Under 5 March 2018

Under 5 WI N

Magazine of the Pre-school Learning Alliance

March 2018

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A breath of fresh air

Taking opportunities outdoors

What to expect

A mini-guide to your next inspection

Happy setting, happy staff Improving staff wellbeing

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Contents 4 8

News round up

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

12

My Under 5

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

10 Letters to the editor

Under 5 readers share their views

12 A breath of fresh air

How one setting makes its outdoor location work all year round

16 10 years of the EYFS

18

Reflecting on changes in the sector since the launch of the EYFS

18 Happy setting, happy staff

Improve your setting by focusing on staff wellbeing

21 Childcare policy concerns

The Alliance co-ordinates a joint letter, raising concerns about early years funding

22 Making the most of menus

Ideas for using the government’s new early years menus

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24 Windy days

Alliance quality and standards manager Melanie Pilcher shares ideas for enjoying the weather this spring

26 Final farewell

Advice for readers looking to close their setting

28 Ready for renewal?

Get ready to renew your Alliance membership

29 Charity update

How the new rules on charity trustees could affect your setting

30 What to expect at your inspection

A mini-guide to help you prepare for your next inspection

32 Healthy snacks for healthy toddlers

WELCOME & CONTENTS

Welcome Welcome to Under 5 After what seems like a very long winter, I’m happy to welcome you to the March issue of Under 5. This month will see the official start of spring either on 1 or 20 March, depending on whether you judge the seasons by the calendar or average temperature. We’ll also see the clocks go forward by an hour on 25 March – and while that may not always be welcome, the extra daylight certainly will be.

To help you take advantage of the longer days and, hopefully, better weather we’ve included some inspiration from The North London Forest School Nursery, which spends most of the year based outdoors (page 12).

Alliance quality and standards manager Melanie Pilcher has also shared some ideas for enjoying the windy weather throughout the season (page 24).

Brighter days can also bring a sense of renewal and positivity as we move closer towards summer. If you’d like to bring some of this optimism into your setting, early years nurture and wellbeing consultant Sonia Mainstone-Cotton has shared some ideas for taking care of yourself and your staff, as well as children (page 18).

If you’d like to hear more about wellbeing for the early years, this year’s Alliance annual conference is focused on the theme. Minds matter: protecting the wellbeing of children and practitioners in the early years will take place on Friday 1 June 2018. To find out more, and to book your tickets, visit www.pre-school.org.uk/awards2018.

Continuing on the theme of renewal in a more literal sense, many Alliance members will be due to renew their memberships in the next couple of months. The team has brought together all the information you need to stay up-todate (page 28).

Between the excitement of World Book Day on 1 March and the Easter celebrations on 1 April, this month is also sure to see a lot of fun events in your setting. Please do keep sharing you pictures and stories for our My Under 5 page.

Get in touch at editor.u5@pre-school.org.uk.

The Infant & Toddler Forum shares ideas for better snacks

33 Competition

Rachel Lawler, editor

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in brief...

RESEARCH SCHOOL: Highfield Nursery School in Ipswich is the first early years setting to become a research school, backed with £200,000 extra funding as part of a wider social mobility project.

Some parents still missing out on 30 hours places

round-up Alliance expresses concern over funding data confusion The government has been told to “get its figures straight” by the Alliance, after representatives from the Treasury made inaccurate comments about reseach into funding rates for the early years.

During an oral evidence session of the Treasury Committee’s childcare inquiry on 31 January, Elizabeth Truss MP, chief secretary to the Treasury and Beth Russell, director general of tax and welfare, claimed that research into the cost of childcare had taken into account the rising national living wage.

The DfE-commissioned report was conducted by Frontier Economics and estimated the average cost of delivering a childcare place for threeand four-year-olds to be £3.72 per hour.

However, the report states that its findings were based on actual salary amounts paid to staff between March and December 2015, when its data was collected. In the few instances where salaries were not reported, Frontier Economics used either the ONS average reported qualification level of the age-appropriate minimum wage instead.

The report makes no reference to planned future increases in the minimum wage or national living wage being included in its cost of delivery calculations.

Neil Leitch, chief executive at the Alliance, commented: “We have long

argued that more needs to be done to ensure that funding rates take into account rising delivery costs – and in particular, increases in staff costs. The suggestion that an hourly funding rate of £3.72 will be enough to cover provider costs until 2020 would be laughable if it wasn’t so serious.

During the same debate, Truss also highlighted the average funding rate of £4.94 per hour, comparing it favourably with Frontier Economics £3.72 per hour average cost. She said that this was evidence that the government is paying “significantly over the cost for the provision of those childcare places”.

The Alliance has described this comparison as “misleading”. The average rate of £4.94 is paid to local authorities, not providers. This figure includes additional funding including the Early Years Pupil Premium and the supplementary funding for maintained nursery schools.

Neil said: “The DfE’s own figures state that the average funding rate for PVI providers is actually £4.34 – and this of course varies significantly from area to area, with some providers receiving much less. Given that independent research from Ceeda put the cost of delivering childcare at £4.53 back in 2014, it’s clear that the government is not painting a complete picture of the funding situation.”

“It’s clear that the government is not painting a complete picture of the funding situation”

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More than 25,000 eligible parents have not managed to secure a 30-hours place, according to government figures The government has released statistics detailing the number of 30 hours codes issued to parents for the spring term 2018.

A total of 329,505 codes were issued before 11 January, but just 303,883 of these were validated with a provider by 5 February, leaving 25,622, or 8% of families, without a secured place for the offer.

The release also included updated details of the number of validated codes for the autumn term of 2017. This shows that 94% of codes issued were eventually validated with a provider.

Other statistics show regional differences in the number of codes validated.

25,622 eligibility codes issued to parents were not validated with a childcare provider before 5 February 2018 The government has not released details on why these codes have not been validated – in Waltham Forest just 64% of eligibility codes were validated, compared to 100% in 12 areas including Solihul, Camden and Gateshead.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “While the number of validated 30 hour eligibility codes is holding up against increased demand at a national level, parents in two in five local authorities are still less likely to find a place than their neighbours. This is only likely to worsen as more children become eligible in the next few months.

“Unfortunately this situation is an inevitable consequence of underfunding. It’s time government faced up to the fact that this underfunded policy is failing to deliver genuinely “free” childcare and is instead asking parents and providers to pick up the tab. The only sustainable solution to this is to increase funding so it matches the true cost of delivering quality childcare.”

MENTAL HEALTH: A select committee has warned the government that its current mental health efforts are failing to focus on the early years.

BABY PISA: Following a trial last year, the OECD’s ‘Baby Pisa’ tests for five-year-old children are now due to take place in Autumn 2018.

Changes to EYPP and two-year-olds funding confirmed The government has confirmed plans to make changes to the eligibility criteria for the early years pupil premium, early education funding for two-year-olds and free school meals.

The changes will come alongside the rollout of universal credit in April 2018.

Prior to this, all families receiving universal credit were entitled to free school meals, the early years pupil premium and two-year-old funding as part of the early phases of its roll out. The government has now confirmed that this will no longer be the case once universal credit is fully rolled out in England.

Children from households earning less than £7,400, and receiving universal credit, will be entitled to the early years pupil premium and free school meals.

The government estimates that around 50,000 more children will be eligible for the schemes under the new plans.

Under the new plans, households receiving universal credit and earning less than £15,400 a year will be eligible for two-year-old funding. The government estimates that by 2023, 7,000 more children will be eligible for this funding than under the current scheme.

The government has also proposed transitional protections to protect existing entitlements to the pupil premium and free

school meals. It also says that children currently benefitting from the two-year-old funding will continue to receive it until they become eligible for the three- and fouryear-old universal entitlement, even if their circumstances change.

