Under 5 June 2019

Under 5 the magazine of the early years alliance June 2019

IN W end 00 to sp

ÂŁ1 with at Argosraising d easyfun

Lessons from Leeds

Reversing childhood obesity

Ofsted’s Gill Jones

Insights into new inspection framework

Me and my shadow Introduce children to their shadows

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contents 4

News round up

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

8

My Under 5

10

Letters to the editor

12

Lessons from Leeds

16

Our new inspection approach

17

Have you joined our Action Week?

12

A chance for Alliance member settings to share news of recent events and projects Under 5 readers share their views on the early years sector HENRY’s Tom Berry explains how the charity has been helping families with healthy eating

21

Gill Jones, early education deputy director at Ofsted, shares insight ahead of the new Education Inspection Framework Information for joining the Fair Future Funding Action Week

20 Enough is enough

Helpful information to share with MPs and parents about early years funding

21

Music licenses: do you need one?

The rules on music licenses in early years settings explained

30

22 Legionnaires’ disease – what you need to know

The Health and Safety Executive explains how early years settings can manage the risks

24 Too much, too young?

An Alliance mini-guide to monitoring children’s use of technology

26 Better for babies

One setting shares how they have improved their offer for the youngest children

27 How to spot a TUPE transfer

The first in a two-part series on TUPE transfers for early years settings

28 No plastic? Fantastic!

How one setting is cutting back on disposable plastics this year

29 Tackling workplace stress

Ideas for improving mental wellbeing for your staff

30 Shadow shapes

Ideas for exploring the theme of shadows with children

32 As sweet as sugar

WELCOME & CONTENTS

welcome

Welcome to Under 5 With longer days and warmer weather, summer is an exciting time for many of us in the early years. Thanks to a Comprehensive Spending Review, this June also presents an opportunity for the sector to ask the government for better funding.

The Alliance’s Fair Future Funding Action Week offers providers and parents a chance to put pressure on the government before Parliament starts its summer break.

If you’d like to get involved, we’ve got all the details on how you and your setting can join in from 10-14 June (page 17), as well as a poster and some information you can share with parents. If you do get in touch with your MP, remember to let us know what they said by contacting us at feedback@eyalliance.org.uk.

Many parents and practitioners are increasingly concerned about children’s use of iPads and smartphones. We’ve shared one of the Alliance’s mini guides on the topic (page 24) to help you make sense of the recommendations. Alliance members can check out the full range of mini guides on a wide range of topics available free in our members’ area at www.eyalliance.org.uk/ members-area.

Last month, we heard the news that Leeds had become the first city in the UK to reduce the number of children who are obese. We’ve spoken to HENRY, a charity that has been working with parents and early years settings in the region, to find out how their scheme has succeeded (page 12). We’ve also heard from the EYNP about how you can reduce the amount of sugar given to children in your setting (page 32).

Earlier this year, we shared some ideas for reducing the amount of plastic waste that your setting produces. This issue, we’ve heard how one setting has been putting that into practice (page28). We’ve also spoken to the Health and Safety Executive about how you can manage the risk of Legionnaires’ disease effectively in your setting (page 22).

As we, hopefully, start to enjoy some sunnier weather, Melanie Pilcher, quality and standards manager at the Alliance, has shared some ideas for exploring the theme of shadows with children (page 30).

Gill Jones, deputy director of early education at Ofsted, has an update for the early years sector ahead of the new Education Inspection Framework, which will come into place this September (page 16). Please do get in touch if you’d like to share your views on this, or any other topic raised in Under 5, with us at editor.u5@pre-school.org.uk.

Rachel Lawler, editor

The EYNP shares ideas for reducing sugar in your setting

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in brief...

PARENTAL ACCESS: 120 MPs have asked for an inquiry into how family courts grant access to parents convicted of domestic violence, after at least four children were killed by a parent in five years.

Alliance announces week of campaign action

round-up Ofsted confirms new Education Inspection Framework Ofsted has confirmed that its proposed new Education Inspection Framework (EIF) will come into place this September. The consultation on the new framework received 15,000 responses – more than any other in Ofsted’s history – which broadly supported the proposed changes.

Ofsted reported that a number of responses from the early years sector said that the new framework did not align with early years settings, so it says that the EIF has been amended to include greater emphasis on the needs of younger children.

Ofsted will also replace its “quality of teaching, learning and assessment” with a new “quality of education” judgement. Two new key judgements are also included in the new framework – ‘behaviours and attitudes’ and ‘personal development’.

Amanda Spielman, chief inspector at Ofsted, commented: “The new quality of education judgement is re-balancing education to look more closely at what is

being taught and how it’s taught, that’s really getting to the substance, with test and exam outcomes being looked at in that context rather than as a standalone thing in isolation.”

Settings will continue to be awarded one of four grades – outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate – after an inspection but the reports generated will be redesigned to make them easier for parents to read.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “We welcome the evolution of the early years inspection framework and the strong focus on outcomes. Releasing the draft frameworks as part of the consultation enabled the sector to give considered feedback, which Ofsted has recognised in the final documents. We are pleased the documents have been released now to give practitioners the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the new handbooks before the autumn term begins.”

The Alliance has announced plans for a week of action this month as part of the Fair Future Funding campaign, which calls for fairer funding for the early years. The action week will start on 10 June and will ask childcare providers to engage with their MP about early years funding ito coincide with the government’s Spending Review.

Current funding rates were set in 2017, using data from 2015, and are frozen until 2020.

Meanwhile, costs including the minimum wage, business rates and pension contributions have continued to increase.

Providers, practitioners and parents are invited to sign up to join the campaign online.

Participants will receive a campaign pack, followed by regular updates and advice on how they can engage with their local press, politicians and communities in the lead up to the campaign week on 10 June.

The week itself will comprise various activities, culminating on Friday 14 June when providers are being asked to arrange a meeting with their MPs or invite them to their setting to discuss the funding crisis in more detail.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “Enough is enough: there’s a funding shortfall of at least £615 million in the early years and, unless something changes, that figure is only going to get worse. I hear every week from providers who have closed or are on the brink of closing and yet, despite all the evidence, ministers have continued to deny that there is a problem.

“The Comprehensive Spending Review represents the best chance we’ve had so far to make the case to the decision makers in Westminster who hold the purse strings. We need to grasp it with both hands and ensure every politician in England knows about the early years funding crisis and has asked the Treasury to do something about it.

“That is why I’m urging everyone in the sector, whether or not you’re a member of the Alliance, to get involved in the Action Week.

Make the case for fairer funding to your local MP: invite them to your setting and offer to meet them. Do whatever you can to get your voice heard. The Alliance is there to support you with resources and advice - but this is down to you.

Add your voice to the Action Week and let’s work together to ensure funding covers the true cost of providing quality childcare.”

Read more about the campaign on page 17

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HUNGER: Human Rights Watch has accused the UK government of breaching its duty to prevent hunger by failing to consider the impact of its policies on children in poverty.

CHILDRENS CENTRES: The DfE has announced that it will review children’s centres, almost five years after the consultation was proposed.

Call to save tooth brushing scheme The Dental Wellness Trust has asked the government to pledge further funding for supervised tooth brushing schemes in early years settings and schools. The charity says that the schemes could save the NHS almost £30 million.

A survey by the Dental Wellness Trust also discovered that 16.2% of parents only take their child to the dentist once a year, compared to the recommended twice a year. 7.4% say they have never

taken their child to a dentist at all, despite the recommended dental check for all children aged one.

Parents cited difficulty getting appointments and fear around the dentist as reasons why they didn’t visit more often. However, more than 82% said that they believed tooth brushing should be included in children’s health education.

Currently, around 36,500 children at admitted to hospitals for tooth extractions under general anaesthetic

Supervised tooth brushing schemes could save the NHS almost £30m.

each year, at a cost of around £836 per child to the NHS. Dr Linda Greenwall, founder of the Dental Wellness Trust, said: “Although tooth decay does not discriminate, there are huge inequalities in oral health with tooth decay being strongly associated with deprivation and social exclusion. While it’s evident that our self-funded oral health prevention and tooth brushing programmes do work – we urgently need further government funding to continue providing this vital service to all children. The cost saving to the government is staggering and we urge decisions makers to fund these schemes and tackle this wholly preventable disease.”

30 hours policy “risks social mobility”, according to new report The current 30-hours childcare offer “risks damaging social mobility” according to the Social Mobility Commission’s State of the Nation report 2018-19. The report notes that 7% of children who are entitled to free school meals reach a “good level of development” at age five, compared to 74% of their more advantaged peers.

