Under 5 September 2020

Under 5 WIN

the magazine of the early years alliance September 2020

a giant ap Africa m y from Ver Puzzled

Ready to return?

How to support your staff

Local lockdowns Guidance for early years providers

Consumer rights

A look at the CMA’s letter to the sector

Over 1,000,000 parents have used our service to find childcare.

Are you missing out?

The UK’s largest childcare website.

Register free at www.childcare.co.uk

&

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

11

Preparing for local lockdowns

12

Ready to return?

14

Why early identification is crucial

16

Embracing the ‘new normal’

18

Consumer rights in the early years sector

A chance for Alliance member settings to share news of recent events and projects Under 5 readers share their views

18

A look at the latest guidance for early years providers

Ideas for supporting staff wellbeing as they return to settings NASEN explains how early identification of SEND can make a difference What one setting has learned from the lessons of the pandemic

22

Advice for providers following the CMA’s letter to the sector last month

22 Exploring arts and design

The latest in our series on the EYFS reforms and what they could look like in practice

24 Are you getting the most out of your software?

How one setting has transformed its routines using nursery software

26 Meeting children’s needs from day one

An extract from new Alliance resource, Welcome Back: Family Services

28 Celebrating autumn’s bounty Ideas for enjoying harvest festival in your setting

30 Planning toddler-sized meals

The Infant & Toddler Forum launches a new guide for families

28

WELCOME & CONTENTS

welcome

Welcome to Under 5 As we get ready for the start of a new term and cohort of children, this September could also mark a return to normality for many providers and families. Whether your setting has remained open throughout or has been open for a smaller number of families, I hope that this new term finds you and your team safe, well and hopefully ready for the challenges ahead as we all adjust to this ‘new normal’.

With a new term starting, many practitioners may be preparing for their first few weeks back after a long period of furlough or reduced shifts. After such a long break, there is bound to be some nerves as you all settle back into your usual routines. Consultant Sonia Mainstone-Cotton has shared some ideas for making sure that you and your team get used to the new arrangements (page 12).

While the lockdown period has been challenging for us all, it’s been great to hear about how some providers have found some positive sides to the crisis. We’ve heard how one setting is going to be taking some of the changes they made over the summer with them into the new term and beyond (page 16).

Another silver lining for many practitioners has also been the chance to undertake additional training during the lockdown period. We have heard from Alliance training partners EduCare about how practitioners have been making the most of the Alliance’s online courses since March (page 21).

One huge challenge for many of our members in recent months has been the issue of billing and parent contracts. After the Competition and Markets Authority wrote an open letter to the sector, many of you were concerned about the implications for your business and families. To help, we have spoken to the legal team at Law-Call about what the letter means in practice for early years providers (page 18).

Amidst all the changes, it’s important to remember that the start of the new term is also an exciting and fun time for children. As the weather starts to turn more autumnal, we’ve shared some ideas for celebrating the harvest season in your setting (page 30).

However you decide to mark the start of the new term, please do stay in touch with your good news and letters – editor.u5@eyalliance.org.uk Rachel Lawler, editor

UNDER 5

|

3

in brief...

ISOLATION PAYMENTS : The government is trialling a new payment of £13 a day for workers who are asked to self-isolate due to coronavirus and cannot work from home in the north-west of England.

round-up Alliance investigates funding discrepancies The Alliance has filed a Freedom of Information Act request to every local authority in England in response to concerns about inconsistencies in the way that early years providers are set to be funded in the next term.

Earlier this year, the Department for Education (DfE) confirmed that it would be funding local authorities in England based on early years data from the January 2020 census, rather than the January 2021 count. This was designed to reflect the fact “the number of children attending childcare may not have returned to normal levels by early January”.

4

|

UNDER 5

The DfE also stated that local authorities “should continue to fund providers which are open at broadly the levels they would have expected to see in the 2020 autumn term had there been no coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak”.

The DfE suggested that local authorities might, for example, use “the number of children in places in the previous autumn” to set their funding levels for autumn 2020.

However, the Alliance has received several reports of local authorities that are not adhering to these recommendations.

In recent weeks, numerous providers have reported being told that they will receive far less funding in the autumn term 2020 than they had been expecting, based on the DfE’s guidance.

Colette Fairfax, chair at Rixton-withGlazebrook Pre-school, said: “We have received the funding arrangements for the 2020 autumn term from our local authority, and they have informed us that they are not funding us based on our 2019 estimates as they cannot afford to, despite this being the government guidance.

“Instead, they are offering us a 20% uplift to our 2020 estimate, which is substantially lower than the figure we had calculated based on our 2019 autumn estimates - a reduction of nearly a quarter.

“We are a small village charity preschool and our budget was already stretched before we heard about this reduction in funding - I’m sure that there are many others in the same situation.”

In response, the Alliance has filed an FOI request with every local authority in England asking whether or not they will be following the DfE’s guidance on early years funding for the autumn term 2020.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “The Department for Education’s decision to continue funding the sector based on 2019 levels in the autumn term was a welcome step – but it’s clear that much more must be done to ensure that this support reaches the frontline.

“The government has described the move as ‘”block-buying” childcare places for the rest of the year’ – but if councils are allowed to just disregard DfE guidance and refuse to fund providers at autumn 2019 levels, then this simply isn’t the case.

“We have received numerous reports of councils who are choosing not to follow the DfE’s recommendations, which is putting even more financial pressure on local providers at an already incredibly difficult time.

“It is vital that the government places tighter requirements on local authorities on this issue, and we hope that the information that we are gaining through our FoI investigation will provide the evidence needed to ensure that this happens.”

OUTBREAK RISK: Public Health England says that 0.01% of early years settings and primary schools saw an outbreak of coronavirus after reopening in summer 2020, with 198 cases across the country.

Half of parents say the government has not done enough to support them during pandemic Half of parents say that the government has not done enough to support them during the pandemic, according to a new survey by the Alliance.

The Alliance surveyed more than 2,000 parents of children under five in England about their experiences after the lockdown period.

The survey also revealed that a third of parents have seen a negative impact on their work life due to difficulties accessing childcare after the easing of lockdown restrictions.

Additionally, more than a quarter of parents say that these problems

accessing childcare have had a negative impact on their mental health.

This rises to almost half (48%) in the most deprived areas.

One in 10 parents who wanted to use formal childcare have been unable to since the easing of lockdown.

Roberta Mitchell, mother of a twoyear-old and a four-year-old, based in Kettering, said: “People have been expected to go back to work without the required care in place or facing reduced hours. I had to ask my work to leave me on furlough as I wasn’t able to work my required hours with our pre-school only opening part-time.

“I have since been made redundant and I feel that my inability to return to work could have contributed to this.”

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “It is clear that much more needs to be done to ensure that the parents of young children are able to access the childcare they need.

“For this to happen, the government simply must provide greater financial support to the early years sector so that nurseries, pre-schools and childminders are able to keep their doors opens and provide the care and education that families rely on.”

DfE promises £23m funding for maintained nursery schools The Department for Education (DfE) has announced an additional £23million in funding for maintained nursery schools for the 2021 summer term.

Children’s Minister Vicky Ford said that this new funding would “enable local authorities to provide them with stability while the Department confirms a long-term solution” ahead of the next Spending Review.

The minister said that, in addition to this, the DfE would be “block buying childcare places for the rest of this year” by promising funding at pre-coronavirus levels, regardless of the number of children attending each setting.

The announcement came alongside the launch of an “early years catch up programme” aimed at schools.

The package includes £9 million of funding for training and resources to support one-to-one and small group support for five-year-olds whose language skills have been affected by the pandemic. This funding is part of the previously announced National Tutoring Programme and £1 billion catch-up package.

Ford commented: “Nurseries and other early years settings have played a huge part in keeping our youngest children safe and supported throughout the pandemic, but too many children have missed out on education at a crucial point in their development.

“Ahead of every pupil returning to the classroom full-time in September, we’re increasing the support available to get them back on track and ready to learn.

“We cannot afford for our youngest children to lose out, which is why this package of support is focused on improving early language skills for the Reception children who need it most,

and especially those whose long-term outcomes who have been affected by time out of education.”

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “It is hugely frustrating - and frankly, insulting - to see yet another announcement of additional support for maintained nursery schools while the government continues to turn a blind eye to the huge challenges facing private and voluntary providers across the country.

“When the early years national funding formula was introduced, the government introduced universal base rates of funding on the basis that ‘the costs of providing childcare are broadly comparable for a private nursery, a charitable pre-school or a school nursery class’. How, then, can it now argue that maintained settings need more financial support than the rest of the sector?

