This site provides comprehensive information on all the services currently available to schools, academies and other organisations from West Berkshire Council. West Berkshire Council has a great deal of experience and expertise in providing support and services to schools. There are many benefits to buying services from the Local Authority: • We are committed to supporting schools to make the best possible use of their resources in order to maximise the impact on raising educational standards for pupils. • We have an experienced and highly trained workforce familiar with the work of schools and in the context in which they operate. • We ensure our services are compliant with legal requirements and national standards • We are committed to improving the lives of children.

This is the model policy for Safeguarding and Child Protection in schools and educational settings within West Berkshire. This model policy is a guide only and will need to be adapted to fit each individual setting.

Ofsted has uploaded four short films about the early years, available to access with the links below. In the first video, Wendy Ratcliff HMI debunks common myths about what inspectors want to see in early years settings. Martin Williams (Principal Officer, Operations) and (Penny Fisher, Early Years Senior HMI) offer an insight into what happens when a parent expresses concern about the care provided by a setting. Gill Jones (Deputy Director, Early Education) and Emma Exton, (Deputy Director, Operations) discuss each stage of the Ofsted registration process, from initial DBS checks to final inspection. In the last video, Dee Coleman, (Principal Officer, Early Years) and (Julie-Ann Morris, Senior Manager, Early Years) explain what registered early years providers need to tell Ofsted about. 1. What happens on an early years inspection? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG7miTKuWVw 2. What happens if someone complains about me? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chd-ytg_2sU 3. How do I register as an early years provider? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4rHvfgR7N8 4. What do I need to tell you? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQFP0Fd2aDc

The August Foundation Years Newsletter contains information on the following: Learn – Explore – Debate: slides now available In July, NCB led a series of ‘Learn, Explore, Debate’ events around the country, bringing early years professionals together to discuss and connect directly with the Department for Education (DfE) on the latest early years policy and practice. Ofsted updates OFSTED: Cultural capital – what does it mean for early years? In September 2019, Ofsted will introduce the education inspection framework (EIF). The Early years handbook for Ofsted registered provision includes the term cultural capital In a short film - Inspecting early years providers – care before and after school - Julie-Ann Morris, Senior Manager for EY policy explains why Ofsted have changed their approach to inspecting this type of provider Do you provide care before and after the school day or during school holidays for early years children? When Ofsted introduce the EIF from September 2019, it will change the way they inspect providers registered on the Early Years Register who only provide care before and after the school day or during the school holidays. The annex included in the Early years handbook for Ofsted registered provision explains how Ofsted inspect this type of provider. DfE policy updates. In a short film, Julie-Ann Morris, Senior Manager for EY policy explains why Ofsted have changed their approach to inspecting this type of provider - Inspecting early years providers – care before and after school. DfE consultation launched on early years childcare fees The consultation is available online and will run for 12 weeks from 18 July to 9 October 2019. Competition launches to find best early years apps A competition to find the best educational apps for young children has been launched as part of a society-wide push to encourage disadvantaged parents to kick-start their children’s early language and literacy skills at home. 30 hours free childcare campaign In June, DfE launched a campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of 30 hours free childcare, with a focus on lower-income families. Autumn term deadline for 30 hours applications Parents can apply now at www.childcarechoices.gov.uk for their 30 hours code for a September start. Any parents who do not take up a place will need to wait until January to benefit from 30 hours. Advancing our health: prevention in the 2020s The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published its prevention green paper and are seeking your views on proposals to tackle the causes of preventable ill health in England. EU accessibility regulations for schools and nurseries In September 2018 the government passed new accessibility regulations, the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018, which may apply to your public facing websites. The government will start monitoring compliance with these regulations in 2020. Views from the sector Improving Outdoor Play Spaces - Capital investment and improving outcomes for young children Literacy and play for all RCPCH Prevention vision for child health Nursery encourages other early years settings to go plastic-free Research Education Policy Institute: Education in England 2019 Steps to sustainability: APPG report NDNA Workforce Survey for England 2019 results Study on men in the early years workforce seeks survey participants Your feedback on SEND Information, Advice and Support Services Early intervention and child development: A parenting pilot in Peterborough Resources Updated 5532 guide to portion size for pre-schoolers House of Commons Library: Early Intervention briefing Conferences/Events Perinatal and infant mental health: relationships matter Public Health England Annual Conference 2019 Childminding UK Annual Conference: Emotional Resilience and School Readiness Stakeholder updates Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative annual conference Grantholder updates Together for Twos: Online resources to support two year olds Putting parents at the heart of speech and language learning Let’s play! How playing at home makes learning easy Institute of Wellbeing - Going together so we can go further nasen: Early Years SEND Review Guide now available Update from the EYSEND Partnership programme Stakeholder updates PATHways to improving perinatal mental health Emphasising curriculum in the early years – a step too far? To view this newsletter with all its links please click here

Foundation Years were delighted to have Gill Jones, Deputy Director Early Education, and Wendy Ratcliff, Education Policy Team, from Ofsted join them live for a Foundation Years webinar to talk to the early years sector and answer questions on the new Education Inspection Framework. The session covered: The consultation findings The judgement areas – what’s changing? Recurring themes in responses What do I need to do? Questions and myth busting. Missed the webinar? There's a recording of the webinar along with presentation slides, also available on the Foundation Years website.