While the report says the 30-hours offer was “well intentioned” it may not have a positive outcome for disadvantaged children. It also noted the closure and scaling back of “hundreds of children’s centres”.

The Social Mobility Commission has recommended that the government lower the income limit for the 30-hours offer to include those earning the equivalent of eight hours each week.

The report also says that awareness is an issue for families, with almost 90% of those earning more than £45,000 a year being made aware of the offer, compared to 68% of those earning less than £10,000 a year. The commission also suggested that the scheme be promoted via a national marketing campaign specifically targeting low-income households.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “It’s interesting to note that

the Commission recommends extending the entitlement on 30 hours to parents on lower incomes. This is an excellent idea in principle because it’s clear that the current policy benefits well-off families more than those from poorer backgrounds. In fact, we’ve always said a truly progressive policy would extend the entitlement to parents in training or education.

“However, the determining factor in who can and can’t access

funded childcare is not so much the eligibility criteria as it is the invisible barriers created by the government’s underfunding of the policy. The best way to ensure children from lowincome backgrounds have access to high quality childcare is to ensure that provision is properly funded. Until that happens we’ll continue to see settings in deprived areas close and the attainment gap remain stubbornly wide.”

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DfE announces £30k grant to help recruit men into the early years Childcare pay falling below retail, new study finds New research from the Education Policy Institute (EPI) has found that declining childcare pay will converge with retail pay by 2021. The analysis found that declining real wages could mean childcare workers will move into retail jobs – which in many cases offer higher pay while requiring lower qualifications. The report used data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), which collects detailed information on the UK labour market from 100,000 individuals on a quarterly basis.

The key findings of the report revealed a sharp real terms decline in childcare pay. Since 2013, real wages in childcare have fallen from £8.59 to £8.19 per hour, whilst retail wages have increased in real terms from £7.34 to £7.75, meaning some childcare workers are already paid less than those in retail, even when they have the same qualifications. The average childcare worker with a Level 2 vocational qualification now earns £0.22 less per hour than a retail worker with a Level 2 qualification.

The report also warned that falls in pay would worsen the sector’s on-going recruitment and retention crisis, with low pay one of the main drivers for childcare workers leaving the sector. Labour Force Survey figures revealed that around one in four of former childcare workers stated

‘unsatisfactory pay’ as the main reason for leaving the sector, compared to one in six retail workers.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said that, while there was widespread agreement that childcare professionals deserved higher pay, the government wasn’t prepared to foot the bill. He said pay came down to funding: “Most childcare providers tell us they’re struggling to break-even, many are making a loss and I hear every week from those who have been forced to close because of underfunding. It’s no wonder that childcare professionals are underpaid if that’s the climate in the sector: there simply isn’t enough money.

“This all boils down to the type of childcare we want to see in this country. Do we want a high quality early years sector, delivering safe care and setting up our youngest children for a lifelong love of learning? Or do we want a race to the bottom where children come second to financial sustainability? It’s clear where we will end up if things don’t change soon.

“You can’t blame these dedicated professionals for swapping the pressure and long hours of the early years for more pay and less stress working in a supermarket.

This is the fault of government and, if ministers are serious about the early years, then they need to accept the reasons behind why people are leaving the sector and start funding childcare properly.”

Declining real wages could mean that childcare workers move into retail jobs.

Early years coalition launches survey ahead of proposed EYFS changes A coalition of early years organisations, including the Alliance, has launched a survey to help better understand attitudes towards the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) ahead of a government consultation due later this year.

The coalition, which also includes Early Education, NDNA and PACEY, was founded in response to concerns about the number of early years experts involved in drafting the proposed new Early Learning Goals.

Early years practitioners are invited to

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take part in a survey on the topic, offering a chance to share what changes they would like to see. The survey is available at www. surveymonkey.com/r/EYFS_Voice Michael Freeston, director of quality improvement at the Early Years Alliance, commented: “I would urge everyone working in the early years to complete this survey. The more of us who make our voice heard now, the harder it will be to ignore us when the government sets out the terms of its consultation later this year.”

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced a £30,000 grant to help encourage more men to consider careers in the early years sector. The DfE said that the project, which will be run by the Fatherhood Institute, would help remove barriers that prevent men from entering the sector including “the myth that men are less suited to caring roles”.

The project will offer settings practical resources including mythbusters, how-to guides and online content aimed at supporting male recruitment into the sector. The project will also include a national conference aimed at promoting early years careers to men.

“I want more men to play a positive role in educating and caring for our next generation.”

Children and Families Minister Nadhim Zahawi commented: “Just as parenting is a shared responsibility, so is kick-starting a child’s love of learning. I want more men to play a positive role in educating and caring for our next generation.”

Dr Jeremy Davies, head of communications at the Fatherhood Institute added: “We want careers advisers and employers to reach out and support men into early years work – including dads and other men with experience of looking after children, and those who have the interest and skills to build on. We all understand the importance of helping women into STEM careers – this is the other side of the same coin.”

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Winning pictu

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Childminder Kathleen Groves, from south London, has won the selfie compe tition held by the Allianc e at the Croydon Chi ldminders Conference.

Kathleen has been a ch ildminder for 13 years and has worked with an assistant, her mother, fo r the past seven years.

She won an Amazon vo ucher to spend on reso urces for her setting an d this is her winning pict ure.

Top 10 success

cal rting its lo helpers y en suppo it e b n s u a m h n m ba k ham Co in Notting r the food

t fo hildcare ction poin Selston C e bank by ing a colle m o c e b support th y d b e y lp it e n h u m ve a com roducts Families h sanitary p y church. ies, wipes, p p at a nearb a cal n lo g e in d f food. Th items inclu sual tins o u donating ded e vi th ro s a p ll tions and ies, as we with dona and toiletr d lubs, as e c l lp o e o h h after sc has also d re n o a st st p fa k -o Co own brea e setting’s ties. food for th in k g activi ms for ba e it s a ll e w

ted for the tsmouth, has been shortlis Pebbles Pre-school, in Por ed by local Year competition, organis Portsmouth Nursery of the uded in the s. The setting has been incl newspaper Portsmouth New ered the ent after a total of 56 settings top 10 settings in the region, to vote for ted tsmouth News are now invi competition. Readers of Por ner will win s provided in the paper. The the overall winner, using form r. be announced later this yea

Outstanding achievement Children and staff at Ladybird Forest Pre-school, in Ampthill, Bedfordshire, are celebrating after the setting was graded ‘outstanding’ following its latest Ofsted inspection earlier this year. The inspector praised the setting’s “inspirational” staff and said: “Staff are outstanding role models and children behave exceptionally well,” and praised the “very warm and caring bonds” that staff form with children. The inspector also praised the

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setting’s daily forest school sessions, which help children “develop an excellent understanding of the world”.

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A special vis

itor

Children at H opscotch Nur sery in Kelved visit by PCSO on Hatch wer Kevin Sander e paid a son and his pa able to sit in th trol car. Child e car and turn ren were on the flashin also spoke to g blue lights. the children ab Ke vin out safety an ever get lost. d what to do Parents at th if th ey e setting wer an emergenc e also able to y first aid cour take part in se, run by a fu lly qualified in structor.

Autism Awareness

Month

ed dnal have celebrat ys Playgroup in Re . ek Children at Play Da we a for e blu in Month by dressing Autism Awareness es and played nc rie pe ex ory ns ed se the The children enjoy used on teaching . The sessions foc g with jigsaw puzzles ttin se e Th l. ua t eq one is different, bu ty ari children that every ch ss ne are Aw ney for the Autism also raised some mo t sale. with a toy and swee

Award winners Little Squirrels at Redgate Community Primary Schoo l in Liverpool has been highly commended in the Early Years Category at the 2019 Shine a Light Awards, organis ed by Pearson in partnership with The Communication Trust.

The awards celebrate innovative and excellent practic e in supporting children’s speech, language and commu nication development. Louise Dean, early years lead at the setting , said: “Winning this award has empowered our team to truly believe that our child-centred ethos, along with skilful interactions with adults, is having a positive impact .”

What’s been happening in your setting?

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

HAVE YOUR SAY

Letters to the editor STAR LETTER Parent concerns I am a parent and treasurer of our local committee-run preschool. We have a wonderful pre-school that caters for our village and the surrounding area. Since I became treasurer three years ago, I have direct experience of the financial difficulties in early years education.

