In response, the Alliance is calling for an emergency Early Years Sufficiency Fund targeted at childcare providers at risk of closure to ensure that there are enough childcare and early education places to meet the needs of children and families going forward.

Independent researcher Ceeda estimates that around £240 million is needed to support the sector over the next six months.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “There is absolutely no excuse for the government’s continued indifference towards the early years sector. It claims that children’s access to education during the pandemic is a top priority, and yet it is apparently perfectly happy to see thousands of early education providers fall by the wayside. Quality early years provision is a central part of our social infrastructure, and should be treated as such.

It’s not too late for the government to show that it recognises the value of the sector – both to the young children who benefit from quality early education, and the parents, and particularly mothers, who benefit from accessible care – and make the investment needed to safeguard the many thousands of providers in desperate need of support.”

HEALTH VISITORS: Just one in 10 parents saw a health visitor face-to-face during the first lockdown, with checks

carried out via letter, text or phone instead, according to a new survey by the NSPCC.

Support for self-employed workers to increase for second lockdown The government has confirmed that the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will cover up to 80% of average trading profits until January 2021.

The level of support offered through the scheme was due to drop to 40% of profits in November but now that a second national lockdown is due to start on 5 November, the scheme will cover up to 80% of average trading profits.

The government has also confirmed that the claims window will be brought forward from 14 December to 30 November.

The government has stated that “as SEISS grants are calculated over three months, the uplift for November to 80%, along with the 40% level of trading profits for December and January, increases the total level of the third grant to 55% of trading profits”.

The extension will last for 6 months, from November 2020 to April 2021.

It is not yet clear what percentage of profits will be paid between February and April 2021.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak commented: “The rapidly changing health picture has meant we have had to act in order to protect people’s lives and I know this is an incredibly worrying time for the self-employed. That is why we have increased the generosity of the third grant, ensuring those who cannot trade or are facing decreased demand are able to get through the months ahead.”

Individuals will need to have been previously eligible for the first and second SEISS grants, although they do not need to have claimed them, to be eligible for this next grant.

Alliance launches #ThisIsEarlyYears campaign The Alliance has launched a new campaign, highlighting the valuable role of the early years sector, particularly private and voluntary-run settings. The #ThisIsEarlyYears campaign aims to make a positive case for greater government support for early years in the upcoming Spending Review.

The campaign will highlight the vital work that the sector does in supporting children’s early development and the central role that many providers play in their local communities – and not just the challenges facing the sector.

Providers are asked to share positive examples of their incredible work for the Alliance to use in its lobbying and campaigning work.

Providers are also encouraged to share stories about the positive impact of their work on Twitter, using the hashtag #ThisIsEarlyYears and tagging their local MPs to call for greater support for the sector.

The Alliance has also created an interactive page on their website detailing the number of childcare providers in each local authority, how funding rates have changed in the last three years in the area and the how current funding rates in each area compares to that paid to maintained nursery schools.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “With the Comprehensive Spending Review just around the corner, there has never been a more critical time to make a strong argument for more investment into the early years sector.

“This is particularly true for private and voluntary providers. We know that when politicians talk about maintained nursery settings, they don’t talk about the ‘childcare’ they provide: they talk about the quality early education they deliver – and it is no coincidence that the government has not hesitated to commit to ensuring that these settings are funded adequately in the long term.

“That’s why we want to change the narrative around PVI settings and focus not just on preventing providers from closing but also why it’s so important they stay open, making a positive case for government investment.

“This is a real opportunity for nurseries, pre-schools and childminders across the country to shout about the great work they do day-in and day-out, and so we urge as many providers as possible to share their stories with us, show local MPs and policymakers the amazing impact they have on local families and say loudly and proudly: this is early years.”

Call for tax-free childcare underspend to be reallocated The Alliance has called on the government to reallocate the unspent funds set aside for its tax-free childcare scheme to support childcare providers facing closure.

The government has spent just £385m, compared to a forecast of £2.1bn Last month, the government published figures in response to a parliamentary question from shadow early years minister Tulip Siddiq that showed a significant underspend on the policy. Over the past three years the government spent just £385 million on tax-free childcare, compared to its initial forecast of £2.1 billion.

The Alliance has called on the government to put this £1.7 billion towards supporting struggling providers as many continue to face rising costs and lower occupancy after the coronavirus crisis.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “The combination of years of underfunding for the government’s so-called ‘free childcare’ schemes and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating effect on childcare providers, and without urgent action, many simply will not survive in the long term.

“With the take-up of tax-free childcare continuing to fall far below original estimates, we urge ministers to reallocate the unused funding for this policy to where it is clearly needed. If the government genuinely cares about early education and ensuring parents have access to the childcare they need, then supporting the sector that provides both is surely an obvious political choice.”

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Half of early years providers fear closure Just 45% of nurseries and pre-schools and 55% of childminders expect to remain financially sustainable for the next year, according to new statistics shared by the Department for Education (DfE).

The survey was carried out in July 2020 and gathered responses from 4,012 providers including group-based providers, school-based providers and childminders.

10% of nurseries and pre-schools and 6% of childminders said that they would be financially sustainable until the end of October 2020. 4% of nurseries and pre-schools and 6% of childminders said that they would only remain financially sustainable for a few more weeks.

The DfE said that it was important to

remember that the survey was conducted before the government announced that local authorities would receive early years funding for the autumn term 2020 based on attendance in 2019 and that child attendance had increased since July.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “Research study after research study has shown that quality early education is absolutely critical for children’s long-term learning and development. Add to this the vital role that providers play in delivering the care that so many parents and families across the country rely on, and it’s clear that safeguarding the future of the early years sector simply must become a top government priority, before it’s too late.”

One in six councils ignores DfE guidelines on funding One in six councils in England is ignoring the Department for Education’s (DfE) guidance on early years funding that would help to protect providers from the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The DfE is providing early years funding to all councils in England based on the number of children who were attending childcare settings in their areas last year. Local authorities have been instructed to fund providers as though the pandemic had not occurred until the end of 2020, in a bid to protect the sector from the detrimental impact of the virus on occupancy rates.

A freedom of Information request filed by the Alliance to every local authority in England has revealed that of the 120 councils that responded, 20 were not following the DfE guidance. Seven local authorities said that they were only following it in some circumstances – such as by using last year’s attendance records for pre-schools and nurseries but not childminders. Three local authorities were sill yet to decide what they would do with this term’s funding.

The government has previously described the move as: “‘block-buying’ childcare places for the rest of this year at the level we would have funded before coronavirus, regardless of how many children are attending”.

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Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “It cannot be that councils can simply choose to disregard government guidance when that guidance has been issued to ensure the sustainability of the early years sector at such a difficult time.

As such, we urge the Department to tackle this issue as a matter of urgency and make it clear that it is a requirement, and not an option, for all councils to fund all providers fully and fairly.

“The next few months are going to be difficult enough for the sector – neither central government or local authorities should be making it any harder.”

The Alliance has shared a copy of its findings with the DfE.

Increase in number of Covid-19 cases in Call for tax-free childcare early yearsto settings underspend be reallocated The number of Covid-19 cases reported in early years settings has been doubling since the first week of September, according to new statistics from Ofsted.

Obtained by the Labour Party, the statistics show an increase from 14 cases in early years settings at the end of August 2020 to 181 on 28 September.

