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This page will be updated weekly, containing all the information you will need collated into one place. Just click on the date to open the update and associated documents.
Question for Reflection
In what ways do we share the purpose of our curriculum framework with children, parents, practitioners, and partners? What difference does this make to our practice? QI 2.2
Hawthorn Supper Club
Please see attached flier about a lovely opportunity for families at Hawthorn Family Learning Centre next week. They hope to run supper clubs termly and we include updates from Hawthorn regularly.
Parental Survey
We have been asked by the Scottish Government to let you know that they have commissioned a parental survey to be carried out evaluating the expansion of funded ELC from 600 to 1140 hours.
You will be contacted by the end of March to let you know how you can help with the survey and when you will receive the survey link to share with parents.
We are interested in capturing the experiences of parents and carers living in both rural and urban areas and we appreciate your support reaching these families.
About the research
This survey is being carried out by the Scottish Centre for Social Research (ScotCen) on behalf of the Scottish Government. This survey is part of the ongoing evaluation of the expansion of funded ELC, from 600 hours to 1140 hours.
We are asking ELC providers (including childminders) in Scotland to share this survey with parents who have children in attendance at their setting and encourage parents to take part. The more parents that take part in the survey, the higher quality and more robust the findings will be.
The survey asks questions about parents’ experience of using funded ELC, how well it works, and what, if any, improvements could be made. Parents will also be asked about their use of other types of childcare and some questions about themselves.
This will be an online survey that will take a maximum of 20 minutes to complete. The survey will be available from Wednesday 23rd of April until the end of May.
Professional Learning
Chronology Training - Wednesday 26th March 16:00 - 17:00
Suitable for education settings including nurseries, primary schools and early years providers.
To give an understanding and awareness of the following
- What is a chronology?
- Key principles to compiling a chronology
- Who should have a chronology?
- What should be recorded on a chronology
Participants will gain an understanding of when and how to use a chronology effectively to support and safeguard children.
The course will provide examples of what should be recorded on a chronology and the benefits of using one.
Leaders adhere to and implement child protection policies and procedures to ensure the care and welfare of all learners.
The course will link closely with the Care Inspectorate’s guidance on chronologies, supporting leaders to become more familiar with expectations for inspections.
The course will be delivered by Ann-Marie Shearer, Lead – Child Protection & Safeguarding Midlothian Education
Timely Transitions - Tuesday 1st April 15:30 -16:30 and 19:00 - 20:00
This training supports all children, settings, schools and families through the transition process from ELCC to Primary One in all Midlothian settings. We will go through the key aspects to Enhanced Transitions to support equity across Midlothian
What are the key essential parts to Enhanced Transitions
How can we ensure transitions are as smooth, working collaboratively.
Looking at the paperwork to support transitions
Supporting parents with the transition process
How to get the right information to the right people at the right time.
Using appropriate developmental books for transitions
This training is suitable for Learning Assistant Teachers, Early Years Practitioners, Senior Early Years Practitioners, Primary One teachers
Signalong In The Classroom - Wednesday 2nd April 15:45 - 17:15
The session will be led by Lindsay Lambert or Lucy Jarman from the Midlothian Speech and Language Therapy Team.
Attendees do not need to have any prior knowledge or experience of using Signalong but it may be helpful to have attended an Introduction to Signalong session prior to this one.
In this session we will introduce some new sign vocabulary which may be beneficial to support learning and play within an early years or early primary setting, or for those supporting children and young people working at this level.
This session is practical, and we will teach a range of basic signs which attendees will be able to begin using following the session.
Don’t forget to visit the Professional Learning Academy for up to date and upcoming training opportunities -
Digital Professional Learning opportunities
Professional Learning Offer from Digital Inclusion and Learning Team
We are pleased to bring you two professional learning offers to support current work:
Game Free Screen Time for Little Learners: 60 minute webinar for ELC-P2 staff (28 April or 6 May)
This offer is open to both local authority and funded provider settings.