In the past three years, our wage bill has increased by around 13% as we have had to keep up with National Living Wage rises. At the same time, the rent has increased by a similar amount. This, coupled with the fact that there has been no increase in government funding, means that we are facing the serious financial difficulties in the next couple of years if nothing changes.

We have a steady number of children, but the fact that more of them are funded than paying fees means that we do not have as much money to educate them. In fact, our income only just covers our salary costs. We raise around £2,000 a year, which for a setting with less than 40 families we feel this is quite reasonable. But with further increases to the National Living Wage in the coming years, or any other rising costs, the pre-school will not be financially viable any more.

For many years, governments have said that Early Years Education is key, but unless it is properly funded, there will be very few settings able to provide it, because the figures simply do not add up.

I sincerely hope that the government can take the action required to ensure that these valuable community assets are maintained before it is too late.

Owen Venables, parent Many roles Early years practitioners have always gone unnoticed. We do the set up right from the start and we are not just nursery practitioners. We are caregivers, nurses, paediatricians, speech and language therapists, we fill in referral forms, and offer families someone to talk to. We are not trained in any of the above fields but are expected to do all of the above – not just for children but for all the parents and families that come through our door as well.

The job is getting harder, for less money. It may be that we do it because we love it, but the fun and passion has dwindled due to the stress and lack of appreciation – and more paperwork. My daughter wanted to go into childcare and I have advised her not to due to the stress and pay.

Beck Wilmott, via Early Years Alliance Facebook page Send your letters to Under 5 magazine, Early Years Alliance, 50 Featherstone Street, London, EC1Y 8RT or email: editor.u5@eyalliance.org.uk using the subject line ‘Letters’.

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This month’s star letter prize wins a copy of Listening to Young Children in Early Years Settings by Sonia Mainstone-Cotton. The book shares ideas on how to listen to children in an early years setting and how to better involve them in decisions about their care including classroom design, methods of learning and transitions. Sonia is a freelance trainer, consultant and author.

Stay in touch Make sure you keep up-to-date in between issues of Under 5.

You can reach us at Under 5 magazine at editor.u5@eyalliance.org.uk or at:

www.facebook.com/EYAlliance

@Under5mag

@EYAlliance

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eyalliance.org.uk

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Lessons from Leeds Last month, it was announced that Leeds had become the first UK city to report a drop in childhood obesity – we hear from HENRY’s Tom Berry about how the charity has helped families in the city

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NUTRITION

J

ust one in 20 children who started their Reception class obese will have returned to a healthy weight by the time they reach Year 6. In fact, children who are obese at age five are highly likely to be obese for the rest of their lives.

Of course parents are the primary influence on their children, but those who work in early years settings have a really important role to play, too.

Research shows that children are influenced by carers and teachers – including being more likely to try new foods if they observe the adults around them eating and enjoying them.

Early years practitioners working with parents can have a really big influence. We know that some approaches to supporting parents are more effective than others. Working in partnership to help parents think about what’s going well and what they might like to change to make their lifestyle healthier is likely to be much more effective than just providing information.

HENRY (Health, Exercise and Nutrition for the Really Young) has been working with Leeds city council since 2008. We have an evidence-based programme that we know helps the whole family to make and sustain positive lifestyle changes.

Working with early years practitioners and families, we have developed a model that could potentially be rolled out across the country as part of obesity-reduction efforts.

Helping practitioners We provide skills development training for early years practitioners. We can also train others to deliver our programmes and workshops. Our training does cover the importance of early life and making nutritional and activity information relevant and understandable for parents. But primarily it’s about developing an effective approach for working in partnership with parents.

It’s a solution-based and strengths-based approach that builds parental motivation and confidence. We want to make change seem possible. We use plenty of empathy. We struggle sometimes to convey the magic of the HENRY approach, but it really does work!

It’s worth noting that in Leeds every practitioner has been trained in the HENRY approach so every parent can benefit from the support. From academic evaluation, we do know that the approach is effective. Partly, this is due to our focus on all aspects of family life, rather

than just nutrition and activity. We know that emotional wellbeing in the family, lifestyle habits, such as eating meals together, and parenting skills all influence how likely it is that children will eat healthily and be active. So we help parents think about what they could change in their own lives and how they can become healthy role models for the children at their setting.

Helping parents identify what needs to change in their family means they are much more likely to make changes than if the idea comes directly from a practitioner.

Difficult conversations Talking to parents about their children’s health can be really hard. Practitioners who struggle with this are not alone – research shows that 88% of early years practitioners don’t feel that they have the confidence or skills to have these challenging conversations. Our training helps practitioners develop their skills and confidence when raising these issues.

Helpful things settings can do include: Avoid rushing in with advice – start with listening and make sure that the parent feels heard first of all.

Use lots of empathy – for example, be mindful of the challenges of raising young children, fussy eating phases and being healthy today in general.

Look for and highlight families’ strengths, however small, to help build up their confidence.

Ask open questions to find out what the parent wants for their child and what they might like to change.

Start with what the family already enjoys eating and explore small steps to make meals and snacks healthier – such as adding more vegetables to a Bolognese sauce.

Choices and changes HENRY encourages parents to offer children choices, while still remaining in charge. This means giving children options instead of using bribes or threats over sweet treats.

For example, asking children: “Would you like carrots or peas?” rather than asking them: “What would you like to eat?”. Or asking children: “Would you like to turn the TV off? Or shall I?” instead of telling them: “Turn the TV off.”

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Your setting While parents and a child’s home life are key, it’s also important to be mindful about what children are eating while at your setting. Early years practitioners can do a lot to help here. Having scheduled snack and meal times, rather than rolling snacks, encourages children to notice what they are eating and when they feel full.

Children are less likely to overeat this way than if they are able to graze all day.

Settings should also use what we call the three S’s when eating meals and snacks: sitting, slowly and sociably. This helps develop healthy eating habits of sitting down together and taking your time. Practitioners should also model good habits and sit with the children at meals, hopefully eating the same food. This also offers a chance to encourage children to try new things. Evidence shows that staff have a strong influence here. Staff should model enjoyment of healthy food and stopping when they are full: “I think I’ve had enough now”.

This kind of interaction also supports social, emotional and communication development.

Make sure your setting is using ageappropriate portion sizes. It can be easy as adults to think that children need more than they actually do. Using a portion sizes chart to help you figure out what is the right amount

for each age group can be really helpful. For example, a child’s portion of carbohydrates should be roughly the size of a child’s clenched fist. Try also to build activity into your day, including brief activity breaks. Ask children to stretch or run on the spot if they have been sitting down for a long time. Adults should join in with these activities too.

You can also help by stopping offering children any foods high in sugar and/or fat, including biscuits and cakes, while they are at your setting. When cooking with the children, think about preparing healthy snacks or meals together instead.

Settings should also avoid using food as rewards or incentives. This can set up an unhealthy, and potentially lifelong, emotional relationship with food. Children may grow up thinking that it is normal to reward or comfort themselves with foods high in sugar or fats, such as cakes and chocolate. Using a pudding as an incentive for children to finish their main meal is likely to make sweet foods seem even more appealing. It may also teach them that the savoury course is just something to get through before they can have the good stuff, rather than a food to enjoy in its own right.

HENRY is working with 30 local authorities across every region of England, but Leeds is

where we have been working for the longest, the most consistently and at the greatest scale.

If you would like to find out more about our training, please give us a call or email so that we can discuss your needs.

HENRY’s impact in Leeds Leeds is the first UK city to report a drop in childhood obesity. Only a few cities across the world, including Amsterdam, have managed to reduce levels of childhood obesity.

Obesity levels fell from 9.4% to 8.8% between 2009 and 2017 in Reception children – compared to 9.5% to 9.4% nationally.

The biggest decline in obesity levels was seen in the most deprived areas, falling from 11.5% to 10.5%, with children under five benefiting from this the most. The results equate to 625 fewer reception class children being obese in 2016-17 than in 2009-10. More than 14,000 parents and 13,000 early years practitioners across England have taken part in HENRY programmes More than a third of children in England are overweight by the time they leave primary school and childhood obesity is thought to be one of the biggest threats to public health currently.

Find out more HENRY works with local authorities, families and early years practitioners to help reduce childhood obesity.