“At a time when many of the tens of thousands of PVI providers currently operating are struggling to stay afloat in the face of continued underfunding and the impact of Covid-19, such unbalanced treatment of the sector is simply unacceptable. The government must commit to ensuring that all early years providers, whether maintained or PVI, receive the funding that they need to remain viable in the long term.”

UNDER 5

|

5

“Generation of talent being lost”, report warns Generations of talent are being lost through a lack of investment in the early years workforce, according to a new report from the Sutton Trust and the Centre for Research in Early Childhood.

The report reviews recent developments in early years policy and offers a framework for action to improve social mobility. It argues in favour of improved pay, training and conditions for early years staff to help improve the life chances of disadvantaged children.

The report highlights the significant drop in early years teacher recruitment in recent years following the creation of the new Early Years Educator and Early Years Teacher qualifications as well as the high turnover of staff in the sector.

Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chairman of the Sutton Trust, and

chairman of the Education Endowment Foundation, commented: “The first years of a child’s life are crucial for their development, both in terms of attainment and their social and emotional wellbeing. Access to high-quality early years education is vital, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“The early years workforce should be given the pay and training they deserve.

First and foremost, we need a clear vision for the early years workforce that addresses disparity in pay amongst staff and provides them with adequate development and qualifications.

“Investing in the people who work in our early years sector will bring benefits to all young children – but particularly the most disadvantaged – for years to come.”

CMA will not be taking action against the sector The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will not be taking any action against the early years sector, following an investigation into providers’ response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The investigation was trigged by reports of “unfair practices” by some providers, mainly referring to payments during periods of closure as a result of lockdown restrictions.

In an open letter to the sector, the CMA said that it had found that while most providers were making fair arrangements with consumers, there were some that had treated parents unfairly.

The CMA said that it would not be taking any enforcement action against the early years sector “at this stage”. However, it said that it would continue to monitor the sector.

The letter reminds providers that if they are not compliant with consumer law, they “may risk action by the CMA” or other enforcers of consumer protection law, such as local authority trading standards.

With many providers now reaching new agreements with parents following the outbreak, the CMA has provided advice for the sector to help

ensure that consumers are treated fairly.

The CMA identified three key areas of concern:

providers requiring full or “excessively large” fees for services not being carried out due to the pandemic providers relying on unfair cancellation terms, such as requiring unreasonable notice or high cancellation fees providers putting pressure on parents by threatening that the child’s place may be lost or that the provider will go out of business

The CMA said that while it recognises that most early years providers were “trying to do the right thing under unprecedented circumstances and pressure” it also believes that parents “deserve to have their rights protected”.

The CMA asks providers to “consider their contacts” and arrangements with parents and take any necessary steps to ensure that they comply with the law.

For more information on the letter from the CMA, please visit page 18.

The CMA asks providers to “consider their contracts” with parents

6

|

UNDER 5

Keir Starmer calls for urgent support for the early years sector Keir Starmer has called for targeted support for the childcare sector following the coronavirus crisis. The Labour Party leader said that the Prime Minister had put parents in an “impossible position” by urging workers to return to offices over the summer, while failing to provide financial support for childcare, holiday activities and catch-up schemes.

Starmer said: “We all want society to get moving again, but it requires a clear plan and national leadership from the government.

Despite ordering millions of parents back to the office, the Prime Minister has refused to provide any extra help for families, penalising parents by putting them in an impossible position.

“Parents got a back-to-work notice on a Friday just as the summer holidays began. But they got no support for structured activities, no summer catch-up schemes, and no support for a childcare sector on its knees.

“If we are going to reopen our society and economy safely and successfully, we need the public to have confidence in the government’s advice, we need test, track and trace to be working properly, and we need proper support for children to learn and for parents to get back to work.”

In June, the Alliance published its latest report, The Forgotten Sector, which details the financial impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the sector. It warns that 69% of providers expect to operate at a loss over the next six months, while 25% say that it is “likely” that they will be forced to close within a year.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “Keir Starmer is absolutely right to join us in condemning the government’s lack of support for the childcare sector.

“We have long been calling on the government to provide the transitional funding the sector urgently needs to survive, and yet despite the fact that one in four providers fear permanent closure within 12 months, these calls continue to fall on deaf ears.

“If the government is serious about supporting parents and rebooting the economy, it cannot afford to sit by and watch thousands more childcare providers go out of business.

“Now more than ever, the government must show real leadership on this issue and provide the sector with the funding it desperately needs to survive, and to ensure that parents can continue to access high quality and affordable childcare as they return to work.”

New hand hygiene teaching resource for Under 5’s Free to download Hand hygiene has never been more important, but it’s not always easy to teach younger children how to do it. A new, free Hand Hygiene teaching pack has been developed specifically for the under-5s. The pack contains everything needed to explain to young children when, why and how hands should be washed, as well as how germs are spread and where germs hide.

The aim of the teaching aid is to enable children, particularly younger ones to feel confident about hand hygiene. The materials have been designed so they can be adapted to suit a range of ages and abilities. They can be used in a group situation or for a one-to-one session.

The advice is based on the latest NHS guidance and has been written and designed by healthcare professionals with input from early years educators.

The project is supported by schülke – experts in infection prevention – and the materials are free to download at: https://www.schuelke.com/gb-en/ news-media/news/New-hand-hygieneteaching-pack-kids.php

www.gopak.co.uk

0800 195 4255

Graduation d

ay

Children at Le xdon Lodge in Colcheste summer term r, Essex, cele 2020 with a brated the en so cially-distanc d of Samarbakhsh ed graduatio , principal at n party. Mah th e se ila tti ng, said: “We to be able to were so very present the gr lu ad ck ua y tio n for the child park to enab ren, adapting le us to do so the car . The gradua mark the end tion provided of attendance a celebration fo to r th e children who their educatio are soon to be nal journey in gin school.”

THIS IS OLD

d e celebrate Cambridg in ry e rs i u in wer N with a m up Sunflo niversary t CHS Gro ’s 50th an ry u b n o Children a usical st m en Gla s, played ld have be ore wellie w n re what wou ild h The c yle event. festival-st up t u p ts and instrumen ted an a re c y also tents. The aking forest by m enchanted orations other dec fairies and the edge e trees at to sit in th lle Main, ery. Danie of the nurs up, said: at the gro manager ill a very ciate it’s st “We appre lt time and difficu uncertain ’re now ne and we for everyo p spirits ard to kee working h form of vide some up and pro e ones, for our littl normality ty of re the safe while ensu ery.” at the nurs everyone

TEXT?!!

agined

ry reim Glastonbu

8

|

UNDER 5

Little steps 21-month old Macauley, from Jellybabies Nursery and Pre-school, has raised an amazing £500 for Acorns Childrens Hospice in Rednal, by completing an ambitious walking challenge. Alongside his mom, Abbie Walker who also works at the setting, he originally aimed to walk 20 miles in the month of June. The pair walked in all weather and tracked their daily miles, racking up a total of 54.3 miles.

Thank you!

Great Early Years Bake Off

Cathy, manager at Parade Community Pre-school, has thanked her staff team after a difficult few months in 2020 during the lockdown as beyond. She said: “They’ve gone well above and beyond to make this work and, importantly, they’ve made it fun for the children. It is this positive mindset and adaptability that makes them great and that is even more apparent now.”

a virtual ‘bake Staff at Langley Mill Childcare in Derbyshire organised The team was off’ to help boost morale during the lockdown period. wn was making asked to make a cake that demonstrated how lockdo raphs to them feel. After finishing their bakes, they all took photog share via email before a winner was chosen.

Moving on up

Children at Je llybabies Nur sery and Premarked the en school in Red d of their tim nal have e at the setting service. The with a mini gr children sang aduation so ng s for parents graduation ph before being oto, poem an given a d ce rtificate as w Journal, read ell as their Le y for their ne ar ning xt st ep onto Recep manager at th tion. Jacque e setting, said lin e Walker, : “I t has been su children in nu ch a pleasure rsery and we to have the wish them al l the best for the future.”

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’.

LETTERS

Have your say Unfair funding The government is pouring extra funding into Reception classes and maintained nurseries and is yet again ignoring the voluntary sector, who are usually the ones operating on a shoe string. It make me so cross.

I have been running a successful playgroup and preschool for more than 40 years on a fraction of what is spent on the average maintained nursery class. We have coped with Covid-19 with no extra help of any kind from the government because we didn’t qualify for it.

Now all of this ‘new’ money is being handed out and once again it goes to the maintained sector.

Susan Lister, Playlanders Playgroup and Pre-school

Thank you!

Nothing makes me prouder than seeing the wonderful things that my staff do for our preschool children. Even when faced with a situation like the Covid-19 outbreak, my staff have made sure the children are safe and that they can keep on learning.

At the end of this challenging term, I am celebrating everything they have done, and thanking them for the important role they have played. If this experience has taught us anything, it’s that we are one team!

