Under 5 April 2018

Under 5 WI N

Magazine of the Pre-school Learning Alliance

April 2018

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Time to grow

Gardening activities for your setting

Selfevaluation Reflective practice without the SEF

Dealing with stress How to find and reduce stressors

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Contents 4

News round-up

8

My Under 5

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

12

A chance for Alliance member settings to share news of recent events and projects

10 Letters to the editor

Under 5 readers share their views

12 Stress – don’t wait to deal with it

The Health and Safety Executive shares advice for reducing stress in your setting

14 Minds matter

A preview of this year’s Alliance annual conference and Outstanding Member Awards

16 The importance of self-evaluation

How you can self-evaluate now that Ofsted’s SEF has been removed

18 All about teeth

The Oral Health Foundation shares ideas for promoting dental health in your setting

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20 Early years anywhere

How The Children’s Hospital School at Great Ormond Street deliver early education on the wards

23 Auto-enrolment update

What you need to know about the changes to pension rules this month

24 Time to plant and grow

Fun ideas for introducing gardening activities in your setting

26 Saying goodbye

An introduction to the rules on redundancy

26

28 Ready, steady, Ofsted

How to prepare for your next Ofsted inspection

30 Minimum wage: are you up to speed?

A guide to the rules on the minimum wage

32 Vitamin D for babies and toddlers

The Infant & Toddler Forum shares information on vitamin D supplements

33 Competition

WELCOME & CONTENTS

Welcome Welcome to Under 5

Last month, Finland was named the happiest country in the world, by the United Nations. Children in Finland do not start formal education until age seven and more than 90% of early education and care is funded by the state.

Compare this to England, which is currently planning to reintroduce a baseline assessment for four-year-olds and is still getting to grips with the launch of the 30-hours ‘free childcare’ offer, and it is easy to see why the UK was listed in 19th place.

Despite this, the early years sector continues to be filled with passionate and dedicated staff and there is much to celebrate. Last month I was privileged to meet some of the early years practitioners who work with children at Great Ormond Street Hospital. While they undoubtedly share much in common with the wider sector, their dedication and creative approach to the unique challenges they face is an inspiration for all (page 20).

We’ve also heard from the Health and Safety Executive’s office about how you can alleviate stress in your setting (page 12). If you’d like to learn more about promoting mental wellbeing, both for children and staff at your setting, please join the Alliance at our annual conference. This year’s event explores the theme ‘Minds matter: protecting the wellbeing of children and practitioners in the early years’ and takes place on 1 June 2018 (page14).

Last month, we shared the news that Ofsted was dropping its early years Self-Evaluation Form (SEF). The move was designed to help reduce admin, but practitioners will still be required to self-evaluate. To help, we’ve heard from Alliance quality and standards manager Melanie Pilcher about how you can keep reflecting on your work without it (page 16).

We’ve also got some great ideas for introducing gardening activities in your setting, with physical activity and time outdoors both being great for improving wellbeing for staff and children alike (page 24).

I can also share the exciting news that Under 5 magazine is now available for Alliance members to read online. Simply visit the Alliance website and log in to the members’ area to find an easy-to-read version of the magazine online.

Visit www.pre-school.org.uk/members-area to read the magazine on your computer or tablet.

This issue also includes two full pages of good news from our readers (page 8). If you’ve got some news to share, please do get in touch at editor.u5@pre-school.org.uk Rachel Lawler, editor

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in brief...

UNIVERSAL CREDIT: The government will go ahead with plans to means test funding for two-year-olds and free school meals after Labour lost a bid to extend the offers to all of those on Universal Credit.

Two thirds of local authorities falling behind on 30-hours delivery

round-up Childcare vouchers deadline extended The deadline for joining the childcare vouchers scheme has been extended by six months. The scheme was due to close to new applicants on 6 April 2018 but is now expected to remain open until sometime in October 2018.

Education secretary Damian Hinds announced the change last month during a debate in the House of Commons.

Hinds said: “I have heard the concerns that have been raised about this and the timing, and I can confirm that we will be able to keep the voucher scheme open for a further six months to new entrants.”

Earlier this year, a petition asking the government to keep the childcare vouchers scheme open alongside tax-free childcare attracted more than 100,000 signatures.

funds into a childcare account, which will then be topped up with an additional 20% from the government. The scheme can be used to pay for up to £10,000 worth of childcare each year, giving parents a maximum of £2,000 in top-ups.

Tax-free childcare is available through the government’s Childcare Service website, which has struggled with technical problems since its launch last year. The number of families opting to use the scheme has been much lower than was initially anticipated.

The childcare vouchers scheme is now expected to remain open to new applicants until October 2018

Childcare vouchers Childcare vouchers are offered to some parents through their employer. They allow parents to purchase childcare vouchers using their pre-tax salary up to a maximum of £243 per parent each month.

Tax-free childcare Last year, the government launched tax-free childcare, which offers working parents a 20% top-up to help pay for childcare costs. Parents must transfer

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Alliance response

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “Given the significant difficulties parents trying to access tax-free childcare online continue to face, delaying the closure of the childcare voucher scheme to new entrants is clearly a sensible decision by the government.

“With take-up of tax-free childcare still much lower than originally expected and valid concerns continuing to be raised about the level of support the scheme offers to lower-income families, we would suggest that the government uses this time to reflect on the effectiveness of its tax-free childcare policy and whether this scheme alone is the best way to provide adequate support to all families who need it.”

More than two thirds of local authorities in England are validating fewer 30-hours codes than the national average, according to statistics released by the Department for Education (DfE) last month.

In the spring term running from 1 January to 31 March, an estimated 294,000 children were using a 30-hours place after a total of 329,195 codes were issued and a total of 307,165 were validated by a provider. This means that 93% of parents issued with a 30-hours code had it validated and around 89% were able to secure and start using a place at a setting.

But while this is the national average, more than two thirds of local authorities have a lower percentage of eligible children accessing a 30-hours place. In Manchester, just 71% of children issued with a code have secured and were able to access a place for the spring term. In Leicester, an estimated 77% of children were able to access a 30-hours place.

Several London local authorities were also not meeting the national average rate. In Lewisham an estimate of just 67% of children with an eligibility code were accessing a 30-hours place and in Barnet, the estimated rate was as low as 55%. A total of 63 local authorities who provided data on the 30-hours codes validated fewer eligibility codes than the national average and 68 saw fewer children accessing a 30-hours place.

The DfE explained that some parents are issued with an eligibility code but choose not to use it with a provider and some who get a code validated by a provider do not end up taking the 30-hours place.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “Unfortunately, nearly two terms into the rollout out of 30 hours, each release of government statistics only serves to make the issues with the policy more apparent Both terms now have begun with figures showing parents struggling to have their codes validated in time and then, later in the term, another release showing improvement nationally is being hamstrung by huge variations of take up locally.” Neil added: “Only the government is in a position to fix this, and if ministers are serious about delivering affordable childcare for parents they must act now to make the policy sustainable by ensuring it is properly funded.”

BREAKFAST CLUBS: The government has pledged to spend £26 million on school breakfast clubs, funded by the new soft drinks levy.

TOOTHACHE: A survey by Queen Mary Universirty has found that just 30% of parents take their child to the dentist to treat toothache.

30 hours delivery support fund figures announced The government has shared details of funding allocated to local authorities to help with the delivery of the 30 hours offer. The funding is for the 2017-2018 financial year and is being shared across 147 local authorities who applied through a round of bidding. A total of £7.7 million was made available to local authorities through the fund.

Projects supported by the funding include SEND support, childminder support and recruitment and partnership hubs.

demonstrate how it will be spent before 31 August. They will also be asked to record and share evidence of its impact with Childcare Works when requested.

In autumn 2018, the successful applicants will need to submit a short report including statistical evidence of the project’s success. Some of the local authorities named will receive further funding support outside of this funding round, with further support available to help improve IT systems.

30-hours support

Alliance response

The funds will be used to help with the delivery of the 30 hours offer and is designed to create new places, directly or indirectly, for the 2018 summer term.

The support fund was first announced in November 2017 and aims to “support local authorities with the first year of [30 hours] delivery, and to enable them to support their providers to deliver sufficient 30 hours places”.

