Having trouble viewing this content? View in browser

Early Years, Childcare, and School Readiness Service (CambsEYC)

News Round-Up

 June 2025

The conference will focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) in the early years, aims of the course will support practitioners to:

• Develop an awareness and understanding of STEM in practice with children.
• Gain confidence in celebrating STEM subjects with children in practice, to support children’s interests in STEM.
• Develop an understanding of the importance of STEM in Early Childhood to improve outcomes for children.
• Gain ideas of strategies and activities to support STEM-based practice.
• Gain confidence in sharing STEM knowledge and simple, low-cost activities, particularly to support the home learning environment.
• Gain confidence in sharing STEM knowledge and simple, low-cost activities, particularly to support the home learning environment.

To learn more about the conference and to book a place, please visit Booking and reservations for Early Years Workforce Development, ‘Curriculum, Pedagogy and Practice.’

You are invited to explore the Learn Together website to view the available training courses in the following areas:

• 12-hour paediatric first aid.
• Birth to three early years.
• Business and governance.
• Childminders.
• Communication, language, and literacy.
• Curriculum, pedagogy, and practice.
• Early childhood qualifications.
• Equalities and inclusion.
• Forest school.
• Holiday activities and food (HAF) programme.
• Leadership and management.
• Observation and assessment.
• Our best world.
• Safeguarding and child protection.
• Schools.
• Special educational needs and disability (SEND).
• Supporting wellbeing and mental health.
• Wraparound and playwork.

Take advantage of training discounts, up to 40% off listed course prices, by signing up for the Membership Offer. Many of the membership packages include credits, which can be exchanged for places on essential (mandatory) courses free of charge.

The new shared definition for Cambridgeshire:

• In recent years, the phrase 'School Readiness' has been used widely across the education sector. However, this terminology has been open to interpretation, both in meaning and intended age range. 
• A new definition has been created by a collaboration of educational organisations to help parents, caregivers, and the early years professionals involved in looking after young children get them ready to start school. 
• The ‘Starting Reception’ definition sets out the personal, social, emotional and physical skills that most children will develop by the time they start school. 

The ambition is that all partners and stakeholders involved in supporting children and families with the transition to reception at school share and actively use the freely available ‘Starting Reception’ key skills and associated resources.

This content is part of our wider service remit around the supporting home learning environment. The Home Learning Strategy document and linked initiatives can be found on the Learn Together website.

CCC would like to hear the views of parents and carers of children aged under four in Cambridgeshire about their experience of government-funded childcare.

The Early Years Entitlements - Expansion of Government Funded Childcare survey seeks the views of families who are currently using or actively seeking to use government-funded childcare in Cambridgeshire. The feedback will help in understanding the impact of extended funded entitlements.

Please respond by Friday, 11 July 2025.

However, one of the barriers to expanding childcare provision is the indoor space requirements in the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory frameworks.

The Department for Education (DfE) are exploring new ways to help providers offer more high-quality childcare places for working families, which include access to outdoor space, with evidence showing the huge benefits of outdoor play to children, from improved problem-solving to mental and physical health.

The DfE has launched a consultation seeking views on space requirements in early years childcare settings in England, and whether to introduce flexibility into the EYFS, which will allow free-flow outdoor space to be included in the indoor space requirements, with a possible cap on the number of additional places that can be offered. The government is also seeking feedback on the proposed definition of 'free-flow'. 

Liability protection: Shifting to a limited company can provide liability protection, separating personal assets from business debts. 

Sole trader to limited company: A sole trader, where the business owner is personally liable, can transition to a limited company, which provides limited liability. 

Change in ownership or name: Even a change in the name of a legal entity, like a company, can be considered a change of legal entity if the name is legally registered. 

Sole traders who change to a limited company (Ltd.) must reregister with Ofsted* as the limited company, this would be a new registration and allow enough time for the new registration to come through. Failure to do this could potentially lead to being unregistered in the interim.

For further advice, contact alison.morris@cambridgeshire.gov.uk. Childminders, please contact your Coram Pacey advisor.

*Applying to register with Ofsted: what you need to know.

Registering with Ofsted guidance for settings. Size: 334KB File format: pdf.

The assessment should identify fire hazards, people at risk, evaluate and mitigate risks, and prepare emergency plans. 

Legal basis and responsibility:

• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 - This order outlines the legal requirements for fire safety, including the need for a fire risk assessment. 
• Responsible person - This is typically the employer, owner, or occupier of the premises. 
• Competent person - The assessment should be carried out by someone who is knowledgeable about fire safety and has the necessary skills and experience. 