These last few months have been challenging to say the least, faced with potential closure and how we might need to operate differently, I have been moved deeply to watch our children grow and quickly adapt to these changes.

My staff have stepped up to support the children, they have been there day by day, offering reassurance and positive smiles. As early year educators, we have risen to this challenge - the staff I have the pleasure of calling friends and have the pleasure of working with, have been truly exceptional. They’ve gone well above and beyond to make this work and, importantly, they’ve made it fun for the children. It is this positive mindset and adaptability that make them great, and that is even more apparent now.

No doubt when we return in September, we may move into another new phase of teaching or different challenges. It is therefore reassuring to know that my girls are so wonderful, and I know that they’ve got this and they will make it a huge success.

So with my complete love ....thank you girls!!

Cathy Robinson, manager/EYP/SENCO, Parade Community Pre-school

Top tweets @C1Catherine They [the government] haven’t provided any financial support, none whatsoever! And have continued to ignore pleas for help from the early years sector. The latest insult from children’s minister Vicky Ford proves that, regarding the early years support package! @JoFreeRangePlay It’s good that - “the extension of the funding is to ensure the survival of nursery schools until the DfE comes up with a long-term solution”. But many PVIs will not survive this. We were already on our last legs. @AnnaEng123 Alongside the obvious short-term issues, staff in this sector have been shamefully underpaid for a long time. We should be learning from the last few months, recognising the importance of EY workers with better pay!

10

|

UNDER 5

This month’s Star Letter writer wins access to the Alliance SMARTpd resource pack Managing your Ofsted Inspection. The pack provides online resources for a manager or team leader to deliver an in-house session on preparing for an Ofsted Inspection. It aims to provide all early years staff and volunteers with an overview of the Ofsted inspection framework and to help them prepare for inspection.

It should help to empower everyone to feel confident in taking part, and to better understand the inspection process.

Email your letters to: editor.u5@eyalliance.org.uk using the subject line ‘Letters’.

COVID-19

Preparing for local lockdowns Melanie Pilcher, quality and standards manager at the Alliance, explains how you can prepare your business for possible local lockdowns

S

ince 1 June, childcare providers have been able to welcome back children of all ages. A further step forward on 20 July saw the requirement to keep children in small consistent groups, or bubbles lifted.

This in turn enabled more children to be cared for so long as the provider was able to minimise mixing within settings.

Of course, there have been many challenges associated with wider opening.

Parents and early years practitioners have understandably been cautious and have needed reassurance that it is safe to return to their early years setting.

Providers have gone to great lengths to instil confidence by demonstrating how they are following government guidance and taking all precautions to keep everyone safe.

The actions that have been put in place to minimise the risk of transferring the infection have become routine in many settings as children, parents and practitioners adapt to a new way of doing things.

themselves having once again to implement restrictions, including only offering prioritised places and sometimes having to re-furlough staff where they were eligible to do so.

Since Leicester there have been several ‘spikes’ in infection rates in areas that could at any time see themselves in local lockdown.

This reminds us that the virus is still a clear and present danger and that the government will impose local restrictions quickly where the evidence shows it to be necessary.

In the worst-case scenario, going back into lockdown is likely to affect the morale of staff who have worked so hard to create a safe environment, and parents who have made the big decision to send their child back but now find they are not eligible for a prioritised place.

For the foreseeable future everyone must continue to implement all precautionary measures detailed in the government guidance on early years closures but must also be prepared to rewind where local circumstances dictate.

Local spikes could happen at any time

Being prepared – increased infection rates in your area

For a while it felt like we could be cautiously optimistic that things were starting to settle down as we focused our attention on reassuring parents and practitioners that early years is ‘open for business.’

We have always been warned of the possibility of a ‘second wave’ of infection, but despite this, the first official local lockdown being imposed in Leicester in July this year following a jump in the number of confirmed cases, came as a real blow to businesses in every category.

Early years and childcare providers found

Monitor regional news and local authority website for information about ‘spikes’ in your area. Be alert to suggestions that local lockdown or further restrictions may have to be considered.

Where this is the case there are some actions you can take immediately with the aim of staying open until you are told otherwise: Have early discussions with parents to alert them to the possibility that you may be advised to limit places available i.e. for key workers and vulnerable children. Check

status of parents and children accordingly.

If you have the capacity while maintaining your current numbers and staffing levels, reintroduce bubbles where it is practical to do so.

Remind everyone of hygiene measures and limit play activities and equipment that may increase risk of transmission.

Take all other enhanced precautions as previously undertaken during national lockdown.

Promote and encourage test and trace to parents and staff where this is available.

Communicate with landlord or School (if on school site) to agree measures to keep setting open if local lockdown is likely.

Communicate with other users in shared premises to negotiate measures required to keep operating service where other users/ community groups may have to close.

If local restrictions are announced...

If there is a significant increase in infection rates in your area, the government and relevant local authorities will act together to control the spread of the virus.

On 28 August, the DfE published new guidance for early years providers, schools and colleges in the event that new restrictions are put in place.

The guidance states that “in local areas where restrictions have been implemented for certain sectors ... education and childcare will usually remain fully open to all”.

Find out more You can read the guidance on local lockdowns for early years providers in full here.

UNDER 5

|

11

Ready to return?

Sonia Mainstone-Cotton, author of Supporting young children through change and transitions, shares ideas for supporting staff wellbeing as providers reopen in September

F

or some of you reading this, the start of September may be the first time you have been back at work with children since the start of lockdown in March. It may have been up to 22 weeks since you were last in your setting - and that is a long time!

For some, this return will be a welcome relief. Others may be feeling worried or anxious. Here, I’ve suggested some ideas for supporting your wellbeing in this tough time.

Reconnect For some teams, there may have been opportunities to meet each other in person during the break or you may have been able to stay in touch remotely. However, returning in September, especially if this is the first time you have all been back together since lockdown, is a significant new start.

I recommend that you take one or two days together as a team to reconnect.

12

|

UNDER 5

Of course there will be things to do in preparation for the children to return. But you should also schedule in time to chat, catch up, check in with one another and reconnect.

We’ve all missed out on real social interactions and need time to reconnect with our friends as much as children do.

This period of catching up and reconnecting needs to be held at a time when staff members can express their concerns or worries about returning and talk through the practicalities of what reopening will look like for your provision. Make sure that there is space for everyone to express how they feel in a safe and respectful way.

Supervision We know that supervision is crucial in the early years but sometimes we wait until the end of the month or partway through a term before adding it to our schedules. I suggest

that supervision sessions are booked in at end of the first or second week after you reopen. Focus these sessions on staff wellbeing, how they are finding the return to work and any concerns they have.

Between supervision sessions, make sure that staff have someone that they can talk to about their concerns. This may be a colleague or even family member or friend at home. Sometimes it can be useful for team members to think of four or five people that they can approach for a chat when necessary, rather than just one or two who might not always be available.

Take care of yourself We must also take individual responsibility for ourselves when returning to work. This is not a luxury – it is a necessity. As we have been hearing on the news recently, being healthy and fit is important for us all as we enter the autumn and winter months. As

WELLBEING

well as taking care of our physical wellbeing, it is also important to consider our mental wellbeing.

Some things to consider:

The food we eat – Making sure that we eat three meals a day is key. If you struggle to have breakfast before work, take something with you to have when you arrive. We all know the general guidelines for healthy eating but don’t always follow them. It may be worth checking the NHS website Change For Life to get some new recipe ideas.

Exercise – Many people found that they were walking a lot more at the start of lockdown as this was our main opportunity to escape being in the home all day! Keeping up new exercise habits may be tricky when we return to work but if we can find a way to schedule this

in, it will support our mental wellbeing.

GP Dr Rangan Chaterjee’s latest book, Feel Better in Five, shares ideas for using exercise, healthy eating and mindfulness to help support our wellbeing.

Get outside – As well as the physical benefits of getting out for a walk, many people have been enjoying their natural environments in lockdown. There is growing research that shows how being in nature for just 10 minutes can increase our wellbeing and lower stress levels. For many, the opportunity to get outside may lessen as people return to work and we enter the colder, darker months. However, it is still possible to get out and about. If you can’t do this every day, try to schedule time at the weekend to visit a local park or woodland near you. See if you could change your daily routine slightly to include a short walk after work or park

slightly further away from your workplace and add a nice short walk to your journey to work.

Mindfulness – whatever your experience of lockdown has been, and for some it may have been traumatic, I would suggest that to some extent we have all experienced higher than usual levels of stress. This has a huge impact on our wellbeing mindfulness and yoga are both excellent practices for helping us deal with stress. If this is a new idea to you, the start of this term is a great time to introduce them. There are lots of apps, books and YouTube clips that you could use to find out more. You don’t need to pay for a class to learn how to do this. If you are someone that finds sitting still difficult, you may find mindful walking more helpful.

