EYCC Noticeboard

Early Years and Childcare Update - 30 July 2026

Welcome to this week's Early Years and Childcare update!

This week's update includes information on:

Please feel free to share this update with anyone you think would benefit from accessing this content. 

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact familyinformation@birmingham.gov.uk

Nominate a Provider Portal User

As you may already be aware, the Early Years and Childcare Team has launched a new Information Portal for providers called the Nexus Provider Portal. 

Many providers have already nominated a Nexus Provider Portal user. If you haven’t already done so, please do this today using our online form. You can have accounts for up to four people within your organisation. 

The introduction of this portal will enable us to:

  • strengthen the information that we collect from you
  • improve the information that we can provide to parents and third parties when they are looking for childcare options
  • contact you more efficiently.  

Please note: Completing this form does not immediately create your account. After we verify the nominated user form, we will send you a link to create your Provider Portal account.

Who needs a Nexus Provider Portal account?

The Nexus Provider Portal is required for Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) providers that have registered provision for children of all ages. It is also required for Maintained Nursery Schools (MNS) where there is registered PVI provision for children under two years old.

School-based nurseries and schools do NOT require a Nexus Provider Portal account. These settings should continue to use Pendulum for all funding and provider-related processes

If you have any queries about the Nexus Provider Portal, please contact FamilyInformation@birmingham.gov.uk. 

New Safeguarding Guidance 

The DfE have published new safeguarding guidance for early years providers to help practitioners, managers and childminders understand and apply the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the EYFS. 

The new content provides practical information and advice on creating a strong safeguarding culture, recognising concerns early, responding appropriately, and ensuring children are safe, healthy and supported to thrive. 

The guidance includes information on:

  • the safeguarding responsibilities of early years providers and practitioners 
  • the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) 
  • creating and maintaining a strong safeguarding culture 
  • recognising signs of possible abuse, neglect and harm 
  • raising, recording and reporting safeguarding concerns 
  • whistleblowing procedures and when to use them 
  • safer recruitment and vetting requirements 
  • working in partnership with parents and carers to keep children safe 
  • staff training, supervision and ongoing safeguarding practice 
  • attendance, absence monitoring and information sharing 
  • resources, posters and links to further guidance and support 

By using this guidance and supporting resources, you can strengthen safeguarding practice in your setting, support staff confidence and help ensure every child grows up in a safe, nurturing and protective environment. 

Safer Sleep in Early Years Settings Q&A 

The Foundation Years has produced a vodcast that focuses on safer sleep for early years settings, specifically the update to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) which comes into effect from 1 September 2026. 

Seb Thorpe, Head of Begin Bright is joined by Shona Jenner-Whatford, Senior Policy Advisor in the Safeguarding and Health in Early Years Settings team (Department for Education), and by Wendy Ratcliff HMI, Principal Officer for Early Education (Ofsted) and Caroline Hearn, Early Years Specialist Advisor (Ofsted). 

Shona Jenner-Whatford discusses the updated wording to the EYFS, after which Wendy Ratcliff and Caroline Hearn answer questions around what the updated wording means for inspections from 1 September 2026. 

The link can be found here: Safer Sleep in Early Years Settings Q&A - Foundation Years 

Positive Early Childhood Education (PECE) Programme – Fully Funded Opportunity

Are you looking to strengthen children's self-regulation, positive behaviour and social-emotional development? 

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) is currently recruiting early years settings across England to take part in a fully funded trial of the Positive Early Childhood Education (PECE) Programme, delivered by Triple P UK.  The programme supports practitioners working with 3–4-year-olds to embed practical strategies that help children develop self-regulation, positive behaviour and prosocial skills.  

The programme includes: 

  • Online professional development for practitioners working with 3–4-year-olds. 
  • Training for a setting-based PECE Coach (typically a manager or lead educator). 
  • Practical strategies to enhance interactions, learning environments and children's self-regulation skills. 
  • Ongoing coaching and support to help embed the programme into practice.   

Who can apply? Maintained, school-based and PVI nurseries in England may be eligible if they: 

  • Have at least 16 children aged 3–4 attending at least 10 hours per week from September 2026. 
  • Can identify a manager or lead educator to undertake the PECE Coach role. 
  • Meet the full eligibility criteria outlined by EEF.  

Funding and support Participation is free.  Settings involved in the trial will receive financial contributions towards evaluation activities and eligible staff release costs. 

Deadline: Register your interest by 31st July 2026.  