The Alliance previously expressed concerns when these changes were proposed. In its response to the consultation, the Alliance warned that a cap or means testing would create a “cliff edge” that would exclude lowincome families.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “Unfortunately, this response fits a recent pattern of government consultations being a listening exercise in name only. The government may claim that it is extending the availability of free school meals by 50,000 but this ignores figures from the Children’s Society which suggest the decision to introduce this earnings threshold could result in a million children missing out.

“In failing to respond to that research, and the concerns raised by the Alliance, the government has missed an opportunity to provide much needed additional support and instead introduced a policy that risks heaping more misery on to struggling families.”

HMRC pays parents nearly £1 million in compensation HMRC has paid parents a total of £966,666 in compensation after continuing problems with the Childcare Service website.

The figure was revealed in response to a written question from Rushanara Ali, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow. Ali asked how much compensation had been paid to parents as a result of the problems.

Elizabeth Truss, chief secretary to the treasury, confirmed that nearly £1 million has been paid to parents in lieu of taxfree childcare payments. She also said that £38,949 has been paid to parents to compensate for inconvenience and additional expenses. Truss also confirmed that a total of 3,496 complaints have been made about technical issues with the online system.

“We know that HMRC is working to resolve the longrunning problems, but this just isn’t good enough.”

Neil Leitch, chief executive at the Alliance, said: “We know that HMRC is working to resolve the long-running problems with the Childcare Service website, but this just isn’t good enough.

“At the moment, applying for tax-free childcare and the 30 hours via the online system is a complete lottery – while some parents have been able to use the service without issue, others are still facing a range of technical problems often preventing them from being able to do the simplest things, from verifying their details to reconfirming their eligibility to simply logging into their account.

“Given that this system is meant to underpin two of the government’s flagship childcare policies, clearly more needs to be done to rectify these ongoing problems. This is particularly true of taxfree childcare, given that the childcare voucher scheme is due to close to new entrants in April.”

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Childcare problems cost families millions, new research claims Problems with finding childcare are costing families £1.2 billion each year in lost earnings, according to new analysis from Save the Children.

The charity estimates that 89,000 mothers of children under five are unable to work because of childcare issues. It says that this represents a total of £3.4 million each day in lost earnings, or between £3,400 and £11,400 per family.

Steven McIntosh, director of UK poverty policy, advocacy and campaigns at Save the Children, said that families find government childcare support a “nightmare to navigate”. He said: “The result is an astounding loss in

earnings, hitting families already battling to make ends meet.” The report, titled ‘Lost opportunities, lost incomes’, calls on the government to deliver quality childcare that is easy to access for families.

Neil Leitch, chief executive at the Alliance, said that it was “no surprise” that the cost of childcare has a detrimental impact on maternal employment.

He said: “For years now, the early years sector has been significantly underfunded, driving up costs for parents and leaving many unable to actually afford to return to work. Add to this the negative impact of underfunding on the availability of childcare places and it’s clear that the government must do more to support the sector financially if it is to address the problems raised in this support.

89,000 mothers of children under five are said to be unable to work because of childcare issues

Alastair Campbell announced as key speaker at Alliance 2018 conference Alastair Campbell has been confirmed as one of the key speakers at the Alliance’s annual conference this year. The conference, which is open to all Alliance members and early years practitioners, will focus on the theme of mental health and the need to protect the wellbeing of both young children and early years practitioners.

While best known for his work as spokesperson and press secretary for Tony Blair, Campbell has long been an advocate for mental health and wellbeing.

He has worked as an ambassador for several mental health charities.

Other confirmed speakers include Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman, early childhood education expert Dr Guy Roberts-Holmes and Alliance chief executive Neil Leitch.

Neil said: “There has never been a more important time to talk about mental health in the early years. With the government insisting on pressing ahead with potentially damaging baseline assessments, and increasing emphasis on a formal, test-focused approach to early learning, it is vital that we as practitioners

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understand the importance of protecting young children’s mental health and wellbeing, and how we can best do so.”

The conference will explore the theme of ‘Minds matter: protecting the wellbeing of children and practitioners in the early years’. Recent years have seen a shift towards a more ‘schoolified’ and formal approach to early education, including plans to reintroduce the widely criticised baseline assessment. Many in the sector have raised concerns about how this will impact on the wellbeing of young children.

To find out more and book your tickets, visit www.pre-school.org.uk/ conference2018

Ofsted scraps Self Evaluation Forms Ofsted has announced that it is scrapping its early years selfevaluation from (SEF). The form is currently optional for early years providers ahead of an inspection and designed to help them prepare. But from 1 April 2018 onwards, the form will no longer exist.

The decision comes after a review of the form by Ofsted, which concluded that it was not necessary. Managers and staff can still evaluate their practice and should be able to explain this to an inspector. But from April onwards, they will no longer have an SEF to complete.

Last year, Ofsted clarified that the SEF was not a requirement as part of an early years myth-busting campaign. Ofsted hopes that removing the form altogether will help reduce the administrative burden on early years providers.

Alliance Annual Conference 2018 This year’s event will take place on Friday 1 June 2018 and will explore the theme: ‘Minds matter: protecting the wellbeing of children and practitioners in the early years’. It will focus on the importance of mental wellbeing for everyone in the early years sector.

The event will take place at the Hilton Bankside in Southwark, London SE1 0UG. Confirmed speakers include Ofsted’s chief inspector Amanda Spielman, Dr Guy Roberts and Alastair Campbell. The event will also include a choice of best practice workshops, a specialist exhibition, lunch and refreshments and the Alliance Outstanding Member Awards.

This year’s award ceremony will recognise the amazing work of Alliance members, as well as volunteers.

Members can nominate a team or individual for the awards, with separate prizes to recognise newcomers as well as lifetime achievers.

To find out more about the event, and how to nominate a team or person for the awards, visit www.pre-school.org. uk/awards2018

The big bird watch

East Leake Pr e-school Play group took pa this year. The rt in the RSPB setting joined ’s Big School in with the bird s’ Birdwatch local park. Th watch during e children us a woodland w ed binoculars to alk in the and enjoyed get a closer lo learning new ok at some of bird names w the birds world around hile developing us. their understa nding of the

Four-legged friends Jellybabies Nursery in Longbridge has been exploring the theme of pets. The setting welcomed the manager’s pet dog, Spikey, who has been taking agility classes. The children watched the dog perform before completing the circuit themselves, jumping over hurdles and crawling through tunnels.

Jacqueline Walker, manager at the setting, said: “This was a fantastic morning and a great way to bring the theme alive by having a real dog in the setting.”

ss Happy birthday, Starcro

Devon Starcross Pre-school in th anniversary has celebrated its 35 ies. Staff, with a morning of activit o were children and parents wh launch were present for the setting’s ebration invited back for the cel Mr Phil put which saw entertainer n. Nicky on a show for the childre setting, the Davey, administrator at g. rnin mo said: “It was a fantastic us p hel to So many people came lly blown tota re we we ate ebr cel away by the support.”

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Shrove Tuesday celebrations

Children enjoyed Cherubs Nursery in Pleasley has celebrated Pancake Day with a series of fun activities. at either dessert for looking at pancake recipes and kitchen equipment before tucking in to a pancake Valentines celebrated lunchtime or with their afternoon tea. The following day, children at Cherubs also Day, with a series of themed activities.