Local authorities were allocated funding based on the challenges they faced and how well they had demonstrated that they would be able to deliver sufficient 30 hours places for the summer term.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “While local authorities are likely to welcome any financial support they can get from government, the fact is that this funding, which in the vast majority of areas amounts to less than £100,000, can only ever have a limited impact on councils’ – and providers’ – ability to deliver the 30-hour offer in a sustainable way.

“It’s clear from the decision to create the ‘delivery support fund’ that the Department for Education is all too aware that ensuring sufficient 30 hours places for the summer term is going to be a real challenge. Rather than tinkering around the edges with ad hoc pots of funding for councils, the government needs to tackle the root cause of sufficiency problems: insufficient funding for frontline providers.”

Evidence of impact Local authorities who have been allocated funding will need to

More than a Score launches baseline report The More than a Score campaign has launched a dossier, criticising the government’s current plans to introduce a baseline assessment for four-year-olds.

Baseline: it doesn’t add up argues that the plans are uninformed and potentially harmful for children. It says that that the £10 million scheme is “pointless and damaging”.

“I believe that children learn through play and creativity, not just through examinations” Campaign launch Shadow early years minister Tracy Brabin hosted a meeting at Westminster to launch the report. She said: “I believe that children learn through play and creativity, not just through examinations, that’s why it’s great [that] More Than a Score is leading on this important work.”

Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, added: “The government could do far more for children’s education by lifting them out of poverty, than by spending £10 million on tests in which few education experts have any confidence.”

Previous problems Baseline assessments were originally introduced in 2015/16 and were set to replace the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Profile. This policy was later dropped after concerns that the three different testing systems being used produced different results from the same children.

However, in September 2017 the government announced plans to reintroduce the baseline assessment and reduce the scope of the EYFS Profile. It intends to run a pilot scheme and evaluation in 2019/2020 ahead of a national roll-out in 2020.

The More than a Score campaign now aims to share its message with parents and schools ahead of the scheme’s pilot and national roll-out.

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Low income families ‘hit hardest by childcare costs The cost of childcare has risen 7% in the past year, with lower income families hit hardest by the increase, according to a new report from the Family and Childcare Trust.

The Childcare Survey 2018 says that the average cost of childcare for a child aged under two is now £122 a week – up 7% from 2017 and £119 a week for a child aged two and above – up 6% from 2017.

Currently, families that receive state benefits can reclaim up to 85% of their childcare costs, depending on how much they earn. Parents will need to pay these costs upfront before being reimbursed. Tax-free childcare, which is available to some working parents, offers parents a top-up on their nursery fees and can be paid directly to providers.

youngest children, particularly between the end of paid parental leave and when a child turns three, when there is the least financial support available to parents.

The government’s offer of 30-hours free childcare for children aged three and four was also highlighted as a potential concern, as only half of local authorities said they felt they had enough available places for working families in their area.

The cost of childcare is highest for the

EPI report highlights staffing concerns in early years sector

also noted that the early years workforce “still suffers from low status in society and within the education system itself”.

The early years sector faces “increasing Sector-wide crisis recruitment and retention problems” Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, according to a new report on the early said: “While the publication of the years workforce. government’s Workforce Strategy was The Education Policy Institute (EPI) a welcome first step towards improving released the report, titled the status of the sector and The early years workforce: helping providers to attract, Staff turnover retain and support the career A fragmented picture. rates have The report states that progression of early years staff turnover rates have practitioners, it’s clear that increased increased to 14% for much more needs to be done to 14% at group-based providers, 8% to prevent a sector-wide for school-based settings recruitment crisis. group-based and 9% for reception staff.

“This is particularly true in providers It also estimated that the the PVI sector where, as the average hourly pay of an report notes, the gap between early years practitioner is £8.30. senior and non-senior staff pay tends to be much smaller than in maintained Positive trends settings. Is it any wonder that more and The report highlighted some positive more practitioners are seeking career developments for the sector, noting the opportunities outside the sector?” introduction of the National Living Wage Neil added: “If the government wants and Minimum Living Wage, which have to ensure accessible, quality early care increased pay for many employees. and education for all children, it needs However, the EPI said that some to ensure that we have a well-qualified “negative trends are continuing or professional workforce to deliver this – this emerging”. It said that pay continues to means investing in the sector and ensuring be lower than in other sectors, and lower that childcare is, and remains, a viable in PVI than at school-based settings. It career choice.”

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off working and childcare quality is high enough to boost children’s outcomes throughout life.”

Social mobility

Families “treading water” Ellen Broomé, chief executive at the Family and Childcare Trust, commented: “New government investment is welcome, but this year’s childcare price surge shows that without root and branch reform, many families will be left just treading water.

“The government needs to streamline the current hotchpotch of childcare support schemes. We need a simple and responsive childcare system that makes sure that every parent is better

30-hours ‘free’ childcare

“This is simply not acceptable, especially in the light of the government’s continued emphasis on improving social mobility.”

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “Of course, as the Family and Childcare Trust rightly points out, it’s those families on the lowest incomes that are likely to be hit hardest by these price increases.

“This is simply not acceptable, especially in light of the government’s continued emphasis on the need to support and improve social mobility. Add to this the fact that just half of all councils in England say they have enough 30-hour places to meet parental demand and it’s clear that the government needs to go back to the drawing board on this policy.”

Under 5 launches online Alliance members can now access an online version of Under 5 on the Alliance website. The latest issue of the magazine will be available in the members’ area – simply head to www.pre-school.org.uk/ members-area and log in to your account to read the magazine online.

Members will still receive their copies in the post, but now you will be able to access an online version as well for easy reading on any computer or tablet.

You can also keep up-to-date between issues of Under 5 with our fortnightly e-newsletter. Sign up to receive a copy in your inbox every other week at: www.pre-school.org.uk/under-5-magazine.

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Every year thousands of tots and infants aged 2-7 take part in a special Beep Beep! Day • A great way to engage children with road safety basics.

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

Register now at Brake.org.uk/beepbeepday email Beepbeep@brake.org.uk or call the team on 01484 550061

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

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Celebration s at Po

ppies Nurser Staff and child y ren at Poppie s Nursery in Lu ‘outstanding’ to n are celebrat

by Ofsted. Th ing after bein e inspector pr g rated children to en ai se d the way the gage, explore setting inspire an d de ve s lop their own “Children are ideas. The re very happy an port reads: d demonstra praise and en te th at th ey feel safe. Th couragemen t, children rapi rough frequen Tracey Perkin dly develop th t s, manager at eir self-esteem th . e se tting, said: “W together and e are a team with the pare and we all wor nts to give ev experience w ery child the k ith a focus on best possible le nursery ar ni ng an passionate ab d developing out the work through play. we do and pr We are really been recognis oud that the ed.” hard work of the team has

Coming together Stanhope House Day Nursery in Leicester has enjoyed several visits to their nearby Age UK Centre.

They were invited to perform a sing-along at Christmas, which was so well received by all that the setting has decided to introduce monthly visits this year. The children have been back to help make ‘moon monsters’ at the centre, using dough, feathers and lollipop sticks. Ruth Ryan, managing director at the setting, said: “We’re looking forward to making more visits in the future and are hoping to make a real difference by bringing children and the elderly together.”

Snow day

Swineshead Pre-schoo in Boston enjoyed the wintery weather last

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month. Despite all of the schools in the area closing for the day, the setting remained open

and enjoyed lots of outdoor fun, examining the snowflakes and working together to build a snowman.

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lds Outstanding for Court Fie

on. The ing following its latest inspecti received an ‘outstanding’ grad ” with the erly eag e Court Fields Pre-school has progress” and “engag at the setting make “excellent emely extr are n inspector noted that children ildre The report says: “Ch stimulating activities” offered. the put ing, sett the “excellent, challenging and ryl Higgs, manager at r behaviour is very good.” She emotionally secure and thei k. and excellent team wor its commitment, dedication setting’s success down to

World Book Day

Many Under 5 reade

rs got in touch to sha re their stories from World Book Day 2018 Favourite books an . d rhymes Children at Jellybab ies Nursery & Pre-School in Longbri dge celebrated World Book Day by dressing up as characters from the ir favourite books. Older children looked at stories by their favou rite author, Julia Donaldson, wh ile the younger children explored the theme of nursery rhymes. Jac queline Walker, manager at the settin g, said: “This theme really helps to spark the children’s interest in books and literacy and is always very popular.”