To find out more about HENRY and how the scheme can help your setting, visit www.henry. org.uk or email info@henry.org.uk

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OFSTED

Our new look inspection approach Gill Jones, early education deputy director at Ofsted, shares updates on the new Education Inspection Framework, coming into place in September

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ast month, we launched our new inspection framework, which sets out how we will inspect nurseries, pre-schools, forest schools, childminders and indeed all forms of early years provision, across England, from September 2019.

This announcement followed an extensive consultation, which received more than 15,000 responses. I am genuinely heartened that so many people who work with young children took the time to read the consultation and inspection handbook and offer us their views.

Even the less positive responses were very welcome and helpful. They provoked much thought and discussion at Clive House! Overall, the feedback was very positive. More than 80 per cent of people said that our proposed framework was clear and easy to understand.

There was strong support for applying our new framework to all early years provision. But much of the feedback raised concerns about inspectors judging the ‘quality of education’ in breakfast, after-school and holiday clubs. We have taken this feedback into account and decided that this judgement will not apply to those settings, since they do not have to meet the learning and development requirements in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

The new framework is placing much less emphasis on data and paperwork, and a greater focus on what providers offer through their EYFS curriculum. I hope this will have a big and positive impact in the early years - we want you to spend your time teaching and making a real difference to what children learn and do, which is, after all, why you have devoted your professional lives to developing young children.

So, what do you need to know when our inspectors come knocking on your door

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this autumn? Well, to pick out just a few key highlights: Inspectors will consider how well an early years setting uses the EYFS curriculum to enhance the experience and opportunities available to children, so that they gain the essential knowledge that they need to prepare for future success. We call this ‘cultural capital’.

Inspectors will not advocate a particular way of planning, teaching or assessment, and they will not expect to see any documents other than those listed in the EYFS. We recognise that the early years sector is very diverse. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to assess how well the leadership is making a difference and improving the quality of the provision for the children.

We have stressed from the beginning that our reforms are more of an evolution than a revolution. So you will not see a massive change in our approach to inspecting from Monday 2 September onwards.

We have been doing pilot inspections, which have highlighted more similarities than differences with the current way we inspect. For instance, when preparing for a pilot in the east Midlands, our inspector researched previous visits, the recommendations we had made for improvement, the provider’s regulatory history, and indeed all the information we held about that setting – just as we do now. Then the inspector let the manager steer the inspection towards specific activities - to allow them to showcase the good work they were doing.

Our inspector placed a greater emphasis on a learning walk at the beginning of the inspection, when the manager introduced the

inspector to their provision. This allowed the manager to explain how they organise the provision and decide what the children in their setting needed to learn.

Our inspector met some delightful children, who were able to use quite technical vocabulary when speaking about a variety of herbs. They were confident and articulate for their age.

I think it’s fair to say that the manager enjoyed talking openly to an inspector about their work. It was the opposite of an intense management meeting where data dominates the discussion.

This, and other, pilot inspections have shown that the framework works for nurseries and childminders. Inspectors can find out what it is like to attend an early years provision without the need to look at data and lots of paperwork.

If I can sound a warning note, I know from experience that the publication of new handbooks leads to a deluge of emails from consultants, offering to tell you how to prepare for an Ofsted inspection if you’ll give them some cash. This is not necessary at all – you should not do anything specifically for an Ofsted inspection. Anything that you do should be for the young children themselves. And similarly, don’t feel obliged to spend several hundred pounds on training or buying in a consultant when our website has all kinds of information about what we do.

They EYFS is still the EYFS and although our inspection framework has changed, what you need to do to help children to learn and enjoy their early years experience remains the same.

Between now and September, we will be attending conferences and events, including the Ofsted Big Conversation, to talk about what the new inspection framework will mean for you.

Watch this space!

CAMPAIGNING

Have you joined our Action Week yet?

Join our Action Week from 10 June and help us get the voice of the early years sector heard in parliament

#FairFutu re Action WFunding 10-14 Ju eek ne 2019

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hildcare funding rates were set and frozen in 2015 – this means that they don’t take into account the subsequent increases to business rates, minimum wage levels and all of the other costs you have seen go up since then.

This has forced many providers to put up parent fees, and unfortunately in some cases, close their doors for good.

The early years sector plays a vital role in our communities, helping children reach their full potential and enabling parents to get back into work – but the sector is struggling to stay sustainable due to government underfunding.

This summer we have a chance to change that.

The government’s Spending Review – which will set out its spending priorities for the next few years – which is taking place over the next few months. It’s an important opportunity for providers and parents to warm MPs about what will happen to childcare provision in their constituencies unless the government takes action on underfunding.

Join us: write to your MP, invite them to visit your setting or organise a meeting with them in the week beginning 10 June and make sure they know the effects of the childcare funding crisis.

Get involved Visit www.eyalliance.org.uk/ActionWeek to join the campaign. You can download a template letter to send to your MP – there

is also a link to find your MP and their contact details.

You will also be able to download a fact sheet explaining the early years funding crisis to share with your MP, as well as any parents who may be interested in the campaign.

Tell parents about the campaign and ask them to get in touch with your MP as well – there is a template letter for them to use on our website.

You can display the poster overleaf in your setting or share a picture of it on social media to help show your support.

Make sure you let us know what your MP says – and feel free to share your stories and pictures on social media using the hashtag #FairFutureFunding

Felicia’s Action Week success Felicia Adenyinka is an owner of two nurseries – Jack and Jill’s - in Harlow, Essex which she acquired in 2005. She says: “I was at work on Easter Monday and again on the May Day bank holiday.

The struggle of keeping up is real. I am an owner, a manager, a nursery nurse, a book keeper, a clerical officer and an agony aunt to my staff, among other things.

“The demands of being a responsible employer, as well as all that is required

by Ofsted, the local council and the early

years advisors, are necessary - but tough when you have such a tight budget.”

Felicia wrote to her MP Robert Halfon back in 2015 to alert him to the funding shortfall she would face when the 30 hours offer was introduced. Felicia said: “Mr Halfon wrote back with a standard line about government investing £1 billion additional funding into childcare. Since then, the price of everything else has gone up and we’re delivering education and care on goodwill and long hours to stay afloat.”

Fast forward to 2019 and Felicia has signed-up to the Fair Future Funding Action Week, this time inviting Robert Halfon to visit her setting during the Action Week. “Mr Halfon is committed to improving social mobility and he is also the chair of the Education Select Committee. I want him to see first-hand how underfunding undermines our ability to offer children the highest quality early years education,” she said.

Within just a few days, Robert Halfon responded and will be visiting one of Felicia’s settings on Friday 14 June.

Felicia added: “I would encourage every setting to do the same. The more MPs we can make aware of this, the better chance we have of government acting on the early years funding crisis.”

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#Fair for t

Enough is There is at least a £615 million black hole in early years funding, and it’s getting bigger.

Childcare providers and parents have been subsidising the government’s flagship childcare schemes for too long.

We want rFutureFunding the early years Early Years Alliance

s enough We are calling on the government to urgently review funding levels to make sure that they match the true cost of providing quality childcare.

Get involved in the #FairFutureFunding Action Week starting on 10 June 2019.

Visit www.eyalliance.org.uk/ActionWeek

CAMPAIGNING

g ndin u F e r eek rFutu #FaiAction We 2019 n 4 Ju 10-1

Enough is enough There is a childcare funding crisis, and parents are paying the price

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s a parent, have you found your 30 hours of ‘free’ childcare isn’t actually free? Have you struggled to access funded childcare hours at times that suit you? Do you find you’re paying more for added extras such as meals or activities?

Since the government introduced the 30 hours funded childcare scheme - entitlement that you and your family deserve - childcare providers like the one you entrust to care for your children have struggled financially. The simple fact is the government is not paying childcare providers enough money per hour to deliver the ‘free’ entitlement.

Frozen funding rates With funding rates set in 2015 and frozen until 2020, many childcare settings have been unable to cope with rising wages, rents, rates and other operating costs. Some have been forced to close, others have been forced to put prices up or charge for extras outside the funded hours.

Help us send a message to government that you are no longer willing to subsidise their ‘free’ flagship childcare offer and join the Fair Future Funding campaign action week, starting Monday 10 June.

During the campaign action week, we want every MP in England to be made aware of the funding crisis in the early years. We are demanding that government takes action and funds childcare properly, and reviews funding levels every year to make sure funding keeps pace with rising costs.

least a There is at ck hole in 00 bla £615,000,0 nding, and it’s fu early years g bigger. in gett

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Fair Future Funding campaign We are campaigning for: The government to urgently review funding levels to ensure they match the true cost of delivering quality childcare.