Ofsted success

Lyndhurst Pre-school has been graded ‘Ou tstanding’ in its latest that the setting was “an Ofsted inspection. Th extremely well organi e inspector said sed environment” and throughout the day”. that the children are The inspector also no “very happy ted that the children making significant pro behave “exceptionally gress. Janet Malcom, we ll” and are supervisor and manag their hard work and de er at the setting, thanke dication as well as the d the team for ir exemplary knowledg e of how children lea rn.

What’s been happening in your setting?

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

HAVE YOUR SAY

Letters to the editor STAR LETTER 30 hours findings We would like to share our experience since the start of the 30-hour extended free funding: he time spent on the administration of funded hours has T increased dramatically under the new system. We are now having to verify codes, chase three-monthly renewals and check online applications. This also includes many hours of telephone and face-to-face conversations with parents. arents who are struggling to complete the verification due P to HMRC system issues are not getting extended funding until the balance payment stage. This is putting a tremendous financial pressure on provisions to support parents until the issues are resolved. Parents have told us quite clearly that they will not pay upfront and wait for a refund. arents have become dissatisfied and disgruntled, as their P nursery place is not entirely ‘free’ as advertised by the government. Bournemouth Montessori Centre, for example, is charging 85p per hour for additional services. The funding amount (£4.22 per funded hour) does not in any way cover the hourly cost per child to Bournemouth Montessori Centre. arents have withdrawn their children as they applied for P a space with the understanding, based on government advertising, that they would receive 30 hours free childcare per week, despite our best efforts to explain otherwise.

Bournemouth Montessori Centre is now in an unprecedented position of having spaces available – this has not been the case for more than 20 years. e are continually reminding parents of their responsibility W to apply and re-apply for the extended funding. Alongside the level of dissatisfaction that parents are not getting free childcare, as advertised, this has compromised the very good relationships we have always had with our parents. he amount of queries we are receiving regarding funding and T invoices has increased tenfold. ue to the level of dissatisfaction from parents at paying D any costs at all, we will be unable to increase our additional services charge in 2018. This is despite a compulsory increase in the minimum wage, living wage, pension contributions and business rates. Therefore we will struggle to cover our staffing costs. We have a 98% trained staff rate that helped us receive an ‘outstanding’ grading from Ofsted and excellent outcomes for children. We would be sad if this was compromised as it may be in the near future. Staff retention is also a concern due to current levels of remuneration.

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On reflection we feel it may have been an error of judgement to agree to deliver the extended funding and it may have been better to continue with just the universal funding, which parents understood.

It would have been less confusing for our parents who were extremely satisfied with the service we provided.

We would be interested to hear if any other provisions are experiencing these difficulties.

Charlotte Warren, director and general manager at Bournemouth Montessori Centre

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

This month’s star letter wins a copy of The Children’s Meditations In my heart written by Gitte Winter Graugaard and illustrated by Elsie Ralston. The book contains meditations, which offer children a chance to relax. We have an additional three copies that will be available for Under 5 readers to win on Facebook.

Keep an eye on the Alliance Facebook page at www.facebook.com/preschoollearningalliance from 5 March onwards for your chance to win.

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A breath of fresh air

The North London Forest School explains how its outdoor ethos is keeping children happy and healthy all year round With so much technology to keep them entertained indoors, it is perhaps not surprising to hear that children are spending less time outside. The average child in the UK is said to spend just 16 minutes outdoors each day, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics released earlier this year. This was the first time these statistics have been measured,

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so it is hard to compare this to previous years but in 2016 the National Trust reported that children in the UK are spending half as much time outdoor as their parents.

Despite this worrying trend, many early years settings are looking to spend an increasing amount of time outdoors. The North London Forest School has put time outdoors at the heart of its practice. Children

arrive each morning with packed lunches and outdoor clothing, ready for a full day of outdoor learning, whatever the weather.

Seasonal set up Anne-Marie Munteanu-Kovecses, director at the setting, explains: “Our set-up is seasonal.

We camp outdoors at the Belsize Wood nature reserve for the whole day from April

BEST PRACTICE

until the end of October, while from November to the end of March we use our indoor nursery on Savernake Road as a ‘base’.” Even when using their indoor setting, children can play outdoors in the garden and are taken on daily excursions out the to the Heath.

Only gale-force winds and particularly stormy weather keep the children indoors.

Parents are advised about the best types of clothing to keep the children comfortable and dry. In the winter, they suggest non-slip waterproof shoes and warm layers. In the summer, children wear lightweight, longsleeved tops and trousers to avoid insect bites and scratches from the bushes.

The setting opened in November 2014, with the aim of offering children a chance to play and learn outside of a conventional, indoor environment. Anne-Marie explains: “Aside from the obvious, well-researched benefits of playing outdoors, especially for children’s brain development, physical and emotional wellbeing, I wanted to show parents that children can and do learn and develop outside of the classroom, in a way that is not always imposed by adult agendas or ideas.”

Child-led activities Each day includes a mix of child-initiated play and focused activities, with adult support for arts and crafts, working with real tools, gardening, scientific experiments, board games and puzzle solving. “The adult’s role is that of a play partner, an observer and a facilitator for the children’s interests and lines of inquiry,” Anne-Marie says.

In rainy weather, the children might try digging mini channels for the water, or collecting rainwater in containers to measure, or building their own shelter to learn about the best materials to use.

On dry days, children count and collect natural materials, make sculptures with natural items and clay or try climbing and balancing. In the snow, children compare sizes of snowballs, make dens and try writing in the snow.

The staff try to let children shape activities wherever possible. Anne-Marie says: “The outdoor environment is conductive to childled play and exploration. As we follow the children around, we tap into the potential for new learning that we are presented with at every step” Staff can offer new information about something children have seen, or can equally take a step back and allow children to discuss amongst themselves.

Minimising risks Any potential risks of the outdoor environment are kept to a minimum, with a ratio of one adult to five children in the setting. Anne-Marie says: “When on the Heath, smaller groups of children take turns to go out on expeditions with a ratio of one adult to three children. The children and staff wear high-visibility vests and the adults carry radios to communicate with each other.”

Safety rules are rehearsed with the children before every outing and the group stays close together when outdoors. Staff accompany children whenever they move from one area of the nature reserve to another. The Belsize Wood nature reserve is also locked during the week when the

setting is open, with no access for the public during these times.

“The children are allowed freedom and independence,” Anne-Marie explains. Giving them a chance to make decisions and take risks, without knowing that adults are always watching over them, gives them a chance to build self-reliance skills. Without as many toys to focus on, Anne-Marie says the children spend more time developing social skills. She adds: “They are much calmer and the outdoor environment helps them to focus well on play or tasks they are engaged with. They tend to develop listening and attention skills much faster.”

Excellent outcomes Last year, Ofsted graded The North London Forest School ‘outstanding’. The inspector praised the “exemplary” behaviour of the children at the setting and noted that they were “exceptionally well” prepared for the next stages of learning. The report reads: “Children of all ages and abilities have an active, creative and confident approach to their own learning. Children are highly motivated and develop extremely positive attitudes to their learning.”

Anne-Marie says: “Outdoor learning offers all children the opportunity to thrive and celebrate skills that they wouldn’t have the chance to share in a classroom.” But she is also keen to stress the other benefits of outdoor learning. She says: “Beyond school, [time outdoors] also enables children to connect with nature and foster a sense of respect and ownership of the outdoor environment.” There are also the obvious health benefits of being active and getting plenty of fresh air. Anne-Marie adds: “The health benefits are numerous and invaluable. From being in the fresh air, exercising, being active and practising fine and gross motor skills, which directly impacts on the development of the brain to becoming accustomed to all types of weather and embracing the cold days. It can help maintain mental wellbeing and help release stress – and that’s just to name a few!”