In response, the Alliance has called for home testing kits to be made available to nurseries and childminders, as well as maintained nursery schools.

“This is sadly just another example of the way in which the needs of the early years sector have been overlooked.”

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “It beggars belief that at a time when Covid cases are rising so rapidly, private and voluntary early years providers still aren’t being supplied with home testing kits, especially given that such kits have been available to maintained nurseries, schools and colleges for months now.

“We continue to be inundated with reports from nurseries, pre-schools and childminders who have been unable to access tests through the normal channels, despite repeatedly being told they should be able to get priority access. These are professionals who spend all day in close physical contact with young children who don’t know how, and are not expected, to socially distance - surely, given this, the early years sector should be at the front of the queue when it comes to such support.

“This is sadly just another example of the way in which the needs of the early years sector have been overlooked and disregarded throughout this pandemic. We urge the government to take urgent action on this issue, and ensure that all early years providers are able to access Covid tests as and when they need them.”

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Early Years Alliance

COVID-19

November lockdown:

FAQs With early years providers asked to remain open during the second nationwide lockdown, we answer some of your most common questions about the new restrictions Who is allowed to operate as of 5 November?

Registered early years providers: The government has confirmed that all registered early years providers, including childminders, are allowed to continue operating as of 5 November.

Wraparound care: Before and after-school clubs can also continue to operate - however, the government guidance on national lockdown states that this should be “where reasonably necessary to enable parents to work, or for the purposes of respite care” (NB: this additional condition only applies to school-aged childcare provided by beforeand after-school clubs, not to registered early years provision (including childminders).

Parent and child groups (including baby & toddler groups): The government has confirmed these groups can continue where they provide support to parents/ children, and children under 5 will not be counted within the 15 person limit.

The DfE has advised the Alliance that such support could include educational activities provided to children but should be limited to activities where it is ‘reasonably necessary’ for them take place in person (i.e. it is not possible to provide the service in another format such as via Zoom). All activities must be delivered by a business, voluntary provider or private body, and should not take place in anyone’s private home.

Children’s centres can continue to operate for the purposes set out in the exemptions to the new national restrictions.

Are providers now required to return to smaller ‘bubbles’?

The DfE has confirmed that there will be no return to ‘bubbles’ for registered early years providers. However, the government is advising that parents should minimise the number of settings that they take their children to.

Are there any changes to the rules on face coverings?

No. It is not mandatory for staff and visitors to wear face coverings. In situations where social distancing between adults is not possible – for example when moving around in corridors and communal areas – settings may recommend the use of face coverings for both staff and visitors.

Can we still have external visitors during the lockdown?

Settings should restrict all visits to settings to those that are absolutely necessary. This means suspending parent and carer visits for: new admissions settling-in children new to the setting attending organised performances If a visit cannot be conducted virtually and the provider feels that it can be completed in a Covid-secure way, then it may go ahead.

Can vulnerable staff still work in settings during lockdown?

The government is advising that those who are clinically vulnerable can attend work but “should be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise contacts with others” and “should continue to wash hands carefully and more frequently than usual and maintain thorough cleaning of frequently touched areas in homes and/or workspaces”.

Those who are clinically extremely vulnerable are now advised not to attend work if they cannot work from home.

All other staff – including those living in a household with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable – should attend work.

Can we still take children on outdoor trips?

Yes. Providers may take small groups of children to outdoor public space, such as parks, provided that a risk assessment demonstrates that they can stay two metres away from other people at all times.

Childminders are permitted to meet up in outdoor settings (two adult individuals from two different households) where ALL children are under the age of five. Children over the age of five will count within the two-household limit.

Childminders caring for children over five can take a whole household outside for activities but should not meet with another household if either group has more than one person over the age of five.

When will Ofsted inspections be restarting?

Ofsted has confirmed that during the November lockdown, it will risk assess inspections and either deliver them remotely or make visits if it is “safe and necessary”.

Will paediatric first aid certificates be extended again?

Earlier this year, certificates that expired on or after 16 March 2020 were extended until 25 November. The DfE has said that it does not intend to further extend paediatric first aid certificates unless they hear from providers that this is a particular issue.

For the most up-to-date information about coronavrius, please visit eyalliance.org.uk/ coronavirus.

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Welcome to the

Alliance’s virtual Connect event

FREE to members!

Wednesday 25 November 4pm – 8pm

Alliance virtual Connect event This is Early Years: delivering quality care and education in the ‘new normal’ Our new virtual event, This is Early Years: delivering quality care and education in the ‘new normal’, provides the latest information, guidance and practical support on how early years practitioners can provide high-quality care and education against the challenging and ever-changing backdrop of Covid-19.

We know that Alliance Connect events have been integral in helping you to stay connected. That’s why we recently asked you to share priority areas where you would like additional support. You told us that information and support around Ofsted, the EYFS and physical health and wellbeing of children is most important to you now. We listened. This event gives you a chance to find out more about what matters to you most.

You’ll also have the opportunity to find out more about our exciting new campaign, #ThisIsEarlyYears, and find out how sharing your experiences of the valuable role you play in your local communities can help

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us make the positive case for greater government support for early years at a critical time for the sector.

As always, there will be plenty of time to ask questions and connect with each other throughout the event.

Opening address Neil Leitch, chief executive officer, Early Years Alliance This is Early Years: a new approach to championing the sector Alliance chief executive Neil Leitch will open the event, reflecting on the past year and the momentous impact it has had on the early years sector, and considering the key challenges and opportunities for providers going forward.

With the government Spending Review, due to be announced earlier in the day, only covering the next year of government spending, Neil will outline the importance of continued campaigning for a wholesale and long-term change to early years funding. He will also discuss how the Alliance’s landmark #ThisIsEarlyYears

campaign aims to change the narrative around PVI provision, highlighting the value of the sector in not only supporting parents with childcare, but also delivering quality early education to children during their most important stage of learning and development.

Neil will also touch on the Alliance’s work around the Black Lives Matter movement, looking at how we can work together to address and challenge inequality, racial bias and discrimination, and considering the central role the sector can, and should,

EVENT

Join Gill to hear more and have an opportunity to discuss how Ofsted Inspections might look in the ‘new normal’.

This is a great opportunity to network, share ideas and ease yourself back into the thought process of being ‘Ofsted ready.’

play in building and promoting a more diverse and equal society in the long term.

Gill Jones, deputy director, Early Childhood, Ofsted Delivering inspections in the ‘new normal’ With routine Ofsted inspections currently planned to return in January, it is important that providers feel well prepared and understand what inspectors’ expectations are likely to be in light of the challenges facing many practitioners continuing to deliver care and education in the current environment.

In this useful and informative session, Gill Jones, Early Education Deputy Directorate Ofsted, will outline the inspectorate’s plans for next year, explaining how inspectors will demonstrate sensitivity to the challenges presented

by Covid-19 and prioritise the safety and welfare of everyone involved in the visits.

Christina and Robbie Dee, forest school trainers and directors of Forest School Initiative Inspiring children through positive outdoor experiences With so much change happening to children’s routines and family circumstances, combined with the need to minimise the spread of COVID-19 and the arrival of winter, the importance of maintaining children’s physical wellbeing has become more vital than ever. Chris and Robbie from Forest School Learning Initiative will lead a stimulating session about the Forest School approach, exploring how practitioners can engage and inspire children through positive outdoor experiences.

