CambsEYC is pleased to announce that the new annual Membership Offer is now available for all Cambridgeshire early years and childcare providers, including childminders and schools.

All packages are priced based on an academic year from Tuesday, 1 September 2026 to Tuesday, 31 August 2027.

Photograph showing five young children wearing paint-splattered smocks gathered around a table engaged in a colourful painting activity. Text above highlights an annual membership offer for 2026-2027

There are membership options for all types of providers, additional specialist packages to develop themes, and discounts for multi-package membership. As in previous years, we also offer a ‘combined’ package for schools providing early years provision for children aged birth to five.

Many membership packages also include credits that can be exchanged for places on essential (mandatory) courses free of charge. Further details about these courses can be found under ‘Cambridgeshire Essentials’ in the Professional Development Programme 2026 – 2027, which will be published in June 2026.

Once you have chosen your membership package, please sign up via the CambsEYC Annual Membership booking form.

Please note that previous membership packages do not roll over automatically from year to year, so please make sure you sign up for support in 2026-27. Please also note that the ‘Bronze’ offer is universal and does not need to be signed up for.

If you have any questions about membership, please email EarlyYears.Service@cambridgeshire.gov.uk, or telephone 01223 706 133

UKHSA advice on recently vaccinated children

The Department for Education (DfE) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have become aware that some early education settings are temporarily excluding children who have recently been vaccinated, even if they feel well enough to attend.

This statement from a UKHSA health protection expert explains why such policies are unnecessary and can have serious unintended consequences for children and the early years settings they attend.  

Dr Mary Ramsay, Director of Public Health Programmes at UKHSA, said:   

“Vaccinations are vital for protecting children against serious and potentially life-threatening diseases. With measles outbreaks occurring in areas of the UK, it's more important than ever that children receive their routine immunisations on schedule.  

By supporting childhood vaccination and maintaining inclusive and evidence-led policies, early years and education settings play a crucial role in protecting not just individual children, but entire communities from preventable diseases.”  

RSV maternal vaccine cuts baby hospital admissions

A new UKHSA study, Maternal RSV vaccination and reduced risk of hospitalisation for babies in England 2024/25, clearly shows the maternal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programme is providingover 80% protection for

 newborn infants.

A digital illustration promoting vaccination during pregnancy features a pregnant person with a visible baby inside their womb,

RSV can cause life-threatening chest infections  for babies.

Getting vaccinated in week 28 of pregnancy or soon after gives excellent 

protection to both term and preterm babies when they are tiny and most vulnerable to severe RSV.

There are a range of materials to help organisations communicate the benefits of the maternal vaccine programme, including the RSV vaccine, on the Campaign Resource Centre. 

Safer sleep guidance

CambsEYC are pleased to share that our updated Safer sleep guidance* for early years settings. This document brings together the latest requirements and best‑practice advice to help providers create safe sleep environments for babies and young children. *Size: 323KB File format: pdf

The guidance reflects forthcoming revisions to the early years foundation stage (EYFS), informed by the Campaign for Gigi and the government’s wider review of safe sleep measures. It also highlights key steps settings can take to reduce the risks associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and sudden unexpected death in childhood (SUDC).

The document includes:

Clear requirements for sleep arrangements for children under one and under two.
Practical advice on safe sleep positions, room temperature, and supervision.
Information on recommended equipment and British Safety Standards.
Links to trusted national guidance from the NHS and The Lullaby Trust.

We encourage all providers and partners to review the guidance in full and to share it within their networks.

EYFS Profile assessment

To support schools and settings with this year’s EYFS Profile submission, CambsEYC have produced the EYFS Profile Assessment 2026 Sway to share with EYFS teachers and school leaders.

A person filling out a form on a clipboard with a pen

You will find information about:

Changes for 2026.
New DfE assessment support materials.
Key documents and helpful resources.
Guidance for completing and submitting the profile.
Headteacher responsibilities.
Moderation opportunities.

If you have any queries about EYFS Profile assessment, contact Sarah.Hellary@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

Please send your EYFS Profile results to the local authority no later than Thursday, 25 June 2026.

SENIF cut-off date, July 2026

The next cut-off point for new special educational needs inclusion fund (SENIF) requests is Friday, 3 July 2026. Please ensure all new SENIF requests are submitted using the provider portal by this date.

A teacher and three children engaged in an alphabet learning activity on a classroom floor. Colourful flashcards with uppercase and lowercase letters are spread out, with the teacher holding a card and children actively participating, highlighting an interactive early childhood education setting.