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BEST PRACTICE

10 years of the EYFS Melanie Pilcher, quality and standards manager at the Alliance, reflects on a decade of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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ow in its fourth edition, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) has been with us for 10 years this year. Somewhat surprisingly for such an important framework, there have been very few significant changes since its launch. The most significant change came in 2012 when the early learning goals were reduced and 2014 when childminder agencies, early years teacher status and safeguarding legislation were introduced.

The most recent changes to the EYFS came in March 2017 and were primarily concerned with new legislation and statutory guidance. Changes included new guidelines from the Prevent Duty Guidance (2015), Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015), the Department for Education’s Qualifications List, The Small Business Enterprise and Employment Act (2015) and the Early Years Workforce Strategy (2017).

Those of us who remember the introduction of the EYFS in 2008 will also remember the concerns voiced by the sector at the time. Many were worried about the danger of imposing criteria on children’s learning and development. However, the EYFS and Ofsted inspections have continued to drive up standards.

If we use it as the framework that it is intended to be, rather than a teaching manual, it will allow us to be innovative and keep our beliefs about how young children learn at the very heart of our practice. The EYFS is now so valued by the sector that any rumoured suggestions of changes to the fundamental principles of it provoke a huge response, with the sector rallying to its defence.

Michael Freeston, director of quality improvement at the Alliance, says: “The EYFS successfully pulled together the range of existing guidelines, statutory requirements and best practice frameworks into a single document.

Combining the principles of Birth to Three Matters with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding and the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage was no mean feat.

“The EYFS has given us a single reference point for practitioners. It articulated for the first time what the national expectations were in terms of good early years practice. For me, one of the testimonies of how effective the EYFS has been is in many international delegations we now host.

People from Denmark, China, India and Singapore

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come to find out about the EYFS and consider how it can be applied to their early years provision.”

While the EYFS has remained relatively constant in the past 10 years, Ofsted’s inspection framework has changed considerably and continues to raise the bar for early years provision.

The introduction of the Common Inspection Framework (CIF) in September 2015 put an end to the previously held belief that all a provider needed to do in order to be inspection-ready was to meet the standards of the EYFS. The CIF aligned inspections across different education remits with the aim of consistency, comparability and consistent language. The inspection and inspecting safeguarding handbooks must be read alongside the EYFS if providers are to be sure that they are meeting regulatory requirements fully. Providers must be confident in how they maintain the standards for learning and development in an early years context within an inspection framework that spans education remits from early years through to further education.

With this in mind, the Alliance has launched a new online training course designed to support both new and experienced practitioners with their continued understanding and implementation of the EYFS. Each module gives them a clear overview of statutory requirements, covering recent changes and implications for practice. The course also includes helpful links and essential supporting documents with brief explanations to show how and why they are useful. It is an invaluable resource for anyone new to the sector, including committees and trustees who must have good knowledge of the EYFS. It is equally relevant to those looking to update and refresh their knowledge.

Getting to grips with the EYFS has been launched in partnership with CPD-accredited online training provider EduCare. It consists of two modules and provides an overview of the framework, covering recent updates to the EYFS, partnership working, the role of practitioners and key persons in the EYFS. Alliance members can access Getting to grips with the EYFS, and up to 20 other online EduCare courses, completely free. For more information, visit www.pre-school.org.uk/educare

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Happy staff, happy setting Sonia Mainstone-Cotton, early years nurture and wellbeing trainer and early years consultant, explains how you and your staff can take care of your own wellbeing

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BEST PRACTICE

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ellbeing is a term that is increasingly used in the early years. We hear it so often in relation to children and young people, but as early years practitioners we are not always very good at implementing the ideas for ourselves. I firmly believe if we have a good wellbeing ourselves then we will be in a much better position to support children’s wellbeing.

Here are some simple ideas that you could try out to help promote practitioner wellbeing in your setting:

Eat well Each day make sure you eat something that is both good for you and makes you feel good. We talk a lot about children needing to eat breakfast, but how often do we skip it ourselves? Thinking about the food we eat does not need to be hugely time consuming, but if we give it some thought and make some easy changes we can improve our wellbeing. Foods that are classed as ‘good mood foods’ include: blueberries, avocado, kale, marmite, sweet potato, spinach, dark chocolate and chamomile tea.

Sleep well We need around eight hours of sleep each night. Between hours six and eight, the mind goes through a ‘detox’ process, making memories and problem solving. If we don’t regularly get this amount of sleep it will start to impact on our wellbeing. It is important to form good sleep habits – turn electronic devices off at least an hour before you go to sleep and avoid stimulants such as smoking or alcohol.

Think about having a hot bath or warm drink before you go to bed. If you’re still finding it hard, try a lavender essential oil in the bath or a few drops on your pillow.

Spend time outside There is a growing amount of research about the benefits of spending time outside. In Japan, people practice ‘shinrin-

yoku’, which means forest therapy or forest bathing. This is simply about spending time in the woods or forest. There have been several research studies in Japan looking at the effects of being in forests. The research showed that a casual walk in a forest had a 12.7% decrease in the participant’s cortisol levels and a 103% increase in their parasympathetic nervous activity.

We could all find five or 10 minutes to go for a walk, ideally in a park or wood if possible. We don’t all live or work near green spaces but even the act of parking slightly further away from your place of work and walking in, or walking around the block at lunchtime can improve your wellbeing.

As early years practitioners, we often get wrapped up in thinking about what will make other people happy. It is okay to think about yourself for a little bit.

reading, listening to music, gardening, walking the dog, yoga, painting, singing…

As early years practitioners we often get wrapped up in thinking about what will make other people happy. It is okay to think about yourself for a little bit. If we are feeling good about ourselves then we are better equipped to help others. Swimming makes me happy, so I swim early each morning Monday-Friday. I know it has made a difference to my wellbeing.

Experience some silence Our lives are so often full of noise from radios, TVs, music, traffic and even the people we live with. We are often surrounded by lots of noise all day and when we work with children this can be really intensified in our workplaces.

Research shows that lots of noise can have a negative impact on our health it can lead to high blood pressure and cause people to feel increasingly stressed.

Having time to stop and be silent, even just for five minutes, can be very good for our wellbeing. Some people use mindfulness, yoga or spiritual practices for this. Others just enjoy the silence while in the bath, or during a walk by themselves. Experiencing silence can be liberating and can help you to find some calmness.

Be kind to yourself

Be thankful

We put high expectations on ourselves so often. We can be very self-critical when things are not perfect or if we think we haven’t got enough done. Think about the words you use when talking about yourself.

If they are negative – change them. Tell yourself that what you are doing is good enough and remind yourself that it is okay to feel tired – you will get through this!

At the end of each day, look back over your day and think about something you are thankful for and, if possible, something that bought you some joy. Cultivating a practice of thankfulness can help people to feel happier.

Do something that makes you happy Do something every day that makes you happy and is just for you. When I asked people what they did that made them happy the list was varied – crochet, baking,

Minds matter: protecting the wellbeing of children and practitioners in the early years Sonia Mainstone-Cotton will run a practical workshop on Promoting Emotional Wellbeing in Early Years Staff at this year’s Alliance annual conference on Friday 1 June 2018.

To book your tickets, visit www.pre-school.org.uk/conference2018

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Minds matter:

protecting the wellbeing of children and practitioners in the early years Pre-school Learning Alliance Annual conference Join us on Friday, 1 June 2018, London Hilton Bankside.

Confirmed speakers - Alastair Campbell, Amanda Spielman, Dr Guy Roberts-Holmes and Neil Leitch.

This year’s conference focuses on the importance of protecting the mental wellbeing of everyone involved in the early years PLUS Best practice workshops Lively, specialist exhibition Networking opportunities Lunch and refreshments Member Awards celebrations Delegate tickets start at just £65 for Alliance members!

