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.

Ofsted Early Years and Childcare Update Please find below information and links to Ofsted Updates for March Early years inspections: myths - We have updated myths 4, 8 and 9 around self-evaluation and risk assessment. FOI: early years dataset as at 31 December 2017 - These statistics are published in accordance with Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation.

DfE statutory guidance for those involved in managing statutory induction arrangements for NQTs

Please click here to read the March Newsletter from Foundation Years. It contains information about: Updates from the Government including: 30 hours take up Tax Free Childcare Consultation on Level 2 qualifications Childcare business Grant Updates from the sector including: Childminder Agencies The Communication Trust EAL best practice case studies Early Excellence GDPR National Events PLUS Many more links and articles. If you cannot access the above link please copy and paste the following into your browser: https://mailchi.mp/4children/foundation-years-update-s97d4athai?e=a8e7a96ba8

Data Protection law is changing. Members of staff in schools would need to follow new data handling practices in order to discharge their new responsibilities. Attached is a model policy for use internally within schools. Schools are invited to adapt this policy to meet their own needs identified through a data asset audit. Further examples are available through the local Data Protection network.