In this session, you will have an opportunity to explore your own experiences around whether you feel children have become more risk averse in response to lockdown and current local restrictions, gain important insight into how children can be empowered to manage risk, and discuss the importance of vocabulary to mirror the messages of empowerment.

Ben Kingston Hughes, director of Inspired Children Ltd and Early Years Consultant Joy, Wonder and Curiosity in their early years Ben’s session will focus on the importance of inspiring joy, wonder and curiosity amongst very young children. We know that the past year has changed the way some children see themselves and the world around them. With more uncertainty likely over the coming months, creating magical and life-changing experiences for children in your care has the potential to be particularly transformative.

Ben’s unique interactive session will highlight how we can inspire, support and nurture awe and wonder in our children, covering often-underrated concepts which are the cornerstones of neurological development, such as divergent thinking, imagination, creativity and life-long

learning. You will take away a wealth of ideas to embed into your practice, including how a healthy dose of joy to interactions with children. With vibrant practical ideas, up-to-date neuroscience and thought-provoking real-life examples, this session is a must for anyone wanting to inspire awe and wonder in their children at this challenging time.

How to join The virtual event takes place on 25 November from 4-8pm. You can choose to join our event whenever you wish – either stay for the whole event or dip in and out for different parts of it. It really is up to you: we know how busy you are and how difficult it can be to take time out, so you are welcome to join at any time.

After each keynote speaker finishes, there will be an interactive Q&A, so please get involved in the discussions.

Special FREE event goodie bag Anyone who joins the session receives a free goodie bag which includes keynote presentations and Managing Your Ofsted Inspection Online (downloadable) publication. We work hard to ensure our events are inclusive. We want everyone to have an opportunity to enjoy our Alliance Connect networking events.

For this special, virtual Connect event, all Alliance members can join for FREE. Group provider non-members only pay £10, while childminders and baby and toddler non-members can secure places for just £5.

How our virtual Alliance Connect works The keynote speakers deliver in the main room which you can access throughout the evening and make it work for you.

Simply click here Step by step instructions 1. C lick on the registration link above 2. Complete the registration form 3. You will then be sent a link, which we advise you to save, that will give you stepby-step instructions for joining the event 4. I f you are not a member of the Alliance, you will be sent your link once your payment has been received

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Christmas is coming!

Richard Knight, early years service officer at the Alliance, shares ideas for celebrating the festive season post coronavirus 12

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BEST PRACTICE

T

he festive season is fast approaching and I think we can all agree that Christmas 2020 will be a different one for all of us.

Holiday season with children and young people can be a magical experience: the awe and wonder of the build-up, family traditions and people coming together to celebrate in lots of diverse ways.

Autumn is usually a busy time for early years providers with many becoming hives of activity and parental involvement as children work through crafts activities, stories and tales.

Children may even be rehearsing performances for the eyes of proud families.

While settings and childminders might usually have their typical go-to festive activities and traditions, including parents and carers in their celebrations this year might be a little more difficult than usual in these times of ever-changing social distancing restrictions and lockdown guidance.

Different celebrations Ordinarily, seasonal celebrations in settings might involve last day of term parties for both children and parents, carol concerts, fayres or fêtes, shared food and treats from home, nativity plays or favourite story book performances.

With providers still being encouraged to avoid parents and other third party adults entering the premises wherever possible, it is inevitable that times of celebration and coming together in the early years sector are going to continue to be significantly different in the way of life we now lead.

The digital revolution Providers up and down the country have had to embrace digital communications just like many other sectors in the pandemic. We are all working in new ways and connecting virtually with each other and families to good effect. Video and Wi-Fi calling have become the new normal for most.

Some settings are considering using their devices to record festive song sessions and other popular music and movement choices that children may use at home. These sessions could see key persons having a sing along with their key group of children or the whole setting community in a larger, spaced-out session with staff and children singing and dancing together. Providers who are maintaining the use of ‘bubbles’ may prefer to keep to smaller groups.

Another option is for practitioners to sing inclusive seasonal songs while using props to enhance the experience. The recordings can easily be sent to individual families or, with relevant consent, can be used on social media or your setting website.

To keep the recordings as meaningful as possible, practitioners could send out a simple survey asking families which songs they would like to see in the clips.

Providers that would usually do larger scale performances such as carol concerts or plays may want to go ahead with their planned activity and use technology to record the event. Again, the recording can be shared with families who can keep it and watch in the comfort of their own homes.

Those that are feeling savvy might choose to livestream the song session of choice, giving parents and carers an opportunity to watch in real time as if they were in the building. Other ways to share the celebration include taking photographs of children engaging in festive activities and being creative. You may wish to create a series or gallery that can be sent out to families and then be enjoyed at home with the wider family.

Don’t forget to make the most of any nursery management software you may have. You can share play and learning ideas with families remotely. Your usual favourite activities can be given a festive twist to help parents and carers improve their home learning environment over the festive break. This could be increasingly important over the winter break if families are at home more than they would usually be due to local restrictions.

Many providers are hosting catch-ups with parents and carers using video conferencing platforms. Conversations about children’s learning and development still need to happen, despite the fact that parents are not entering the setting itself.

Why not consider a Christmas jumper or other fancy-dress parent networking event or parents evening session online? Invite them to join a virtual party, bringing their own food to enjoy while they chat.

Party like it’s 2020 Lots of providers mark the end of the calendar year with a big party to help celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah and other winter festivals. These parties don’t necessarily have to stop but they will certainly need to be

managed differently to ensure they go ahead in the safest way possible.

Think about keeping your parties in-house and perhaps serve food which is prepared on site, rather than asking families to bring their own dishes in. With allergies, food intolerances and likes and dislikes to consider, you may wish to ask families for their thoughts on the menus offered.

This could be a great opportunity to acknowledge the traditional foods that parents and carers enjoy in times of celebration.

Including some favourite foods from home ensures that your celebrations reflect that of the local community.

Taking lots of photos or videos and involving parents in the planning will help them feel part of the event, even if they can’t be there in person.

If you have a large number of children attending your setting, you may wish to organise several, separate smaller parties within key children cohorts or secure bubbles if you are still using them.

How it works…

“We are considering putting together a Christmas activity video on our closed Facebook group. A collection of photos of the children enjoying all the various crafts and activities throughout the month of December.

We will also video 1 song each day at circle time to add onto the end of the video.

Hopefully the songs will also include Makaton as we are learning different signs and songs all the time.”

Wheatcroft Pre-school in Scarborough, North Yorkshire “In the past we have always had one big party for all the children, with most of our parents and carers coming along to join in the fun. Different this year as we will have parties in our bubbles and to be in line with the guidance parents will not be inside with us. We aim to organise traditional party games and perhaps a treasure hunt outside. We will invite the children to attend in their party clothes, ‘fancy dress’ or Christmas jumpers.

Instead of the children bringing their packed lunch we will provide and serve traditional party food.

To keep Santa safe, he will leave a gift for each child rather than coming into the preschool to bring their presents.

We believe a nice relaxed, but fun filled time will lift the children’s and the staff’s wellbeing.”