Please ensure all parts of the request form are fully completed, and if requesting rate 3, please remember to include a copy of the child’s latest risk assessment. Requests received will be discussed at a SENIF panel meeting in July, ready for funding to commence in September 2026.

From Friday, 22 May 2026, the provider portal will no longer be available to submit SENIF or Exceptional Needs Funding requests. If you would like to submit a new request after this date, please email it to ey.send@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

If you have any questions about SENIF, please contact the team at ey.send@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

Early Support

The Early Support Pathway is most effective when children’s developmental differences are identified early, and referrals are completed promptly. This is particularly important for children who are in their reception year at school.

Photograph of a group of young children sitting in a row indoors, clapping their hands

Referrals can be submitted at any time during a child’s educational journey until the May 1 cut-off date for children who are in reception. Schools and settings are not expected to complete two cycles of Assess, Plan, Do, Review before referring a child to Early Support.

Key information to include when completing a referral:

Clearly state what the child’s needs are and how these impact their learning and development.
Explain what support is already in place.
Summarise assessments to show where the child is functioning developmentally.
Include the views of the child’s parents and what they observe at home.

Short paragraphs and bullet points work best.

If you are unsure whether to refer a child, please make use of the dedicated SEND surgeries, available for both PVI and Reception. To book a survey, visit Booking and reservations for Early Years Childcare and School Readiness Service.

Employment update

The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces several changes from Monday, 6 April 2026.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) will become payable from the first day of sickness and from the start of employment. The lower earnings limit will be removed, giving all eligible employees access to SSP. SSP will be paid at 80% of normal weekly earnings or the flat rate, whichever is lower.

A simple graphic of a white crown with a cross on top, set against a solid black background

Unpaid parental leave will become a day‑one right, removing the current requirement for one year’s continuous service.

Paternity leave will also become a day‑one right, removing the 26‑week service requirement. Employees will be able to take paternity leave after Shared Parental Leave.

A new entitlement, Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave (BPPL), will allow eligible partners up to 52 weeks’ unpaid leave if the mother or primary carer dies within the child’s first year, or first year of adoption placement. BPPL must be taken in one block.

Ready, Steady, Reception!

CambEYC are pleased to share with you a new suite of resources, designed to support practitioners to enhance their transition offer by strengthening the home learning environment for families with children from birth to five years.

The Ready Steady Reception package includes:

Photograph collage promoting early years childcare and school readiness by Cambridgeshire County Council, featuring children engaged in outdoor and indoor play activities. Includes logos for "50 Things to Do Before You're Five" and "Best Start in Life"

Ready, Steady, Reception booklet. Size: 4.9MB File format: pdf. A family-facing booklet, featuring seven specially selected 50 Things to Do activities, providing families with ideas of low or no-cost play-based activities to enjoy over the summer holidays, strengthening children's skills for starting reception. The booklet includes links to supporting services, including Child and Family Centres, Cambridgeshire’s free online parenting offer, Families Information Service, Talking Together in Cambridgeshire, NHS and Cambridgeshire Libraries.

Ready, Steady, Reception guide for parents. Size: 1,545KB File format: pdf. A family facing handout to strengthen parents’ understanding of the Ready Steady Reception booklet, including supportive resources and signposting.

Ready, Steady, Reception guide for schools - universal. Size: 640KB File format: pdf. A practitioner-facing handout to strengthen understanding of the Ready Steady Reception project, including supportive resources and signposting. Information on how to support parent engagement and partnerships with feeder settings is also included.

Ready, Steady, Reception guide for settings and childminders. Size: 379KB File format: pdf. A practitioner-facing handout to strengthen understanding of the Ready Steady Reception project, including supportive resources and signposting. Information on how to support parent engagement and partnerships with feeder schools is also included.

Ready, Steady, Reception enhancing the offer. Size: 859KB File format: pdf. A practitioner facing a handout with ideas to strengthen schools or settings ready steady reception offer, for their families and children.

Starting Reception – Updated webpage

You can now find a further range of resources, guidance and handouts to support families to strengthen their home learning environment, to ensure that children have opportunities to practice the skills for Starting Reception.

Illustration showing an adult and child walking hand-in-hand on a winding path toward a yellow school building in the background. The adult carries a briefcase, and the child wears a backpack and school uniform, symbolizing a journey to school

These resources are sorted in the following ways to aid navigation:

Ready Steady Reception. Parent and practitioner handouts for supporting skills for starting reception with the Ready Steady Reception project, featuring 50 Things To Do Before You’re Five.