Simply book here; www.pre-school.org.uk/conference2018

POLICY

Childcare policy concerns The Alliance has co-ordinated a letter, signed by several charities and published in The Guardian, raising concerns about the impact of the government’s 30-hour and Tax Free Childcare policies on social mobility We are concerned that the government’s approach to childcare policy is at risk of undermining its social mobility ambitions.

Its flagship 30-hours scheme represents a unique opportunity to support working families in accessing quality, affordable childcare. However, survey findings from the Alliance suggest that to remain financially viable, a significant proportion of early-years providers have had to introduce or increase additional charges – and, in some cases, prioritise places for those families able to pay for extras. This means that working families on the lowest incomes are at risk of missing out.

The eligibility criteria for both this scheme and the tax-free childcare offer also seem wholly at odds with the government’s social mobility agenda, with parents earning less than the equivalent of 16 hours a week at minimum or living wage unable to benefit, while couples who together earn just under £200,000 in total remain eligible.

The government must provide greater clarity on how it intends to maintain the provision of children’s centres. Sustained funding cuts have forced local councils to shrink their provision to the extent that many remaining centres now offer little more than a skeleton service. It is unacceptable that these critical services have fallen off the government’s list of priorities.

We believe that we share the same fundamental goal: to ensure that families receive the support they need to live happy, secure lives. If the government truly wants to achieve this goal, it must ensure that its rhetoric on social mobility is matched by action.

Neil Leitch, chief executive, Pre-school Learning Alliance Kathy Evans, chief executive, Children England Alison Garnham, chief executive, Child Poverty Action Group Rosie Ferguson, chief executive, Gingerbread Dr Lee Elliot Major, chief executive, Sutton Trust David Holmes, chief executive, Family Action Imran Hussain, director of policy, Action for Children Anna Feuchtwang, chief executive, National Children’s Bureau

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Alliance, added: “It’s one thing to talk about social mobility but it’s quite another to develop policies that effectively promote it – and as this letter makes clear, we’re far from alone in our concerns. While we of course support initiatives that help families to access quality, affordable childcare and early years services, as it stands, the government’s approach to childcare and early years policy risks widening the gap between the poorest children and their peers, rather than closing it.

“At a time of limited resources, government need to think about focusing on spending money where it will be most effective. Pouring funding into schemes that benefit the more well-off over and above those families who need the most support is not an approach that any government should be taking, and so we hope that this letter will prompt ministers to rethink their approach.”

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Making the m Catherine Lippe, registered nutrition professional at the Early Years Nutrition Partnership, explains how you can start making use of the new early years menus Last year the Department for Education and Public Health England published a new set of example menus and recipes for early years providers. The menus are designed to help practitioners provide nutritious and varied food for the children in their care.

This is a welcome step towards improving nutrition for young children. We know that establishing healthy eating habits early on in life is fundamental to improving future health outcomes. Exposing young children to nutritious and varied food as well as promoting a whole setting approach to healthy eating has the potential to create positive habits and improve children’s health both now and in their future.

The publication of these menus emphasises the growing responsibility of early years settings in improving the future health of the nation. But unfortunately, as the guidance in the new menus is

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voluntary rather than mandatory, finding the time to implement it is not always prioritised. With so many other areas to focus on, nutrition can slip further down practitioners’ list of priorities.

There are many elements to menu planning. It’s not just about meeting the nutritional guidance. Menus must also meet all the dietary requirements of your setting while also being workable with your kitchen equipment and staff availability. The menu will also need to work within your budget.

The Early Years Nutrition Partnership (EYNP) is working to improve future health outcomes for young children by supporting early years settings to achieve standards of excellence in nutrition in a more practical way. A range of training options is available for practitioners, managers, chefs and catering staff to help improve nutrition in their setting. The Partnership can also put

you in touch with a registered dietician or nutritionist to work through options for improving your practice, including working towards a Quality Mark award. Here’s how the EYNP has helped one setting introduce the new early years menu guidelines: Lynne Daniel, manager at Tiddlywinks Day Care Nursery in Redhill: “We have long been passionate about giving children the best start in life and have been following the government’s advice on child obesity. We previously completed training with the Children’s Food Trust and had been developing our menus to introduce new flavours as part of a nutritious menu.

“Since signing up with the EYNP, Catherine has been with us at every step – she’s always available at the end of a phone to help us with anything we have

NUTRITION

most of menus been unsure about. For example, when you think about making changes to your menu, it’s very easy to make a mistake and swap in something that doesn’t have the same nutritional value. Working with a registered nutrition professional has meant that we haven’t fallen into those traps.

“We have also changed our overall approach to food as a setting. The questions Catherine asked us about our menus has helped us to think about our role modelling, our eating experience and what we teach about food. That dialogue has resulted in some lovely changes. For example, we now all eat together, the team and the children.

Our chef spends some time with the children, talking about the food. We also get the children involved in cooking workshops.

“Another way we have improved is in how we present information to parents. We can quote Catherine as a registered nutrition professional so parents take us seriously and understand that what we are doing is based on evidence. That’s positive both in how we market the setting and in terms of improving our relationships with parents.”

The Early Years Nutrition Partnership The Early Years Nutrition Partnership is working to improve the future health outcomes of young children by setting a standard for nutrition practice in early years settings. It is an independent social enterprise created in partnership with the Alliance, the British Nutrition Foundation and Danone Early Life Nutrition. To find out how the Partnership can help your setting, visit www.eynpartnership.org or email hello@eynpartnership.org or follow @EYNpartnership on Twitter.

Example menus from the Department for Education The new example menus are designed to demonstrate how providers can offer meals and snacks in line with the current government dietary guidelines. They reflect the latest advice on average energy requirements for children and the new recommendations for maximum sugar intake and minimum levels of dietary fibre.

Three weeks worth of recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks are provided. The menus are designed to provide 90% of a child’s daily energy and nutrient requirements across a full day of care in the following proportions:

breakfast 20% mid-morning snack 10% lunch 30% mid-afternoon snack 10% dinner 20%

The remaining 10% is enough for a small snack or additional drink when at home and is equivalent to a small glass of milk and a portion of fruit.

Settings are encouraged to use the menus as an example – they are not intended to be prescriptive.

The menus can be introduced as they are, or settings can extract individual recipes to include in their existing menu. Ingredients can be substituted where necessary or desired to take advantage of available and cost-effective foods.

More information The new menus and accompanying guidelines are available to download online at bit.ly/2yz9xnC.

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ACTIVITY CORNER

Windy days Melanie Pilcher, quality and standards manager at the Alliance, shares some tips for making the most of ‘bad’ weather in your setting

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hen it comes to early years resources, nature has to be the very best and most prolific supplier. Its catalogue of stock is continually refreshed by the changing seasons and, as an added bonus, it’s completely free!

At this time of year the weather is particularly generous in what it provides. Spring showers are almost inevitable and a late flurry of snow is always a possibility. But there is one of nature’s elements that is present throughout all seasons, to a greater or lesser degree. From a gentle summer breeze to a raging winter gale, the wind is a natural occurrence that can be heard but not seen, felt but not touched. The wind has the power to destroy a building or to gently float a feather. It can shape the landscape, forming sand dunes and changing the shape of trees as they grow. It can disperse a puddle of water and fill a rock pool on the beach.

While young children may not be ready to grasp the complexities of high and low air pressure, practitioners only have to observe children playing on a windy day to see how they explore different concepts.

When a child throws a ball at a target and a gust of wind knocks it off course he or she will adjust the next throw, to allow for cause and effect. A child who sets out to catch a leaf falling from a tree sees it twist and turn randomly as they watch how it moves and will try to predict where it will go next as they attempt to catch it.

