Early Years Team

The Early Years team is made up of qualified staff with a wealth of experience in early years and childcare.

We work with childcare providers to improve quality and outcomes for children as well as ensure providers meet the needs of children with SEND through working in partnership, providing information, advice, support and challenge.

The support offered covers all aspects of childcare including:

• The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
• Ofsted registration and inspection
• SEND code of practice
• training
• sufficiency
• funding and financial management
• governance
• business planning

Support is tailored to encourage settings to be self-reflective and proactive in making and sustaining improvements.

Sources of support include:

• network meetings and setting visits which offer the opportunity to speak with individual team members
• online resources
• training

The team also provides:

• phone and email support
• a monthly newsletter
• termly leaders’ and managers’ briefings which aim to keep providers up to date with and debate national and local changes

Specific support packages are developed for providers when there's either of the following:

• an identified complex need or an Ofsted inspection outcome of ‘needs attention’ or ‘urgent improvement'
• the safeguarding outcome is 'not met'

Follow us on Facebook

You can follow our Early Years and Childcare Facebook page to keep up to date.