To find out more and check your eligibility, visit: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-and-evaluation/projects/positive-early-childhood-education-trial  

This may be of particular interest to settings looking to further develop high-quality practice around children's personal, social and emotional development and self-regulation.  Remember, good Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) skills are fundamental in the early years because they provide the foundation for children's learning, relationships, wellbeing and future success. 

Early Years Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

New training course for reception teachers and early years CPD available now.

Key Information 

The Department for Education (DfE) is increasing the amount of training that early years educators, including reception teachers, can access.  This includes: 

Click on each programme to find out more, including details on how to apply. 

Note:  Starts for the National Professional Qualification (NPQ) programmes and the Excellence in Reception Teaching course will begin in Autumn 2026, with registrations opening on 23 June 2026 and 6 July 2026 respectively.  Registrations for the early years child development training are open now. 

Other CPD Offers for Early Years and Reception Educators 

More about why such training is being made available now 

On 7 July 2025, DfE launched the Giving every child the best start in life strategy, which is known as Best Start Brum across Birmingham.  This included a commitment to improve the quality of education that children receive in early years settings, including childminders and reception classes.  To honour this commitment, the above listed training offers have been designed specifically for early years educators. 

Have you read Best Start Brum? 

It is imperative that we all familiarise ourselves with Best Start Brum, Birmingham’s local strategy in response to the DfE’s ‘Giving every child the best start in life’ national strategy, which aims to improve outcomes for children from birth to age five. 

Helpful Tip: Internet search ‘Best Start Brum’ & download the PDF file to access an informative overview of Birmingham’s local strategy.  

School Based Nursery Phase 3 Capital Funding Programme  

A fantastic opportunity for schools to increase the capacity of their existing nursery provision or create a new nursery provision subject to meeting eligibility criteria. 

The Department for Education has recently rolled out Phase 3 of the School Based Nursery Capital Programme. 

The purpose of the programme is for schools to either increase the number of early education places for (0- to 4-year-olds) in their existing early years provision or create places at a new provision based on the school site to meet an unmet gap in the local area where the school is located. 

The funding will only support capital costs associated with the refurbishment or repurposing of existing space on the school site. 

The funding opportunity is aimed at all state funded schools e.g. Maintained Nursery Schools, Primary Schools and all through schools with Primary provision. 

If you are a school interested in this funding opportunity, please email Kevin.Caulfield@birmingham.gov.uk and Rebekah.Horton@birmingham.gov.uk directly so we can set up a meeting to discuss your proposal and share information regarding the application process and eligibility.

Early Education Entitlement

Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) Funding – Are children in your setting missing out? 

Do you deliver government-funded Early Education Entitlement (EEE) hours in your setting? 

If the answer is yes, you may be able to claim Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) for eligible children attending your provision. 

What is EYPP? 

The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) provides additional funding to support improved outcomes for disadvantaged children.  When used effectively, it can help settings strengthen children's learning, development and wellbeing through high-quality, evidence-informed practice. 

Who is eligible? 

Children may be eligible for EYPP if they meet one or more of the following criteria: 

  • Their parent or carer receives certain qualifying benefits 
  • They are currently looked after by a local authority 
  • They have previously been looked after and left care through adoption, a Special Guardianship Order, or a Child Arrangements Order 

Why does claiming EYPP matter? 

We have identified that some Birmingham providers are not currently claiming EYPP.  This means settings may be missing out on valuable additional funding and, more importantly, children may be missing opportunities to benefit from support that could further enhance their learning, development and wellbeing. 

It is also important to remember that EYPP is about impact, not just the claiming of funding. Effective use of EYPP should focus on improving outcomes through high-quality practice, staff development, communication and language support and improvements to the learning environment.  Funding should be considered strategically and used to benefit eligible children collectively, rather than being viewed solely as funding for individual children. 

Act Now – EYPP Cannot Be Claimed Retrospectively 

The Early Years and Childcare Service is encouraging all eligible providers to review their current EYPP claims. 

EYPP funding is only available from the point at which eligibility has been confirmed and a claim has been submitted.  Claims cannot be backdated. 

To ensure your setting and children do not miss out, we recommend that: 

  • Eligibility checks are sensitively completed in collaboration with parents or carers as early as possible. 
  • EYPP claims are submitted promptly alongside funded hours claims. 
  • Robust systems are in place to regularly review eligibility throughout the year. 