Children will learn about gravity as they come to realise that what goes up, will eventually come down. The speed at which this happens will be influenced by factors such as the strength of the wind and the weight and shape of an object.

The wind is a phenomenon that stimulates children’s curiosity as they observe and interact with it during their play. Practitioners do not need to plan activities to tap into the learning opportunities that a windy day presents. You can instead step back and observe the learning that

is already happening and ensure that children are ready to scaffold and extend that learning by presenting new ideas for children to explore.

Dandelions and clever seeds

Make the most of the windy weather by making your own kites. Look out for any overhead cables, particularly if you are in a built up area, and limit the string length if necessary.

Experiment with different materials and shapes to see which will work the best. Look online to find video clips of expert kite fliers. Encourage families to join in by flying their own kites at the weekend. Get some feedback to share with each other about the best places to fly kites.

If you have been doing some gardening with the children, you can extend the activity further by thinking about how plants move their seeds around. Many plants spread their seeds by using the breeze to transport them.

Dandelion clocks are always fun and a good way to introduce this concept. Look for other seeds, such as sycamore and maple trees, which have wings. Ask the children to observe how the different seeds move and travel, some are designed simply to flutter towards the ground, while others such as dandelion seeds and willow herb (which looks like puffs of cotton wool) will travel far and wide.

Streamers and windsocks

Run like the wind

A great way to learn about direction is to make streamers. Attach pieces of brightly-coloured ribbon or other thin strips of fabric to a post in your outdoor area. Encourage children to observe them each day. Are the streamers moving? Which direction are they moving in?

How fast are they moving? Are they always going in the same direction? This is a good time to introduce north, south, east and west too.

Windsocks can be used in a similar way. Ask children to think about where they may have seen a windsock before – usually on an airfield.

Did you know that all airplanes, no matter how big or small, must always take off into the wind?

This is why windsocks are so important on an airfield. A pillow can be used as a windsock and will promote lots of imaginative play as children run towards the wind to ‘take off’.

It is said that a windy day will make children particularly energetic so they will need very little encouragement to run around.

Whether chasing bubbles, seeds or each other, running against or with the wind is exhilarating. Add a sheet of paper to the mix and see who can catch it or stamp on it when it touches the floor.

Let’s go fly a kite

Follow that cloud When the weather is blustery but dry, take the children outdoors to observe the clouds moving across the sky. This is a great activity to promote mindfulness where children really concentrate on one thing, paying attention to details that normally go unnoticed – the speed, shape and diversity of the clouds as they move across the sky.

Windmills and wind meters It is likely that most children will have seen a wind farm. The huge structures are a fascinating variation of the traditional windmill and looking at them with children may start a discussion about power and energy. It’s easy to make your own windmills with children and there are plenty of templates to be found online. Another ‘easy make’ is a wind meter or anemometer. You will need some paper cups, straws, a thin piece of doweling and a drawing pin. There are plenty of examples online explaining how to make and use the device.

Your young scientists will learn to see how fast the wind is moving.

Whatever activities you are prompted to try out by following the interests your children show in the wind, one thing is for sure – you will be blown away by the possibilities!

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LAW-CALL

Final farewell The legal team behind the Law-Call service, available to all Alliance members, explains the necessary steps when closing a setting

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here are many reasons why a setting is due to close. The setting may have seen a reduction in the number of children on its books, it may have merged with another site or it may need to close as its legal structure is switching from a committee to a corporate entity.

Whatever the reason, the closure of any business requires careful planning, as there are many inter-related legal issues that must be considered at the same time. Different legal structures require different procedures to be followed before a setting can close. Whether you are managing a setting as a volunteer committee member or as a director or trustee of a CIO, the legal documents for the creation of the setting should be examined first to establish what processes and procedures are required.

Committee-run settings For settings managed by a committee, a proposal to close the setting must be put out to its members. The constitution document for the setting will describe who the members are but under the Alliance’s constitution, they are the parents, any affiliate members and/or co-opted members. An extraordinary general meeting (EGM) must be called following the procedures described in the constitution. The committee requires a minimum number of members to be present at the EGM and you must obtain a majority vote to pass the resolution.

Corporate status If a setting has a corporate status, it is a legal entity in its own right. It must follow the Companies Act 2006 in the event of a closure.

The directors can choose to voluntarily wind

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up or, if they cannot pay off their debts, then they must involuntarily close the business.

The process is initially similar in both cases – directors must first pass a resolution proposing closure to the members. The corporate accounts must be examined and a statutory declaration of solvency must be authorised by a majority of the directors.

The directors must then call a meeting to vote on a special resolution to liquidate the company with its members within five weeks of the declaration of solvency. At the meeting they should appoint an Insolvency Practitioner (IP) to take charge of the process at that meeting.

A notice of resolution should then be filed at Companies House within 15 days of this decision.

Where a company cannot pay off all its debts, this is referred to as the involuntary winding up of the business. There is a declaration of insolvency and the IP will manage the closure process through the courts. An alternative for solvent companies is to voluntarily strike the company off the register at Companies House. However, you should seek legal advice before doing this, particularly if your setting has a charitable status.

Charitable Incorporated Organisations A Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) can be viewed in simple terms as a hybrid of a charity and a limited company. As the management structure is subject to the Charities Act 2011, the closure of a CIO is subject to the closure procedures in the trust document and the Charitable Incorporated Organisations (Insolvency and Dissolution) Regulations 2012.

The trustees of the CIO need to convene a general meeting with the proposal to dissolve on the agenda. They need a 75% majority to pass the resolution. The Charities Commission requires a statement of solvency and a declaration of what will happen to the charitable assets on closure. If the CIO is insolvent then specialist advice should be sought as the process is more complicated.

Next steps Closing a setting involves a fairly complex process and this article merely offers an overview of the initial steps. Once a vote has been passed to close, management will need to take further advice on the correct approach required to make staff redundant. There will also be assets that have to be sold for the best possible price and the money raised from this should be applied in accordance with the legal formation documents for that setting.

Pension providers will need to be contacted and records need to be assessed and kept for the appropriate time. You may also need to speak with HMRC. It is entirely possible that even once a setting has closed its doors to families, its legal structure will continue to exist until all matters have been finalised.

More information Alliance members can access Law-Call, a 24-hour helpline offering advice on legal issues concerning your business. Contact details can be found on your membership card.

Alternatively, contact Information Services, with your membership number, for Law-Call’s details on 0207 697 2595.

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RENEWAL

Ready for renewal?

April and May are two of the busiest months for membership renewals at the Alliance. To help you prepare, our renewals team has put together a checklist Check your renewal pack We’ll automatically send you a renewal pack in the post at least one month before your membership is due for renewal. This pack will contain all the information you need on your current membership, including your insurance, if you have it through the Alliance. It will also confirm the date and price of your renewal. We will send you reminders about your renewal, but all the information you need will be in this pack.

If you think your pack is missing, don’t hesitate to call us on 020 7697 2585 or email membership@pre-school.org.uk.

Make sure all your information is up to date The information we have on record for your membership will be pre-printed on your renewal form. You should check through this to ensure that your contact information, including your email addresses, is up to date.

Also check that the size of your provision and the number of sites you operate are correct.

This is particularly important for members who have their insurance through the Alliance, as you must ensure that you have the right cover for your needs.

If any of your information needs updating, simply note it down on the renewal form and our team will ensure that your record is revised accordingly. If you need to update your insurance policy, please call us on 020 7697 2585.