Starting Reception Guides and Posters. Parent handouts and posters supporting the key skills to practice before starting reception, including a guide for steps on the journey to starting reception, for children with SEND.

Supporting skills for Growing independence, Building relationships and communicating, Physical development and Healthy routines. Parent and practitioner handouts and links, for supporting skills for growing independence, building relationships and communicating, physical development and healthy routines.

Please continue to keep an eye on these pages as they continue to develop and grow. If you would like to work with us to develop these resources, please do not hesitate to reach out.

EYFS Profile conversations

CambsEYC invites early years teachers to join our free EYFS profile conversations as part of the DfE package of assessment support. These sessions provide opportunities to discuss practice and moderate Early Learning Goal judgements.

A casual meeting with four people sitting around a table

Teachers are encouraged to attend the locality closest to their school, but are welcome at any session:

Wednesday, 3 June 2026, from 9.30 am to 12 pm at Sunley House.
Wednesday, 3 June 2026, from 1.30 pm to 4 pm at Manea Primary.
Thursday, 4 June 2026, from 1.30 pm to 4 pm at Sunley House.

Additional information:

Please have a copy of the EYFS profile handbook, paper or electronic.
It can be useful to bring class lists with provisional judgements to aid conversations.
There is no requirement to bring evidence. However, you may do so if you wish.
In line with our Net Zero pledges, there will be no printed handouts, so please bring something to take notes on.
Slides will be emailed to you after the session.
If you have any queries about these sessions, please contact Sarah.Hellary@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

To book a place, please visit Booking and reservations for Early Years Workforce Development, under ‘Schools.’

Full and relevant qualifications

The Cambridgeshire Early Childhood Qualifications Centre (CECQC) offers full or part-funded NCFE/CACHE-accredited qualifications throughout the year, subject to application entry requirements. Diplomas provide full and relevant licences to practice.

CECQC is offering the following full and relevant qualifications for the next academic year.

Level 1 An Introduction to Early Years Settings. For people considering early years careers and volunteering. No placement needed for this award. If you have any volunteers at your setting wishing to seek an early years career, this course would be a good starting point.

Application closing date: Friday, 11 September 2026.

Delivery: Online, four sessions over six weeks. Daytime and evening sessions available.

Level 2 Technical Occupational Entry level for the Early Years Practitioner (Early Years Educator) (Diploma). Suitable for new staff and people who wish to gain knowledge of EYFS, safeguarding, legislation, and supporting planning. Providing the foundations for level 3 study in the future.

Delivery: Online fortnightly, 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm term-time only.

Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) (Diploma). For Experienced staff who have been working in the setting for over six months with a sound knowledge of the EYFS. The learner must engage in key working, planning, safeguarding, legislation, embedding policies and procedures and supporting SEND. All learners will need to attend one face-to-face induction and one face-to-face training session at the beginning of the course, exploring the EYFS.

Application closing date: Friday, 17 July 2026.

Delivery every four weeks. Two cohorts will be running:

Cohort 1: Face-to-face on Fridays, 10 am to 1 pm.
Cohort 2: Online on Tuesday evenings, 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm.

All learners will be invited to attend an EYFS session, which will be held in person at the beginning of the course.

CPD-accredited qualifications

The Cambridgeshire Early Childhood Qualifications Centre (CECQC) offers full or part-funded NCFE/CACHE-accredited qualifications throughout the year, subject to application entry requirements. Diplomas provide full and relevant licences to practice.

CECQC is offering the following CPD-accredited qualifications, aimed at experienced practitioners wishing to specialise and gain further skills.

Level 2 in Mentoring. Aimed at level 3 practitioners who wish to develop management skills in mentoring, or managers wishing to brush up on mentoring to support supervision skills. Next cohort, November 2026, closing date 25 September 2026. Delivery: Online over three sessions with homework tasks and one workplace assessment. Dates and times TBC.

Level 2 Nutrition in the Early Years. For practitioners who are passionate about leading and embedding nutrition in the early years provision. Next cohort, October 2026, closing date Friday, 4 September 2026. Delivery: Face-to-face, daytime, three sessions with homework tasks and one workplace observation. With one online induction session. Time: 9.30 am to 4 pm.

Level 3 Working with babies and young children under two years old. For practitioners who are working with babies and wish to have a deeper understanding of working with the younger age group. Must be working with this age group for the end-of-course observation. Delivery: One online induction with two face-to-face delivery sessions. Homework tasks and one workplace assessment. Time: 9.30 am to 4 pm.