A commitment from government to review rates annually to ensure funding keeps pace with rising delivery costs.

How to support the #FairFutureFunding campaign If you haven’t already done so, sign-up to the campaign and receive regular updates: www.eyalliance.org.uk/ fairfuturefunding Write to your MP using our template letter. To send the letter electronically, you can find contact details for your MP here: www. theyworkforyou.com. Simply input your postcode to get details of your MP, then click on the ‘Send a message’ button. You can then paste your letter into the box.

Let us know the name of the MP you’ve written to by emailing Rebecca and Deri at feedback@eyalliance.org.uk.

Your childcare provider might be organising activities for the campaign week, so make sure you find out what’s happening.

Join in on social media by following the @EYAlliance on Twitter and Facebook and by using the hashtag #fairfuturefunding.

Talk to your childcare provider and add your voice to the Fair Future Funding campaign today!

Share this page with parents/carers at your setting and feel free to make photocopies if needed – there is also a downloadable version on our website at www.eyalliance.org.uk/ActionWeek

BUSINESS

Music licences: do you need one?

Does your setting need a music license? The legal team behind the Alliance’s Law-Call service explains the rules

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usic would not exist without the work of songwriters, composers and publishers. When you buy a CD you are only purchasing the physical disc that your copy is on. Equally, when you pay to download music, you are essentially purchasing a license.

You are leasing the content and may only play it in a non-commercial space. You can listen to the songs yourself as much as you like, but it is illegal to play them in your setting without a license even if you are a charity. This would be in breach of copyright law as the act would be considered to be a public performance. Any infringement can carry significant penalties.

Music Under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, permission is needed from the relevant copyright holders in order to play or perform music in public. Section 34 of the Act provides that certain performances, such as those at an “educational establishment”, are not a public exhibition but unfortunately, nurseries, preschools and playgroups do not fall within this definition of such establishments.

Obtaining a music licence through PPL & PRS gives you the permission to play the vast majority of commercially available music and ensures that the people who create the music are fairly rewarded for their talent and work. It means you don’t have to spend your time and energy contacting potentially hundreds of thousands of

rights holders directly to get permission to play or perform their music in your business premises.

TV and film Similarly, while you may have rented, borrowed or purchased an audio-visual programme, you are only granted the right to view it for personal, private use, not to perform it in public. An MPLC Umbrella Licence allows you to watch films and TV shows in your setting. The annual fee is based on the type and size of your business and premises.

Exceptions There are, however, a few ways that you may have music in your setting and legitimately avoid paying these licence fees: When the period of copyright protection has expired for both the “artistic work” i.e. the song or audio visual film/television programme and its recording. Please note that copyright in an artistic work may expire at a different time from the copyright in the recording.

If you have any talented members of staff, or know any musicians locally, you could commission musical compositions and recordings for your setting.

As long as you

have the permission of the composer/ performer, you won’t have to pay any licence fees.

If staff and children record out-of-copyright songs themselves.

You could purchase non PRS & PPL music to play in your setting but you will need a certificate from the seller stating that the music is exempt. These albums can be expensive, so it might not be cheaper in the long-term.

PPL & PRS confirmed to Under 5 that childminders do not need a licence to play music in their homes. However, they will need a licence if they are playing music in a room that has been set-up specifically and exclusively for the purpose of childminding – such as a playroom only used for childminding.

The organisation also confirmed that PRS does not charge private, voluntary and independent settings for the use of their repertoire if it is solely used as part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) – which would only leave settings with the £41.75 a year, (plus VAT) for the PPL licence.

However, if you also use any music outside of the EYFS curriculum, including extra-curricular dance classes, fetes and fairs, breakfast clubs, background music and hold music on phones, you will need to purchase the full £83.50 (plus VAT) PPL and PRS licence.

More information If you are unsure about whether or not you need a licence to play music, please contact Law-Call, a free legal advice service available to Alliance members. The contact details can be found in the members’ area on our website at www.eyalliance.org.uk/membersarea.

Or contact PPL & PRS at pplprs.co.uk.

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HEALTH & SAFETY

Legionnaires’ disease – what you need to know The Health & Safety Executive explains how early years settings can manage the risk of Legionnaires’ disease at their premises

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egionnaires’ disease is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia that is spread via the inhalation of water droplets contaminated with Legionella bacteria. It cannot be spread from person to person, only through water droplets, but everyone is susceptible to infection. The risk is increased for vulnerable groups, including the elderly, smokers and those with chronic health conditions.

While the majority of children would not be classed as being vulnerable, it is still important that early years settings pay careful attention to the risk of Legionnaires’ disease to help protect them in those tender first few years.

Legionella bacteria are found in low numbers in lakes, rivers and reservoirs. Some do survive the water treatment process so may be present at low levels in water from the mains. In certain conditions, these bacteria can multiply but they require two or more of the following criteria: warmth – Legionella bacteria grow in temperatures between 20ºC and 45ºC nutrients – dirt, dust, organic material, biofilms (or slime), scale deposits and rust stagnation – persistently still water and pipework deadlegs

Hot and cold water systems will provide the bacteria with all of these conditions.

The Law Duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 include risks from Legionella bacteria which may arise from your business’ activities.

If you are an employer or responsible for premises, you have a duty to understand, assess and manage Legionella risks. All water systems require a suitable and sufficient risk assessment, but not all will require elaborate control measures.

For Legionella, fulfilling your responsibilities need not become a complicated or onerous task. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) would expect early years settings to conduct similar assessments as landlords of domestic rented accommodation. Guidelines for landlords are available online at bit.ly/1jbgJi6

What you need to do Risk assessments Legionella risk assessments can be included as part of your overall health and safety risk assessment. You can carry it out yourself, but if you don’t feel able or inclined to do so, you can ask someone else to do it on your behalf.

If you are a self-employed person – such as a childminder – or if you employ five people or fewer, you are not required to record the significant findings of your risk assessment.

However, you may still wish to keep a record.

You should review your risk assessment periodically just in case anything changes.

Control Awareness of the risk, together with knowledge about the appropriate control measures, ensure that children in your care are not exposed to any unnecessary risks.

Control measures are usually simple and involve keeping: hot water hot stored at 60°C or above (the risk is further reduced where a combi-boiler is installed) distributed at hot water outlets at a minimum of 50°C within one minute hot water services should be insulated cold water cold storage tanks to be 20°C or below, the risk is lower for systems fed direct from the mains the system clean where installed, cold water storage tanks should be fitted with a lid and insulated water moving by ensuring a high turnover of the system it is very likely that childcare premises will use a lot of water anyway where possible, remove any deadlegs in the pipework

Your control measures will be proportionate to the individual nature of your premises. If your business operates out of your family home then your water system is likely to be quite simple and

your water turnover high. For most residential settings, the risk assessment may show that the risks are low and no further action is necessary.

If you work from larger, purpose-built premises, your system may be slightly more complex and warrant a more detailed risk assessment.

Depending on the building size and design you may wish to commission a consultant. If you operate from a shared, multi-tenant premises you should check the terms of your tenancy agreement to determine who has control of the premises and responsibility for the common parts of the water system. The extent of your duty will depend on the nature of your agreement but you will need to undertake a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and ensure controls are in place.

Due consideration should be given to managing the risks of scalding from hot water outlets. If you have thermostatic mixing valves, a suitably qualified person should service these at least once a year.

Monitoring and keeping records The most reliable method for confirming your water system is under control is to monitor the temperature on a regular basis. This should be done monthly and a record of the results from a selection of outlets should be kept. After running for one minute, the hot outlet should reach a minimum of 50ºC and cold outlets should reach a maximum of 20ºC. You should also inspect the condition and record the temperature of any cold-water tank on an annual basis. The effectiveness of its insulation is best assessed if this is done during the warmer months of the year. All monitoring records should be retained for at least five years.

Find out more For more advice about Legionella from the HSE, please visit www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires.

For information about how you can contact the HSE’s concerns and advice team, visit bit.ly/1fB8HHD. Alternatively, you can contact the Legionella Control Association at www.legionellacontrol. org.uk or the Occupational Health & Safety Consultants Regisiter at www.oshcr.org.

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TECHNOLOGY

Too much, too young?

In this Alliance mini-guide, we share advice for monitoring children’s use of technology

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odern technology is here to stay.