Puppets and songs Play Days Playgroup at St Stephen’s Church in Rednall en joyed dressing up as favourite book characters for the event. The group enjoyed an extended circle time with puppets and songs and made their own books and bookmarks . Children were encouraged to join in with group story time or to spend time in the book area with the ir carers.

Goldilocks and the three bears Practitioners at Swine shead Preschool made sure tha t their World Book Day celebration s went ahead, despite the heavy sno w. The group followed the theme of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears ’, acting out the story and enjoying porridge at snack time. The settin g has already promised to host an other Book Day event for the children that couldn’t make it in due to the snow.

What’s been happening in your setting?

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

HAVE YOUR SAY

Letters to the editor STAR LETTER Get your figures straight I watched the televised evidence session of the Treasury Committee’s childcare inquiry (Alliance expresses concern over funding data confusion, Under 5, March 2018) carefully and took notes. Liz Truss made several completely inaccurate claims about funding rates. At times she seemed to fail to understand, or was refusing to accept, further probing of her statements.

Truss’ evidence amounted to a broad-reaching misrepresentation of the state of the early years sector. For example, without any representative being present to defend it, she described childcare vouchers as “unfair and arbitrary and misconceived” and described the childcare vouchers Association as “vested, unreliable and obstructive” in the comments it had made about the closure of the vouchers scheme.

Stay in touch:

Share your views with us on social media:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ PreSchoolLearning Alliance

Twitter: @under5mag

This issue’s star letter writer wins a set of CDs from Kids Music Shop.

Children’s Favourite Songs includes all you need to keep under fives entertained at home or in the car. The set includes 125 singalong songs and nursery rhymes and 10 fairy stories across six hour-long CDs.

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Truss also made a claim for which I cannot find any evidence anywhere. She said that 1,000 settings have closed over the past year but also said that 9,000 new childcare places have been created. Is this true?

Truss made many references to the complete marketization of the sector, which she applauded. She mentioned the Department for Education and Ofsted as enforcers of everincreasing “efficiencies” within the childcare market. What a vision for the early years sector this government has!

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

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Early Language Development building the foundations for supports you to children to develop identify ways that babies’ and This resource supports you to identify ways thatguage toddlers’ babies’ and toddlers’ language development cancan development be supported best be supported in your early yearsbest environment. in your early years environment.

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To order your copy simply visit www.pre-school.org.uk/shop or call us on 0300 330 0996

BEST PRACTICE

Dealing with stress Is stress affecting you and your early years setting? Rob McGeal, policy advisor at the Health and Safety Executive, explains how you can mitigate its impact on staff

S

tress is not an illness, but if you are under excessive or prolonged pressure without any time to recover, stress can build up. This can lead to mental and physical illnesses. Stress has been linked with heart conditions, strokes, diabetes, IBS, obesity and mental health conditions including anxiety and depression. It can affect anyone working at any level of your setting.

Stress isn’t only caused by work. It can often be caused by a build-up of pressure from several sources. Money worries, bereavement, relationship problems and illness can all contribute. It is also subjective – people react differently to pressure and what affects one individual may have no impact at all on colleagues doing the same job.

Health and safety Work related stress is a work hazard. As is the case with all work hazards, employers are required by health and safety legislation to assess the risk of stress to their employees. Employers must also take action to remove or reduce the risk as far as is reasonably practicable.

Preventing an employee from becoming ill in the first place is better for them and makes financial sense for their employer. An estimated 12.5 million working days were lost to stress in 2016/17, at a cost of at least £5.2 billion to British businesses. More than half a million people are said to be experiencing work related stress and stress is said to account for half of all working days lost due to ill health.

Within HSE’s Health and Work programme, and its associated website Go Home Healthy, work related stress is a priority health issue. Along with musculoskeletal disorders and occupational lung diseases, it forms the cornerstone of the campaign.

Making changes So, what should you do? Firstly, make sure you are compliant with legislation – assess the level of risk to your staff, identify the causes of their stress and take action. Talk to you staff: these are the people that do the work, know the problems and how they are affected. They will probably be able to suggest ideas to remove or reduce that impact.

Secondly, put in place measures to tackle the stressors. Make sure these are the right solutions by planning a process for reviewing and checking their work. For example, if you know that Ofsted inspections can be stressful, think about how you

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can be better prepared for the next one. Do you really need to complete all that paperwork? From pilot work that HSE has done in the education sector, it is clear that some teachers have been pressured to produce paperwork that is probably not required.

Ofsted recently published a list of myths about early years inspections, clarifying that it does not require a particular amount of paperwork or a set system for filing. [You can download a copy of this from the Alliance’ website at bit.ly/2Ffh5DP.]

Management standards approach HSE has also developed a free-to-use approach that allows employers to assess the risk, identify individual stressors and where the problems exist.

Called the Management Standards Approach, it also gives a target, ‘standard’ to aim for. When used properly, it gives employers confidence that they are taking appropriate steps to comply with the law.

The approach promotes organisational solutions to tackle stressors that could affect groups of employees and thereby prevent illness. If a single person raises an issue they may just be the first sufferer or they may be one of many people suffering in silence. Tackling these problems head on will prevent others from being affected.

Solving the issues An industry appears to have built-up around tackling work related stress, with a focus placed on interventions that can help affected individuals. This includes mindfulness or resilience training, massage, yoga, healthy living, the list goes on. While each of these can be helpful and may provide therapeutic value as complimentary support for the individual, they do not tackle the cause of the problem – the original work stressor.

So, if you are an employer think about how much work related stress is costing your organisation. It’s probably more than you think! Consider what you can do to reduce stress, as well as how much it could save you.

If you think you are being affected by your work or pressure from other sources, speak to someone – your boss, GP or a trusted friend. Seeking help early will limit the impact it has on you. There are many organisations that can help and provide advice. Visit the “useful links” page on HSE’s website.

More information on the Management Standards Approach is available free-of-charge on the HSE’s stress website at: www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards.

MINDS MATTER: protecting the wellbeing of children and practitioners in the early years WHY JOIN US You will join over 600 delegates, who will hear from a range of dynamic speakers and workshop facilitators with plenty of opportunities to update best practice, gain further insight into latest policies plus chances to network and meet with specialist suppliers and exhibitors throughout the day.

Our new Member Awards take place after lunch to celebrate and highlight the amazing contribution made by Alliance members to families across England every year. The AGM follows for those eligible members who wish to influence the future direction of the Charity.

This year’s theme Minds matter: protecting the wellbeing of children and practitioners in the early years is an important one.

For very young children, it can be strange joining their local nursery or meeting their new childminder for the first time. Adding the pressure of early testing into the mix with plans to reintroduce the reception baseline assessment and proposed changes to the EYFS Profile – recently confirmed

by government, we are rightly worried about the impact on a child’s mental wellbeing.

As practitioners, we need to give equal consideration to our own mental health. With increased funding uncertainty, rising business costs and constantly changing legislation and standards, many of us are feeling the strain. Inspections too, no matter how well-prepared and managed, can be a real cause of anxiety and stress.

This year’s conference, Minds matter: protecting the wellbeing of children and practitioners in the early years, explores how we can better protect the mental health for everyone in the early years: children and practitioners.

You will: • hear encouraging and uplifting stories from those directly affected • gain further insight and increased awareness of the impact of stress in adults and very young children.

• find out more about latest research, develop useful coping strategies to help you better identify and manage the impact of on-going stress on an individual or team.

THE PROGRAMME* 09.00 Registration, coffee & exhibition 10.30 Chair’s welcome 10.35 Neil Leitch, Chief Executive, Pre-school Learning Alliance 10.50 Alastair Campbell, Author, Journalist & Broadcaster 11:10 Amanda Spielman, Chief Inspector, Ofsted 11.30 Dr Guy Roberts-Holmes, Senior Lecturer, UCL Institute for Education 11.50 Q&A session 12.15 Fork buffet lunch and exhibition 13.30 Alliance Member Awards celebration!