ASN - Training
If you would like to book on to future ASN sessions the eventbrite links are all available on the EY website click here
Bitesize Modules
All current Bite Size Modules are available and accessible on the link below.
Click here for access to Early Years Bite Sized Modules
Each module can be accessed via clicking on the title in the contents page, additional reading, resources and action plans are all available by clicking on the links on the pages.
Please save this link as a web address in your bookmarks.
Question for Reflection
How do we know that all children are making very good progress in their learning? What information do we already have and what do we still need to find out?
HGIOELC 2.3 Learning, Teaching and Assessment
Collaborative Conversations
Our next collaborative conversation will be this Thursday 20th March at Kings Park Primary and ELC. The focus for this session will be on significant learning and observations. Please bring along copies of your observations and the systems you have in place to ensure high quality practice and any points to share and discuss from this week’s Question for Reflection.
Play Pedagogy Audit
We want you and your setting to have an understanding of where you are in your Play Pedagogy journey. This will allow you to identify and plan for your next steps. To do this, we are creating a Play Pedagogy Audit which each setting will be able to use to reflect on progress, identify actions/ next steps and record evaluations and evidence within your Play Pedagogy Journey.
As shared at last week’s NEG and Play Pedagogy Session, we are available to support you and your setting in the completion of this audit. If you would like PT’s to support, we are available on the below dates, please contact kathleen.wales@midlothian.gov.uk or carole.roberts@midlothian.gov.uk
Availability
Thursday 8th May (taken)
Thursday 15th May
Thursday 22nd May
Thursday 5th June
Thursday 12th June
Hawthorn Family Learning Centre Groups
Please see attached Hawthorn Family Learning Centre's groups for you to share with families. The centre offers a range of groups for families, from arts and crafts to cooking on a budget - all families are welcome at these valuable sessions.
Chronologies training
Please see below information about chronology training, including the Eventbrite booking links.
Please note that this training is only for management and leadership who oversee our ELC settings, including:
● Funded providers (Manager, Deputy, Child Protection Officer)
● Early years settings (HTs/DHTs/PTs, who oversee the ELC, Senior Practitioners)
● Standalone ELC settings (Centre Managers, Senior Practitioners)
Wednesday 26th March 4pm - 5pm: Book on eventbrite by clicking here
Wednesday 23rd April, 5pm - 6pm Book on eventbrite by clicking here
Birth to Three
We are delighted to announce that the new Birth to Three planning and observation guidance has now been published digitally. A hard copy will be available in the coming months but in the meantime there is a PDF copy of the digital version that you can print out if you wish. A huge thanks to Midlothian Sure Start Mayfield Family Learning Centre for hosting the launch of this document for our funded providers last week and for allowing us to have a look around their lovely playroom. We recommend that, in order to maximise the usefulness of this guidance, practitioners attend our three - session Birth to Three training which, although currently fully booked, will become available again in the new session. It is important to note that this guidance can also be used for children with additional support needs.
Please find attached the PDF and follow the link below for access to the digital book:
Birth to 3 & Onwards and Upwards
New Inspection Framework
As you are aware, the new inspection framework has now been launched. This self-evaluation framework supports quality improvement in early learning and childcare (ELC) settings. It can be used by all early learning and childcare (ELC) services. This includes childminders and school-aged childcare providers. The Care Inspectorate and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) will use the framework for the inspection of settings.
A PDF version of the new inspection framework, A quality improvement framework for the early learning and childcare sectors: early learning and childcare is now available.
Please find the PDF version using the link below.
Inspection Framework - PDF
Care Inspectorate Update
Quality improvement framework engagement sessions
There are still spaces at our morning and evening online engagement sessions on Wednesday 19 March for the ELC sectors on the new quality improvement framework. Register your place on The Hub website events page.
Protecting people is at the heart of what we do at the Care Inspectorate. We have recently improved our protection procedure. It provides all staff with clear guidance of our intent and overarching proactive approach to protecting people, through both our scrutiny of care services and developing our workforce. Read more here.