Skelmanthorpe Pre-school and After School Club in Huddersfield, Kirklees

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BEST PRACTICE

Post-pandemic behaviour As settings started to reopen to more children after lockdown, many early years practitioners were worried about the potential impact of the pandemic on children’s behaviour. Alliance inclusion manager Nicola Gibson shares an update

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uring the early stages of the

coronavirus lockdown back in spring, there was widespread concern about the decline of wellbeing and an increase in mental health issues. A study conducted by mental health charity Mind found that more than half of all adults and around two thirds of young people felt that their mental health had declined during the lockdown period. In the early years sector, there were concerns about how this could impact children’s mental health and subsequently their behaviour too.

In order to address these concerns, first we needed to identify how, and if, the lockdown has impacted young children and their families. Undoubtedly, there was already anecdotal evidence of high levels of stress in some families as a result of caring for children 24/7. The fear of catching Covid-19 was also causing anxiety in many families.

Families with complex needs, those in high-risk groups and those that were directly affected by the virus were the most impacted by the lockdown period. For most other children under four, there was little negative impact from the pandemic.

We believe this is in part because children under four tend to be egocentric – that means that unless something impacts them directly, the situation often goes unnoticed.

Some families and children even benefitted from the extra time they were able to spend together in lockdown, helping to strengthen attachments and relationships.

Positive trends As more children started to return to settings in the summer, the feedback from

our members at Alliance Connect events suggested that most young children had returned to settings happy and well. Some of the children who had previously exhibited behaviour issues had flourished during the lockdown period and their behaviour was no longer an issue.

However, some members have told us that while challenging behaviour has not become a concern, they have noticed a decline in some children’s language skills, especially their ability to listen and pay attention. To address this, some providers have been developing new techniques to limit distractions, simplify instructions and offering small group activities focused on listening and attending skills.

Ongoing concerns Concerns for children in high risk families and those who were directly affected by the virus remains. The circumstances for some of these families have only become more acute since the initial lockdown period so support from early years providers is more important than ever before. Those who care for older children have also reported signs of stress and anxiety as they are better able to understand the potential consequences of the pandemic.

Researchers from the Universities of Reading, Oxford and Southampton have published the results of their Co-Spyce study (Supporting Parents and Young Children during Epidemics). The researchers surveyed 1,728 parents of pre-school children about their experiences in lockdown. Nearly three quarters said that they felt unable to sufficiently meet the needs of both their jobs and children.

Respondents cited three key sources of stress – their work (54%), their children’s screen time (45%) and their children’s wellbeing (45%). The most common worry for parent was the lack of social and sporting activities available to their children in this time.

However, the research also found that despite the strain families were under due to Covid-19, there were small but significant improvements in children’s behaviour.

A total of 972 parents of children aged between two- and five-years-old were asked about changes to their behaviour.

Boys showed significant improvements in behaviour and attention, while girls generally did not. There was little change to children’s emotions or behaviour.

Unlike some of the early reports from our members, the study found that at home at least children’s concentration had improved.

The Co-Spyce study forms part of the wider Co-Space study which is looking into how families are coping during the pandemic and what parents can do to help support their children’s mental health.

While we recognise that some families are really struggling during this period, we just don’t know what the long-term impact of this situation will be for anyone. For now, at least, it is good to share some positive news.

Find out more If you would like to share any information about how the pandemic has impacted children’s behaviour in your provision with the Alliance, please get in touch at nicola. gibson@eyalliance.org.uk.

To find out more about Alliance Connect events, please visit eyalliance.org.uk/ local-support-alliance-connect.

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SAFETY

Road safety for the early years With Road Safety Week taking place in November, we’ve taken a look at how your setting can get involved and raise awareness amongst children and families

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rom 16-22 November, many early years providers and schools will be taking part in Road Safety Week. The event provides a chance to help raise awareness of road safety amongst children and families. On 18 November, road safety charity Brake will be hosting Beep Beep! Day, aimed specifically at children aged between two- and seven-years-old.

Every day, six children are killed or seriously injured on UK roads. Road Safety Week aims to raise awareness of life-saving road safety messages for children and their families and encourages fundraising for Brake, which supports bereaved and injured families.

Children travel in and around cars from the day they are born, so it’s never too early to start teaching them life-saving skills. Beep Beep! days enable early years providers to access road safety lesson plans, activities and games designed to support children in learning about this important topic. Children can play, paint or draw their way to a better understanding of the dangers on the road.

If you would also like to campaign for safer streets in and around your provision, you can access free selfie props or purchase banners and wheelie bin stickers to help raise awareness of the need for safer speeds in your community.

The theme for this year’s Road Safety Week is ‘No Need to Speed’. Road crashes are one of the biggest causes of death and serious injury among children and young people. Dangerous roads also affect their ability to walk or cycle to your setting and live active, healthy lifestyles.

That’s why it’s important to raise awareness of the risks on roads, as well as reaching out to parents and the wider community.

Here are some activity ideas to help children understand road safety:

Create a road map – make a giant map of roads, paths and pavements using bits of coloured paper stuck together. You could include features that you have in your local area, such as parks or crossings. Ask the children to help you cut out pictures of people, vehicles, dogs and buggies from old magazines. Get them to stick them onto your map in the right place – vehicles on the road, people on the pavement and in the park.

Beep Beep! day success T oy car Olympics – arrange the children in a line at one end of a room or the playground.

Give each of them a toy vehicle with wheels.

Ask them to send their cars across the room in turn. Which is fastest? Which goes furthest before it stops?

Handprint display – create a poster, covered in the children’s hand prints. Add the words “we hold hands” and display it somewhere that both parents and children can see it.

Go and look at a car – only do this if you can park a car somewhere away from traffic where children can approach it safely. It should be parked on a flat surface with the handbrake firmly on and the engine off. Explain to children the importance of standing well away from cars, even when they look like they aren’t moving. Take each child up to the side of the car in turn, holding their hand. Ask the children to touch the car and then touch themselves in the tummy – ask them which is hard and which is soft?

Explain that cars are hard and can hurt if they hit you. Ask them to look at the wheels and see how big they are.

Pilmuir Nursery in Scotland held a Beep Beep! day last year. They had recently lost their crossing patrol officer and, as a group that goes on a lot of outings, the team felt it was important to teach the children about road safety. The setting let the children take home a mascot wearing fluorescent clothing each night, alongside a book to read with their parents.

They made a display of Brake’s road safety resources in the centre, which they will keep up to reiterate road safety messages. The children were also taken out to practice safe crossing in small groups, holding hands and repeating: “stop, look and listen”.

Children at Seahorses Flying Start in Swansea welcomed their crossing patrol officer and PCSO to their Beep Beep! day event in 2019. They played outside with toy cars and made their own zebra crossing to learn about safe crossing points. The children enjoyed stop and go games and made fruit kebabs in the colour of traffic lights to help them learn that red means stop and green means go.

Find out more To find out more and host your own Beep Beep! day, visit brakezebras.org/beep. Beep Beep! days can be run in childcare settings or at home.

Those who register can download a free set of Beep Beep! resources.

yo ur Lit educ er atio ac na y l pr og ra m m es

Co ns id er in g

Building foundat

In the last of this series looking at the revised educational programmes and early learning goals from the reformed EYFS, we focus on Literacy

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he Early Learning Goals (ELGs) for Literacy as a specific area of learning and development have changed from two to three components. ‘Comprehension’ has been added to ‘word reading’ and ‘writing’.

