Buggy Buddies New
 Buggy Buddies is a scheme developed in Hertfordshire to get children aged 0-5 on the move, leading active and healthy lifestyles from a young age. The Buggy Buddies are six friendly bugs that can be used by parents and practitioners to create fun, outside activities for young children to do when they are travelling to and from settings like children's centres, pre-schools, nurseries or childminders, and also when they are outside in the garden or at the park. They are an educational resource that children will love and parents and practitioners will find useful.
Further information and all the resources are available to download from the Herts Direct website at:
Early Years Admissions, Policy and Funding Letter to EY Providers - July 2010
Heads and Chairs of Governors of Nursery Schools and Primary Schools
Leaders, managers and owners of PVI preschools and nurseries
Children’s Centre Managers
Dear colleague,
Early years admissions, policy and funding
You may recall that we had hoped to hold a series of briefing sessions to update on changes to national and county policy relating to early years (provision for 3, 4 and 5 yr olds). We are awaiting announcements from the new coalition government about their early years policy and so are delaying the briefings until we are confident we will have accurate information to share.
To date, the government has announced the following about early years policy:
- Free place entitlement to be rolled out with the extended, flexible offer provided by a diverse market
- Research into extending the 2 year old free place scheme
- Support for early years workforce development, including encouraging more men into childcare
- Sure Start Children’s centres to focus on neediest families, to be provided by organisations who have a track record of family support and payment by results
- A health visitor for every Sure Start Children Centre
- Independent review of EYFS
However, we await confirmation of the status of the following:
- The Single Early Years Funding Formula
- Early Years Professional status
- Code of Practice/Early Years Handbook requirements for receiving the free place funding
- Requirements within the Admissions Code
Because of the current uncertainty, we will not be implementing in September any changes directed by the previous government. We will not remove the current practice of PVI providers charging for ‘additional services’ until we have confirmation that this policy remains with the current government.
I hope you have an enjoyable summer, and I will contact you again as soon as the government’s position is clarified.
Yours truly,
Sally Orr
Head of Early Years and Childcare
Early Years Participation Toolkit Updated
 The Early Years Participation toolkit has been produced to support the participation with early years children. Providing guidance and support to practitioners working directly with early years settings.
The toolkit includes information on research relating to early years participation, simple and easy to use guidance and participation planning and assessment materials.
The toolkit is available on the Herts Direct website at:
Nursery Learning Record: Training, Moderation and Data
Over the next year practitioners will continue to use the Nursery Learning Record (NLR) to assess pupil attainment on entry to Nursery classes. New assessment materials for use with EYFS are being developed and will be made available for use once pilot projects have been completed. Training on how to use these new materials will also be available later in the year.
The following letter contains the key points that are important to those settings intending to use the NLR as an assessment tool.
Early Years Admissions
A leaflet to support settings in recognising and ensuring quality for all
This short leaflet contains guidance to support settings who have changed their admission policy by admitting children into reception at a single point of entry. We hope it will be a useful checklist to all schools with the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage in September. Earlier admission cannot be considered without careful planning for the needs of these younger children. Research shows that there are significant risks to these children’s future outcomes and well-being if these issues are ignored.
The leaflet has been produced by the Hertfordshire Early Years Team in consultation with a group of early years practitioners and Head teachers from a variety of settings. The issues considered are supported as key issues both by current research and by the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) documentation.
An example of supporting evidence is given alongside the key issue but there are many more to be found in the document itself.
Young in Herts Conferences
For queries about any of our conferences please contact the Early Years Team on Tel: 01438 844795
Networks
Foundation Stage Leader Networks –
(dates to follow)
Area Senco clusters – clusters will be organised locally with Area Senco’s.
Details of new Network meetings will be sent out to all Settings termly. If you would like any further information please contact the Early Years Team on Tel: 01438 844795
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