Care Inspectorate polls
The Care Inspectorate is looking for your views on our very short poll on which social media platforms you use and which Care Inspectorate platforms you get your information from. You can complete this here.
The Improvement Service is helping the Care Inspectorate with the production of their end of year report which showcases the delivery and impact of the safe staffing programme.
As part of the data collection for this we would be most obliged if you could complete this survey about the implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 (HCSA).
It asks about:
how confident you are in implementing and complying with the HCSA
the main risks you encounter implementing the HCSA into everyday practice
your approach to the wellbeing of staff
the extent to which the following will benefit from the implementation of the HCSA
people’s health and wellbeing
staff training, knowledge and competence
staffing levels, staff deployment, workforce and workload
how much you agree that your understanding has been improved by the range of information and support provided by the Care Inspectorate's Safe Staffing Programme
the type of support you would like to see over the next 12 months
and, if you are an integration or local authority (HSCP), your views about preparing to complete the first HCSA annual report for 30 June 25.
The survey will close on 24 March 2025, and if you have any questions about it, please contact evaluation@improvementservice.org.uk
This year’s annual returns have now closed. We would like to thank everyone who submitted their annual return to us by the deadline, Sunday 2 March 2025. The information you have provided will help us plan, inform and carry out our inspections and improvement work.
Babies Rights
Together Scotland has launched its Tiny Rights Detectives Report on strengthening the rights of babies in Scotland. Through its Tiny Rights Detectives project, Together Scotland set out to explore how babies experience and communicate their rights, and what prevents these rights from being met. The report highlights how babies express their needs and preferences, yet these signals are often overlooked or misunderstood.
Tiny-rights-detectives-report_final.pdf
Question for Reflection
How do we link effectively with other professionals to support all of our children and families? CI 1.1, HGIOELC 2.3,3.1,3.2
ASN Newsletter
Please find attached the March edition of our Inclusion and Wellbeing newsletter where we hope to keep you informed of all the latest updates from our wider services, partners and upcoming training information. We hope you have all had a lovely February break.
A reminder that referrals to the EY I&W team must come from health visitors or other health professionals directly to the EY ASN mailbox, we appreciate your cooperation with this.
Hawthorn Family Learning Centre Groups
In the attachments you will find a flyer sharing a list of the groups running at Hawthorn Family Learning Centre. Please feel free to share with families. Please contact ‘hawthornfamilylearningcentre@midlothian.gov.uk’ or call on ‘0131 271 3116’ to book a place.
Collaborative Conversations - please note change of venue
Our next collaborative conversation will be on Thursday 20th March, Kings Park primary and ELC have kindly offered to host. The focus for this session will be on significant learning and observations. We will be looking for settings to share their good practice as well as their challenges and creative solutions. Please bring along copies of your observations and the systems you have in place to ensure high quality practice.
ELC National Induction Resource
Please see attached the ELC National Induction Resource. This is a very useful tool which should be used for all new staff members working within ELC. It is also a good reminder for existing staff regarding current expectations and documentation.
Scotland is already leading the way across the UK in its ambition to have a highly qualified and regulated profession, and this resource has been developed collaboratively with leading organisations to support you during the initial stages of your career in ELC. This resource must be used if your employer provides funded ELC.
Care inspectorate. Engagement session on new ELC framework
We're holding engagement sessions for the ELC sector on the new quality improvement framework. We have added evening sessions, plus two online sessions. Register your place here.
Stay up to date with all our webinars and events on The Hub. You can watch recordings of our webinars on YouTube.
Inspections
We have had a number of CI inspections recently over LA and funded providers.
Questionnaires are often received weeks in advance of any inspection.
It is helpful to meet with staff prior to completing questionnaires.
We can often forget all the good work going on in settings in the busy days we have.
CI visits triangulate what has been said in questionnaires along with what they see and it is good to present our very best selves during any inspection.