Young children playing with iPads is becoming the norm as children today are part of an increasingly digital generation. The challenge for us as practitioners is learning to make the best use of the learning opportunities that modern technology presents, while maintaining children’s safety and wellbeing.

Understanding technology Information and communication technology (ICT) is generally described as “any product that can store, transmit, process, retrieve, receive and manipulate information”. It is often screen-based and has the capability to connect to the internet.

Popular media such as Facebook, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Twitter and Skype have introduced new words to the English language and have given people a means by which they can access information, play and communicate at any time.

ICT can support children’s learning with age-appropriate and innovative websites, programmes and applications. But it has its limitations in an early years setting and must be seen in the broader context of a balanced programme of activities and experiences across the educational programmes.

The term ‘technology’ is much broader, including products such as DVDs, remote controls, programmable toys, machines, music and audio systems and the processes by which we use science and knowledge to solve practical problems. For example, creating or inventing machinery to do a specific job.

Technology is an aspect of ‘understanding the world’ in the Early Years Foundation Stage whereas ICT is not mentioned specifically.

Recognisable technology An audit and analysis of all equipment that can be described as technology is a really useful way to identify missed opportunities.

For example, an old style telephone with a dial encourages number recognition, hand-eye coordination and role-play as children have pretend conversations. A home corner kitchen is full of technology with buttons, knobs, switches,

timers and gadgets, but is often only credited with enabling imaginative play. A digital camera can record a sequence of events such as seeds growing or a tower being built – the activity follows on as children help to download, edit, print and sequence the photographs.

All of these seemingly normal activities incorporate technology and a wide range of opportunities. As always, it is the ability of the practitioner to both recognise and facilitate the learning that is vital.

As a team, share your thoughts and aim to reach a consensus as to why and how you should make use of technology in your setting.

Starting with the learning and development requirements of the EYFS, stipulate the areas where technology has a role to play and how it supports all areas of learning and development. Then, identify and understand the safeguarding and welfare requirements that impact on the use of technology in your setting and how these are assessed under the ‘Inspecting safeguarding in the early years, education and skills’ guidance (May 2019).

Enabling environments Screen-based ICT offers only a narrow range of sensory input – i.e. just sight and sound.

Children need enabling environments that ignite their curiosity and enthusiasm for learning through play, within a mix of child-led and adult-initiated activities.

Having enough room and seating for more than one child to access a computer at the same time encourages interaction between peers and will prompt conversations, idea sharing and problem solving together.

ICT should be integrated into other activities such as mark making so that children are able to explore a full range of media and materials.

Digital cameras can be used to record and review learning together. For example, photographing a sequence of events during a science session where children are working with sand and water, reviewing them later will encourage children to remember processes, review their achievements and maybe reflect on possible extensions to the activity.

Practitioners should model safe use of the technology and can encourage children who

are more familiar with technology to support others. There is no need to formally teach technology skills: supporting experimentation will help children to get the most from technology in a more meaningful way.

Software must be age-appropriate, openended and interactive. Software that only requires children to keep pressing a button until they get the right answer should be avoided.

ICT procedures Settings will need procedures in place for the safe use of ICT, including access to the internet, how children are kept safe online and how parents are supported with information about keeping their children safe online at home.

The amount of time children spend looking at screens should be limited. Recommendations vary according to age, but the World Health Organisation recommends no more than one hour of sedentary screen time for two-, threeand four-year-olds – although less is better.

Find out what children and their parents use at home, and how they keep their child safe online. Share ideas for using ICT creatively at home to promote learning and development, and offer information about organisations that can support them if they have concerns.

More information This information is adapted from an Alliance mini guide – available free to Alliance members.

Visit the members’ area of our website at www. eyalliance.org.uk/members-area to see the full collection.

Further support Child Internet Safety www.childinternetsafety.co.uk Think U Know www.thinkuknow.co.uk Kidsmart www.kidsmart.org.uk Online Safety mini guide available to Alliance members from www.eyalliance.org.uk/ members-area For further advice, please contact: Information Services T: 020 7697 2595 E. info@eyalliance.org.uk W. www.eyalliance.org.uk/informationand-advice

BEST PRACTICE

Better for babies Rachel Patman, deputy manager at Cambridge Day Nursery, shares how they improved their space for babies

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o we really respect the capabilities of babies? For years, our baby room matched our own ideas about what made a good room. It was everything you’d expect to see – bright, colourful and full of toys that are all singing and dancing. But did our babies think it was a good room?

The typical singing and dancing toys we offered rarely had working batteries, there were lots of pictures of purple and blue animals and even perfectly cut-out hand print paintings all over the walls an ceilings. We observed our babies in the space and yes, they were playing, but what were they learning about the real world?

Watching and learning After completing further training – including the Brazleton Touch Points training course and the Five to Thrive course – we began to question our use of the space. Was using only ‘baby toys’ really respecting their intelligence? Babies understand what an animal really looks like. They learn that some items are heavy and breakable and that they need to be careful with them, so they don’t need to be given only brightly coloured plastics that can be thrown around.

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behaviours taking place in the baby room. The children were displaying symptoms of high stress – there was lots of crying and, worryingly, a high percentage of them were biting others. We know that biting is a normal behaviour for babies, particularly when they are developing language.

However, we wondered whether it was the high stress of the environment that was making this behaviour more frequent.

Positive steps We decided it was time to make a change and since then we have been slowly adapting our approach. After researching treasure baskets, we decided to try a week with only heuristic play, removing all the bright, plastic from the room. We replaced them with natural, authentic resources with loose parts for the babies to play with and it was such a hit that the plastic never came back!

The real teapots we purchased have been the greatest hit with our babies.

We then moved away from the colourful displays in favour of a much more homely feel.

The baby room is now often referred to as “the living room” by our parents. Surely, this must be a much more positive, nurturing space for our babies to be in?

Calmer space The changes have had a massive impact on the children’s behaviour already. The babies are much calmer, new children settle in easier and we see dramatically fewer unwanted behaviours – with biting incidents now few and far between, when they were previously occurring several times a day.

Staff are also much more aware of the children’s emotions and better placed to support nervous parents. We’re able to just enjoy playing with the babies, knowing that one-to-one games, such as peek-a-boo, are far more beneficial than any plastic toy. This ethos is spreading across the rest of the nursery as well.

Future impact But the road here was not easy. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) states that half of all practitioners working with babies should receive specific baby training, but it’s not always easy to access. Despite being based in Cambridge, a large city, we had to travel as far as Northampton and Manchester to complete some of the specific courses. Luckily, we have the support of our management team, who realise the importance of getting it right for the youngest children at our setting, and were able to fund access to these courses for our staff.

We are constantly being told about the need to get children “school ready” and the need for qualified teachers to give three- and four-yearolds the best start. Local authorities often focus their training on helping practitioners support older children and many early years qualifications fail to cover baby care in any detail. Practitioners may be asked to demonstrate a bottle feed, or explain attachment theory, yet surely this isn’t enough? If we don’t manage to get it right for the very youngest children in our settings, we’re fighting a losing battle!

LAW-CALL

How to spot a TUPE transfer T

UPE stands for the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006, as amended by the “Collective Redundancies and Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2014”. The objective of TUPE is to protect employees and the terms and conditions of their employment when a business changes hands.

We receive a lot of calls from early years practitioners about TUPE. One of the most important things is to be able to recognise the circumstances when TUPE applies. These are: 1. When a setting is closing or when it becomes apparent that another setting, a local school or, in some circumstances, the staff, wishes to take over the organisation. In most cases this will be considered as a business transfer that keeps its entity under TUPE. 2. When a service provision changes. This happens when a setting: outsources a particular activity –

such as payroll being passed over to an external provider

transfers an outsourced activity from one provider to another – such as transferring the payroll to a different provider brings an activity back in-house – such

as bringing the payroll function back into the setting A crucial feature of a service provision change is that there must be a legal entity for whom the relevant services are provided.

Legal obligations Before the transfer Once it has been identified that TUPE applies there are various steps both the old and new employer must take to ensure compliance with regulations. These are: 1. The transferor provides employee liability information at least 14 days before the

transfer. This includes: the identify of the employee who will be transferring information set out in their contracts of employment details of disciplinary action taken against the employee in the last two years any grievances employees have raised in the last two years details of any legal action the employees have taken against the setting in the last two years – for example Employment Tribunal claims information about any collective agreements

If the transferor fails to provider up-to-date and accurate information within the time limit, they could be liable to pay a penalty of £500 per employee for any losses that the new employer, the transferee, has incurred as a result. This could be costly for some settings where the committee members are personally liable.