The Department for Education (DfE) says that these revised goals will add more detail on reading and writing, asking children to be able to say a sound for each letter of the alphabet and “at least 10 diagraphs”.

Experts agree that competence and confidence in literacy is important for children’s long-term achievement and success. One of the objectives for the changes to the early learning goals was to add a focus on strengthening language and vocabulary development to particularly support disadvantaged children.

As with the other revised early learning goals, there are concerns from early years experts that the goals for literacy do not reflect current research about how young children learn and develop. In response, the Early Years Coalition has commissioned its own research, which provided no evidence to support giving literacy greater emphasis than any other area of the EYFS.

Communication and literacy Practitioners must be confidence in their knowledge of how support communication and language development as a prime area

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of learning. They should be aware of expert concerns over the removal of “understanding” from the communication and language ELGs. From the earliest age, babies begin to develop an understanding of language as they learn to read and respond to facial expressions and gestures. Before they can speak, they attach meaning to words and eventually can follow sentences. The foundations for understanding language must be secure before children can use language and must be supported effectively before literacy can be developed.

Start at the beginning As we know, the ELGs are not the curriculum.

Our focus in the early years is to consider the skills and knowledge that support children’s progress towards them by the end of the EYFS. To do so, we make use of the learning and development areas in the EYFS to shape the playful activities and experiences or educational programmes that we provide.

The revised educational programme for literacy begins by stating that it “is crucial for children to develop a life-long love of reading”.

This one sentence holds so much meaning when we look at it in detail as it reminds us why reading matters not just as a functional skill but as a catalyst for learning.

Reading inspires and transports our thinking to new levels and has many different functions.

Whether searching for information or inspiration, or simply reading for pleasure, the printed words on a page or screen hold the key to new knowledge and experiences.

When introducing the new inspection framework back in 2019 Ofsted placed increased emphasis on books and vocabulary stating that “the language used in books is much more linguistically complex than ordinary conversation – reading stories, sharing rhymes and songs increases children’s vocabulary”.

When doing these things, we are scaffolding the child’s language by making links, emphasising words and explaining concepts.

For example, a teacher in Reception told how she was reading a story to a group of 4-yearolds that referred to “ripples in a pond”. A child asked what ripples were. The teacher fetched a bowl of water and some pebbles, the children then spent the rest of the lesson experimenting with, exploring, and discovering ripples in a meaningful way that embedded their understanding of a word they had not come across before.

Children have an innate desire to learn from birth so when we are reading to very young children, we want to inspire them to discover what we are conveying through our voice, gestures, and printed images for themselves.

A baby will quickly come to associate a book with pleasurable experiences such as fun and

EYFS

tions for literacy games, or love and nurturing long before they discover how to decode systematic phonics.

Reading and writing The revised ELG for word reading and writing concerns early years experts for a number of reasons. The writing goal refers to handwriting, phonics and writing that can be read. It does not include children being able to convey something that is meaningful to themselves as a form of expression.

It is easy to see how important it is that we get it right in the early years by helping children to develop a love of books and a desire to discover the full potential of what is between their covers for themselves. When children have the opportunity to play with language through stories, rhymes and songs, they learn how to express imaginary and real ideas; they use language to add to a story or to make up their own nonsense songs and rhymes; they question and clarify their thoughts and ideas, as building blocks for literacy.

We know that all areas of learning and development are interconnected, providing many opportunities for developing literacy across all areas. For example, pre-writing skills begin with the development of fine motorskills. Creative activities such as mark-making, painting, and drawing develop the skills needed to form letters correctly. Maths activities such as recognising shapes and how they can fit together also underpin writing skills.

Meanwhile, a well-resourced environment that

includes familiar signs and symbols, gives children concepts of print, encouraging them to associate images with familiar places or instructions before they can read words.

We must also remember that books, signs and symbols that reflect a child’s home language are vital for children whose home language is not English. Children must have plenty of opportunities to include their home language in their play and learning so that they can express themselves and develop strong foundations on which to build their literacy skills.

- Read words consistent with their phonic knowledge by sound blending - Read aloud simple sentences and books that are consistent with their phonic knowledge, including some common exception words.

Revised Early Learning Goals (ELGs)

Proposed educational programme

Comprehension Children at the expected level of development will: - Demonstrate understanding of what has been read to them by retelling stories and narratives using their own words and recently used vocabulary; - Anticipate – where appropriate – key events and stories; - Use and understand recently used vocabulary during discussions about stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems during role-play.

It is crucial for children to develop a lifelong love of reading. Reading consists of two dimensions: language comprehension and word reading. Language comprehension (necessary for both reading and writing) starts from birth. It only develops when adults talk with children about the world around them and the books (stories and non-fiction) they read with them, and enjoy rhymes, poems and songs together. Skilled word reading, taught later, involves both the speedy working out of the pronunciation of unfamiliar printed words (decoding) and the speedy recognition of familiar printed words. Writing involves transcription (spelling and handwriting) and composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech, before writing).

Word reading Children at the expected level of development will: - Say a sound for each letter in the alphabet and at least 10 digraphs;

Writing - Write recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed; - Spell words by identifying sounds in them and representing the sounds with a letter or letters; - Write simple phrases and sentences that can be read by others.

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Taking the Montes

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BEST PRACTICE

ssori method home As a new survey reveals that many parents use Montessori ideas at home without knowing, we look at some of the positive changes bought about by the pandemic

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ven before the pandemic, many families were worried about the amount of time children spend on tablets and computers. However, a recent survey from the Montessori Group has revealed that a majority of children (88%) prefer to play with household items, such as cardboard boxes, over phones and tablets.

This is one of number of positive findings in the survey, which spoke to 1,000 parents and children about what they had been doing at home. 95% of parents said that their children regularly play with everyday materials such as blankets, water jugs and cardboard boxes. The survey also found that most children (64%) preferred to spend time making dens and being creative than watching TV. The survey really highlights the value that children place on family time, with 41% of children said that the best thing about the first lockdown period was spending more time with the parents.

Montessori at home The survey also found that a surprising number of families were already choosing activities that follow the Montessori approach to early education, even if they weren’t aware of it. Leonor Stjepic, chief executive officer at the Montessori Group, says that activities such as laying the table for dinner or clearing it afterwards are great learning experiences for children.

“Montessori is very much about learning through doing. We all learn through doing and getting things wrong,” she says.

With many parents already doing activities like this at home, some will be reassured to know that these are all helpful for the children’s development – particularly after such a difficult year. 97% of parents are already encouraging their child to take part in activities that are typical of Montessori education – such as playing outside, letting children choose that they

play with and encouraging them to follow their interests. To help them build on this, practitioners may simply want to encourage parents to continue this great work.

Making it meaningful “One of my nieces used to love cleaning windows. Sometimes she’d just clean same spot again and again but it was meaningful to her,” Leonor explains. “If a child is focused on doing something, don’t break that flow!”

She says that parents should be encouraged to let children develop these interests naturally at home. “Let them get on with it until they want to do something else.”