The guide is accompanied by a short animation for children and young people which explains how people who help, support and protect them work together and what they can expect when they need help. 

The government has worked in collaboration with children and young people when designing these materials, including the DfE's Social Care Advisory Board, facilitated by the National Children's Bureau.  

A toolkit is available for practitioners to promote the guide and help everyone understand how they can use this guide to support children and young people. This toolkit can be requested by emailing workingtogether.statutoryguidance@education.gov.uk.

Your setting can support the Cambridgeshire County Council’s Fostering & adoption recruitment team by including the message below in your staff newsletter, or sharing it directly with parents via ParentMail:

Do you know a parent, carer, colleague, friend, or family member who could offer a safe, loving home to a child or young person?

Right now, there are children and young people across Cambridgeshire who need safe, nurturing homes. We welcome enquiries from anyone aged 21 or over who wants to make a positive difference in a child’s life. Our foster carers come from all walks of life - what matters most is the ability to provide stability, care, and understanding.

###

To make a referral, simply email the person’s name and contact details to fostering@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

programme, and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision within Cambridgeshire.

The service offers one-to-one support for families with children and young people from birth to 25 and can help with:

• Finding childcare.
• Understanding childcare funding options.
• Childcare for children with SEND, and the SEND Local Offer. 

The FIS also manage the Cambridgeshire Childcare Directory.

Their advice is free, confidential, and impartial. If you would like to receive any posters or leaflets about the FIS, they can provide them on request in either digital or hard copy format.

Contact Sarah Storey - FIS Team Lead,

Lisa Watson, Families Information Coordinator, 

Tracey-Ann Grant, Childcare Brokerage Adviser – SEND.

Email fis@cambridgeshire.gov.uk, telephone 0345 045 1360, or connect with CambsFIS on Facebook. Please like and share their page.

This process should include the identification of a new Lead Professional. With the family’s consent, the role of the Lead Professional on the Early Help Module (EHM) should be transferred to the newly identified individual.

To assist with the transfer of the Lead Professional role on EHM, please refer to the Knowledge Guides available on the homepage of the EHM. These guides can be accessed under the Menu, Useful Links, and EHM Knowledge Centre. They provide detailed instructions and support to ensure a smooth transition.

If you have any questions or require further assistance regarding Early Support, please do not hesitate to contact early.support@cambridgeshire.gov.uk. 

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 2025, ready for funding to commence in September 2025.

For children already in receipt of SENIF, a Microsoft Forms review link has been sent for you to complete and tell the CambsEYC SEND team what funding is required for the Autumn 2025 funding period. This form needs to be completed by Friday, 4 July 2025. If you have not received this, please contact ey.send@cambridgeshire.gov.uk. The team are available to provide guidance and support as needed.

Subscribers will receive the latest announcements, information and news on how the government are reforming early years education and supporting childcare expansion.

You can sign up by visiting the provider guidance and resources | Childcare Choices and clicking on the 'Sign up to receive our provider e-mail updates' tile.

TTiC will be taking part in the festival, along with storyteller Marion Leeper and Groundwork East, on Sunday, 29 June 2025, from 10 am to 4 pm at Riverside Park, Huntingdon, P29 3RP.

Next, TTiC will be heading to the Mill Road Fringe ‘Summer Shindig’ along with the Cambridgeshire FIS team. They will be joining the event at the Romsey Recreation Ground, Vinery Road, Cambridge CB1 3DY on Sunday, 20 July 2025 from 2 pm to 6 pm.

More information about upcoming TTiC events can be found on their Facebook page.

We will be exploring the recently published definition of ‘Starting Reception’ and what this means in practice. Using the definition and accompanying guidance, we will discuss: 

• What can we do to ensure our children are ready to start school? 
• How do we support all children to prepare for transitions throughout the EYFS? 
• How are we supporting parents/carers to prepare their children for school? 
• What can we do to ensure our children are ready to start school? 

To book a place, please visit Booking and reservations for Early Years Workforce Development, ‘Forums, Networks, and Briefings.’

Eligible pupils can attend participating holiday schemes for up to 64 hours, fully funded, where a daily meal and engagement in enriching experiences are available. This is also a helpful funded childcare opportunity for parents, where applicable.

The Provider Directory is now available, and bookings are open across all holiday schemes. Eligibility Criteria:

• Families receiving income-related free school meals (FSM).
• Families where FSM-eligible and non-eligible children live in the same household.
• Siblings of eligible children, aged four, starting school in September 2025.
• Families just managing financially (subject to referral from a professional).
• Recently arrived refugee families.