Consider switching to direct debit payments There are a number of ways to pay for your membership including with a credit/debit card, Bacs transfer and cheque or postal order. You also might want to consider switching to a direct debit. This will ensure that you never miss

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a renewal – all you need to do is fill out the direct debit instruction in your renewal form.

Get an insurance quote If you aren’t already taking advantage of the Alliance’s specialist insurance offer, why not take this opportunity to get a quote? You can get in touch now, or whenever your insurance policy is due for renewal. To request a quote, call us on 020 7697 2585.

Check your consent We want to keep you informed about all the latest news, updates on the Alliance’s campaigning and share new discounts and benefits available to members. We need to have your consent to do this, so please make sure you let us know how you want to be contacted on your renewal form.

Send your form back Once you’ve completed your form, make sure you send it back to us as soon as possible. Our team will then process you renewal as a priority.

If all the information in your pack is up to date, you can renew over the phone with a debit or credit card without returning your form – just give the team a call on 020 7697 2585.

Member benefits As an Alliance member, you benefit from a huge range of services and offers that support you and your work in the early years. In the past 12 months we have: answered more than 5,000 member queries through our Information Service advice line.

Find out more at www.pre-school.org.uk/info provided free confidential legal advice to more than 4,500 members through the

24-hour Law-Call service. Visit www.preschool.org.uk/law-call to find out more given thousands of practitioners access to free online training with EduCare. Visit www.pre-school.org.uk/educare to see a list of the courses available re-designed our online members’ area to help you access more than 50 mini-guides, templates and other resources for free. Visit www.pre-school.org.uuk/members-area to access the exclusive content.

Insurance renewal Members may be aware that over the past few years, the government has increased the rate of Insurance Premium Tax. The rate increased to 12% in June 2017 and this will apply to all new and renewing insurance premiums. The Autumn Budget 2017 did not increase the rate any further, so this should remain unchanged unless otherwise specified at a later date.

This increase in the tax on insurance premiums will have to be applied by all insurers over this year. Please check your renewal form carefully in conjunction with the insurance booklet to ensure that you have the appropriate cover for the sessions you offer and that the sums insured are adequate for your needs.

All Alliance members with insurance must include their Employers Reference Number (ERN) on their renewal form. This is the reference number for their employees’ income tax and national insurance contributions and is commonly referred to as the Employer Don’t forget : PAYE Reference. your Under 5 subscription More information is is also included in available via the ELTO your membershi website – www.elto.org.uk. p.

CHARITIES

Charity update Led by volunteers, usually parents, charityrun childcare provision accounts for a large proportion of the early years sector. There are already rules in place to prevent certain people from acting as a trustee and from 1 August 2018 this will be extended. The new Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016 will extend the list of reasons that automatically prevent someone from being a trustee or senior manager to include: unspent conviction for specified terrorism offences unspent conviction for a specified money laundering offence unspent conviction for specified bribery offences

unspent conviction for the offence of contravening a Charity Commission Order of Direction unspent conviction for offences of misconduct in public office, perjury, or perverting the course of justice unspent convictions for aiding, attempting or abetting the above offences being on the sex offenders register unspent sanction for contempt of Court disobeying a Commission Order being a designated person (under specific anti-terrorist legislation) An individual who is well qualified, and who would otherwise be unavailable to the charity, can apply to the Charity Commission for a waiver to appoint or retain their position as a trustee or senior manager. This must be done with the charity’s support and only if it is in the best interests of the charity.

CIO conversion The Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) is now the favoured legal structure for most charities. CIOs are solely regulated by the Charity Commission, but have elements of company law incorporated into the framework which enables protection of personal liabilities.

The recommended structure for larger charities that employ lots of staff, enter into substantial contracts or own considerable land or property continues to be the Charitable Company Limited by guarantee.

While many unincorporated charities have changed their status, the Charity Commission

has only recently provided a conversion process for charitable companies. To manage expected demand, conversions into a CIO will be implemented in phases, based on their income bracket.

Conversion date 1 January 2018 1 March 2018

1 May 2018

1 June 2018

1 July 2018

1 August 2018

Charity’s annual income less than £12,500 between £12,500 and £25,000 between £25,000 and £100,000 between £100,000 and £250,000 between £250,000 and £500,000 greater than £500,000

The process for charitable companies to convert to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation should be fairly simple and straightforward.

With member approval, charitable companies following the Alliance model Memorandum and Articles of Association, should complete the brief online application at bit.ly/2EaUrvE. Details will then be shared with Companies House who

should remove the company on the same date that the Charity Commission confirms it as a CIO. Charitable companies will retain their legal entity and continue to exist, but with a different structure. There should be no need to notify third parties of the new structure, including Ofsted and no need to transfer contracts, agreements or assets. The charity should retain these alongside its charity name and number.

Index of business names All CIOs will not be included in the Registrars’ Business Names Index, maintained by Companies House. Regulation will continue to only be administered by the Charity Commission. However, Companies House will check whether the CIO’s name includes any ‘sensitive words or expressions’ as set out in the Company, Limited Company, Limited Liability Partnership and Business Names (Sensitive Words and Expressions) Regulations 2014. Any CIO name that includes ‘sensitive words or expressions’ must receive non-objection from Companies House before applying to the Charity Commission.

Further information Guidance on automatic disqualification can be found online at bit.ly/2EcdHEQ.

Special offer: 10% off Charitable Incorporated Organisations Pre-school Learning Alliance (Ref: A127) - £9.95 for Alliance members The CIO provides charities with many of the advantages of incorporation as a company limited by guarantee, but without the need to register with Companies House. Key features include sole regulation by the Charity Commission with protection from personal liabilities for members and trustees.

The guidance advises on key features of a CIO, a step-by-step guide to completing the registration form, additional steps needed to Please visit shop.pre-school.org.uk, call 0300 330 0996 or email wind up existing charities, as well as shop@pre-school.org.uk. A P&P requirements relating to the keeping charge of £3.75 will apply to each order. of records and filing of accounts.

Templates are also provided to shop.pre-school.org.uk support necessary meetings, records and letters.

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What to expect at your inspection Melanie Pilcher, quality and standards manager at the Alliance, shares some fun ideas for celebrating Chinese Paperwork New Year in your setting Ofsted inspects all registered early years providers The inspector may ask to see the following to evaluate the quality of their provision. This minidocumentation: guide explains all you need to know ahead of your current staff list and staff qualifications, including paediatric first aid next inspection a register/list showing the date of birth of all children on roll and routine staffing arrangements

Preparing for inspection It is essential that everyone in your childcare team has a solid understanding of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the setting’s policies and procedures, approaches to observation, assessment and planning, and the way you engage with parents. All members of staff need to be able to talk confidently about these areas as your Ofsted inspector will want to see that there is consistently good practice throughout the setting, supported by an effective management system.

Judgement criteria The inspector will judge your setting on its performance in the following areas: • overall effectiveness • effectiveness of leadership and management • quality of teaching, learning and assessment • personal development, behaviour and welfare • outcomes for children There is a four-point scale for all judgements: outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate.

Although there is no separate grade

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for safeguarding, the assessment of effectiveness of leadership and management will include a written judgement about safeguarding and child protection arrangements, in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children.

Sources of evidence The Early Years Inspection Framework contains full details of the criteria and sources of evidence the inspector will use to judge your setting in each of the five areas.

This evidence will include observations of children’s play, interactions with staff and care routines and discussions with the key person about children’s progress, assessment methods and knowledge of the curriculum. They may also ask to see records of selected children’s progress and planning for the next stage of learning.

The optional early years self-evaluation form (SEF) will no longer exist from 1 April 2018 onwards, so you will no longer be able to complete this form ahead of an inspection.