If any parents are looking to improve their learning at home, Leonor suggests they take their children outdoors to experience the nature around them – whether its in a garden, park or any space available to them. “Or even just walking down the street and getting them to observe nature around them,” she says. Children can look at the colours of leaves on the trees and try to describe them, count flowers or looking out for signs of wildlife.

the pandemic. “It’s been an incredibility difficult time for families but that doesn’t mean that everything over the past year has all been negative,” Leonor says. “Parents have discovered things about their children that they didn’t previously know.” The survey found that most parents believe that children are more creative (52%) than adults and 65% said that their child was funnier than them.

Children responding to the group’s survey had some suggestions for families going forward. 52% said that adults should spend more time playing and 32% said they should find more time to be silly. Leonor says that this is encouraging for families after a difficult year juggling the many stresses of the pandemic. “I think it speaks a lot about the resilience of children and how special children are,” she says.

She also believes that these findings are a credit to the strength of parents, who have been raising children in such difficult circumstances. “It’s brilliant that parents have found ways to make it work. They should pat themselves on the back!”

88% of children prefer to play with household items such as cardboard boxes, rather than mobile phones or tablets.

Time together

What is the Montessori method?

With another lockdown period now taking place across England, although this time with children still allowed to attend early years settings, there is a strong chance that families will have more time at home together again. But, as we have seen, this is one of the few positive outcomes from

Developed by Maria Montessori in the 1900s, the Montessori method aims to foster independence and a love of learning from an early age by focusing on the whole child and recognising that children have the greatest capacity to learn in the early years.

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Let’s get fundrai sing!

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FUNDRAISING

Remember

If you are planning to host any fundraisin g activity th a t may see groups of adults mix in g o utside of their house holds, rem e m b e r to check guidelines on social d istancing and lockdown restriction s in your local area first.

With coronavirus restrictions still ongoing, many charity-run settings have struggled to host their usual fundraising events.

Here, we look at some creative ideas for raising funds post-pandemic

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any early years settings rely on fundraising events to support their work. With many providers still struggling with reduced staff levels and increased cleaning costs this term, the need for these funds has been greater than ever.

But sadly, most summer fairs, bake sales and even Christmas carol concerts have been cancelled this year, leaving many providers out of pocket.

If your fundraising efforts have been limited by the pandemic, here are some ideas for raising funds without breaking lockdown rules:

Virtual raffle Gather donated prizes and list them online – you could use social media or your setting’s website to show off all the potential prizes.

You could sell raffle tickets and pick winners or invite donors to bid for each of the prizes.

Consider how you will safely collect the donations and drop of prizes to the winners.

Commutes and coffees With families no longer spending as much on travel this year, some have decided to donate the usual cost of their commute to charities.

You could ask for the usual cost of a daily train ticket, parking for the day or even just a cup of takeaway coffee from those saving on these expenses.

Work it out With many gym classes cancelled for the lockdown, you could organise an online workout class and ask families to join in for a small donation. Or consider making it a sponsored event – you could dance, spin or yoga your way through the challenge in return for donations.

Get crafty Use any skills in your team to make inexpensive homemade items to sell. You

could sew your own face masks, knit scarves or build your own birdboxes. Check if any of your parents have skills that could help you here or you could even try getting the children involved in helping to make some items. Think about how you will allow families to collect or deliver the items and the safest way to gather the donations.

Christmas shopping More families than ever will be looking to do much of their festive shopping online this year, making this a great time to sign up for easyfundraising. Once you’ve registered your setting, you can ask families to use the easyfundraising website or app before they spend money online – your setting will collect a donation from the retailers without any additional cost to families Find out more at easyfundraising.org.uk/ early-years-alliance.

Garden gifts Take advantage of the increased popularity of gardening since lockdown by selling packets of seeds, bulbs and indoor plants.

These items are often inexpensive to buy and if anyone in your team has green fingers you could take cuttings, propagate plants or collect seeds from your existing gardens or outdoor area for very little cost.

Virtual pub quiz

a general theme for entrants to follow. Ask entrants to send in pictures of their bakes to be judged for a small entry fee. You could ask the children to help vote for their favourite using the pictures and award a small prize to the winner.

Home play kits Fill brown paper bags or large envelops with sets of low-cost equipment and instructions for parents and children to use them at home. You could include coloured paper and card, glue sticks, pipe cleaners, crayons or anything else that you can easily source and could be used as part of a fun activity. Charge parents a fee to purchase the kits and send them home with the children to be enjoyed over the Christmas break or over the weekend.

Hit the pavements With most fun runs and race events postponed, you could complete a virtual 5K, 10K or even further if you feel up to it.

You could run or walk the distance or make it a joint effort and see how many miles you can rack up as a team. Use a phone app to track your runs so that you can share your progress with everyone. Ask families and other supporters to sponsor your efforts.

Just ask

Bake off

While you may be nervous to ask, many families will be happy to donate funds without the need for any special event, prize or item to purchase. Explain how you’ve missed out on your usual fundraising events and let them know what the money will be used for. You could give an option of donating set amounts to help you purchase certain items – such as £10 for craft supplies or £30 for a cleaning kit.

Host a baking competition online. You could share simple recipes for families to try themselves at home with the children or set

Get in touch

Host a quiz night for friends of the setting over Zoom or Skype. Charge each person a small entry fee to be donated to your setting.

Consider offering a small prize for the quiz winner as an added incentive for families to join in – check if any local businesses are able to donate something.

How have you been fundraising since the start of the pandemic this year? Share your stories with us at editor.u5@eyalliance.org.uk.

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NUTRITION

Sweet celebrations With so many celebrations at this time of year centred around sweet treats for children, Catherine Lippe, nutritionist the Early Years Nutrition Partnership, looks at some alternative ideas for celebrating in your setting

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aster eggs, birthday cakes, Christmas selection packs and oodles of sweets at Halloween. Why is it that so many events seem to have high fat, sugary foods at the heart of the celebrations? How does this impact what we are teaching children about food?

Research carried out by Loughborough and Birmingham universities has previously indicated that using foods as treats or rewards can lead to emotional eating in children. While Easter eggs and pick and mix at parties aren’t necessarily rewards, they are often referred to as treats and I worry about the associations that children will make as a result of us serving food in this way.

We know that one in five children start reception either overweight or obese. Data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey tells us that children are eating too much sugar and not enough vegetables. With the obesity epidemic a priority, isn’t it time that we started thinking not just about what we feed children but also what we are teaching them when it comes to food?

I’m not suggesting avoiding all these foods altogether – restricting foods can be damaging too. But it would be great to find a more balanced approach. Here area a few reasons why I think it’s worth changing the way we celebrate events with foods that are high in fat, sugars and salt:

Improve health and wellbeing There is a wealth of evidence linking good nutrition to improved concentration, learning and behaviour as well as physical development. Promoting healthy eating at times of celebration may help support a healthy lifestyle.

Consistent message For early years settings particularly, it’s

important to set a good example. Having a healthy celebrations policy that is consistent with your other health policies demonstrates a continued commitment to good nutrition.

Ensuring a robust whole setting approach to healthy eating will support the nutrition messages settings are teaching their children and families rather than contradict them.

Create excitement about healthy alternatives At times of celebration children are excited about exploring new things. Presenting healthy foods and snacks in a new and interesting way can encourage children to try new foods. Fun games and activities, as well as songs, are just as much a part of celebrations. Putting the emphasis on these instead of food will result in a memorable and enjoyable occasion without the use of ‘treats’.