14.15 AGM Sophie Ross, Chair, Trustees 14.45 Workshops begin 15.45 Refreshments and exhibition 16.15 Workshops (repeat) 17.15 Workshops finish; conference ends *Programme is subject to change

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K O BO UR YO CE PLA W! NO

CONFERENCE

THE WORKSHOPS 1 Why ‘physical first’ really is the key to learning, especially for boys Ali McClure, Author, Education and Parenting Consultant Ali’s lively and practical workshop explores why ‘physical first’ really is integral to all children’s learning with a particular focus on benefit for boys. The session will inspire and empower you to support children to overcome damaging and inappropriate expectations. You will learn how to develop relevant and appropriate practice by truly understanding how to get it right for boys and girls in your early years environment. Do hormones really influence how boys and girls learn and behave? Can matching children’s stage of physical development at this early stage in their lives really unlock their learning and support them positively going forward?’ It most certainly can!

2 Successfully managing work-related stress in your organisation and teams

Roxane Gervais, Senior Psychologist, Health and Safety Executive This session aims to better equip managers to recognise the signs of stress in their staff, help them to understand what they should be doing to support the individual and the rest of their team, and understand how their behaviour can impact on the people who work for them. Roxane will raise awareness of the advice and support available that will help prevent workplace ‘stressors’ that may lead to stress, anxiety and depression. This will include guidance on how organisations can apply the HSE Management Standards risk assessment approach.

3 Promoting Emotional Wellbeing in Early Years Staff S onia Mainstone-Cotton, Early years nurture and wellbeing trainer and early years consultant Though children’s wellbeing is high on the agenda for policy makers, the welfare of the professionals looking after them is often taken for granted. Sonia recognises that in order to enhance children’s emotional wellbeing, it’s vital that early years professionals are stress-free and emotionally well themselves. Her session offers an overview of the key issues with practical guidance, tips and ideas for those working with young children on how to comfortably manage the pressures of their job, improve their work/life balance, and support the wellbeing of their colleagues.

4 Yoga-inspired activities for the Under Fives Lisa Applebee, specialist teacher, YogaBugs YogaBugs is the largest children’s yoga inspired activity in the UK offering classes for children from walking age to seven years and beyond. Lisa looks at the benefits of yoga for young children and will teach mindfulness techniques that practitioners can use to help children focus their minds. This approach promotes a sense of calm, gives children a better understanding of their emotions and encourages more kindness and gratitude to others. This approach also encourages children’s learning and development - combining fun with exercise. Children can go on wild adventures where they may roar like a lion, fly like a bird or blast into outer space!

BOOK NOW Simply book your place here: www.pre-school.org.uk/ conference2018 Alliance members get a 50% discount on every delegate place – prices start at just £65.

If you would like to find out more about the event, please contact our friendly Information Service team on 020 7697 2595 or info@pre-school.org.uk.

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The importance o

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BEST PRACTICE

of self-evaluation Alliance quality and standards manager Melanie Pilcher explains how you can keep reflecting on your practice after the removal of the self-evaluation form As of 1 April 2018, Ofsted’s early years SelfEvaluation Form (SEF), which providers could previously use to structure and evidence their self-evaluation, no longer exists. Ofsted says that it hopes the removal will “help to reduce the burden on early years providers”.

The decision to remove the form follows a review by Ofsted into its effectiveness and whether or not it is actually needed. The inspectorate says that it consulted with early years leaders and managers on its National Consultative Forum and the general consensus was that the form was not necessary. This may be surprising to some practitioners, particularly when we consider how deeply the need for self-evaluation is embedded into the current inspection framework.

Ofsted’s key elements Although using Ofsted’s SEF was optional, self-evaluation is not. Providers will still need to demonstrate how they “evaluate their service and strive for continuous improvement”. It has never been a requirement to produce a self-evaluation form in order to do this, but managers and staff should be able to discuss the setting with the inspector and will presumably still need to include the key elements identified by Ofsted.

These are: the views of children, parents and any staff or assistants you employ the views of other professionals who may work with you, such as local authority advisers, development workers, health professionals, children’s centre staff and any other early years provision your strengths, any area for improvement and the actions you propose to tackle them.

Key benefits of SEF The essence of good self-evaluation is to have an accurate view of the quality of your provision.

One of the main benefits of using Ofsted’s SEF was that it was structured to focus the provider’s attention to the judgements the inspector makes and the criteria they refer to when evaluating a provision during an inspection.

Another benefit of completing Ofsted’s online SEF was that the inspector would always refer

to it prior to the inspection visit as part of their preparations. This would save time during the visit and would give the inspector an early insight into the provision.

The inspection handbook refers to the need for the inspector to “meet the provider or their representative to discuss the self-evaluation if they have one”. The discussion would take place at a point during the inspection where the inspector has time to follow up any matters discussed and to examine whether the provider’s view of their provision is realistic.

Mutual understanding When self-evaluation is rigorous and effective, there should be no surprises during feedback from the inspector as the provider will have already reflected on their practice in each area and will have graded themselves accordingly.

If the inspector’s judgement differs from the provider’s evaluation, there is a valuable opportunity during feedback to discuss why this might be the case. This in turn leads to a better understanding for the provider of how the inspector has reached their conclusion.

The inspector must ensure that the provider is clear about each judgement awarded and will refer to particular evidence where it differs from the provider’s self-evaluation. This gives clarity for the provider who may in some circumstances genuinely believe that they are ‘good’ or even ‘outstanding’ in a particular area and will find it hard to agree with the inspector’s decision to award a different grade.

Counter-intuitive?

Taking all of these factors into account, it appears that Ofsted’s decision to remove their online SEF is somewhat counter-intuitive. The need for self-evaluation is embedded within the current inspection schedule and it will remain. It could be suggested that from April 2018 onwards, inspectors will need to spend more time seeking evidence, whether verbal or written, that demonstrate that a provider knows where they need to improve.

There is also the potential for other forms of self-evaluation to remove the important question: How do we grade our provision? If providers are not prepared to grade themselves, they are less

likely to scrutinise the criteria for each grade that is to be found in the inspection schedule.

Next steps If you still have a copy of Ofsted’s SEF, you can save it or print off copies for future use. It will remain a valid and working document for as long as you continue to use and update it.

If you have a written SEF, present it to the inspector when they visit to conduct an inspection. They should still refer to it and discuss your own assessment of your provision with you.

If you have the Alliance’s publication Observation, assessment and planning you can access a new section on self-evaluation free-of-charge online.

Look out for the new EduCare module on self-evaluation. This online training course will be available free to Alliance members and will explore the meaning of self-evaluation and what Ofsted is looking for. It will also suggest ways in which you can evaluate your setting’s provision, focusing on key requirements.

A free webinar, titled The importance of self-evaluation, will take place on 18 April at 4pm. Director of quality improvement Michael Freeston and quality and standards manager Melanie Pilcher will discuss the key elements of self-evaluation and the implications of these for providers who have previously relied on Ofsted’s form.

Providers who already have a good grasp of self-evaluation may not be noticeably affected by the removed of Ofsted’s SEF. But for those who have previously struggled to self-evaluate and those who rely on the SEF may need to rethink their approach. Sadly, those settings that do find the SEF “burdensome” as suggested

by Ofsted are likely to be the ones who will now need a clearer approach to self-evaluation.

It also remains to be seen whether the valuable discussions that are part of current inspection feedback will still address discrepancies between the provider’s and the inspector’s assessments of their grade against the four summative key judgments, particularly if the provider’s chosen method of self-evaluation does not include this.

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All about teeth Whether its their first tooth or their first visit to the dentist, a child’s early experiences of oral health can impact on the rest of their lives. Dr Nigel Carter OBE, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation, explains

W

e have all heard the stories from parents about the daily struggle they have with their children. Seemingly little things can trigger a total meltdown from young children. Things like putting on socks or brushing their hair are common points of tension and brushing their teeth definitely falls into this same category.