You should aim to present evidence of how you are involving parents in their child’s assessment and learning. You should also explain how you share information with other professionals, providers and schools to demonstrate how you work effectively in partnership with others.

a list of children present at the setting during the inspection, if not shown on the register any information about pre-planned interruptions to normal routines during the inspection, such as offsite visits the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) records and any other documents summarising the checks on, and the vetting and employment arrangements of, all staff working at the setting all logs that record accidents, exclusions, children taken off roll and incidents of poor behaviour all logs of incidents of discrimination including racist incidents complaint log and/or evidence of any complaints and resolutions safeguarding and child protection policies relating to health and safety a list of any referrals made to the designated person for safeguarding, with brief details of the resolutions a list of all children who are an open case to social care/children’s services and for whom there is a multi-agency plan information about training and/or professional development of staff any reports of external evaluation of the setting

OFSTED

Timing and notice New providers are normally inspected within 30 months of their registration and all settings are inspected at least once within a four-year cycle. An inspection will be prioritised if Ofsted is notified of a concern about a setting, and decides an inspection is necessary.

Groups usually receive a phone call from the inspector on the working day before the inspection, but you may not be given notice if the inspection is taking place after concerns were expressed. If it is clear that the setting only operates on certain days, the inspection will be scheduled for one of those days.

On the day The inspector should show their identification on arrival. If you have concerns about the identity of an inspector, you should call Ofsted’s helpline on 0300 123 1231. If the setting manager is not available on the day, the team should immediately be informed who the inspector’s main point of contact will be.

All inspectors must adhere to a code of conduct to ensure that inspections are impartial and of the highest possible standard.

The inspector will spend most of the visit observing the way that adults work with children, evaluating how the children learn and how well their needs are met. As far as possible, you should stick to your usual routine and minimise disruption.

The inspector will wish to talk to parents.

You should let parents know that this may happen as soon as you are notified of an inspection and should display a notice to inform parents that they are welcome to share their views with the inspector.

The inspector will invite a senior member

of staff, or the childminder if an assistant is employed, to take part in one or more joint observations. You do not have to agree to this and will not be penalised if you choose not to.

However, it is an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your provision.

One important thing to consider during the inspection is to make sure that dealing with the inspector does not put you out of ratio. If at any time you think you will be put out of ratio, you should be comfortable about saying this and discussing how it can be addressed.

The inspector should keep you informed during the visit about how the inspection is progressing. Hopefully this will reflect your own views of your setting, but if you feel the inspector is drawing the wrong conclusions it is perfectly acceptable to produce evidence to counter their view.

Feedback and final report At the end of their visit, the inspector should give verbal feedback to a senior member of staff and anyone else you wish to be present.

At this stage, judgements are provisional and restricted to senior personnel, pending the final report.

The final written report will be published online within 10 working days of it being sent to you. It must be made available to parents of children at your setting and anyone else who asks.

If you are judged as ‘requires improvement’ the report will specify which actions you need to take. You will be inspected again within 12 months and any funding you receive for twoyear-olds may be at risk.

If you are judged as ‘inadequate’, the

report will tell you what you must do to remain registered and you will be inspected again within six months. Your local authority will be informed and this may affect your eligibility to receive funding.

If your judgement is ‘inadequate with enforcement’ you will be monitored by an inspector. The inspector will visit to check your progress in the areas that require improvement.

If your judgement is ‘outstanding’, you will receive a certificate and letter and will be able to publicise your success by using the ‘outstanding provider’ logo on your stationery and website.

Raising concerns If you have a concern about how the inspection is being conducted or the judgements being made, you should raise these with the inspector as soon as possible during the visit. If it is not possible to resolve concerns during the inspection, or if you have concerns about the final report, you can lodge a formal complaint within 10 working days of the report being published. Our guide to the Ofsted complaints process for early years providers is available to Alliance members online at www.pre-school.org.uk/members-area.

Find out more You can purchase resources from the Alliance shop to help you prepare for your next inspection. Visit shop.pre-school.org.uk to find out more.

For more mini-guides on best practice in the early years, visit the member’s area of the Alliance website: www.pre-school.org.uk/members-area.

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NUTRITION

Healthy snacks for healthy toddlers The Infant & Toddler Forum provides information and advice on snacks for toddlers at home and in early years settings When it comes to snacks, it can be all too easy to offer young children the first treat that comes to hand. Unfortunately, these are often the items that are the most full of sugar. Public Health England (PHE) has warned that children are eating up to three times their recommended allowance of sugar, with half of this coming from unhealthy snacks and drinks. Children are eating an average of three unhealthy snacks every day with a third of them eating four or more.

Toddlers do need to eat small amounts of food regularly throughout the day to help maintain their energy levels. However, toddlers who graze on snack foods without a regular routine usually eat a less nutritious diet than those who don’t. Children who graze on snacks are also more likely to suffer from dental cavities.

A routine of three meals and two or three planned snacks can help ensure a more balanced diet. This will also limit the number of times each day that teeth are exposed to sugar and acid in food and drinks. PHE now advises that children are offered just two snacks of 100 calories or less each day. This limit does not apply to fruit and vegetables, as children should still be encouraged to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.

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Limiting sugary snacks can be difficult at this time of year, with Easter fast approaching. Easter is often an exciting time of year for children, with the prospect of Easter egg hunts and an abundance of chocolate. With all the celebrations, it can be easy to get swept up in the fun and forget the needs of toddlers.

The Infant and Toddler Forum recommends that sugary snacks are not made a part of toddlers’ everyday foods.

Sugary foods as a whole should be eaten in smaller and limited quantities as these foods provide energy, but very few nutrients. This also includes fruit juice and fruit smoothies, which should be treated as sugary drinks, although they contain fruit, as they too can cause cavities. If offered, fruit juice should always be served well diluted.

Ideally, sugary foods should be given at the end of a meal. If any sweets are given, this should be limited to two or three at a time to protect teeth. It is important to remember that toddlers under the age of two have lower energy requirements and should not be offered any sweet puddings, cakes, biscuits, confectionery, chocolate or savoury snacks such as crisps.

To help, the Infant & Toddler Forum has compiled a list of nutritious snacks:

Non-sugary snacks: plain yoghurt (one average pot is 125ml) with some pieces of fruit one or two oatcakes with a few cubes of cheese one slice of bread or toast with butter and marmite one or two spoons of hummus with vegetable sticks half a cup of unsweetened popcorn Sugary snacks – limit to one a day one slice of bread or toast with scrapes of butter and jam half a crumpet with a thin scrape of butter and honey half a hot cross bun with a thin scrape of butter plain digestive biscuit flavoured yoghurt

To read more about healthy snacks for toddlers, read our Ten Steps for Healthy Toddlers at bit.ly/2xMZo9I. The Infant and Toddler Forum is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition. The views and outputs of the group, however, remain independent of Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition and its commercial interests.

COMPETITION

WIN 25 children’s t-shirts for your setting Samuels of Norfolk is offering Under 5 readers a chance to win 25 children’s t-shirts printed with their logo.

The t-shirts are usually just £2.99 each and offer all early years settings an affordable and inclusive uniform option.

Samuels is a leading supplier of personalised, high-quality uniforms at great value prices. Embroidery and multicolour options are available. For a quote, contact info@ samuelsofnorfolk.co.uk or phone 01603 710007.

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

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

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

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

For your chance to win, simply email your answer to the following question, along with your full name and postal address, to: under5.competitions@ pre-school.org.uk with the subject line: T-shirts by 20 March 2018.

When is the Alliance annual conference being held this year (hint: see page 20)? a) 1 May 2018 b) 1 June 2018 c) 1 July 2018

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