Avoid putting parents in a tricky situation Asking parents not to bring foods from home on birthdays and celebrations can avoid issues around food choice, cultural beliefs, food hygiene, allergies, and cost.

It eliminates any competitive element and means that one child’s birthday will not be celebrated in a vastly different manner to the next.

By shifting the focus away from foods high in fat sugars and salt it is possible to celebrate an occasion or make a child feel special on their birthday whist maintaining a balanced approach.

Here’s some ideas to help: Birthdays Use a birthday crown, badge or sash for the child to wear while the class marks the occasion by singing happy birthday.

Have a birthday train or mascot that

delivers a special badge or sticker for the birthday boy or girl.

Make a playdough or papier-mâché cake.

The child can still blow out the candle and be sung to so the ritual remains.

Ask parents to donate a book to the class. The class can read the book together and sing happy birthday afterwards.

Other celebrations or religious festivals such as Easter, Ramadan, Diwali, Hanukkah and Christmas: Organise a treasure hunt where children have to search for tokens. They can exchange their tokens for a small toy, pack of crayons or stickers at the end.

Play special games, do craft activities or sing songs that are relevant to the occasion.

Plan a simple cooking activity with the children such as fruit kebabs or pitta bread pizzas to be eaten at snack time.

Make decorations or cards linked to the festival to display in your setting or for children to take home.

Create a healthy party idea book where staff and parents are asked to send in ideas for their favourite party games, craft activities or healthy recipes.

If you’re having a party where food is being served make sure there is a balance of food which is in keeping with your food and nutrition policy. Give parents a list of suggestions and make it clear what is not allowed if they are bringing food from home.

So let’s get creative and find more innovative ways to mark special events without always relying on food and snacks, particularly unhealthy ones!

Find out more For practical support with food and nutrition in your setting from an expert nutritionist or dietitian, contact the Early Years Nutrition Partnership at www.eynpartnership.org.

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NEW FREE Welcome back bundle available NOW!

This vital, three-pack practical resource offers you support to manage opening up your setting after lockdown.

It covers; putting the needs of children first in the opening up process creating an environment to ensure the health and safety of children the government’s proposals and considers implications for the sector how to best support the physical and emotional wellbeing of children, staff and parents pedagogical issues, offering practical advice and guidance

How to access Each pack includes facilitator notes, templates and useful information links.

Available as FREE download for Alliance members in the member’s area.

Non-members can buy here for a special price, only £40.

Early Years Alliance

LAW-CALL

Reviewing employment terms and conditions The team at Law-Call, a 24-hour legal helpline available to all Alliance members, takes a look at employment terms and conditions

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he coronavirus pandemic has thrown up a host of new and interesting challenges for the early years sector.

Providers have had to take a flexible and creative approach to delivering their services in new, covid-secure ways.

Flexibility has always been key in the sector, but this has become even more crucial across all business models in the wake of the pandemic. Enforced closures and the job retention scheme, quickly followed by changes in the way settings needed to be staffed to address Covid-19 security. In many cases, providers are also seeing dramatically lower numbers of children too, which has meant that employers need to make changes to employees’ hours and patterns of working.

An employee is broadly entitled to expect that their employment terms and conditions are fixed once they have accepted a job. Any subsequent change to those terms should be bought about by consultation and agreement with the employee.

Variable clauses If you find yourself needing to change staff hours or working patterns, you should first look to your existing employment contracts.

Many childcare providers have contracts that make it clear that the nature of childcare means hours may need to vary according to the needs of the business. These are known as ‘variable clauses’. Some are modelled on the understanding that each term a new set of hours or shifts will be issued once the number of places needed is clear.

Where a variation clause exists, it can be useful during discussions to draw the employee’s attention to the fact that this has already been contractually agreed.

Nevertheless, you should still take care with variation clauses as even an express clause may not guarantee that the employer can vary all contractual terms, especially those fundamental to the contract.

You should remember that ‘terms’ of an agreement will not include minor administrative matters, such as a change of address or personal details. ‘Terms’ refers to the substance of the employment agreement. It does not generally include policy changes, which can usually be made and notified to staff without the need for express agreement from the employees.

Consulting staff Once you are satisfied that contractual changes need to be made, particularly if there is no variation clause or it is not sufficiently specific, you should consult with staff and explain the business need for the change. You should also explain what could happen if you don’t make the change. Let staff ask questions – uncertainty about their position is more likely to lead to resistance.

Depending on the nature of the change, you may consider offering a one-off financial payment or a small pay rise in return for agreement. However, charitable settings would be wise to contact Law-Call before making such an offer.

If you are successful in agreeing the change, it is important to record the fact of the change and date of implementation in writing and get the employee to sign too. There is not always a need to reissue the whole contract. A signed letter kept alongside the contract in the personnel file should suffice.

You may reach a point where negotiations have faltered. In this case, you will need to

consider whether the busines is able to manage without the change or if you are now at a point where you will have to impose the change. You should contact Law-Call for advice if you reach this stage.

Unfair dismissal Rather than imposing the change directly, an employer may decide to dismiss the employee on notice (for ‘Some Other Substantial Reason’ under the Employment Rights Act 1996) and then immediately offer them re-engagement on a contract incorporating the new terms. There is an obvious risk with this strategy. Depending on the circumstances, your employee may be immediately eligible to bring a legal claim against you for unfair dismissal. In which case, the Employment Tribunal will consider whether or not: you had a sound reason for the change you considered alternatives and consulted with staff first other staff members agreed to the changes, what proportion of staff agreed and what specific objections were made by those that didn’t Bear in mind that if your proposed changes involve some kind of financial loss to your employee, it’s more likely that they will be successful in claiming a breach of the implied term of mutual trust and confidence.

Remember that special rules apply to changes where there has previously been a transfer under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE). You should seek legal advice in these circumstances.

Find out more This article does not constitute legal advice.

If you have questions about staff contracts, please get in touch with the Law-Call team.

Their contact details are available in the members’ area of our website at eyalliance.org. uk/members-area.

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Christmas all o Melanie Pilcher, quality and standards manager at the Alliance, shares ideas for exploring the theme of Christmas over the world with children

A

fter a year that has seen the world come together to tackle a global pandemic, the anticipation of the festive season offers an ideal opportunity to focus on something positive with the children in our care as we explore the traditions and customs that unite us at this time of year.

One of the most exciting things about our wonderfully diverse communities is the chance to share and learn more about some of the traditions and customs associated with the festive season. Christmas will look different this year, but one thing that the pandemic will never change, is the things are important to our families and that make us who we are.

Children should have the opportunity to experience the festive season with activities that are relevant to them and foster understanding of what is important to others. It can be a challenge to achieve this in a meaningful way, especially in areas that are not so diverse. It is therefore important to build on the knowledge and real-life experiences that children do have rather than creating ‘one off’ events that may be fun at the time but offer very little learning potential.

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As part of your planning, think about the different cultures, languages and traditions represented by the children and families at your setting. How will they be celebrating – if at all – and how can you value and reflect this?

What experiences have they had and how can you build on their cultural capital so they are able to embrace the awe and wonder of the wider world?