Key Actions for Providers 

  • Review children currently attending your setting who may be eligible for EYPP. 
  • Encourage parents and carers to complete EYPP declaration forms where appropriate. 
  • Incorporate EYPP eligibility checks into admissions procedures and termly review processes. 
  • Regularly review how EYPP funding is being used and the impact it is having on children's outcomes. 

Access Further Information or Support 

For detailed information about EYPP, including eligibility guidance, practical examples and evidence-informed approaches to spending EYPP funding effectively, please see: 
Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP): Making Every Penny Count 

Free school meals and early years pupil premium | Free childcare and education for children aged 9 months to 4 years | Birmingham City Council 

For advice and support relating to EYPP, please contact your District Early Years Consultant or the Early Years Duty Service: 

Email: EYDuty@birmingham.gov.uk  
Telephone: 0121 675 4996 

Monday to Friday, 9.00am – 5.00pm (excluding Bank Holidays) 

For queries specifically relating to funding payments or the application process, please contact the Early Education Entitlement Team: 

Email: EarlyEducation@birmingham.gov.uk  
Telephone: 0121 303 0267 

Every eligible child identified is an opportunity to secure additional funding that can help improve outcomes and narrow developmental gaps for Birmingham's children. 

Speech, Language and Communication (SLC) and the Home Learning Environment (HLE)

WellComm Data Collection for Schools and Nursery Schools 

WellComm is the approved screening tool in Birmingham, and it supports a consistent universal approach to assessing and supporting children’s speech, language and communication needs. We ask each school to share their termly screening data with us so that we can track the impact of the WellComm screening tool. For schools and nursery schools we collect your WellComm data via an online form each term. The Summer term data collection form is now available for schools and Nursery Schools. If you are a day nursery or childminder, you do not complete this form. 

The deadline for the form to be submitted is 31st August 2026. 

To complete the survey, please click Primary Schools and Maintained Nursery Schools WellComm Data Collection Summer 2026 – Fill in form 

Introduction to WellComm training 

For the attention of EEE providers.

WellComm is the approved screening tool in Birmingham, and it supports a consistent universal approach to assessing and supporting children’s speech, language and communication needs. If you are not yet using WellComm to screen your children’s speech and language, please attend one of our online training sessions. Birmingham City Council will fully fund one WellComm Toolkit for all schools, nurseries, pre-schools, and childminders registered to offer Early Education Entitlement (EEE) places. Early Years settings need to attend an ‘Introduction to WellComm’ workshop. During the workshop, you will be provided with instructions on how to receive your Toolkit. Settings that have received a WellComm screening tool can continue to send staff that are new or require a refresher of how to use WellComm onto the training. 

Please click the link next to your preferred date to book your place:

Early Talk Boost 

Early Talk Boost is a targeted intervention aimed at 3- to 4-year-old children who need help with talking and understanding words, helping to boost their language skills to narrow the gap between them and their peers. The programme aims to accelerate children’s progress in language and communication by an average of 6 months, after a nine-week intervention.  

Children selected to take part in the intervention will attend three sessions per week during circle/story time, each lasting 15-20 minutes delivered by an early year’s practitioner. The sessions include activities that cover the foundation skills in speech, language, and communication that children need for learning and understanding new words, as well as having conversations. The training is delivered face to face and each setting will receive 2 boxes of Early Talk Boost resources. 

  • Friday 14th August, 10am – 3pm at Edgbaston Family Hub, (Doddington Children’s Centre), 28 Doddington Grove, Birmingham, B32 4EL 
  • Friday 21st August 10am - 3pm, at Selly Oak Family Hub (Chinnbrook Children’s Centre), 213 Trittiford Rd, Birmingham, B13 0ET

Settings to fill out a Microsoft form and choose their preferred date Expression of Interest for Early Talk Boost Training 2026 – Fill in form 

This training is suitable for Birmingham EEE Funding Registered Day Nurseries, Nursery Schools and School Nursery Classes. 

Supporting Children’s Play: Applying the Playwork Principles in School-Aged Provision 

For the attention of Out Of School (when running SAP include Holiday Playscheme). 

This session aims:

  • To develop a shared understanding of the Playwork Principles and their role in promoting high-quality practice in school-aged childcare  
  • To reflect on how environments, activities and staff approaches enable and enhance children’s play  
  • To explore how play, care and safeguarding responsibilities align when working with children aged 5 and over 

Dates and links to register:  

This entry was posted by Jessica Wykes on 27/07/2026.

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