I don’t think it’s too much for me to say that many young children are simply not concerned with brushing their teeth. Many see it as an inconvenience rather than an essential part of their day. Getting them to understand this is a huge task.

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But this is vitally important. It is a staggering thought, but around eight or nine children in every school class will have already developed tooth decay by the time they reach primary school. That’s approaching a quarter of a million children in each primary school year and around 3.3 million young people aged 0-14.

This is completely inexcusable. Every single case of tooth decay is preventable – we must get children to understand and help to prevent this. We believe that this starts with education as early as possible.

During the early years, a child’s experiences of oral health can impact

on the rest of their lives – from their first tooth to their first visit to a dentist. It helps set them up for a lifetime of oral health. Practitioners can help support this by introducing an oral health routine, explaining the effects of diet on oral health and even helping families to establish relationships with dental professionals.

Starting early is essential if we are going to help stop tooth decay and give children healthier, brighter smiles.

Dental Buddy At the Oral Health Foundation, we understand the importance of building

BEST PRACTICE

oral health routines at an early age. We developed the Dental Buddy programme to help enable educators to deliver effective, fun and engaging oral health education to children of all ages.

The aim of Dental Buddy is to help young children achieve our five key outcomes, all framed around a centralised theme of better oral health: staying safe being healthy enjoying and achieving making a positive contribution achieving economic wellbeing Early years practitioners, working alongside parents and healthcare professionals, have a vitally important role to play in educating young people about their oral health. Introducing oral health in your setting can make a big difference.

Early education Education on oral health must start before a child starts school. Our early years oral health material includes presentations, activity plans and colouring in sheets to start getting children engaged with their oral health on a level that they initially understand and develop from. It also helps them to work on other skills, both academically and socially, which will help them progress in other areas.

Suggested activities include getting children to use a mirror to look into their mouths and asking them to explain what they can see. Counting how many teeth they have is another idea – they should have 20.

Practitioners can ask children what teeth look like, and what they are used for. You should explain that it is very important to look after your teeth and ask the children if they know how they can take care of their teeth.

Practitioners can also demonstrate how to keep teeth clean, using a soft toy and toothbrush. Show the children how to brush teeth and get the children to mime brushing for two minutes. This will teach

Every single case of tooth decay is preventable – we must get children to understand and help to prevent it. them how long they need to brush for – doing it to a song can help make it fun.

Making tooth brushing fun and engaging children with group activities is key here.

If children can get involved with their oral health through play, they can take these healthy habits with them into school and the rest of their lives.

Reaching out Early years practitioners can go even further if they want to keep promoting oral health. Early years settings that contact a local dental clinic are often pleasantly surprised at how willing they are to give up some of their time. A visit from the dentist or dental nurse can make a fun and engaging activity. Often it can have a profoundly positive effect on children’s attitude towards the dentist in the future.

Building a relationship with a dentist in this way can help children overcome the ‘fear factor’ some children inherit regarding the dentist. If they can see that dental professionals are there to help them and not anything to be afraid of, they are being set up for better oral health for life.

1/3

of all children start school each year with signs of tooth decay

40% of children do not visit the dentist regularly

1

Tooth decay is currently the number one reason for child hospital admissions in the UK

Dental Buddy’s messages for children: Brush your teeth for two minutes, twice a day, using a fluoride toothpaste.

Have a balanced diet and learn the importance of limiting how often you have sugary foods and drinks.

Visit the dentist regularly, as often as they recommend.

Find out more To find out more about the Dental Buddy oral heath education programme, and to download free resources for your setting, visit www.dentalbuddy.org.

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Early years anywhere Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital is famous for its medical expertise but the organisation is also home to some of the most inspirational early years practitioners. Editor Rachel Lawler reports

N

o two days are ever the same.

This is true of anywhere and in any early years setting, but perhaps nowhere in the sector is it more true than at the Activity Centre, part of Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital. Here, the staff offer all inpatients, outpatients and their siblings a chance to play and learn while getting a break from treatments and tests.

Aoife O’Connor, manager at the Activity Centre, says: “We’re open to everyone from age zero right up to 19-year-olds.” The centre is open 49 weeks a year, offering holiday provision when the Children’s

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Hospital School is closed. But during term-time the Activity Centre’s main task is offering early years and reception classes to any patients well enough to visit.

Familiar setting The staff are all qualified early educators and broadly try to work within the Early Years Foundation Stage. The room is set up much like any other nursery or pre-school, with a reading area, activity stations, home corner and an outdoor area. Aoife explains: “When they arrive, we want this to be a familiar environment to them.” But their

work is naturally constrained by the nature of working in a children’s hospital.

Because the number and age of children who attend each day changes, the Activity Centre maintains a flexible approach to its schedule. Aoife explains: “We don’t plan set activities, we just follow the children’s interests each day. We find this out either by observing them or speaking to their parents and we use this knowledge to plan activities to extend their learning.”

Home connections If a child ordinarily attends an early years

BEST PRACTICE

Above: Aoife O’Connor setting at home, the Activity Centre team will get in touch with them as soon as possible.

“We always contact their home settings and find out more about the child and any particular areas they have been working on,” Aoife explains. The staff also try to link in their activities with what the child’s usual setting is doing. “Say for example, they are looking at the theme of ‘space’, we will try and do that here as well, if the child is interested, so that when they go back they won’t have missed out on that particular subject.”

The hospital school is registered to teach children aged five and upwards,

offering lessons on their hospital wards and schoolrooms, but the team has fairly recently expanded this offering to younger children as well. Aoife explains: “In 2013, we identified a gap in our provision. Thanks to funding from Morgan Stanley we have been able to fund two early years teachers to teach by bedsides on the ward.”

Bedside lessons Brigid Coyle-Kelleher, one of the early years teachers at Great Ormond Street Hopsital School, visits children in the hospital wards for 30-45 minute sessions.

Brigid says: “We each have a trolley that we fill up with ‘a classroom’ and bring up to children’s bedsides.” Like most early years practitioners, they use lots of rhymes and song in their sessions and they take a child-led approach. Brigid says: “We also look at children’s interests and plan a series of lessons around these. We try to provide children with choices as much as possible.”

Like in the Activity Centre, ward-based sessions come with additional challenges.

Brigid explains: “Sometimes children aren’t sure who you are. Some of the children we meet haven’t been to nursery before

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Above: Brigid Coyle-Kelleher so they don’t know what a teacher is.”

Many children at the hospital assume that unfamiliar adults are another doctor or nurse wanting to do more tests and treatments, so they might not be as receptive as children in an ordinary setting.

However, the staff are adept at breaking through these barriers. “Once they know who you are and that you’re going to visit them every day with that trolley and bring something really engaging for them to try, they really love it,” Brigid says. “Even when they are really sick, they still want to join in.”

This feedback is consistent across both the ward-based and Activity Centre sessions.

Aoife says: “We know from their parents and other staff that children ask for school at weekends and in the holidays, and even sometimes in the middle of the night!”

Infection control Working with sick children also brings some practical challenges, as the staff need to take extra care when keeping the setting and equipment clean. This rules out using lots of natural resources like sand, leaves and twigs. It also makes using some conventional items more difficult to find, as everything has to be wipeable.

Brigid explains: “Every book we use, we have to laminate because paper is porous and it can pick up infections, such as MRSA.” Some children at the hospital

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have suppressed immune systems so it is necessary for them to use brand new resources that haven’t been exposed to any germs. Despite this, the team is always finding solutions. “We just have to be really creative,” Aoife says, explaining that they make a lot of their own resources.

Much of the learning at an early years setting is naturally focused on interacting with other children, so teaching one-to-one on the ward or in very small groups in the Activity Centre can make this a challenge.

“We get involved in the play ourselves, modeling how to share and take turns, for example,” Aoife explains. If another member of the team is available they can also help during lessons on the ward.

Additional challenges Trips out for the day are usually ruled out for pre-school children at the Activity Centre and any children staying on the ward. But again the staff find a way around this. Aoife explains: “What we try to do is bring the outside in. People from places like the Portrait Gallery and the Natural History Museum will visit. They bring items in and build workshops around them for the children.” The Activity Centre also has a small outdoor space that children can explore when they are feeling well enough.

