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Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) updates for September 2023
Changes to the EYFS will come into effect on Monday 4 September 2023. These include:
- a change to the minimum staff to child ratio for 2-year olds from 1:4 to 1:5
- an addition to clarify the requirements for the supervision of children while they are eating, which states "Whilst eating, children must be within sight and hearing of a member of staff"
- clarification for childminders when caring for siblings of children they already care for, or when caring for their own children.
Early Years Inspection Handbook for Ofsted Registered Provision summary of changes from September 2023
Updates to the Early Years Inspection Handbook for Ofsted Registered Provision come into effect in September 2023. The amended and added information includes:
- expectations for conduct during inspections
- how inspectors judge safeguarding, including a definition of an open and positive culture of safeguarding
- what inspectors should consider when deciding if a provider has the capacity to improve
- who the inspection outcome may be shared with
- the link between the provider’s curriculum and the behaviours and attitudes of the children at the setting
- who can be present during meetings that take place on inspection
- an amendment in the quality of education judgement to refer to how practitioners and leaders use assessment to plan suitable activities.
Kent Early Years Stronger Practice Hub (KEYSPH)
Our vision is to support the Government’s ambition to ensure early years settings are supported to address the impact of the pandemic on young children, KEYSPH aims to unlock potential for the children and practitioners across its region.
Through the sharing of evidence-based practice messages using universal and targeted approaches, we anticipate supporting practitioners to continue to further develop their high-quality teaching and learning.
Our experienced and knowledgeable partners are from PVIs, a maintained nursery school and childminder settings, some of whom also work in Kent’s most disadvantaged areas.
Our lead nursery is located within The Education People, which provides us with access to a range of other early years professionals who are skilled in supporting the early years sector.
This makes us well placed to provide information, support, and key evidence-based messages in accessible formats such as though newsletters, social media, webinars, networking opportunities and our advice line mailbox.
Contact details
Telephone: 03456 041 699
Email: KEYSPH@theeducationpeople.org
Social media: Facebook and Twitter
Spring Budget 2023 factsheet – Labour Market Measures
This factsheet sets out the governments package of measures designed to support people to enter work, increase their working hours and extend their working lives. It includes measures that will affect childcare providers.
Ofsted's 2023 priorities for early years
This Ofsted blog reflects on 2022 in the early years sector and shares their commitment in 2023 to give children ‘the best start in life’
'What do I need to do to prepare for my early years inspection?'
An Ofsted blog answering the question that early years providers and practitioners ask the most prior to inspection.
Ofsted have released a series of short video clips to answer some of the most commonly asked questions:
- ‘Should I store my paperwork in a folder marked ‘Ofsted?’
- 'Is the notification call the start of the inspection?'
- 'What should I expect from the learning walk?'
Ofsted Annual Report: Pandemic recovery slowed by workforce crisis in children’s education and care
This year’s Ofsted Annual Report describes the extent to which education and children’s social care have recovered in the wake of the pandemic. It finds that, while there is much to be commended, ensuring this generation of children and young people get the education, training, care and opportunities they deserve remains a work in progress.
Ofsted strategy 2022-27
On 26 April 2022, Ofsted published a new strategy for the next five years (2022 to 2027) which sets out how Ofsted will continue to work to improve the lives of children and young people following the impact of the pandemic. Reinforcing the importance of ‘rebalancing’ where previously inspections had a strong orientation on childcare, Ofsted intend to ‘rebalance’ this approach with an increased focus on education as well as childcare. Inspectors will be reflecting on the seven areas of learning and development and identifying how early years providers offer a rounded experience for all children
Read the full strategy:
Ofsted video support
Ofsted have created a number of short video clips to support with particular elements of the Education Inspection Framework (EIF), these include:
- Video - What does 'cultural capital' mean for Early Years? - Wendy Ratcliff, Her Majesty's Inspector, Early Years Policy, explains how 'cultural capital' applies to Early Years and gives children the knowledge and skills to prepare them for future success.
- Video - What happens on Early Years inspection? - Wendy Ratcliff HMI explains why you should not do something different in your setting just because you think it is what the inspector wants to see.
- Video - Inspecting Early Years providers - care before and after school - Julie-Ann Morris, Ofsted's Senior Manager, Early Years Policy, talks about providers that only offer care before and after the school day or during school holidays.
Additional video clips are also accessible on the Ofsted website
Have you seen our new Kent Out of School Facebook Page? Once you have answered a couple of questions to confirm eligibility you can access this forum for sharing information and opportunities for training.
Ofsted recommendations update
We regularly review published reports following early years inspections to identify any commonalities or patterns in the recommendations being given. The key areas emerging include:
- Supporting and developing staff skills, knowledge and confidence to ensure they can effectively support children and engage in their play, extend, challenge and maximise meaningful learning opportunities, evaluate the effectiveness of their practice to make immediate changes to improve teaching and to secure knowledge and understanding of the curriculum intent so their teaching is focused on what they want children to learn.
- Supporting staff to provide a more consistent approach to behaviour management of children so they all understand the rules and know what is expected of them, and to support children to understand why and how their behaviour affects themselves and others.
- Exploring similarities and differences outside the children's own communities and beliefs.
Additional recommendations highlight the need to address the following:
- Working more closely with parents to provide information on the importance of providing a nutritional lunch, and promote further children's healthy lifestyles.
- Developing a more consistent approach to the sharing of information with other settings children attend.
- Using consistent and effective questioning techniques to give children time to think and respond.
- Strengthening staff supervision and monitoring procedures to extend on knowledge, skills and practice to ensure they are supported to consistently teach to the highest quality.
Contact details
Early Years and Childcare Service
Telephone: 03301 65 11 11
Email: EYCimprovementservices@theeducationpeople.org