Weekly Update 3rd March
Question for Reflection
How well does the structure and flexibility of the day nurture creativity?
CI QI 2.2 Children experience high quality facilities.
Digital Professional Learning opportunities
Professional Learning Offer from Digital Inclusion and Learning Team
We are pleased to bring you two professional learning offers to support current work:
GenAI for Education Staff: 30 minute online launch for all education staff (4 March or 13 March )
Game Free Screen Time for Little Learners: 60 minute webinar for ELC-P2 staff (28 April or 6 May)
This offer is open to both local authority and funded provider settings.
Birth to 3 - Launch March 4th
The new Birth to Three document will be launched this week at the funded providers' meeting at Midlothian Sure Start Mayfield from 2-4. We look forward to seeing you there. If you haven't been to this setting before it can be a bit tricky to find. If you make your way to the old St.Lukes and Mayfield Primary Schools campus on Stone Avenue and turn onto Beechgrove Road the centre is located to the back of the school near the top of this road. You have to walk along an access road coming off Beechgrove Road to find the centre but you will not be able to park down here. The centre is surrounded by a high metal fence.
We still have a few spaces left on our birth to three training sessions beginning this Thursday 6th March at Loanhead Primary School from 6:30 - 8. If you are interested please sign up on Eventbrite: Book here
NEG – next meeting on 11 March at 4pm
Thanks to Chris at Danderhall we will be meeting there.
Any additional agenda items please let me know.
Chronologies training
Please see below information about chronology training, including the Eventbrite booking links.
Please note that this training is only for management and leadership who oversee our ELC settings, including:
● Funded providers (Manager, Deputy, Child Protection Officer)
● Early years settings (HTs/DHTs/PTs, who oversee the ELC, Senior Practitioners)
● Standalone ELC settings (Centre Managers, Senior Practitioners)
Wednesday 26th March 4pm - 5pm: Book on eventbrite by clicking here
Wednesday 23rd April, 5pm - 6pm Book on eventbrite by clicking here
Think Carer
Think Carer training raises awareness of unpaid carers including the impact of caring and available support. Health and social care professionals are in an ideal position to identify carers and help them access the support and resources they need to improve their quality of life as well as that of the person they care for.
By the end of the session, you will:
• recognise who carers are and know how to identify them
• understand how the caring role can impact carers and know why carers need your support
• demonstrate an awareness of the key practice points of the Carers (Scotland) Act including Section 28
• know how to refer carers to supporting organisations and what support these organisations provide
You can also use this link to book onto additional bite-sized sessions on Future Planning, Wee Breaks and Adult Carer Support Plans (ACSPs).
Upcoming dates:
Think Carer: Tue 11 Mar, 12 til 1pm
Think ACSPs: Thu 20 Mar, 1pm til 1.30pm
Think Future Planning: Monday 24 Mar, 3pm til 3.30pm
Think Wee Breaks: Monday 31 Mar, 10am til 10.30am
Think Carer: Thu 3 Apr, 10am til 11am
Think ACSPs: Thu 24 Apr, 2pm til 2.30pm
Think Future Planning: Wed 30 Apr, 12 til 12.30pm
Sessions are delivered via MS TEAMS. You can register by visiting www.vocal.org.uk/practitioners-employers/training/
You can also contact Denise to arrange a bespoke session for your team.
For more information, contact Denise Millan, Partnership Training Officer on dmillan@vocal.org.uk.
Speech and Language
Attached is the NHS speech and language #somethingworthknowing25 for Feb. This could be displayed and shared with parents.
SSSC - CLPL Update
Understanding your CPL and RTP registration requirements
We recently held online events to support employers to understand how people should meet the new continuous professional learning (CPL) and return to practice (RTP) registration requirements which came into effect in June 2024. The presentation slides are now available for you to use and to share with your staff. Click here for slides
Weekly Update 24th February
Question for Reflection
How do we ensure that everyone in our service has a shared understanding of service improvements?