Being based at a children’s hospital also presents an emotional challenge

to the staff. “Working with seriously ill children is in itself a challenge,” Aoife says.

“Sometimes the children do die and that is obviously really tough. Unfortunately, it is sometimes part of the job and therefore we have to accept it.” Despite these difficulties, the staff do a fantastic job at teaching the children at the hospital. “Even when children are very, very sick and do not want to engage with other adults, they still tend to interact with us,” Aoife says.

“We build very close relationships with the children and their families.”

Much like any early years setting, the children are the priority for the staff at the Activity Centre. “The fun and the mess is like any other early years classroom,” Aoife says. “And of course, like all early years practitioners, we put our children first.”

Like many settings, the Activity Centre also values its incredible team of dedicated staff.

Aoife says: “We’ve got very talented, highly skilled staff who love what they do,” Aoife adds. “That’s the most important thing about working here – you have to be passionate, because it is a very difficult job.”

Find out more To learn more about The Children’s Hospital School at Great Ormond Street Hospital and The Activity Centre, please visit www.gosh.nhs.uk/welcome-childrenshospital-school

PENSIONS

Auto-enrolment update Workplace pensions are changing again. Here’s what you need to know about the latest auto-enrolment rules

B

y now all employers should already be using the autoenrolment process to offer their staff a workplace pension.

However, there are additional changes coming into place this month that you need to be aware of.

From April 2018 onwards, employees need to be paying 5% of their salary into their auto-enrolment pension schemes: employers need to pay at least 2% of this. Before this, employers only needed to contribute a minimum of 1%. In April 2019, the minimum contributions will increase again to 8%, with employers needing to contribute at least 3%.

If you are currently offering your staff a pension through an autoenrolment scheme, you will need to make sure that you are still making the required contributions.

Date effective

Employer Employee Total minimum minimum minimum contribution contribution contribution

Until 5 April 2018 6 April 2018 to 5 April 2019 6 April 2019 onwards

1% 2% 3%

1% 3% 5%

2% 5% 8%

Unlike when the auto-enrolment pension scheme was introduced, all employers will have to comply with these rules from the same date – regardless of the size of your organisation. You should be making the new minimum contributions from this month onwards.

Extra contributions Employers may choose to contribute more than 2%, but cannot pay in any less than this. If your existing pension scheme is currently paying less than 2% of your staff’s wages into their pension, then you must update it in order to comply with auto-enrolment rules. Any employers caught paying less than 2% may be fined by The Pensions Regulator.

If an employee does not want to increase their pension contribution to 3%, they can choose to leave the pension scheme. They may then want to continue paying into a private pension at a lower rate – your pension provider may be able to organise this for them. In this situation, employers are not obliged to make any contribution to this pension scheme going

forward, as the employee is not making the minimum required payments of the auto-enrolment scheme.

Any employee who opts-out or leaves your auto-enrolment pension scheme will be re-assessed every three years and will be re-enrolled if they are still eligible. They will again be given the option to opt-out or join the scheme again. This will occur on the third anniversary of whenever your setting started your auto-enrolment pension scheme.

If you haven’t done so already, you may wish to write to your staff and inform them of the increased contributions they will need to make. You should also update any previous letter templates you used with the old contribution percentages listed.

Coercion rules As with the introduction of auto-enrolment pensions, employers are not allowed to encourage or force staff to opt out of the scheme or unfairly discriminate against those that choose to opt in. Employers also cannot imply that someone will be more likely to get a job or a promotion if they choose to opt out of the scheme.

All employees who are aged between 22 and the State Pension Age (currently 65) and earn more than £10,000 a year or £833 a month must be auto-enrolled into a pension scheme.

Self-employed If you are self-employed, you are not required to set up an auto-enrolment pension. However, you may wish to set up a pension scheme for yourself.

The National Savings Trust (NEST) was set up by the government to help support the roll-out of auto-enrolment. As well as allowing employers to set up a pension scheme for their staff, it also offers pensions for selfemployed workers and those who are the sole director of a company that doesn’t employ anyone else. Find out more about NEST at: www.nestpensions.org.uk

More information You can find out more about workplace pensions, as well as other management and staffing concerns, in People Management in the Early Years – available from the Alliance shop at shop.pre-school.org.uk or by calling 0300 330 0996 or emailing shop@pre-school.org.uk.

Alliance members can also access Law-Call, a 24-hour legal helpline offering advice on legal issues concerning your childcare business. Contact details can be found on your membership card. Alternatively, contact Information Services, with your membership number, for Law-Call’s details on 0207 697 2595.

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Time to plant and grow Melanie Pilcher, quality and standards manager at the Alliance, shares ideas for getting your setting into gardening

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ACTIVITY CORNER

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ny of us who are already keen gardeners will need little persuasion to get outdoors in the coming weeks. Gardening offers many benefits to our own health and wellbeing, but there are lots of learning opportunities available if we can get children to join in as well.

Physical skills There are the obvious physical benefits of digging, raking and using garden tools.

Children will also be using muscle groups that they may not usually engage. Fine motor skills can also be practised as they plant seeds, pinch out shoots and handle delicate seedlings. Being outdoors whatever the weather will encourage children to observe how some plants capture raindrops on their leaves, or turn towards the sun, or close their petals on a rainy day.

Gardening offers countless opportunities to interact with nature too. Children will find earthworms, snails or ladybirds and search for clues about any other creatures that may live amongst the plants. Previous research has suggested that children can overcome a fear of touching worms and insects or getting dirty if they are given the opportunity to do so in the first place. We are usually most afraid of the things we have the least experience of, after all.

Learning and observation The fascinating cycle of planting and growing fruits and vegetables offers so many opportunities across all areas of learning and development in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). In particular, they make “observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur and talk about changes”, in Understanding the World.

Children also engage in the characteristics of effective learning as they note how a plant can change over time or are encouraged to experiment by placing plants in different positions in the garden.

Healthy eating Another potential benefit of gardening is helping to improve children’s diets. Allowing children to see their food’s journey from field to fork encourages them to try new foods and eat more healthily. Children who garden are not just being told what to eat, they are learning about fresh fruits and vegetables for themselves. When children are given first hand experiences they enjoy active learning and critical thinking. This can help them develop good eating habits that will stay with them for life.

If you need any further convincing, last year a survey conducted by the British Nutrition Foundation found that one in 10 children didn’t know that carrots grow underground and 13% said that pasta comes from an animal.

Not every setting will have space for a vegetable garden, but that should not pose a barrier. Plants can be grown in pots, raised in beds, grow bags or even wall-mounted containers. Once you have identified a place you can use for gardening, your next step will be to consider what equipment you need and what budget you have available. With money tight in most settings, consider if anything can be donated. Why not ask each parent to donate a packet of seeds? You may also be able to collect supermarket vouchers to purchase tools and equipment.

Sensory experience A garden, no matter how big or small, is a unique environment that really does stimulate every sense if it is planned with some thought.

Touch – Think about plants that are really tactile and invite little fingers to explore. For example, lamb’s ears (stachys byzantina) have silky leaves covered in soft down.

Grasses are also fun as many of them will have soft feathers that are pleasing to touch.

Be careful of pampas-like grasses that can be razor sharp.

Taste – There is nothing more satisfying than growing something that you can harvest and eat.

Smell – Even a small pot of herbs can offer a range of aromas that will test a child’s senses.

For example, pineapple mint plants really do smell of pineapple and wild garlic leaves can be very pungent.

Sound – Another benefit of planting clumps of grasses is that they will move and swish in the breeze. Autumn leaves will crunch on the ground and some seedpods will make a very satisfying ‘pop’ or will rattle when shaken.

Sight – A garden is a feast for the eyes. A good way to introduce children to colour is to look at the different shades in a flower bed.

There are often even variations in the same plant. When observed over time, foliage will change colour and most fruit and vegetables are judged to be ripe based on their colouring.

Go wild Whether you have an expanse of ground to work with, or are reliant on containers, you can still find space to let nature run wild. If you have a patch of grass that is usually mown, leave a strip uncut. Even a metre square that is allowed to grow will create a haven for small insects, particularly if you scatter a few wild flower seeds. A log pile or collection of twigs and branches can provide a home for many different creepy-crawlies. A small pond may even attract a few frogs.