Find out more Sonia’s latest book, Supporting young children through change and everyday transitions, is published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

NHS Change 4 Life – www.nhs.uk/ change4life Feel Better in Five – https://my.life

UNDER 5

|

13

Why early identification is crucial Professor Adam Boddison, chief executive at National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN), shares his thoughts on the vital importance of early identification

T

oo many children under the age of five have already fallen significantly behind their peers by the time their Special Educational Needs (SEN) are identified. It is common sense that if needs are identified earlier, then effective provision can be put in place sooner. Given the obvious benefits of early identification, it is reasonable

14

|

UNDER 5

to question why this is not already happening consistently.

In my opinion, there are three potential barriers: Is it SEN? – The identification in under fives is challenging when it comes to determining the difference between SEN and typical

variations in early childhood development.

At such a young age, the tolerance levels in development are relatively broad and there will likely be concerns about incorrectly labelling a child as having SEN. Communication with parents and carers – The early years practitioner who identifies

SEND

the potential SEN may be the first person to have a conversation with the family about their child’s needs. This can be a difficult conversation for all concerned.

It is important that sufficient training has been provided for this to be effective. For families, this may be their first experience of the SEN system, which increase the significance of ensuring that it is a positive experience.

Viability and SEN provision – While early years settings are likely to have access to expertise around more prevalent needs (such as speech, language and communication), they are perhaps less likely to have access to expertise in lower-incidence needs (such as hearing impairments, visual impairments or certain physical disabilities). For lower-incidence and more complex needs, there may be concerns about how to fund provision in a sustainable way, which could lead to delays in the identification of SEN.

Early identification study The barriers listed above will apply in some early years settings, but not in all. In some cases the barriers will be different and in other cases, the identification of SEN will be highly effective. To understand the SEN identification landscape more fully in children under five, NASEN commissioned targeted research to shine a light on the barriers to early identification.

This study, led by Dr Helen Curran, considered the perspectives of SENCOs in relation to identifying SEN in early years settings as well as the resources they used and the wider support they accessed.

Dr Curran’s research highlights significant levels of variation in the deployment of early years SENCOs. While the Department for Education has published a recommended job description for the early years SENCO role, this is not statutory guidance, since it is not incorporated into the SEND Code of Practice.

As a consequence, the job description is not routinely used and the study suggests that this is considered in the government’s SEND review, which is currently underway.

Effective training A clear theme within the NASENcommissioned study was the importance of the role of SENCOs in supporting accurate and timely identification of SEN in children under five.

There is a growing body of evidence supporting the notion that early years SENCOs who have completed an accredited SEN qualification are more effective. For example, an independent impact assessment of the Level 3 Early Years SENCO qualification run

by School Improvement Liverpool found that qualified SENCOs became more proactive in improving policies, leading staff training and auditing resources (Whitehouse, 2018).

It is perhaps unsurprising that this qualification drew explicitly on areas such as communication and language approaches, parental engagement and social and emotional learning, all of which were identified as priorities within the EEF Early Years Toolkit (Education Endowment Fund, 2018).

“A qualified workforce is better equipped to identify SEN”

Sharing best practice The early years is the worst funded phase of education, yet arguably the most important.

The early years workforce is made up of a diverse range of professionals so a consistent approach to the identification of SEN can be hard to achieve in practice.

It may seem like common sense to say that good practice should be shared, but the findings in this study suggest that this is not always general practice. Strong and meaningful relationships between families and early years professionals are a powerful factor in driving inclusive environments. Effective relationships are the foundation for bilateral sharing of effective practice for the benefit of children with SEN. Dr Curran’s research highlights the fact that essential information from the progress check at age two is not always shared – even though this may in the best interest of the child.

This may be because of genuine concerns about not wishing to label children too early or data protection concerns. Regardless of the reason, the study puts forward the recommendation that information should be shared between providers to ensure that there are no delays in children accessing the support they need.

Next steps The emerging picture is that a qualified early years workforce is better equipped to identify SEN and put effective provision in place for under fives. This includes SENCOs but also extends to all practitioners as early years leaders.

I would highly recommend that early years setting managers and SENCOs read Dr Curran’s timely report to consider how the different recommendations can be applied in their particular context. If identification of SEN for children in the early years is effective, then provision is more likely to make a difference.

Find out more To download Dr Curran’s report, visit www.nasen.org.uk/ identifyingseninearlyyears For more information about SEN in the early years, visit nasen.org.uk/training-and-cpdearly-years.html

|

Follow Adam on Twitter @AdamBoddison UNDER 5 15

Embracing our “new normal” Haleh Haidari, owner at New World Montessori Nursery School in London, shares how her setting safely worked their way through lockdown and beyond

A

fter much deliberation, we finally reopened our doors on 8 June 2020 to finish off what remained of our summer term. We operate from one big hall and follow the teaching philosophy and principles of the Montessori curriculum.

The main challenge we had with the government’s guidance on reopening was making and maintaining bubbles, although this guidance has now changed. We operate from one room and share many resources of materials and activities. At the start, we decided to open to just 12 children so that we could maintain three bubbles and try to get to grips with the new health and safety measures.

Familiar routines One thing that we were very mindful of was the social and emotional wellbeing of the children, who had been without their usual

16

|

UNDER 5

nursery routine since March. We had to bear this in mind while making changes in line with the updated guidance.

Since the Montessori curriculum and activities are all set out on open shelves, children have the freedom to independently select their own activities and work within their own individual space. The respect for children’s own space has always been a part of our setting so asking bubbles of children to keep within the parameters of their own tables was a natural progression.

Children happily choose activities from the shelves and bring it to their bubble’s table, complete them and place the activity back on the shelf again. We have also encouraged children to place floor mats near to their bubble’s table so that the key person can keep a close eye on the whole group.

While it is no longer necessary to keep children in these bubbles, we have decided

to that in the autumn term we will continue with these little groups as it worked so well for us.

Safety measures Following our Montessori philosophy of respecting and caring for the environment and materials, cleaning and wiping down after activities has always been normal practice for the children. With the need for extra hygiene now, we ensure that the key person wipes and disinfects items before children place them back on shelves. Each bubble also has its own box of construction and Lego, a box of books and individual play dough. We swap the books weekly so that children still have access to a large range of books.

We continue to have our group circle and story time but have set up chairs to give realistic space between children. When

BEST PRACTICE

lining up to go outside or to wash their hands, children line up with space between them using floor markings. It has been so interesting to see how easily the children have taken on the new measures while still following their pre-lockdown routines. This was our main challenge and one that I believe we have risen to. I have no doubt that many more challenges remain for us to consider as we move towards building our business for the new term.

Communicating with families One main concern is how we will show around potential new families, as we are currently only allowing staff and children into the setting. We have been doing virtual tours on Zoom and parents have so far been very supportive, understanding and welcoming.

From the start of lockdown in March to

the present day, we have been completely transparent with parents. This resulted in us receiving ideas and feedback so that we could make decisions together. We listened to their concerns and reassured them with new policies and procedures to keep children safe.

Silver linings Since reopening our nursery, we have rediscovered the joy of not planning and just observing the children. We allow them to lead us to what they want to do. The Montessori philosophy of ‘following the child’ has never been so important as it is in this time. It has been liberating to stand back and allow the children to play and socialise without the added pressure of ticking boxes or filling in hours of paperwork.

Interestingly, during our first week back, the children preferred to play quietly on

their own. It was only after a few days that we started to observe more interaction and conversation between them. We have also seen that the children have not been as interested in as many structural activities.

Instead, they seem to enjoy spending time in the home corner or outdoors, chasing and running with their friends.

As we approach the last few weeks of term, we are thrilled to have give the children the opportunity to have a tiny bit of normality after such a worrying and strange period in their lives. We hope that we have been able to ease some of the emotional disturbances that they have experienced as a result of this global pandemic by providing them with a safe, secure and hygienic environment to explore and engage with others.

We are taking a leaf out of Norwegian head teacher Lena Lovik’s books: “Our view remains: focus on the children, not the virus.”

UNDER 5

|

17

Consumer rights in the early years sector The team at Law-Call, the 24-hour legal helpline available to all Alliance members, shares some advice following the CMA’s open letter to the sector

T

he last few months have been perhaps the most tumultuous in the history of the early years sector. Lockdown, isolation, furlough, funding and lay offs are just part of the changing landscape we have all been dealing with, and we are not out of the woods yet!

Many settings and the sector as a whole will be altered permanently as we move towards a ‘new normal’. One change that is likely to feature for many settings is revised terms of business.