CI 3.1, HIGOEC 1.1 & 1.5
Personal Plans
Please find the new version of our Personal Plans and Wellbeing How to Guide by following the link. Please ensure you discard any old versions and replace these with the new one.The main change to the guidance is the additional page at the end ‘Wellbeing Levels and Chronologies’ on page 6. However, there are some other changes throughout, so please ensure you read the new guidance in full.
You will also find the accompanying appendices and be able to download them on this page. The old Appendix C (Medication Guidance, which is now outdated) has been replaced with a chronology template (the current Pan Lothian template, which should be used by our settings). All settings should ensure that they are following the most recent guidance from the Care Inspectorate regarding medication and Midlothian/own setting policies and procedures for medication.
Chronologies Training
We will be announcing the dates for chronologies training and booking information in next week’s update – please look out for these. We strongly encourage all settings to access this valuable training, being delivered by Ann-Marie Shearer, our Education Safeguarding Lead.
NEG – next meeting on 11 March at 4pm – venue TBC – Anyone able to host?
Our next meeting is in person on 11 March. We will discuss personal plans updated guidance, Food Guidance updates and spend some time sharing what we know to date about the new Shared Inspection Framework which will be used from August 2025.
Please let us know about any agenda items ASAP.
Collaborative Conversations
Our next collaborative conversation will be on Thursday 20th March, Lawfield primary and ELC have kindly offered to host.
The focus for this session will be on significant learning and observations. We will be looking for settings to share their good practice as well as their challenges and creative solutions.
ASN - Training
If you would like to book on to future ASN sessions the eventbrite links are now all available on the EY website click here
Thank you to the teams that were able to join this month's ASN Training on Intensive Interactions and Playboxes. We hope that you enjoyed the session and took something away that you can use to support children in your setting. We have provided links below for you to access as a team and to support others who were unable to make it on Tuesday.
Intensive Interactions
Intensive interactions is a way of communicating with children in your setting in their language. Can be done within the play environment, any member of staff with any child and can be in the moment, no planning or special resources required. It’s simple and powerful way of interacting with children and especially supportive for children’s early communication.
https://youtu.be/rYpzZExCdHc (5 minutes).
More information and links to examples of intensive interactions in practice.
Playboxes Method
Playboxes (youtube.com) (48 minutes)
Playboxes is a more planned approach, good idea to start introducing intensive interactions into daily routines to develop join attention. Then plan & build up to introducing playboxes. Further information and planning resources can be accessed on Education Scotland. - The Playboxes method | Resources | Education Scotland
If you need any support in setting or have any questions please get in touch with your locality Inclusion and Wellbeing Officer.
Attendance Strategy survey
I am carrying out a survey for the Midlothian Attendance Strategy Working Group to ascertain what kind of attendance policies, procedures and protocols exist in early years settings in Midlothian. The aim is to explore strategies that will prevent poor attendance once children start school.
I hope you can help by completing this very short survey which closes on the 28th of February.
Or click here: Midlothian Attendance Strategy
Birth to 3 - Launch. March 4th. (FYI - Funded Providers only)
The new birth to three planning guidance document will be launched at the next funded provider meeting on the 4th of March from 2-4pm. This will be held at Midlothian Sure Start's Mayfield Family Learning Centre. Mayfield FLC has been one of the pilot settings for the document and you will be able to visit their playroom after the meeting and see how they implemented the guidance.
The document will be available in digital form however we hope to be able to provide all attendees with a hard copy.
We would be grateful if you could let us know if you plan to attend this meeting by emailing Jackie Matthew: jacqueline.matthew@midlothian.gov.uk
Education Scotland STEM Nation Award Open Days
We are excited to announce that Education Scotland will be hosting a series of STEM Nation Award Open Days this February and March. These events, held across various STEM Nation Award settings throughout Scotland, will include both in-person and virtual sessions.