Once the transferor knows there will be a transfer taking place, they cannot change the employees’ contracts, even if the employees agree to it, to make them the same as the new employer’s contracts of employment.

2. Both transferor and transferee have a duty to consult and inform employees:

if there is a trade union in the setting, the employer must inform and consult with the representatives from the union

if there is no trade union the employer must inform and consult employee representatives.

Informing and consulting must take place before the transfer itself. It is important that all lines of communication are kept open as you go through the process, as employees will understandably be concerned.

The legal team behind Law-Call, a 24-hour helpline available to Alliance members, explains how to identify a TUPE transfer

There is no requirement for settings who employ 10 or fewer employees to inform or consult where there is no trade union or elected representatives. Instead, the transferor and transferee must inform and consult with each employee directly.

Employees must be informed and consulted in writing about the following: that a transfer is taking place, when it will happen and the reasons why whether there will be any reorganisation within the setting any implications for the employees affected – including whether they are at risk of redundancy what changes the transferor and transferee will be making, even if they do not intend to make any – for example, changing the date that employees get paid Failure to inform and consult by both the current and new employers could result in compensation being paid to each affected employee – up to a maximum of 13 weeks’ pay. Dismissing an employee for reasons related to the transfer, and without a valid reason, could result in an Employment Tribunal awarding the employee compensation from the setting for unfair dismissal.

The transferor and transferee can agree warranties and indemnities from each other to protect themselves against the other party’s mistakes.

In the next issue, we will discuss further details of the TUPE rules.

More information This article does not constitute legal advice.

For more detailed, specific guidance, please contact the Law-Call helpline. The contact details can be found on your membership card or in the members’ area of the Alliance website at www.eyalliance.org.uk/ members-area.

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ENVIRONMENT

No plastic?

Fantastic!

Earlier this year we shared some ideas for reducing the amount of plastic waste produced in your early years setting. Here, we learn how one setting has been making changes since then

C

oncerns about the damage caused by plastic pollution have been increasing. Every year, more than one million tonnes of plastic waste are sent to landfill in the UK, with most families throwing away an average of 40kg of plastic that could be recycled. Earlier this year, Under 5 shared some ideas for how early years settings could reduce the amount they contribute to this plastic waste.

Since then, Jelly Beans, a Montessori nursery based in Essex, has been changing the way it uses disposable plastic products.

Jelly Beans offers care between 8am and 6pm across two rooms and an outdoor classroom. The setting currently cares for a total of 90 children each week. For them, the idea of cutting down on the level of waste produced at the setting was always on their radar. Sarah Drummond, head and founder at the setting, explains: “This was always in the back of my mind we already recycle a lot in the setting, but I had been thinking about what other things we could do for a while. Then I saw the article on reducing plastics in Under 5 and saw there was evidence to back up what we wanted to do.” The setting was also struck by how some of the disposable items they were using added up over the course of a year – for example, an average setting, open for 50 weeks a year, might use up to 5,000 plastic nappy sacks and 5,000 single-use plastic aprons.

Happy parents Sarah started by speaking with families through the setting’s parents forum about the changes they wanted to make. “When we

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shared the statistics about how many nappies and wipes we were using, parents realised how important this was.” She explains. “I think a lot of parents only think about their own individual child and don’t see how all of this waste adds up.”

The response from families was overwhelmingly positive. “Out of 180 parents, only one had concerns about the plans – and they are still behind the idea overall, they just wanted to provide their own wipes as their child has eczema.” Three parents have also been hugely supportive of the new plans, helping the setting implement some of the changes. One parent has also been looking into setting up a litter-picking group for the local area to help clean up some of the outdoor spaces.

Making changes Jelly Beans has swapped from plastic toothbrushes to a bamboo alternative and has swapped from disposable to reusable wipes. “We were going to buy a set of these online, but one of the children’s grandparents made us a set using some muslin cloth,” Sarah says. The cloths can be cleaned in the washing machine, ready to be re-used the next day.

The setting purchased some wet bags online, which cost around £1 for a set, which they now use instead of disposable nappy sacks to wrap up wet clothing to be sent home. These sacks are also more convenient for many parents. Sarah explains: “The whole thing can be put in the washing machine with the clothes and they are totally reusable.”

Two parents have also been sharing their experience of using reusable nappies with the parents forum. Sarah says that as well as helping to reduce plastic waste, reusable nappies may also help with toilet training for young children. “Modern nappies work almost too efficiently, so that children do not realise that they are wet,” she explains. In a year, the average early years setting can use up to 12,500 nappies, so this can have a huge impact on waste.

Cost savings Many settings may also be concerned about the cost of some of these swaps, as ecofriendly alternatives are often seen as being more expensive. “Actually, we’ve found that everything has saved us money and we are no longer spending money on disposable aprons and gloves,” Sarah explains. Many of the reusable alternatives the setting is now using will work out cheaper in the long term.

Sarah thinks this is an important issue for settings to address with children.

“We all play our part in taking care of the environment and children are the future of this – we need to educate them now.” She says that making changes now can help set habits. “If we can teach them to take care of their environment, they will carry that with them throughout their lives.”

Find out more Alliance quality and standards manager Melanie Pilcher also hosted a webinar on the topic: Plastic not so fantastic, which is now free to watch online at bit.ly/2HoqV5I.

WELLBEING

Tackling workplace stress The new Education Inspection Framework, which will come into place in September 2019, highlights the need for providers to: “engage with their staff and [be] aware and take account of the main pressures on them.

They are realistic and constructive in the way they manage staff, including their workload.”

Early years practitioners under considerable stress require significant levels of resilience in order to keep themselves healthy and to support young children’s tender development, at the most formative time in their lives.

The role of a practitioner is a unique skillset, in an environment where children need to be observed, supported and nourished on their individual journeys. Such focused attentiveness to the child’s formative development makes the work extremely intricate and convoluted. Building practitioners’ resilience requires a profound understanding not only of the context in which they work but also an awareness of their overall wellbeing. Only when the impact of stress on individuals and staff as a whole is taken seriously, can wellbeing and performance be strengthened.

The work environment can have a profound

effect on a practitioner’s motivation, their work performance and job satisfaction. For a practitioner to feel motivated, their role should be meaningful, effective and have opportunities for responsibility, with a level of autonomy. Managers who are aware of the value of motivation can work to create a more resilient team: “The workforce must be supported to be researchers, adventurers and explorers so that young children can also be understood as researchers, adventurers and explorers from whom we have a great deal to learn.”* Practitioners who develop a ‘shared practice’ mind-set are more likely to value each other’s competence and learn from each other.

Creating a variety of ‘support models’, such as a Mental Health First Aider or mental health peer, also builds resilience more effectively because resilience grows best in a culture of support and interaction.

The LIFE model can significantly support knowledge and understanding whilst improving practice, through the encouragement of regular interaction with each other:

Listen – When workforces are given the time and space to listen to each other and work together to explore ideas and concepts, effective opportunities can be created towards best practice.

Initiate – Managers who initiate time and energy into the wellbeing of their workforce

can transform unhappy places of employment into thriving environments of joyful learning and job satisfaction.

Focus – Workforces that are focused on wellbeing will pay attention to the more important elements of work, rather than dwelling on negative aspects, which may only de-energise employees, robbing them of job satisfaction.

Empower – Workforces that empower each other through quality exchanges of knowledge and understanding can build good interpersonal relationships and create opportunities towards best practice.

When managers increase the amount of time they spend working alongside their colleagues and share in the day-to-day routine, they gain first hand knowledge of current practice that enables them to identify any potential mental health issues. In this way, they are able to influence performance and also enhance practitioner wellbeing.

Job enrichment often relies on variety and challenge. Managers can encourage practitioners to make changes and try new things out more effectively when they are aware of the current issues that practitioners are facing.

Find out more on improving your skills in these vital areas in Building a Resilient Workforce in the Early Years.

OFFER: 20% OFF BUILDING A RESILIENT WORKFORCE IN THE EARLY YEARS Helen Garnett

Early Years Alliance (Ref: A116) £13.65 members, £19.50 non-members New Alliance publication Building a Resilient Workforce in the Early Years acknowledges the common causes of low mental health and wellbeing in the sector, focussing on the important steps early years providers and practitioners alike can take to help prevent this. It demonstrates how to build team resilience and grow a culture of support and interaction in the early years setting.