Children will quickly come to realise that we all have a duty to take care of the environment that we share with so many other living creatures. You will hopefully instil a life-long love of nature in all of its glorious forms.

Find out more Alliance quality improvement officer Sarah Geekie has shared her experience of gardening with young children. Watch the Sowing the seeds for a green generation webinar at bit.ly/2GGSfda

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LAW-CALL

Saying goodbye The legal team behind the Law-Call service, available to all Alliance members, gives an overview of the redundancy process

R

edundancies can unfortunately be a necessary step for some early years settings. An employee may be made redundant for one of the following reasons:

accrued holiday pay. Employees will also be entitled to a redundancy payment if they have been working for you continuously for two years or more. This includes circumstances where:

you have to close a setting you have to move the setting to different premises in a new location you need fewer staff because the number of children on your roll has dropped

a fixed term contract comes to an end without being renewed an employee volunteers to take redundancy the employee is ‘bumped’, as previously described the amount of work of a particular kind is reduced

In order to make staff redundant, you will need to follow a fair procedure consisting of a number of stages: 1. Warning and consulting all employees about the risk of redundancy.

2. Looking to see if there are any alternative roles within the business that you could potentially offer affected staff.

3. Having a fair and objective basis for selection if you have to choose between employees.

4. Allowing the employees affected to appeal any redundancy.

If you have a large setting, or chain of settings, and need to make 20 or more employees redundant in any 90-day period, you will need to consult with a trade union representative, or other elected employee representative before any redundancies are made.

If you wish to retain a more senior, more experienced, or long-serving employee whose workload has been reduced by dismissing another employee whose workload has not reduced, you will still need to follow the redundancy process. This practice is known as ‘bumping’ and still counts as a redundancy.

Redundancy payments All employees who are made redundant are entitled to receive the relevant notice and any

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Redundancy payments are calculated according to the employee’s age, their average weekly pay and the number of years of continuous employment they have. The government has provided a calculator for this at: www.gov.uk/calculate-your-redundancy-pay.

An employee may lose their right to a redundancy payment if they are reinstated or re-employed in suitable alternative employment within a certain period of time. They may also lose their right to a payment if they refused an offer of alternative, suitable employment or if they try out a new position and unreasonably terminate it during the trial period.

Time off for interviews Any employee who has been given formal notice of redundancy is entitled to request a reasonable amount of time off before they leave. They are entitled to take up to two days’ worth of paid leave in order to look for alternative employment and attend job interviews.

If your circumstances change and you offer an employee their old job back or a suitable alternative within four weeks of their employment ending, they will be considered as not having been dismissed. This means that they won’t be eligible for a redundancy

payment, unless they refuse the alternative employment offer on reasonable grounds.

New job roles If you offer an employee a job in a different location, in a different role or on significantly different terms, both you and they employee can try out the new arrangement under a statutory four-week trial period. This means that if the new employment is terminated during or at the end of the trial period, the employee may still be entitled to receive their statutory redundancy payment.

They will need to show that the alternative role is not a suitable position for them.

An employer may also need to pay a redundancy payment without dismissing anyone if employees are asked to work shorter hours or for less pay. For example, this could happen if the number of children on your roll has temporarily decreased or if you have temporarily closed while major building work is being done.

Employees will be entitled to claim this payment if they are laid off or have to work shorter hours for four weeks or more in a row or six weeks or more in a 13 week period. They must give you written notice if they intend to make a claim but if you can show the employee that they will return to normal working hours within four weeks, you won’t have to pay this.

Further advice Making redundancies is a potentially fraught and emotive time. You and your staff may have competing interests and there are many potential pitfalls. If you’d like to discuss your particular situation in more detail then please contact Law-Call. The 24-hour service is available free to all Alliance members, offering advice on legal issues concerning your business. Contact details can be found on your membership card. Alternatively, call Information Services with your membership number to be given Law-Call’s details on 0207 697 2595.

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Ready, stea Imagine the scene: it is the moment after the Ofsted call has been taken. An alarm bell is ringing loudly at your early years setting.

Red lights that nobody ever knew were there are flicking on and off and staff are running around wildly, hands in the air, their faces wide-eyed and ashen. Those in charge are gibbering, throwing random orders about.

The children are stunned by the commotion.

The Ofsted inspection is due and nobody is ready for it.

It is normal to feel apprehensive about an Ofsted inspection. But making sure your setting is ready means that these sorts of scenes need only ever be imaginary. When your setting is run efficiently and effectively and your children are happy, safe and learning to their fullest potential, you are probably more ready than you think.

A positive event If you are ready, an Ofsted inspection can be seen as a positive event. It will be a chance to show off how well everything is done at your setting and be proud of all the exciting learning happening around you.

The inspection will focus on ensuring that the needs of children at your setting are met and that the EYFS requirements are being adhered to. They will also want to check

that you are forging strong partnerships with parents, as well as outside agencies where necessary, and that leadership and management are competent and knowledgable.

As high standards and quality should be evident at your setting at all times, the inspector will not expect special preparations to be made for their visit. You should also not make any exceptions to the normal procedures you carry out. For example, if your usual security arrangements involve asking visitors to wait in the lobby area while the appropriate person is found, then this should be the same for the inspector.

Being ready for Ofsted means: keeping the child in focus r eflecting on the quality of teaching and learning at the setting acting professionally understanding what will happen before, during and after an inspection knowing your documents

Necessary paperwork Early years providers should ensure that they and their staff and volunteers are familiar with the Common Inspection Framework: Education, Skills and Early

If you are ready, an Ofsted inspection can be seen as a postive event. It will be a chance to show off how well everything is done at your setting.

Years (Ofsted 2015) and associated guidance, including the Early Years Inspection Handbook (Ofsted 2017).

Everyone at your setting should understand and be following your policies and procedures. These and all written records, including those relating to complaints, medicine administration, accidents, DBS checks and disqualification

by Association checks, risk assessments and children’s personal development records must be up-to-date and available for the inspector to see.

Team spirit Being ready for an inspection means that everyone should be working together to gain the best possible outcome for the setting.

You are only as strong as your weakest link so pulling together and supporting each other to develop your practice further is vital.

OFSTED

ady, Ofsted Your team should all be ready to talk about:

how safeguarding is considered in every aspect of your practice and every member of staff understands the setting’s policies and procedures on this

how you use Early Years Pupil Premium to make a difference how an understanding of British values is developed in the children how you identify and provide for the specific needs of two-year-olds, if applicable

Observing best practice Prior to the inspection, practitioners should feel encouraged and motivated by observations of their practice. Referring to the inspection criteria every time, these observations should have allowed the practitioner to become familiar and confident with being observed, and for action plans to have been made to help improve their practice further.

On inspection day, the Inspector may carry out a joint observation of teaching and learning with a senior member of the team or manager. The joint-observer with the inspector will need to take notes, evaluate what they see and be prepared to give feedback. They should also be able to explain the reasons for any behaviour that might be misinterpreted.

For example, the joint-observer might explain that a child is standing at the side of the activity not joining in because their key person is supporting them in gaining confidence by observing activities first. If a short time passes and the child still isn’t getting involved, their key person then encourages them to choose an activity.

Early bird offer:

20% off Managing your Ofsted Inspection Pre-school Learning Alliance (Ref: T202) £14 members £20 non-members

Getting everyone at the setting feeling ready and responsible for an Ofsted inspection is the focus of the Aliance’s new SMARTpd resource pack Managing your Ofsted Inspection. This pack provides online resources for a manager or team leader to deliver an interactive in-house session to empower the team with the confidence and knowledge to support each other and achieve the best possible outcome.

The pack includes a PowerPoint presentation, with facilitator notes, to allow settings to host a training session. It provides a cost-effective way for the team to evaluate their setting together, prompting discussion and increasing understanding about the importance of up-to-date records, policies and procedures, strong leadership and management.

Also included is an interactive quiz and individual audits for each member of the setting to analyse his or her own knowledge of what is expected in advance. Detailed guidance on the Joint Observation with Please visit shop.pre-school.org.uk, call 0300 330 0996 or email a template Observation record, shop@pre-school.org.uk. as well as further information

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MINIMUM WAGE: Are you up-to-speed?