For some settings it will mean preparing them for the first time, others will be looking closely at whether their existing terms are fit for purpose having been tested to the limit and beyond by the pandemic of 2020.

Letter to the sector At the end of July, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued guidance on how it expected the early years sector to approach the issue of terms of business with parents, having

18

|

UNDER 5

had concerns raised to them about how some contracts were being applied to the detriment of parents and in some cases, potentially breaking the law.

Consumer rights in childcare The starting point for any setting, whether you are a charitable setting run by volunteer trustees, a not-for-profit company, a sole trader or a private limited company, is to know that you will all be considered ‘traders’ for the purposes of consumer rights legislation. As such, you must recognise that the families that use your services are consumers, even though the relationship you have with children and families is often more personal and integrated than the term ‘consumer’ would seem to imply.

What that means in practice is that you must deliver your services with reasonable care and skill – and of course most go above and beyond that – and treat parents fairly when you enter

contracts with them. It is important to remember when you deliver childcare services to parents you do have a contract with them, even if they are only using funded hours and even if you haven’t asked them to sign terms of business.

Lockdown legislation When the government announced back in March that settings needed to close, save for the most vulnerable children or key workers, few were prepared for the practicalities or legalities of such a move. The main problem that arose for many settings was how or whether to charge parents where a closure had been forced and neither the setting nor the parent was responsible for that.

This is where written terms of business are useful as you can contractually anticipate what the parties can expect in the event of a sudden and unforeseen temporary closure. Lots of settings have terms that do address this issue,

LAW-CALL

usually in the context of a natural event such as snow and some even specifically refer to disease or pandemic. They will typically say that for a certain number of days, fees will remain payable – on the basis that in many circumstances of this sort, certain overheads will still have to be accounted for or have already been paid for in advance, such as rent, food, heating etc.

This is because the hourly rate paid by a parent does not solely apply to the direct childcare cost but also contributes to the ancillary costs of the setting.

Parent concerns Many settings reached amicable arrangements with parents about how to deal with fees for a prolonged closure, with some waiving fees, some accepting voluntary contributions and some requesting a percentage of the normal fees. In a few cases, settings were requiring payment of full fees throughout.

The concerns that the CMA has addressed in its guidance and open letter to the early years sector were particularly around parents being required to continue paying in one form or another when no service was being provided.

It is important to note that the CMA is not making any new laws but highlighting how the existing consumer law should be applied in these circumstances. On the face of it being asked to pay for a service you will not get any benefit from through no fault of your own will be considered unfair and unreasonable. That means that requiring ‘excessive’ fees to be paid or even asking for fees to be maintained to save the setting from permanent closure will be considered unlawful.

Contracts and charges But what if you had already anticipated this in your terms of business and it says you can make full or partial charges for sudden closure?

Aren’t you just enforcing your legitimate contractual rights? Well, yes and no. The CMA has accepted that provided terms and conditions were freely and openly entered into prior to the event then subject to the fairness of those contractual terms [our emphasis] you may rely on them. Beware. That is not a blanket ‘OK’ for such terms. These will only be permitted where they cover modest costs already incurred or where there will be a modified service offered – for example, learning support from home – as opposed to no service at all.

Cancellation charges An added difficulty with the current pandemic closures was the length of time they were imposed for. Any reduced fees you may charge cannot be open-ended but must be for a defined and reasonable length of time.

You must cease to make charges where a parent decides to end the contract in order to

UNDER 5

|

19

avoid making ongoing payments. This leads to another aspect of charging that has come under scrutiny: cancellation charges.

The current law on unfair contract terms includes situations where the odds are stacked unfairly against the consumer. For example, if your terms say that you can give a parent a month’s notice of termination but you require half a term’s notice from them, this is likely to be unfair and unenforceable. Similarly, if you are continuing to charge a person full or overly high fees during the notice period when you are not providing the service, again this will be an unreasonable requirement.

This does not mean that cancellation notice requirements themselves are unlawful. There are legitimate reasons why a business may need to include them, but they should be limited to the reasonable amount of time it would take for the departing child’s place to be filled.

Threat of closure For every setting, the lockdown closures were a seismic event and marked the start of a time of great financial uncertainty. There was a temptation for some to try to push parents to make payments because the survival of the setting depended on receiving some kind of fee income, or they may not be able to offer places on re-opening. However, this type of approach will not be considered lawful.

Parents must not be coerced into making

20

|

UNDER 5

payments for services they will not receive for fear of staff losing their jobs or settings having to permanently close no matter how much of a reality that may be for some settings. This is in contrast to genuinely voluntary arrangements where parents have wanted to show support and freely made payments during the closure.

In these circumstances – and of course there were many instances of this across the sector – these will be treated as an agreement between the parties voluntarily entered into. However, any sign of pressure from the setting to push parents to enter into such an arrangement will negate its voluntary nature and will be treated as unfair and unenforceable.

Next steps When the coronavirus crisis began back in late February, nobody could really have anticipated the many ways lives and businesses would be so comprehensively affected. For this reason, the CMA is so far taking a ‘light touch’ approach to this matter and issuing guidance to begin with. But settings must remember that they are under the spotlight on this issue.

Enforcement action may happen if settings ignore this warning and fair practices are not observed. This could be enforced through the courts and in some extreme instances may even be dealt with as criminal offences.

Fixing your contracts There may be a temptation to try to ensure your

setting is not ‘caught out’ again should we go back into full lockdown or a similar pandemic strikes in the future but great care should be taken when amending or preparing new terms of business. Stop and think from the point of view of a neutral person – not yourself or the parent – looking at your contract. Would they feel that parents were being fairly treated?

When you are reviewing or rewriting your terms, ask yourself whether you would be happy to agree to it if you were the consumer.

Remember a fair and reasonable consumer contract term is principally from the perspective of the consumer and not what is fair and reasonable for the business, if that would come at the expense of the consumer’s rights. Any terms you do prepare must be brought to the parents’ attention before signing. It is good practice to make sure you receive and keep on file all signed terms and conditions documents.

Find out more This is an overview of the CMA guidance only.

Full details of the sector-specific guidance can be found at www.gov.uk/government/ publications/nursery-and-early-yearssector-covid-19-restrictions This article is not a substitute for legal advice.

If you are worried about the implications of the CMA’s open letter to the sector for your setting, please get in touch with Law-Call.

Their contact details can be found online in the members’ area of the Alliance website at www. eyalliance.org.uk/members-area

TRAINING

Early years training goes online How Alliance members turned to online training to boost skills and learning during the coronavirus lockdown period

T

he use of online training by early years practitioners has surged during the coronavirus lockdown period, according to new statistics from the Alliance.

The data, provided by online training provider and Alliance partner EduCare, shows that since the beginning of lockdown between March and June 2020: Early years practitioners completed more than 135,000 EduCare training courses - this is an increase of 500% compared to the same period last year.

April and May were the most popular months for training, with a combined total of more than 85,000 courses completed, compared to around 12,000 over the same period in 2019.

Infection prevention and control The most popular courses between March and June 2020 were: Infection Prevention and Control in an Early Years Setting Speech, Language and Communication

Understanding and Addressing Behaviour in the Early Years Alliance members can access more than 20 CPD-accredited online training courses via EduCare for free as part of their membership. The courses are also available to purchase for non-members.

Challenging times Michael Freeston, director of quality improvement at the Alliance, said: “It is great to see that so many early years practitioners have taken the opportunity to engage in our online training courses during the lockdown period.

“The fact that well over 100,000 courses were completed during what was a very challenging period for the sector is testament to the early years workforce’s commitment to continuous learning and professional development.

“With the pandemic prompting many providers to embrace an increasingly digital approach to everything from communicating with parents to online setting tours to virtual play sessions, now is the perfect time for those who have yet to try

135,000

courses completed in lockdown

500%

increase in training compared to 2019

online training to experience the benefits for themselves.

“We look forward to continuing to work with EduCare to develop even more courses to help support the sector and meet the changing needs of the early years workforce going forward.”

Claire Tobin, area manager at Sticky Fingers Pre-school in Southampton, said: “In the early years, there never seems to be enough time, so we used this time [the lockdown] wisely to improve our knowledge through the training and it will support the team to come back focused, feeling proud of their achievements and spark their ideas for improvements that can become part of our development plan upon returning to work.

“Half of my staff team have completed the Be the Best Keyperson training so far and the rest are working towards it. As an additional incentive and treat I will order them mini Trophies that will say “Best Key Person” on them. This gives them something they can display at home to help remind them of their achievements even when the certificate is filed away in a folder.”