One of the most enduring seasonal images in this country can be found on greetings cards and wrapping paper that children will see on display in supermarkets everywhere; snowy landscapes, snowflakes, icicles and snow-capped rooftops and chimneys. But in the Southern Hemisphere many countries will be baking hot during December and some will never experience snow at all! Similarly, many of the animals associated with December such as robins and reindeers are not native to warmer climates. In Australia, for example, Santa’s sleigh is usually depicted as being drawn by huge Joeys (kangaroos), who leap across the night sky on Christmas Eve, with Santa wearing a red tee-shirt (trimmed with white, of course).

Climates and cultu,res There is plenty of scope for learning intent just by comparing the climate and fauna of Christmas in a different country. If you really want to take it further, the Australian Twelve Days of Christmas by Heath McKenzie could replace the traditional ‘partridge in a pear tree’, with a ‘kookaburra up a gum tree’, followed by: two pink galahs three little penguins four cuddling koalas five kangaroos six sharks a swimming seven possums playing eight flies a feasting nine crocs a weeping 10 wombats sleeping 11 emus kicking 12 (Tasmanian) devils fighting There is unlimited capacity for every area of learning and development as you learn the song together, hear new words and discover new animals. Even acting out the movements

ACTIVITY CORNER

over the world as you sing, imagining how possums might play, or where wombats sleep. Develop gross motor skills as you kick like an emu, jump like a kangaroo, or swim like a shark.

Christmas cuisine Food is a major part of most family gettogethers at this time of year, but in Poland, Christmas is a time when some people give up their favourite food and drinks. Traditionally Christmas in Poland was a day of fasting and abstinence. The main Christmas meal is eaten on Christmas Eve (Wigilia), but no food is eaten until the first star has been spotted in the night sky. It is usually the children that look out for the first star. For some, the first Christmas present will not be opened until the meal has been finished.

Twelve dishes, to give you luck for the next twelve months, are served on Christmas Eve and an extra place is always set at the table for an unexpected visitor. Everyone is expected to at least try a little of each dish which includes beetroot or mushroom soup, carp, herrings and gingerbreads. Every family has their own

traditional recipes based on these ingredients, just as most families across the world will have their own favourite seasonal foods and mealtime traditions.

Why not find out what the traditional seasonal food is amongst the families that use your setting? It could be the traditional English yule log, Italian panettone, Romanian cozonaci cake, Kenyan rice served with chapati flat cake, or something that none of you have ever tried before. Always check food allergies and preferences for each child and make sure that you know exactly what ingredients each food contains. Better still, make something simple like a flat bread with the children to be cooked and served at teatime.

Giving gifts Most countries have their own version of Father Christmas or Santa Claus. It is usually a man, although children in some parts of Italy are visited by La Belfana (the old woman). They all have one thing in common – they are central to the Christmas celebrations, aside from the religious focus, and act as the main ‘gift bringer.’

The custom of hanging stockings on Christmas Eve comes from the story of St Nicholas and is popular in the UK, Italy and the USA, while in many European countries, children leave their shoes or boots out at night in the hope they will be filled with sweets or treats.

A special Christmas More important than all the material trimmings of Christmas is the opportunity to show family and friends that we care about them. Equally important is the opportunity to consider those less fortunate than ourselves, particularly in our local community.

Helping children to share simple acts of kindness, instils empathy that in turn supports them to become caring adults. Think about ways you can help your community over Christmas. Whether it is sending handcrafted decorations to a care home, or taking the children to sing seasonal songs outside the premises (socially distanced, of course), it will be welcomed, especially after a year that has seen so many people socially isolated.

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NUTRITION

the spices down if your toddlers aren’t accustomed to these types of flavours just yet. Give it a go!

Butternut squash and red lentil dhal

Introducing vegetarian meals The Early Years Nutrition Partnership shares some ideas for introducing vegetarian foods to children in your setting

A

s we approach a new year, many people often consider trying out veganism, vegetarianism or simply cutting back on the amount of meat and fish in their diet in January. But what is the best way to do this and make sure that children are still getting the right amount of nutrients they need?

Here is some advice for getting started with vegetarian meals:

Think about food groups When preparing vegetarian meals for toddlers, keep in mind the daily number of portions of each of the five food groups that they need. To meet children’s protein needs, replace meat and fish with other protein rich foods such as eggs, ground or chopped nuts and pulses such as beans, chickpeas and lentils. Be mindful of any allergies in your setting and double-check ingredients lists before swapping any meat products for vegetarian alternatives.

Children should be offered one of these vegetarian protein sources three times a day.

Some great options are hummus, baked beans, dhal and nut butter – although, again make sure you check for any allergies in your setting first. Remember to serve a food high in vitamin C with vegetarian meals, to improve the

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absorption of iron – these include tomatoes, peppers, citrus fruits, kiwi and pineapple.

Start with meat-free days Meat-free days are recommended for everyone, including young children. Adding alternatives to meat into children’s diets can have a positive impact on their health. Try adding a meat-free day onto your setting’s weekly menu and see how the children respond.

1 tablespoon sunflower oil 1 onion chopped 1 clove garlic finely chopped 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground turmeric ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 medium butternut squash (peeled and cubed) 1 can chopped tomatoes 1.2 litre low-salt vegetable stock 300g red lentils Method: 1. Soften onions and garlic in the oil 2. Add the spices and butternut squash 3. Add tinned tomatoes 4. Add lentils and stock 5. Bring to the boil and simmer for around 30 minutes until the squash is tender and the lentils are cooked Make your own flat bread to accompany it and you’ll have a complete, balanced meal.

Try using this easy recipe: 500g self-raising flour 500ml natural yoghurt ½ teaspoon baking powder

Focus on veg Don’t just focus on trying new meat alternatives – switching to vegetarian recipes is also a great way to introduce new vegetables to children by putting them at the centre of the meal. Vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals and fibre. But we all know that it can be difficult to get children to eat them at times! Try making the most of seasonal vegetables grown here in the UK or even trying growing some of your own to further encourage them to give something new a try.

Here’s a recipe for a tasty and balanced, veggie friendly dinner that’s a hit with adults and children alike. You may wish to tone

Method: 1. M ix all ingredients together to make a soft dough 2. Form into 8 balls and flatten 3. Lightly brush a baking tray with oil 4. Put flattened breads onto tray and cook in a hot oven for 20 minutes. Flip over after 10 minutes

More information For practical support with food and nutrition in your setting from an expert nutritionist or dietitian, contact the Early Years Nutrition Partnership at www.eynpartnership.org.

COMPETITION

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Very Puzzled is a children’s toy manufacturer that focuses on AfricanCaribbean themed jigsaw puzzles for children developed with both parents and children in mind.

Very Puzzled provides a vibrant range of highly engaging jigsaw puzzles that parents and carers can get stuck into with their children. Not only do these puzzles help children to develop their vocabularies and imaginations in an era of screen dependence, digital overstimulation and low-quality plastic toys, but they also allow the player to learn

The views expressed in Under 5 are not necessarily those of the Early Years 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.

about integral parts of our world that they may not have been as exposed to before.

Alliance members can also get a discount at Very Puzzled, using the code eya20 – visit https://verypuzzled.com for more information.

For your chance to win the giant puzzle, simply send your answer to the following question, along with your name and contact details to: under5.competitions@eyalliance. org.uk.

What date is the Alliance Virtual Connect event being held on (hint: see page 10)? a) 20 November b) 25 November c) 5 December

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