Full of advice and guidance on improving workplace practices and providing Please visit shop.eyalliance.org.uk, call support to colleagues, this publication promotes a proactive approach in improving 0300 330 0996 or email mental health and wellbeing. It provides practical tools to help settings reflect on shop@eyalliance.org.uk. and make positive changes in their practice, such as an Employee wellbeing survey, Motivation quiz and Stress management reflection exercise. A template mental health shop.eyalliance.org.uk and wellbeing policy is also included.

Interested in buying?

Order by 30 June, quoting RES19, to receive 20% off. *Osgood, J. et al. Occasional Paper 9 Early Years Training and Qualifications in England: Issues for Policy and Practice Middlesex University: Centre for Education, Research and Scholarship

Shadow sh W

atching a young child discover their shadow for the first time is a joy to behold, especially when they realise that it follows them wherever they go! Once discovered, children are naturally drawn to play and experiment with their shadows. From running away from it, jumping on it or chasing each other’s, there is plenty of fun to be had.

Children quickly realise that they are also able to manipulate their shadows by simply moving. More early science will become evident through this idea, as with all the most meaningful early learning. Practitioners who tap into a child’s fascination can extend the learning by introducing resources or suggesting further possibilities.

It is inevitable that a child’s curious mind will want to know why they have a shadow, where it comes from and where it goes when it is not there. In the simplest terms, a shadow is a dark area on a light surface. It is caused by something blocking a source of light, usually when outdoors this comes from the sun.

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Me and my shadow A shadow will usually have the same shape as whatever is blocking the light source. The shape cast as the shadow’s outline is sometimes called a silhouette. Encourage children to look at their own shadow. On a cloudy day, when the sun disappears briefly behind a cloud they will see their shadow disappear as well. A measured piece of string can be used to show children that their shadows are longer in the morning and the evening and shortest at noon.

Ask children to look for other shadows – noting what shapes and silhouettes are cast and finding their source. Trees, fences, buildings and even smaller objects will be evident if the sunlight reaches them. They will also discover that standing in the shadow of a building is cooler because the warmth of the sun has been blocked.

Take a large sheet of paper outdoors and let children trace each other’s silhouettes or look for other interesting shadows to draw around. Chalk on pavement is equally effective

for static objects and has the added bonus of enabling direct comparisons at different times of the day if different coloured chalks are used.

Make your own sundial It’s hard to imagine a time when we did not have clocks or watches to tell the time. Some children may have seen a sundial but they are unlikely to understand how it works.

You will need: a paper plate a pencil or similar length piece of dowel a piece of plasticine or clay Use the plasticine or clay to hold the pencil firmly upright. Place the paper plate upside down on top of the pencil and carefully push it through, sliding the plate down to the bottom.

You should be able to sit the plate squarely on a smooth surface.

Place your sundial outdoors just before noon on a sunny day and observe the shadow cast

ACTIVITY CORNER

hapes across the plate. When it is exactly midday, mark the plate with a small line and write “12”.

This is the start of your clockface. Leave the sundial where it is and mark it up again at 3pm.

You now have a quarter of your clockface and should be able to help the children fill in 6pm and 9pm, followed by the numbers in between to complete their sundials.

Using other light sources As we have already discovered, the shadows that we see outdoors are a natural phenomena cast by sunlight, or a bright moon. But we can easily create shadows indoors, too, using torches or artificial light sources.

Shadow shapes You will need: a torch or lamp a plain, undecorated wall Draw the curtains or blinds and shine a light onto the plain wall. Stand slightly to one side

Alliance quality and standards manager Melanie Pilcher shares some ideas for introducing children to their shadows

and put a hand in front of the light to cast a shadow. The easiest and most recognisable shape to make is a rabbit. Make a fist and then hold up your first two fingers. The children will all want to try themselves and before too long you will have a wall full of shadow rabbits hopping around.

With practice, you may be able to create a crocodile by snapping your thumb and forefinger together, a barking dog, a snake or, using two hands, a butterfly. Look online for further inspiration for easy shadow puppets.

To extend the activity, try placing solid objects in front of the light, but out of the children’s immediate vision, and let them try to guess what it is. Try easily recognisable shapes like teddy bears, toy cars and balls. Change the size of the shadow by moving the object nearer or further away from the light source.

Older children could try more complex shapes like kitchen utensils, letting children guess from a line up of objects which one was used. You can extend this even further by arranging two or three

objects to make a completely different shape – such as a dinosaur or a rocket.

Make a shadow theatre Use thick paper or card to cut out the shape of figures from one of the children’s favourite storybooks and glue them on to lollipop sticks or wooden batons. If you already have a puppet theatre, place a white sheet across the front of it and shine a light towards it. Children can use it in the same way they use regular puppets. Older children may wish to make up their own story and characters.

To work on a larger scale, hang a white sheet from the ceiling to create your shadow theatre. Children could act out actions for the others to guess such as “brushing their teeth”.

As the day draws to a close and children are collected by their parents, the shadows will be longer outside, so don’t forget to share what you have been doing with parents and let the learning continue as they begin their journey home.

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NUTRITION

As sweet as sugar Annie Denny, nutrition development manager at the Early Years Nutrition Partnership, shares some ideas for cutting down on sugar in your setting

W

hat would happen in your setting’s staff room if the sugar bowl went missing for the day? Hiding the sugar might make you very unpopular amongst the staff who like it in their tea, but the idea could demonstrate how frequently sugar features in staff’s daily routine, as well as the children’s.

On average, children and adults in the UK eat too much “free sugars” – between two and three times the maximum daily amount. These sugars are those added to food or drinks, or present naturally in honey and syrups.

This includes products such as agave syrup, coconut nectar and unsweetened fruit juice.

Examples include sugar in teas and coffees, sweets, cakes, biscuits, chocolate, fizzy drinks and alcohol.

“Free sugars” does not include the natural sugar found in fruits, vegetables and milk.

These are less of a dietary concern because sugars naturally found within the cell structure of foods, such as lactose in milk, do not have the same adverse effects on health.

In children aged 18 months up to three years, “free sugars” should not make up more than 5% of their energy intake, but they are currently getting an average of 11.3% of their daily calories from free sugars. This is equivalent to 33g a day. Only 13% of children have intakes below or equal to the recommended level.

Intake of “free sugars” should be even lower than 5% in children under the age of two.

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Children and adults alike should be looking to get a maximum of 5% of their daily calories from added sugars, including those present in honey, syrups and unsweetened fruit juices. In practice this equates to: Age

Maximum sugar intake per day

Cubes Teaspoons

2 years No more than 13g

3

1–3

3 years No more than 15g

4

2–4

For children aged 10-18 months, the main contributor to “free sugars” is dairy products, such as sweetened yoghurts. While these contain naturally-occurring milk sugars, a significant amount of sugar also comes from added sugars in these products.

While fruit juice does contain vitamin C, and does count towards a child’s five-a-day, the sugars it contains can be consumed in much greater quantities than in the whole fruit. Fruit juice also does not contain as much fibre as whole fruits.

For children aged 18 months to three years, the biggest source of “free sugars” in their diets are: cereals, biscuits, cakes, pastries, sweet crackers (31%) sweets, chocolate, lollipops (23%) soft drinks and fruit juice (21%) sugar, jam, honey (20%)

Try picking five foods that are regularly served in your setting and ask your team to guess how much sugar each one contains.

You could measure out exactly how much using a bag of sugar and a teaspoon – each teaspoon is around 4g of sugar. Compare this to the recommended daily sugar intakes for two- and three-year-olds.

Breakfast ideas When choosing breakfast cereals for your setting, try to choose products with less than 5g of sugar per 100g. Good choices include wheat biscuits, plain porridge, instant porridge, oat biscuits or puffed wheat.

Replace jam and honey with mashed banana, apple puree, cream cheese, cottage cheese or nut butters (if safe to do so), scrambled eggs, quark or sliced fruit. Sliced banana and cinnamon works well.

Tips for reducing sugar Reduce sugar in baking recipes by up to around a third by replacing sugar in the recipe with mashed banana or apple puree.

Opt for savoury recipes to bake with children.

Celebrate special occasions without sugar – try using a birthday crown, badge or sash in place of birthday cakes.

Find out more To find out how the Early Years Nutrition Partnership could help your setting, visit www.eynpartnership.org or email hello@eynpartnership.org

COMPETITION

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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.

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