Our open days aim to support the development of STEM practice across the country, while also recognising and celebrating the achievements of our STEM Nation settings. Whether you're just starting your STEM journey or looking to expand on your existing efforts, these open days provide an excellent opportunity to connect, share best practices, and learn from others in the STEM community.
For more details and to sign up for an open day, please visit our dedicated blog: Education Scotland STEM Nation Award Open Days These events are free to attend, and we welcome practitioners from all backgrounds to join us. However, spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage you to book early to secure your place.
The settings which are planning to incorporate ELC practice in their open days are:
Canonbie Primary School (virtual tour will go live in April)
Balmalloch Primary School: 17 March 2025, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Sauchie ELC: 20 March 2025, 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm (drop-in event)
Riverside Primary School and Nursery: 26 March 2025, 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Port Ellen Primary School (virtual tour will go live in April)
Kinnaird Waters ELCC: 27 March 2025, 3:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Of interest to ELC practitioners may also be the Denny High School open day on 7 March. They are hoping to showcase work from across the cluster and are planning to invite children from one or two local nurseries to the high school where S6 STEM Ambassadors will offer STEM experiences as part of their STEM leadership programme. Staff at Denny High School will also share further details of the work they’re doing around STEM boxes i.e. resource kits which are prepared and stored centrally within the high school but available for local nurseries and primary schools to borrow and use in their own setting.
Education Scotland February 2025 News – Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities newsletter:
Includes link to upcoming professional learning:
“It’s All About Relationships”
Keynote and Q&A with Angela Saini
LGBT Inclusive Education: Guidance, Practicalities and Planning
And further information on:
National Guidance on LGBT Inclusive Education,
Quit Fighting for Likes (YouthLink Scotland),
The Month of the Military Child
Care Inspectorate – update Annual returns deadline approaching
We would like to remind you that you must submit your annual return to us by no later than Sunday 2 March 2025. All services must complete this electronically on our eForms system. You can access this here. Remember - even if your service is inactive, you must submit an annual return.
New guide to promote employment of 16 and 17-year olds in social care
The Care Inspectorate in partnership with Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), Scottish Care, the Coalition of Care Providers Scotland (CCPS) and Skills Development Scotland is proud to announce the release a new guide designed to support and encourage the employment of 16 and 17-year-olds in the social care sector. Access the full guidance document here.
Bookbug Explorer Kits
Bookbug Explorer Resource Kits will be going to settings next week (week beginning 24 Feb), just so you/you’re contacts can look out for them. I’ve attached the letter that has gone out with them for reference. See attached letter.
Any issues or questions contact: Susan Park Early Years Community Engagement Administrator | susan.park@scottishbooktrust.com
How do we ensure children’s personal plans are maintained in line with legislation and that they fully support children’s needs?
HGIOELC 2.3, 3.1, 3.2
NEG - Tuesday 28 January 4pm - 5pm (online)- NOTE AMENDED DATE
Please see the link below:
Meeting ID: 374 278 896 998
Passcode: zZ7eB3jh
Training updates
ASN
Please see attached information on forthcoming ASN training sessions
Birth to Three Planning in the Moment
Thu 6th, 27th March and 24th April 2025, 6:30 PM
Please use Eventbrite to book spaces for this course. You only need book once on Eventbrite for all three sessions. It is essential that each participant attends all three sessions.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/birth-to-three-planning-in-the-moment-tickets-1216728891869
Play Pedagogy network meeting – Wednesday 29th January
The next play pedagogy network meeting will be Wednesday 29th January, 4pm -5.15pm at Loanhead Primary.
Carole.Roberts@midlothian.gov.uk
K.Wales@midlothian.education
Collaborative Conversations – Thursday 30th January
Our next Collaborative Conversations will be on Thursday 30th January at 3.30pm. We will be looking in more detail at the new Inspection Framework.
Venue Loanhead Primary School - Community rooms
J.Marr@midlothian.education
Perinatal and Infant Mental Health national survey
This survey aims to capture information on third sector organisations who are delivering Perinatal and Infant Mental Health (PIMH) services in Scotland and will be used to inform future developments in the sector.
