Schools Forum Early Years Working Party

Annex A to Agenda Item 11

Schools Forum Early Years Working Party

10th March 2011

9.30 am – 12.00pm Wellingtonia 1 & 2, E4 County Hall

MINUTES

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Present:(JY) Jane Youdale (Preschool Learning Alliance)

(HH)Harriet Hill (SCF Early Years and Childcare)

(JM) Jim MacDonald (SCF Finance)

(HB) Henrietta Barkham(SCF Early Years and Childcare)

(RT) Rachel Thomas (Phoenix Day Nursery)

(JE) Janet Elnaugh (Phoenix Day Nursery)

(SN) Sian Nisbett (Dizzy Ducks)

(SL) Sandra Leader (National Childminders Association)

(ML) Maxine Lingley (Mildmay Infant & Nursery School)

(HL) Helen Lomax (SCF Early Years and Childcare)

(JB) Jenny Bibby (EYCC Client Liaison Officer)

(SB) Simon Billings (NAHT)

(SS) Sue Sutton (Tanglewood Nursery)

(HR) Helen Roberts (Woodcroft Nursery)

(RL) Rod Lane (Schools Forum)

(JG) Jane Gates (EarlsColnePrimary School & Nursery)

(KH) Kath Hardy (SCF Early Years and Childcare)

(CP) Caroline Piggott (SCF Early Years and Childcare)

(JoE) Joanna Eastoe (SCF Early Years and Childcare)

Apologies:(TH) Terry Hollingsworth

Those present introduced themselves.

It has been some time since the has meeting and the context has changed in that time, HH updated the group

• The December 2010 Schools Forum paper was delayed until February 2011
• The QI & Sufficiency contracts have been re-commissioned and we will be working with a single provider, Pre-School Learning Alliance, from 1st April 2011
• The EYDCP closed in Autumn 2010 and the Children’s Trust has been replaced with Children’s Commissioning Delivery Boards (CCDBs)
• HH suggested that this group should be the reference group for both the schools Forum and for the CCDBs; this was supported by the meeting
• The Schools Forum agreed to support the Single Funding Formula proposals last autumn
• KH gave an update on Quality Improvement. Settings are being regularly RAG’d at QMM meetings each term with RAG judgements being made annually. The EYFSA team have been working alongside the School Improvement (SI) team to put together packages of support for schools. Targeted school work will finish in the summer term so as not to conflict with SI (i.e. there is no charge for EYFSA support). There are HT briefings taking place next week re early entry for schools taking younger 4 yr olds for the first time. In addition to the briefings information will be distributed to all schools. There are now almost 60 Learning Communities up and running across the county. The LCs are focussed on delivering key messages on CCL development with a mixture of theory and practical activities. We are encouraging participation from all practitioners’ not just settings with red/amber RAGs.
• DfE indications/priorities – Children’s Centres will remain a universal offer but will focus on the neediest, we are still awaiting further guidance on this. What was the Sure Start Grant (SSG) is now included in the Early Intervention Grant (EIG), which has a much wider remit across the LA. The amount available to Early Years & Childcare will be equivalent to the SSG but has been reduced by 10% and the LA has authority to direct it at their will as it is no longer ring fenced. LAs are currently setting their budgets and fortunately in Essex there is still a focus on early intervention and prevention. In EY&C we have been instructed by the Corporate Leadership Team to factor in 27% of reductions in our spending over 3 years. We have retained Children’s Centres as a universal offer, and have not factored any reduction in spending on the free entitlement or 2 yr old offer. However there will be reductions in spending on workforce development and grants.

Essex is moving towards a commissioning environment but there is less of a culture change for EY&C as we are already some way down this path. SI is moving into a really different environment therefore we are now looking at similar areas within our service which will also move into a similar environment. All the indications from the DfE point to a focus on intervening earlier in a child’s life with Children’s Centres being a major player in this. CCs need to stay universal to keep a gateway open for all families, giving a one stop approach to accessing support. Services are being modelled on a Pre-birth – 19 Pathway with EY&C being a key player in the Pre-birth – 5 part of the pathway, the earlier we can give support the less intervention is required later on.

SB asked how the EIG would be applied to settings. HH stated that the amounts that settings receive for the FEE will remain as they are now but settings may experience a reduction in grant funding available and support for WFD.

HR asked about the Quality Supplement of the FEE. HH stated that this had been put on the back burner as an agreement couldn’t be reached as to how it would be applied. If the debate is to reopen we would need to look at how we approach applying it, other LAs have applied it on a qualification basis. NB this will be the groups next big debate following the introduction of the SFF

The February Schools Forum paper was tabled.

• HH outlined the recommendation for SEN designated places from the paper. There have been many changes since the SEN designated places were introduced e.g. Inclusion Policies, 3&4 yr old free entitlement etc. therefore there is no longer a need for all schools with nurseries to keep these designated places. However there is still a need for those schools with enhanced provision specialist units for low incidence, high needs issues. HH will be writing to these schools to clarify and confirm.
• The rates set out in page 3 of the report will remain the same, but we are still awaiting a decision on the deprivation supplement. This will be communicated to settings as soon as it is known.
• The paper clarifies that there is no transition support as the introduction of the SFF was delayed for a year.

Updates as follows

• 2 yr old funding programme in Essex has been extended to 31 March 2012
• Application forms have been revised
• Application forms are now available for the coming financial year
• 150 places for children still eligible have been carried over from previous year. There is budget available for up to 450 places per term
• All CCs have had information, application forms and lists of providers eligible to offer funded places
• 6 providers have requested to be put on the list, these will be considered at QMM meetings
• TH will look into simplifying the monitoring forms
• JE gave an example of the importance of early intervention and HH stated that this was on of the things we are trying to address through the pre-birth to 5 pathway, CCDBs are also addressing this issue.

Following a lot of communications from schools HH has made the decision that there is no longer a requirement for HTs to sign the FEE contract. SB represented the HTs frustrations to the group and the general feeling is that they had been landed with it and hadn’t been consulted enough and in particular felt there had not been enough consideration given to teachers Pay & Conditions. However HH was keen to reiterate that even though they were no longer obliged to sign the contract HTs must have regard to the terms of delivery within the contract as it is the DfE national code of practice.

Other points re the contract were discussed and clarified as follows

• There is no requirement for schools to allow split funding
• There is a requirement for parent to sign declaration forms NB this has now been communicated to schools within the letter of 10th March 2011

SN queried what data the first payment would be based on i.e. previous term occupancy? – HH will check this with TH

The need for a FAQ fact sheet was discussed and CP indicated she would look into this.

Notes from HH

• Discussion with Colchester HTs i.e. summer term briefing
• Rod – Academies?? = will fund new nurseries as PVI = need to make clear.

HH stated that there is a need for an EY&C reference going forward and asked the group if they were in agreement. She asked the group to consider who should be in the group, should JY still be the group’s representative on the Schools Forum and what should form the basis of the meetings e.g. updates from stakeholders etc.

As the QI & Sufficiency contract was issued to a single provider it is important to keep the other membership organisations represented as they act as a conduit for the whole sector.

Some of the group said that they still felt that the PVI sector were under represented on the schools forum and there was a concern that PSLA and JY would not be able represent the whole sector. JM stated that it was up to the forum how many representatives from each sector could sit on it, so it was suggested that a proposal could go to the next forum to have a greater representation from the EY&C sector.

It was decided that half-temly meetings were required at until the SFF was fully embedded.

HH reminded volunteers that they are able to claim expenses

The next meeting ison Thursday 28th April which is before the next Schools Forum on the 11th May.

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