Find out more Alliance members can access CACHEendorsed EduCare training courses for their team. To find out more, visit www. eyalliance.org.uk/EduCare

UNDER 5

|

21

n

yo iv ur ed e uc ar at ts iona an l pr d ogr de am sig me s

ss

Co n Ex side pr rin e g

Exploring arts and design In the next part of our series on the EYFS Reforms, Alliance quality and standards manager Melanie Pilcher explains what the new arts and design programme could look like in practice

A

s one of the four specific areas, the early learning goals (ELGs) for expressive arts and design have been expanded to give more detail, including reference to “well known nursery rhymes and songs” and “trying to move in time with music”. Despite this, the revised goals for this important area of learning and development remain somewhat understated. Likewise, the suggested educational programme is also lacking in any real substance and could be a

22

|

UNDER 5

generic statement of rationale that refers to any of the early learning goals.

Practitioners should look to the ELGs as a reminder of examples of things that children “at the expected level of development” will be able to do. They should then use their knowledge of child development to support playful learning opportunities that will ignite the characteristics of effective learning and are appropriate to the age and stage of the unique child.

Expressive arts and design When creative development was re-named expressive arts and design in 2012 and identified as one of the specific areas, it helped to reinforce the importance of creativity and imagination for all areas of young children’s learning. As we prepare for September 2021, it is vital that we do not lose sight of this.

Practitioners who are looking for inspiration as they design their curriculum

EYFS

may want to begin by reminding themselves of the statement in the current version of the EYFS which describes enabling children to “explore and play with a wide range of materials, as well as providing opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology”. These are the experiences through which children express themselves and test out their ideas.

The child who picks up a brush loaded with poster paint and begins to apply it to paper is playing, exploring, creating, thinking critically and actively learning. In doing so, they are refining and defining the skills they will need for future learning across all areas. Maybe one day they will paint a masterpiece, maybe they won’t. But along the way they will have embedded the physical dexterity required to write the letters of the alphabet or will begin to interpret the mathematical skills of space and shape.

The overall aim should be to develop a curriculum that stimulates creation, imagination, and expression by providing a broad range of relevant experiences and opportunities that will also increase children’s cultural capital. Frequent visits to an art gallery are not enough in themselves to develop children’s ‘artistic and cultural awareness’. But when children are motivated to explore with Kandinsky’s circles for themselves, for example, they are experiencing something meaningful to them and in turn extending their knowledge.

Dance like no-one is watching The popular quote “dance like no-one is watching and sing like no-one is listening” reminds grown-ups that the most meaningful and satisfying experiences happen when we are not trying to conform to someone else’s idea of how something should look or sound. We lose this ability as we grow older and in doing so, often lose the joy of playful activities.

Children play instinctively which is why it is so important that learning through play remains high on the early years agenda when we are considering educational programmes. Anyone who has ever

observed a toddler dancing to a favourite piece of music will have seen first-hand how a child can immerse themselves playfully in an activity. Their full focus is on the effort required to move, and their joyous interpretation of what they are hearing. They may test out a few new ideas based on a move they have seen elsewhere, adapting it until they have mastered it to their satisfaction.

Over time practitioners nurture this enthusiasm to have a go by providing plenty of opportunities to play and explore music and movement. They tune in to the child’s unique preferences and are clear about the potential learning opportunities they can support. As children develop confidence in their ability, they are willing to take chances and express themselves in new ways. This is really important to recognise, because there is no right or wrong way to be creative.

Self-expression and selfregulation The experiences children have in expressive arts and design will also equip them with the tools they need to manage their feelings and emotions. Self-regulation has been incorporated into personal, social and emotional development in the revised EYFS, as an area in which practitioner’s need to nurture and support children to develop understanding, skills and control.

The ability to self-regulate is not something we are born with but something we develop over time in an environment where we feel emotionally secure. Part of this is being able to self-soothe, or calm big feelings and emotions. This is particularly important to recognise in two-year-olds who do not quite have the language to express their needs but are at the age when they are beginning to assert their independence.

As these important stages of development wrestle with each other, practitioners can help children recognise and manage their feelings through activities that encourage them to express themselves in other ways.

Over time children learn to self-soothe when they are upset or overexcited - expressive arts is just one way this can happen. Art, music, movement, dance or role-play all have a mindful quality that can help to still a busy mind.

End products Opportunities for expressive arts and design should not be viewed as a way of reaching a desired result, such as a piece of artwork to be sent home at the end of the session.

It is the process that matters. The product, if there is one at all, can simply be an innate feeling of satisfaction, pride, or calmness.

It may eventually lead to an aesthetic appreciation of the arts or perhaps the discovery of a talent that can be nurtured.

At the very least, it is the child’s journey to take and the practitioner’s role to guide, not dictate along the way.

Revised Early Learning Goals Creating with materials – children at the expected level of development will: Draw and paint using a range of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function; Share their creations, explaining the process they have used; Make use of props and materials when role playing characters in narratives and stories.

Being imaginative and expressive – children at the expected level of development will: Invent, adapt, and recount narratives and stories with peers and their teacher; Sing a range of well-known nursery rhymes and songs; Perform songs, rhymes, poems, and stories with others, and – when appropriate – try to move in time with music.

Proposed educational programme The development of children’s artistic and cultural awareness supports their imagination and creativity. The quality and variety of what children see, hear, and participate in is crucial for developing their understanding, self-expression, vocabulary and ability to communicate through the arts.

The frequency, repetition and depth of their experiences are fundamental to their progress in interpreting and appreciating what they hear, respond to, and observe.

UNDER 5

|

23

Are you getting the most out of your software?

Software providers and Alliance partners Famly spoke with Sarah Mackenzie, chief academic officer, at N Family Club, about using digital tools in the setting

M

ore and more providers are turning to software to help them handle their parent communication, observations and admin. But are you getting your money’s worth?

When Sarah Mackenzie, chief academic officer at N Family Club, started her career in the early years, she took on daily tasks that would sound arcane to many of her younger colleagues today. “When I started in childcare, there was no such thing as observations or assessments online, or any of that. I remember having to take photos of children and glue them into a scrapbook for

24

|

UNDER 5

record-keeping, jotting down observations on sticky notes and using a highlighter for assessments,” she says. “That would probably seem ancient to some of the team in our nurseries now.”

In her role at N Family Club, Sarah has seen software grow to be far more than just a replacement for scrapbooking. The group uses modern technology to serve around 300 children across four settings in London, with two more due to launch next month.

As a relatively new provider, N Family Club started using Famly to help run their settings from the start, creating more

seamless connections with parents and ultimately making more time to spend with the children.

For prospective parents, Sarah says, making smart use of technology in an early years setting is becoming an increasingly important selling point. “So much of parents’ lives are online now, using their smartphones for everything from banking to food and shopping,” she says. “For a lot of busy working families, they naturally assume that their childcare provider is also going to have some sort of software that makes things easier and simpler.”

ADVERTORIAL

But nursery management software isn’t an instant fix. You can’t just install the apps and expect a sudden improvement in your offer.

What sets you apart from competitors, Sarah says, is showing your team and your families that you know how to use it well.

Right tools for the right job Finding the right software isn’t everything.

How you choose to use it is just as important.

So to help you understand how to make the most of the software you choose, Sarah has some top tips to keep in mind: Save yourself time – You shouldn’t be spending hours fiddling with your tech setup each day. Ideally, you’ll only be using it to take care of your daily admin duties, leaving you with more time to spend with the children.

Learn its capabilities – As you adopt a new software platform, make time to read up on everything that it can do. If you’re investing in quality tools, you don’t what to find out later that you have still been using some clunky workarounds when the software has a simpler solution.

Get your team on board – If you have new staff joining from another setting that didn’t use software, or used a different programme, they may have different expectations of how and when they’ll use your new system.

Bring everyone together to discuss how you

will use the software as a team to avoid any misunderstandings or inefficiencies.

Know when to use it – There may be cases where you could rely on your software to solve a problem, but it still works better for your team doing it the old-fashioned way.

Remember that your ultimate goal is to save time and make things simpler, so it’s worth considering which parts of the software will really help you meet that goal.

Keep an eye out for updates – It’s easy enough to just ignore the “update alert” messages that pop up every so often. But you could be missing a new feature that will have a big impact on your business. You want to choose a software provider that’s reinvesting back into development and giving you new capabilities or improvements. Take time to read any update notes that you are given and get familiar with new features.

Contact customer support – Your management software provider should have a team of specialists on hand to help with any problems you run into. That’s part of what you are paying for. If you get stuck on anything or want to learn how to use a new feature, give them a ring.

Put your mission first – Your software should reflect your goals and values, not the other way around. Think about what your setting’s mission is and how software can

support that. In most cases, the software is there to help minimise the time you spend away from the children. It’s a tool to accomplish your core goal of delivering outstanding education and helping to raise curious, independent young people. Don’t get caught up in tech saturation – keep those values front and centre and only use the software when it is helpful.