Funding and enrolment process

This year, the Cambridgeshire Early Childhood Qualifications Centre (CECQC) has a minimal amount of funding for learners across Cambridgeshire. All the qualifications listed are funded, subject to application.

CECQC has a clear process, as the course funding is limited and will be offered to people who have completed all the evidence and documentation. Read through this to ensure you avoid disappointment.

Enquiries are initially directed to our website to ensure the applicants meet the entry requirements.
The CECQC Business Officer will send out applications from requests via eycqualifications@cambridgeshire.gov.uk. Applicants will need to send several documents to be processed for funding, along with a pre-course task. This process is complex, so applicants are urged to ensure all documents are sent together to avoid disappointment.
All our qualifications require a pre- course task and an initial interview with the course tutors. This ensures that the learner is on the right course and level, which enables the learner to consider how they will manage their time throughout their studies.
Once the pre- course interviews are complete and the tutor and learner agree on the course they need to enrol in, learners are invited to an induction session where they will get an overview of the lessons and work they will receive throughout the course. This will ensure the learner is ready to commit to the study programme.
In addition to this, learners require a mentor within the setting. The mentor will also receive a meeting request via Microsoft Teams to explore the requirements of a mentor for the chosen course.

PECE trial for early years educators

Positive Early Childhood Education (PECE) is a professional development programme, based on Triple P principles, that supports early years practitioners to create warm, responsive environments that strengthen children's emotional, behavioural, and cognitive self-regulation.

This trial is England's largest and most rigorous evaluation of the programme to date, and its findings have the potential to help shape professional development across the early years sector.

Settings that take part will:

Receive financial thank-you payments for supporting the evaluation.
Receive free, high-quality professional development.
Join a community of 140 settings committed to improving outcomes for three- to four-year-olds.
Contribute to national evidence on what works in early years education.

Participation is completely free, and the programme has been designed to fit within existing nursery routines and practice, so the burden on settings is kept as low as possible.

Settings can register their interest by completing the short Expression of Interest form at PECE Program EEF Trial | Triple P.

For more information, please email EarlyYearsPECEproject@triplep.uk.net.

New 50 Things to Do activity

CambsEYC has updated 50 Things to Do Before You’re Five with a brand new activity: #16 Just Outside Your Door, and we would love your help to spread the word to families.

Our new activity encourages parents and carers to step outside with their child and explore what’s right on their doorstep, noticing sounds, birds, colours, plants, shapes and all of those little details we often miss.

Photograph promoting a childcare and school readiness activity from Cambridgeshire County Council titled "50 Things to Do Before You're Five," specifically activity #16 "Just Outside Your Door." It shows a person and a young child holding hands on a sunlit path surrounded by greenery, with colourful logos

It is a great way to support children’s skills for starting reception, including:

Language and communication development.
Confidence.
Curiosity.
Early maths skills.

Please encourage families to tick off the new activity once completed in the 50 Things to Do app, and also take a photo to capture the moment and add to the memories section of the app.

Please note that the previous activity #16 Whee, Bang, Whizz is now featured within activity #23 See it Live.

Keeping safe in the sun

Summer is finally approaching, and many of us will now be making the most of this by spending time outdoors. Between March and October, the sun in the UK is strong enough to cause damage, and Cancer Research UK states that ‘Too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun can damage skin cells.’

Three young children playing in sand near a small patterned play tent with buckets and spades

Our CambsEYC blog ‘Keeping Safe in the Sun’ provides some top tips for adults and children, as well as some good practice ideas which you can implement in setting to protect children during our sunniest months, as well as role model to support both children and families to keep themselves safe.

Enjoy our blog to help you make the most of your time outdoors this spring and summer, whilst keeping you, your family, colleagues and children safe now and for the future.

Splash Safely at Home

The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS) run Splash Safely at Home, a water safety campaign which provides information to parents and carers of babies, infants, and young children about the importance of home water safety.

In May, their campaign focuses on water safety in the garden, in time for warmer months when families may make use of paddling pools, hot tubs and spend time in areas with open water.

Photograph with overlaid safety message from Royal Life Saving Society promoting water safety at home. Text uses acronym SAFE to emphasize supervising children, covering water areas, securing fences or gates, and emptying water to prevent drowning, accompanied by a child near a water feature.

Sadly, the number of children who have drowned has doubled in the last four years, and 86% of these incidents occurred when children were left unsupervised by an adult. This means that drowning incidents could be avoided, particularly if parents and carers are advised about how to keep children safe in water.

