This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council's Service Lead for Early Years and Prevention, Michael Jarrett, for the attention of the Early Years Sector.
Please find below communications from the Early Years and Prevention Service to keep you informed of various different initiatives and government updates for 19/05/2020. We hope you find this informative and if you have any suggestions about content please contact us on earlyyears@slough.gov.uk.
It is important to keep in contact with families during this time, so please share this information across all of your contacts.
What’s New
Parenting Strategy Pledge
- Strengthen availability and accessibility of general information and advice to parents
- Build parenting capacity in specific areas where gaps have been identified
- Ensure there is a clear focus on early help and prevention
- Improve cohesiveness of parenting support across Slough
- Work with partners to deliver the recommendations set out in this strategy
This document details plans for the delivery of Slough Borough Council’s Parenting Offer and provides the policy platform for developing and implementing early help through interventions for both universal and targeted parenting provisions. By adopting a joint, integrated parenting model, with a needs-led focus to service delivery, Slough will effectively support parents on their journey with their children through from early years to young adulthood in a way that encourages engagement, co-operation, learning and involvement in positive parenting.
For further information click here.
EYFS Bursts for Learning 0-5 Year Olds
The Early Years sector has produced this guide ‘EYFS Bursts for Learning 0-5’ with contributions from Children’s Centres and Maintained Nursery schools to support parents and your children during the COVID-19 lockdown period and beyond.
The guide offers a burst of teaching ideas to ensure continuity of the EYFS curriculum. Click here to view the guide in full.
New Government Updates for 18/05/2020 & 19/05/2020
Testing Now Available to Anyone with Symptoms of Coronavirus
The government has announced that anyone with symptoms of coronavirus is now eligible to book a test, ahead of the rollout of the test and trace service. Anyone experiencing a new, continuous cough; high temperature; or a loss of, or change, in their normal sense of smell or taste (anosmia) can book a test.
A Coronavirus test can be booked here.
Actions for Schools During the Coronavirus Outbreak Updated 18 May 2020
21.3 Have plans changed for the EYFS and reception year?
We are planning to proceed with the reforms to the early years foundation stage, and are considering when to publish the government response to the consultation on the reforms. The reforms include plans for an early adopter year which will allow schools to voluntarily implement the new learning and development requirements (including the new early learning goals and educational programmes) as well as assessment and moderation arrangements from this September (2020), if they wish to. Arrangements for the early adopter year are being kept under review, given the coronavirus outbreak. National roll-out of the reforms is planned for the academic year 2021 to 2022.
We will provide all schools who signed up as early adopters (and local authorities) with further information on this in due course.
Click here for more information.
Keeping in Touch and Targeted Support for Early Years Settings
During this unfamiliar time the team would like you to know that we are here to offer you support, in whatever way you may need it? We are on the other end of the phone or email and will continue to provide you with daily email updates. Even if you are currently closed the team can offer a range of support from discussing government guidance documents to reviewing local area initiatives.
We understand that this is a difficult period for everyone and in these uncertain times it can often help to share concerns, questions and queries with others, so please do keep in contact and pick up the phone anytime for a catch up.
You can email and call individual members of the team or for general enquiries contact earlyyears@slough.gov.uk or call 01753 476554.
If your setting is currently still open and are considering closure please discuss with the Early Years Service and for further information, advice or guidance please contact the team on 01753 476554 or email earlyyears@slough.gov.uk.
Reminders
Early Years and Childminder Settings Reopening from 1st June 2020
Following the Governments announcement on the proposed opening of nursery and childminder settings from 1st June 2020, the Early Years Team would like to support all Slough settings with preparing to reopen their setting. The Early Years Team will be making contact with all settings to discuss your plans and offer our support.
As you all know hopefully this week is Mental Health Awareness Week and now more than ever it’s important to be kind to ourselves and others. Our Public Health website has lots of resources, information and tips to help you look after your mental health that you can access here.
Health and wellbeing of CYP
The University of Oxford are conducting a free online survey which will assess the health and wellbeing of CYP in schools across Slough and include questions relating to the current pandemic. After the online survey is completed and analysed by University of Oxford, schools will receive a full report on the findings.
To learn more about the survey please click here.