Special offer – 50% off As a special offer to Under 5 subscribers, Famly has extended its exclusive Alliance discount offer until 1 October, to line up with the publication of this article. That means that all Alliance members who become Famly customers can get 50% of all packages for their first year with Famly.

For as little as £34.50 a month, all Alliance members who become Famly customers before October 1st can benefit from early years software used by 1000s of providers - including groups like N Family Club, single settings and childminders across the UK. To learn more about just how much time Famly could save you, head to famly.co.uk/ early-years-alliance and see it for yourself with an online demo today.

Meeting children’s needs from day one In this free extract from the Alliance’s latest Welcome Back pack of resources, Welcome Back Family Services, we look at how you can priortise children’s needs from the very start

26

|

UNDER 5

COVID-19

Y

our focus should always be kept firmly on the personal, social, and emotional development of the ‘unique child’. You can do this by: building on the information gathered about individual children during lockdown and immediately prior to re-opening focusing on the vital importance of re-settling children observation and assessment to establish children’s progress building on the home learning environment experience tuning into children in need of further support

Ready to return First, contact parents and carers to understand the likely attendance of each child this term. A personal telephone call can go a long way to alleviating any concerns about sending a child back to your setting after the lockdown.

Many of the concerns that parents have are fuelled by uncertainty and mixed messages from different sources. Talking with parents about your plans and the precautions you are taking to try to secure your premises against infection is likely to provide some reassurance. The Department for Education has produced an overview of the scientific advice and information on coronavirus to show how it has supported their decision-making which you may wish to share with parents.

Fill in the gaps The children returning to you are unlikely to be the same children as those that left you in March. Prior to re-opening, there is plenty of useful information available to help you to plan effectively for their immediate needs and to settle them in comfortably.

Once you know who will be attending, make sure you consider: your most recent observations or other records that you may have kept what have parents told you about their

child at home in the past few months if the child has attended another service during lockdown, talk with the provider or service about what the child has been doing since you last saw them

Re-establish starting points Three months or more is a long time in a young child’s development. Children will have had very different experiences during lockdown. Children need to re-adjust to attending your service and must have a secure base from which to adjust to a new normal. There are many emotional transactions to be carefully negotiated with a child’s main carers. These must first be recognised in order to plan to meet the family’s needs when they return. Settling-in is a process – not an event, so it takes time.

If you undertake any observations of children’s overall development in your service, you should look out for: children’s personal, social and emotional development as well as their mental health and wellbeing children displaying separation anxiety i.e. tearful, clingy when dropped off and afterwards challenging behaviour children who are fretting, over anxious, worried or withdrawn children that have experienced loss and separation

Follow the EYFS Every child is a unique child who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured. Children’s resilience and confidence is likely to be compromised during lockdown. How they cope or bounce back is determined by the effectiveness of the protective factors in their home life, their parents, the environment, their capacity to understand and rationalise what is happening in their world.

Reflect on what you know about the child’s experience over lockdown. For example, what have the children learned, what are they telling you about their experiences and can you provide plenty

of activities that re-build confidence and self-esteem?

Building positive relationships Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships. For most children, their time at home over lockdown is likely to have been a positive experience with their parents as their first and most enduring educators. Remember that this is not the case for every child which means their capacity to learn and develop will be affected and must be supported by a renewed positive relationship with you and your team.

It is important to make sure that your re-settling process is thorough and prioritised. You also need to know what the child needs from you to thrive and develop.

You should provide activities that support a positive relationship between your team and the families you support.

Enabling environments Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, where their experiences can respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners, parents and carers. This is one of our greatest challenges. Circumstances dictate that we should ‘disable’ our environments in so many ways.

If a child’s home learning environment has been enabling, build further on this positive approach. If it has not, make sure that your environment is not inadvertently compromising children’s learning and development. It’s important that children continue to play in ways that are instinctive to them rather than in the name of social distancing.

Focus on what you can do, rather than what you can’t.

Welcome Back Family Services Alliance members can download a FREE copy of Welcome Back Family Services from the Members’ Area of our website at www. eyalliance.org.uk/members-area

UNDER 5

|

27

Celebrating au

28

|

UNDER 5

ACTIVITY CORNER

utumn’s bounty Alliance quality and standards manager Melanie Pilcher shares idea for celebrating the harvest season in your setting

A

utumn is a bountiful time of year, when trees and hedgerows are ripe with fruits, nuts and berries and the leaves on the trees start to turn red and gold. It is a season full of contrasts. The days may still be warm and sunny but the nights are cooler and longer. The trees are full of fruit, but the leaves are preparing to fall. Nature is slowing down and preparing for winter.

In your early years provision, autumn is often a busy time as the new term starts to gather momentum. Whether you are based in an urban or rural area, children will already have developed a sense of the changing seasons which in turn provide the ‘hook’ for new learning to latch onto.

Here are some ideas for celebrating the autumn season in your setting:

Harvest festival Celebrated since pagan times, this event traditionally gives thanks for a successful harvest. Usually taking place around the autumn equinox (22 September 2020), the tradition has evolved over the centuries.

Today, communities decorate their churches, school halls or other community buildings with fruit and vegetables that have been grown locally. These are then distributed to deserving causes which could include food banks in your area.

Why not host your own harvest festival this year? Many families have discovered the joy of growing their own fruit and vegetables in recent months so may be able to contribute.

If not, you could approach gardeners at your local allotment an ask if they will contribute produce for a display. Vegetables including courgettes, marrows, gourds and pumpkins will soon be ready to pick.

Trying new vegetables Once you have some produce, encourage

children to explore the shape, size, colour and texture of the vegetables. Play games that encourage them to use all their senses, for example, describing what you have hidden inside a canvas bag. Lumpy gourds are great for this activity and will challenge children’s vocabulary as they try to find the right words to describe them.

Babies and toddlers can have great fun exploring fruit and vegetables this way too.

Create a treasure basket of clean produce that they can touch, push, roll, squeeze and pinch. Not only is this good for their fine motor skills but it’s also a welcome relief from some of the plastic representations that find their way into many toy baskets.

Corn dollies Another traditional symbol of harvest is the corn dolly. If you happen to live close to a field of wheat you could grab a few stems and make your own with the children. You can also use rushes, long thick grass stems or even paper straws. Younger children will need a little help at first but will soon master the easy technique for bending stalks into a simple plaited shape. There are plenty of videos on YouTube to help you get started.

Ears of corn can also start a wider conversation about where flour comes from, how it is made and what it is used for. You could also incorporate the story of the Three Little Pigs and the house of straw or the Little Red Hen and her quest to get help making her bread, adding yet another dimension to the learning potential of corn and straw.

Healthy eating The end of September also marks this year’s Health Eating Week, hosted by the British Nutrition Foundation (28 September – 4 October 2020). The event invites participants to try completing a series of challenges:

Monday – eat more wholegrains This is a great chance to learn what wholegrains are and try some new foods with the children.

Tuesday – vary your veg Create an autumn menu, trying some of the vegetables you discovered as part of your harvest festival activities.

Wednesday – drink plenty This is likely to be a challenge for practitioners too! Not many of us drink enough water during a busy day at work.

Encourage staff to try drinking more water alongside the children.

Thursday – move more Try moving like a giant, or slowly and slyly like a fox, be busy like the little red hen or flex those muscles and build like the three little pigs – it all counts!

Friday – be kind to your mind Be as calm as a cucumber, as happy as a bean or as melancholy as a melon. It’s a great opportunity to play with those words again and explore emotions at the same time.

Saturday – get active together Give families ideas for activities that they can try together at the weekend. Hunt for toadstools – but no picking of course!

Sunday – eat together Remind families of the importance of family mealtimes. You could set up your home corner with tableware and plenty of role play before and after the weekend.

To find out more, visit www.nutrition.org. uk and sign up to the healthy eating week challenge.

Whatever you do with the children this autumn, make sure that you reap all the learning opportunities that are as ripe and bountiful as this year’s harvest. As all farmers know, the way the ground is prepared now is vital to the success of next years crop.

UNDER 5

|

29

NUTRITION

Planning toddler-sized meals The Infant and Toddler Forum launches a new guide to help parents provide balanced meals for their children

W

ith childhood obesity rates impacted by the recent coronavirus lockdown and a greater overall focus on health in the aftermath of the pandemic, the Infant & Toddler Forum has launched a new meal planner guide.

Aimed at parents and carers of children aged between one- and four-years-old, the guide encourages healthy habits that will hopefully stay with children for life. It covers: different types of foods and the right balance of carbs, protein, dairy and fruit/ vegetables how often different food types should be offered each day how much should be on children’s plates – think toddler portions!