The RLSS campaign has a range of resources which can be downloaded, and some simple advice which parents can follow. More information can be found on their web page Splash Safely at Home.

The magic of treenet weaving

Learn the Magic of Treenet Weaving with Dan the Treenet Man on Monday, 6 July 2026, from 10 am to 3 pm at Hinchingbrooke Country Park.

Join Dan the Tree Net Man for a hands-on, multi-day course, where you will master the skills to design and build stunning, durable TreeNets for play, adventure, and outdoor learning.

A cartoon of a person lying in a hammock under trees

Inspired by his recent sold-out workshops, from the gathering of teachers and outdoor enthusiasts in Selfoss, Iceland, this day will be an unforgettable, practical experience.

Imagine bringing this unique skill to your own school, garden, or retreat.

To book a place, please visit Booking and reservations for Early Years Workforce Development, 'HAF.'

To learn more about this course and further training opportunities, please view the Professional Development Programme on the Learn Together website.

The Great Big Green Week

The Great Big Green Week is the UK’s biggest ever celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature. Every year, people come together to unleash a wave of support for action to protect the planet.

A person sitting among tall purple and white flowers in a garden setting with a white arched structure in the background. A sign reading "Great Big Green Week" is visible, indicating participation in an environmental or gardening event.

Tens of thousands of people in every corner of the country celebrate the heartfelt, brave, everyday actions being taken to stand up for nature and fight climate change.

The Great Big Green Week takes place from Saturday, 6 June 2026, to Sunday, 14 June 2026.

Here are some ways to get children involved:

Forest Bathing.
Watering plants.
Planting.
Tidying the garden.
Creating bug hotels and wildlife gardens.
Putting food waste in the compost bin
Rule of abundance - do not pick everything, leave some for the birds and wildlife.
Hide and seek outside.
Barefoot walking.
Clothes and Book Swaps.

Visit the website for more ideas and support.

Fostering sessions and events

Do you want to find out more about fostering? Why not come along to one of our free information sessions?

Photograph of three people walking on a sidewalk beside a street with green bike lanes and trees in the background. One person has their arm around another, suggesting a close relationship, while the third carries a bag, indicating a casual outdoor setting during daylight.

Cambridgeshire County Council holds regular sessions and events, both virtually and face-to-face, where a fostering recruitment officer, a social worker and one of our experienced foster carers will give an informal presentation to explain everything you need to know about fostering.

You will have the opportunity to ask any questions and to talk one-on-one with a member of the team to see if we can help you further.

At our virtual events, we also hold 'private virtual rooms' after the presentation if you would like to talk more about fostering.

Visit Cambridgeshire County Council Fostering Information Session Registration to book your free place on the dates below:

Tuesday 16 June, 12 noon to 1 pm
Wednesday 15 July, 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm
Monday 17 August, 12 noon to 1 pm

Email fostering@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

Telephone 0800 052 0078.

Your News

Oasis Nursery Manager shares fundraising success, walking in solidarity with their sister, at the Macmillan Cancer Support event

In December, my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. Within a short space of time, she underwent surgery to have the tumour removed, followed by radiotherapy, and thankfully, she has now been given the all clear. During this journey, she also made the difficult decision to have her tubes removed due to the increased risk of ovarian cancer. Since then, she has started hormone therapy, which has brought on early menopause.

After everything she has been through, we decided we wanted to do something positive and raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. We took part in a 14.5-mile walk from Cromer to Blakeney. Many others completed the full marathon, which was an incredible achievement. Well done to everyone who took part. It was mentally challenging and exhausting at times, especially walking nearly four miles across pebbles and shingle on the beach.

We are so proud to say we have raised £2,065 for Macmillan. We were the second from the top fundraisers for the walk.

Our original target was £500, then we increased it to £1,000, and finally challenged ourselves to reach £2,000, and we did it! Alongside the walk, I also held a cake sale at work to help raise extra funds.

We completed the walk in just over five and a half hours, not including breaks, and it was worth every step for such an amazing cause.

A group of six people walking under a green "Finish – Congratulations!" banner at a Macmillan Cancer Support event.

Share your good news with CambsEYC

Contributions for News Round-Up should be between 150 and 300 words and include a high-resolution image. All photographs must have parental permission to publish for any children shown. The editors reserve the right to edit articles for length and content to meet the audience's needs. Please submit your news items to eycinfo@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.