Eligibility vouchers for the summer HAF programme were issued by email to parents on Friday, 9 June 2025. The HAF Team will assist with code and eligibility queries. For further details, please get in touch with HAF@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.

We all know it is crucial to protect our skin from the sun to reduce the risk of skin damage and long-term health issues. The course covers topics such as the importance of sunscreen, wearing protective clothing, and seeking shade during peak sun hours.

Educating children about sun safety habits ensures their outdoor experiences are safe and enjoyable. By promoting sun safety, we can help children develop lifelong habits that protect their skin. 

To access the course, visit the Melanoma Fund website.

We encourage you to signpost these offers to eligible households. For more information, please visit Social tariffs: Cheaper broadband and phone packages - Ofcom

CTSN have been providing school-based EYITT for many years, alongside the other core functions of a network of lead schools, research and development, school-to-school support, and continuing professional development for teachers at all stages of their careers. 

The EYITT graduate employment-based route awards EYTS and is designed for graduates employed in early years settings.

This programme includes the following:

• Full funding by the DfE.
• Settings receive a £7000 employer incentive payment.
• Train part-time alongside your employment to gain an EYTS.
• Personalised development plan through the programme.
• Continuous professional learning days.
• Dedicated practice-based local support.

If you would like any further information, visit Early Years ITT.

In Cambridgeshire, we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment in our early years settings. By teaching children about diversity from a young age, we help them develop empathy, respect, and understanding for all individuals, regardless of their background or identity.

Incorporating diverse books, activities, and discussions into our curriculum is a great way to introduce these concepts. For example, reading stories that feature LGBTQIA+ characters or celebrating diverse family structures can help children see the beauty in our differences. Additionally, creating a safe and supportive space for all children and families ensures that everyone feels valued and respected.

Let's work together to build a more inclusive future for our children, starting with the early years. You can learn more about supporting inclusive practice and supporting positive interactions on the Learn Together website. Make sure to also check the new equalities and inclusion training courses for the 2025 - 2026 academic year.

Your News

A right royal occasion 

Last month, King Charles and Queen Camila hosted a Buckingham Palace Garden party, recognising those who work in education. The event was held at the request of the DfE to thank people working in the education and skills sector.

Coram Pacey colleagues Elinor Stafford from Wales and Carol Grange from Cambridgeshire were honoured to be able to attend the event together with childminders from Wales.  

It was a beautiful, warm and sunny day, with everyone enjoying the military bands playing popular theme tunes, the afternoon teas, and of course seeing the King and Queen, who became Coram's patron in 2024.  

The event was held during Childminding Week, and Carol and Elinor were thrilled to be able to promote the wonderful work childminders do. 

Regional childminder of the year award

Nadine Hastings, St Neots childminder, has won regional childminder of the year for the East Midlands.   

Nadine has been a childminder for eight and a half years and is one of the many childminders supported by CambsEYC. 

Nadine said it is a privilege to be a childminder and more than a job. They thanked everyone in the industry for the award and noted that everyone works so hard. Mostly, Nadine wanted to thank the families who trust them every day with their most precious asset.

Coram PACEY were blown away by the level of commitment, passion and knowledge shown. The amount of support applicants give to their fellow childminders and the local community is incredible.

If you would like to use a childminder or are looking for childcare in general, visit childcare and early learning on the Cambridgeshire County Council website. For more information about childminding in Cambridgeshire, please visit the Learn Together website. 

Green Flag Award for Busy Bees Cambridge

Busy Bees Nursery in Cambridge are celebrating its commitment to biodiversity and sustainable practice after receiving a Green Flag Award with Distinction.

The assessor praised their commitment to biodiversity, remarking that “it shines through in the activities you provide, creating an environment where children can actively participate in caring for plants and wildlife”. 

They were also praised for the way the setting repurposed pumpkins by turning them into bird feeders and for promoting creativity and providing environmental awareness to the children. The setting has created a wonderful floor book with the children to reflect and see the changes and impact they have made through their sustainable practice, along with a food menu that offers meat-free and plant-based days at the setting, which helps in explaining to the children about how to grow produce and value where the food has come from.

The manager, Anita James, said, “We are thrilled that our team has been acknowledged as an Eco school. Our genuine passion lies in educating children through the outdoor environment and equipping them with the skills necessary to care for our planet. Our parents are extremely pleased that their children have been part of this journey and have offered us their unwavering support in achieving this award.”

For further information on the CambsEYC commitment to climate education, sustainability and nature, please visit Our Best World.

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.

Stay connected with CambsEYC online

This email was sent to eycinfo@cambridgeshire.gov.uk using Microsoft Dynamics on behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council.

New Shire Hall, Alconbury, PE28 4YE