Lucy Upton, specialist paediatric dietician and nutritionist at the Infant and Toddler Forum, said: “Parents told us what they wanted and we listened! After almost two years in the making and are encouraged to see from the pilot study the real difference it makes to the toddler meal planning experience – both for parents and toddlers.

We know from our research that the early years present a critical window of opportunity to help shape healthy eating habits for today’s and tomorrow’s children and through the launch of the Toddler Menu Planner, we hope to reach as many families as possible to help reverse the childhood obesity trend.”

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, commented: “We believe that good nutrition and healthy eating starts from an early age and the Infant and Toddler Forum’s latest initiative is integral in making this happen.

We are delighted to support the new Toddler Menu Planner resource.”

30

|

UNDER 5

Sample recipe – vegetable soup with garlic bread Toddler portion ½ to 1 small bowl of soup (60-125ml) 1-2 2cm slices of French bread 1 tbsp thinly spread garlic butter Ingredients 200g of vegetables – e.g. onions, carrots, leeks, butternut squash 250g of potatoes 500ml of water of vegetable stock a few pinches of black pepper (optional) 1-2 tbsp of butter 1-2 cloves of garlic small baguette Method Peel and chop the vegetables and the potatoes into small cubes. In a large saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the onion until softened.

Add the rest of the chopped vegetables and the potatoes and cook for a few minutes.

Add the stock and bring to the boil, stirring continuously to prevent sticking. Then reduce the heat and simmer gently for approximately 30 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft.

If your toddler prefers their soup without lumps, remove from the heat and use a handheld blender or food processor to make a smooth soup. Add a little water if it is too thick. Season with the black pepper if desired.

Cut the baguette into 2cm thick slices but do not cut right the way through. Spread a little of the garlic and butter on each slice.

Wrap in foil and put in the oven at 180°C/gas mark 4 for 10-15 minutes.

Serve the soup in a bowl with the preferred portion of garlic bread on a separate plate.

Serving tips Check that the temperature of the soup is not too hot before serving to your toddler.

Most vegetables you have at home will be suitable for including in this recipe.

Accompanying drinks 120ml milk The guide includes 67 toddler-friendly recipes developed by a paediatric dietician, a 14 day meal planner and photos of the recommended toddler portion size for each recipe and snack ideas.

This recipe includes a toddler-sized portion of the following food groups: bread, cereals, potatoes and other starchy foods fruit and vegetables, milk, cheese and yoghurt oils, butters and fat spreads.

Suggestions for seasonal vegetables and fruit to stock up on in September, October and November: Vegetables aubergine broccoli parsnips wild mushrooms

beetroot onions rocket

Fruit apples figs pears

blackberries grapes

Find out more To download a copy of the Toddler Menu Planner for £4.99, visit: https://shop. infantandtoddlerforum. org/toddler-menu-planner/

COMPETITION

WIN Very Puzzled offers children and parents of all backgrounds the opportunity to explore and learn more about the richness of Africa and African-Caribbean history and culture.

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

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

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.

WIN a Giant Africa Map Puzzle from Very Puzzled our world that they may not have been as exposed to before.

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

For your chance to win the giant puzzle, simply send your answer to the following question, along with your name and contact details to: under5.competitions@ eyalliance.org.uk by 25 September 2020.

How many EduCare courses were completed by Alliance members between March and June 2020? (hint: see page 21) a) 135,0000 b) 13,000 c) 1,300

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

Under 5 Magazine Early Years Alliance 50 Featherstone street, London, EC1Y 8RT T: 020 7697 2521 E: editor.u5@eyalliance.org.uk Please quote your membership number on all correspondence.

ADVERTISING James Hanson Fellows Media The Gallery, Manor Farm, Southam, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 3PB T: 01242 259249 E: james@fellowsmedia.com

The Pre-School Clothing and Staff Uniform Specialists

September – Offers –

EARLY YEARS ALLIANCE CONTACT DETAILS

INFORMATION LINE T: 020 7697 2595 E: info@eyalliance.org.uk NATIONAL CENTRE T: 020 7697 2500 E: info@eyalliance.org.uk 50 Featherstone Street London EC1Y 8RT TRAINING CENTRE T: 01732 363070 E: training@eyalliance.org.uk 1st Floor, Bridge House, 97-101 High Street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1DP

DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT 50 Featherstone Street London, EC1Y 8RT T: 0207 697 2599 E: southdivision@eyalliance.org.uk EARLY YEARS ALLIANCE SHOP 50 Featherstone Street London EC1Y 8RT T: 0300 330 0996 E: shop@eyalliance.org.uk W: www.eyalliance.org.uk/shop

Tabard printed from £9.35

Sweatshirt printed from £6.50

High-Vis vests from £3.60

Prices include printing • Free Screen Offer Huge range available • Embroidery also available

01603 710007 info@samuelsofnorfolk.co.uk | www.samuelsofnorfolk.co.uk UNDER 5

|

31

SCHOOLING & TRAINING AID

PAYROLL

To advertise please contact James Hanson on 01242 259245 / james@fellowsmedia.com

Early Years Alliance

MODULAR BUILDINGS

PAYROLL SERVICES

Early Years Alliance Payroll Services Tailor-made for pre-schools and nurseries The complete PAYE service with professional payslips and reports Complete management of your pension obligations Up-to-date legislative information

For an information pack, contact Nicci on 01392 438977 or email devon.payroll@eyalliance.org.uk Find us on our website at www.eyalliance.org.uk/south-west

Anglia Portable Buildings are specialists in the supply and installation of new and refurbished modular nursery buildings. NATIONWIDE SERVICE.

Anglia Portable Buildings are specialists in the supply and installation of new and refurbished modular nursery buildings.

NATIONWIDE SERVICE. Contact Graham Bale on

Contact Graham Bale 07831 211458.

01268 795850/ Email/ 07831 - Angliaportables@aol.com 01268 795850 211458 Email: angliaportables@aol.comororvisit visitwww.Angliaportablebuildings.com www.angliaportablebuildings.com

WEBSITE DESIGN

GIFTWARE

Pre-School Website Design 80% of pre-schoold chose our web design because we understand every pre-school has her own story to tell.

Professional Web Design

Customise your webpage with WordPress and etc...

All inclusive package:

£299

+VAT

Parent Login Area

A private communication area with your enrolled parents

Unlimited Updates

Add extra pages & update your website as often as you like

Email & Hosting hardingspresch

ool.co.uk

Reliable hosting at no additional charge

Google Advertisement Campaign Paid advertisement on Google

Please can you check the following details are corre

Mobile Website

You’ll get a version optimised for mobile phone viewing for free.

01344 937270

Project1.qxp_A4 Advert 25/02/2020 16:58 Page 1

sales@nurseryweb.co.uk

www.nurseryweb.co.uk

SOCIAL MEDIA

NEW Social Media and Marketing for your early years business bundle!

Early Years Alliance

We know how challenging times are… that’s why we offer our members and their WHOLE team FREE access to over 20 Cache-endorsed, CPDrecognised courses plus generous discounts on related training every year.

Our NEW bundle, Marketing and Social Media for your early years business gives you extra support to manage your long-term sustainability.

Name

Address

Text

Tel/Fax

Email/Web

Prices

Image

Layout

Proof Correct for Print

Ammend & re-supply Proof

PLEASE CHECK CAREFULLY

Under Fiv ADVERTISING

Plan your ad campaign in Under 5 magazine.

Only £13.50 for members, £18.50 for non-members

PLUS! QUALIFY FOR EXTRA 20% DISCOUNT OFF

Operating a Viable Early Years Provision and Effective marketing and Publicity for Early Years Settings

Here for you…

T. 020 7697 2595 E. info@eyalliance.org.uk W. eyalliance.org.uk/besustainable

Mo

James Hanson

t: 01242 259245 e: james@fellowsmedia.com

Join thousands of children aged 2-7 taking part in this year's Beep Beep!

Day to learn road safety basics

• Engage children with road safety basics Wednesday • Raise awareness among parents and the wider community • Fundraise for Brake and help make roads safer for everyone

18

November

2020

“

We regularly take part in Beep Beep! Day and enjoy using the bumper pack; the children love receiving their stickers and certificates, and the information cards are very valuable for staff to use too.

Register now for a free online action pack to help you run your Beep Beep! Day, or buy a bumper pack of extra resources for just £11.50 + VAT.

Register now

“

Get e your action et act ac cti ti pack! ton pac a k! ac k

Johanne Watson, Deputy Head Teacher, Lasswade Primary School Organised by

Sponsored by

Registered charity No. 1093244 TM

© and TM Aardman Animations [2019] All rights reserved. 'Timmy Time' (word mark) and the character 'Timmy' are trademarks used under license from Aardman Animations.

at brakezebras.org/beep email beepbeep@brake.org.uk or call the team on 01484 550061