With the National Living Wage increasing to £7.83 per hour this month, we’ve had a look at the current rules to help you ensure that your setting is compliant What is the new National Living Wage?

The National Minimum Wage is the minimum hourly rate some employees under the age of 25 should be paid. The National Living Wage is the minimum hourly rate for those aged 25 or over.

On 1 April the National Living Wage increased to £7.83 an hour – up 38p from the previous year. The minimum rates for employees of all ages has also increased, as explained below.

Minimum wage for different employees

Previous level From April 2018

25 and over £7.50 £7.83

21 to 24 £7.05 £7.38

18 to 20 £5.60 £5.90

Under 18 £4.05 £4.20

Apprentice £3.50 £3.70

Employers who already pay wages above these rates are not obliged to increase their rates when the National Minimum Wage increases.

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Who is entitled to receive the minimum wage?

Some employees are not entitled to receive the national minimum or national living wage. This includes those who are self-employed, volunteers and company directors. Work experience students may not be entitled to the minimum wage if they are aged under 16 or are shadowing an employee rather than taking on a separate role themselves.

Some work experience students, or interns, will be entitled to the minimum wage if they are given a contract or if they

BEST PRACTICE

are offered a future contract or offer of work at the end of their placement.

What are the rules for apprentices?

All businesses, irrespective of size or sector, are responsible for paying the correct minimum wage to their staff.

All apprentices must be paid at least the minimum wage for the time they spend training or studying as part of their apprenticeship, as well as any time they spend working in your setting. From 1 April 2018 onwards this is £3.70 an hour.

Apprentices can only be paid the apprenticeship wage if they are under 19, or if they are aged 19 or over but in their first year of their apprenticeship.

If an apprentice is aged 19 or over, and has completed the first year of their course, they must be paid the higher National Minimum Wage for their age group. (See chart on previous page.)

may charge staff for any items they choose to purchase. You may also charge staff for additional items of uniform if they have requested them – for example, an extra t-shirt to use as a spare.

Are employers allowed to charge employees for any training courses?

Do employees have to be paid for all the time they spend at your setting?

If the training is mandatory, an employer must make sure that any deductions made or payments taken do not take their employees’ salaries below the minimum wage.

If employees are required to attend or complete any training, they must be paid for their time. This should be paid at the minimum required rate or above. They should be paid for this time whether it is within their usual working hours or not.

Employees should be paid at least the minimum wage for any time they spend at your setting working. This doesn’t include any unpaid lunch or tea breaks taken on site, although some staff may have paid breaks in their contract.

You can ask staff to sign in and out at the start and end of their shift to monitor this. You may wish to keep this separate from any register you use to check staff in and out of the premises for safeguarding and health and safety purposes, particularly if any members of staff choose to spend their unpaid breaks onsite.

Can staff be charged for their uniform, if the setting has one?

If your setting requires staff to wear a uniform, employers must make sure that any deductions taken from staff to pay for it do not take their employees’ wages below the minimum wage.

If your setting offers a uniform, but staff are not required to wear it, the employer

How should staff be charged for any childcare they use at the setting themselves?

If members of staff choose to send their own child to the setting where they work

employers should be careful about how this is paid for, particularly if the employee is earning the minimum wage.

Employers can deduct the cost of the childcare from the employee’s wages before they are paid, but they should explain how this will be done in their contracts. The employee’s wage slip must clearly detail the deductions. You may wish to pay the member of staff in full and invoice them separately for any childcare they have used instead.

What will happen if an employer is caught paying staff less than the minimum wage?

Employers who are found to have broken the law must pay their workers the wages they are owed. On top of any back pay, they can also be fined up to 200% of the total amount in arrears to workers.

Some employers who fail to pay their staff the minimum wage may also be publically named and the worst offenders may face criminal prosecution.

A spokesperson for HMRC told Under 5: “HMRC enforces the National Minimum and National Living Wage in line with the law and policy set out by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

All businesses, irrespective of size or business sector are responsible for paying the correct minimum wage to their staff.

HMRC always takes action to ensure that workers receive what they are entitled to.”

Find out more If you have questions about the National Minimum or National Living Wage, whether you are an employee or an employer, you can get in touch with Acas at www.acas.org.uk or call 0300 123 1100.

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NUTRITION

Vitamin D for babies and toddlers The Infant & Toddler Forum offers advice and information on vitamin D supplements for early years settings and at home Vitamin D is essential for healthy growth and development in childhood. In the UK, a balanced diet and sunlight will not necessarily provide enough vitamin D to prevent deficiency.

This means that all babies and toddlers should take a daily vitamin D supplement of 10µg.

Early years practitioners play a vital role in encouraging families with young children to have healthy eating habits, that incorporate enough vitamin D, both while in their settings and when at home.

Vitamin D essential Vitamin D is essential for healthy bone growth.

It regulates the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the diet – both of these minerals contribute to the structure and strength of bones during child development.

Babies and toddlers in the UK are more at risk of deficiency if their mother had low vitamin D levels during their pregnancy as well. This includes mothers who: did not take vitamin supplements during their pregnancy have darker skin-tones cover up most of their skin when outside Babies and toddlers with very low levels of vitamin D could have fits, heart problems or even get rickets – a disease which causes bones to become soft and misshapen. Low vitamin D levels may also make toddlers more likely to get diabetes, allergies, asthma and infectious diseases as they get older.

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Preventing deficiency Vitamin D is found in only a few foods: oily fish is the only good source. Eggs and meat contain very small amounts. Try to include oily fish, such as sardines, pilchards, mackerel and salmon, in meals twice a week. Some foods are fortified with vitamin D including formula milks, margarine and some yoghurts and breakfast cereals.

Sunlight Most of a young child’s vitamin D is made in their skin when outside in the sunlight in the summer months. The ideal time to spend outside each day to ensure adequate vitamin D levels is not easy to define as it can vary between individuals as well as seasonal, weather and lifestyle factors. Sunscreen can block the skin from making vitamin D, but it should still be used to prevent sunburn when needed. Speak to parents about how their children’s skin responds to sunlight and their personal preferences on using sunscreen.

Children with fair skin may not be able to spend very long in the sun without their skin burning, particularly during the middle of the day, whereas those with darker skintones may be able to go without sunscreen for longer.

Supplements Young children may not get enough vitamin D from sunshine and diet alone. For this reason, Public Health England recommends a daily vitamin D supplement of 8.5-10µg for babies from birth and 10µg for toddlers. Supplements

containing vitamin D alone are the best and widely available. They are best purchased from pharmacies to ensure they are of a good quality. Free vitamins are available for babies and children aged one- to four-years-old on the Healthy Start scheme.

Pregnant mothers Pregnant mothers are advised to take a daily supplement of 10µg vitamin D. This will help ensure that their baby is born with sufficient stores of vitamin D for the first few months of its life. Breastfeeding mothers should also take a supplement to ensure their own bone health. Free vitamins are available for pregnant and breastfeeding women on the Healthy Start scheme.

Vulnerable groups All families should receive advice about vitamin D, but the populations most at risk of deficiency are: families with darker skin tones infants and toddlers whose mothers cover their skin for religious or cultural reasons, or did not take vitamin D supplements during their pregnancy, or lead mainly indoor lifestyles. families living in most northern parts of the UK children who do not have the opportunity to play outside regularly without sunscreen To read more about vitamin D, read the factsheet at: http://bit.ly/2rd2MZ0

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

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The views expressed in Under 5 are not necessarily those of the Pre-school Learning Alliance. The editor reserves the right to shorten submitted material and to reprint copy from newsletters. No responsibility can be accepted for loss of MSS, photographs or artwork. Unused material will be returned if submitted with a stamped, addressed envelope.

The editor is unable to enter into correspondence about unsolicited copy.

Unless copyright is indicated, material from Under 5 may be reproduced without charge, for non-commercial purposes only, on condition that the source is acknowledged.

Acceptance of advertisements for Under 5 does not constitute endorsement by the charity of the advertisers’ products.

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