We would like to hear from third sector organisations delivering PIMH support and organisations and agencies who refer families to third sector PIMH services
Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund launches a national survey - Inspiring Scotland
Education Scotland
Curriculum Improvement Cycle: Curriculum Area Collaboration Groups
A process is now in place for reviewing and evolving Scotland’s Curriculum - this is know as the Curriculum Improvement Cycle (the CIC).
While we are still at an early stage of the planning process and recognise that reviewing the curriculum will take time we are currently looking for early expressions of interest for participants from across a range of sectors (Early Years, Primary, ASN, CLD, Secondary, Further Education and Higher Education) to join a collaboration group of approximately 100 people. The collaboration group will do some exploratory work for a number of curriculum areas. This work will start to explore the lived experience for children and young people of the current curriculum, the role of knowledge and skills within the curriculum area and consider elements of the curriculum area that may need to be updated and refreshed.
We are also looking for practitioners to fulfil the role of critical friends for aspects of the work in each curriculum area as the work moves forward. If you are interested in being part of one of these groups please express your interest by using the form below, the form will close on 5 February 2025.
Curriculum Improvement Cycle (CIC) 2025
Care Inspectorate
Contact centre open late for all services during annual returns
This year's annual returns are now available for completion until 2 March 2025.
Some services have told us it can be difficult to get in touch with us during our usual contact centre opening hours. We have extended our contact centre opening hours for all services between 16:00-19:00 on the below days to help services with queries about annual returns. There will be limited staff available, so we ask for your patience while we answer your calls.
Thursday 23 January
Thursday 30 January
Thursday 6 February
Thursday 13 February
Thursday 20 February
Thursday 27 February
Our contact centre will still be open Monday to Friday 09:00-16:00.
Call us on 0345 600 9527.
Find out more about annual returns here.
Midlothian Attendance Strategy
As part of the Midlothian Attendance Strategy we are looking to find out about attendance in our Early Years settings. We would be really grateful if you could complete this very short survey (only 6 questions, mostly yes / no answers) to help us inform policy and find out how we can improve attendance which, of course, begins at nursery.
https://midlothiancouncil.citizenspace.com/education/midlothian-attendance-strategy
Question for Reflection
How does staff deployment meet the individual care and support needs of all children throughout the session?
CI - 4.3, HGIOELC - 1.3 / 2.3 / 2.3 / 3.1, National Criteria - 1
Care Inspectorate / Education Scotland
The new Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland joint framework has now been published - see link below for details:
Collaborative Conversations – Thursday 30th January
Our next Collaborative Conversations will be on Thursday 30th January at 3.30pm. We will be looking in more detail at the new Shared Inspection Framework.
Venue tbc – if you are able to host please let Jenny know
J.Marr@midlothian.education
Writing Moderation - Tuesday 21st January 4-5.15pm online
Please sign up to the Writing Moderation sessions next week aimed at P1 and SEYP. If you and your Primary 1 colleague would like to come along to find out more about using asset-based approaches to the assessment of writing, please use the eventbrite links below.
This will be an opportunity to begin to consider what does an on-track child look like at 3 years old, 4 years old and into Primary 1, and to consider what we can do about it if they are not yet on track!
P1 and P4 Writing Moderation 2.0
NEG - Tuesday 28 January 4pm - 5pm (online)- NOTE AMENDED DATE
Please see the link below:
Meeting ID: 374 278 896 998
Passcode: zZ7eB3jh
Play Pedagogy network meeting – Wednesday 29th January
The next play pedagogy network meeting will be Wednesday 29th January, 4pm -5.15pm. Please let Carole or Kathleen know if you are able to host
Carole.Roberts@midlothian.gov.uk
K.Wales@midlothian.education
Book Bug / Midlothian Libraries
Just to let you know the Scottish Book Trust will be sending their Explorer Resource Kits direct to nurseries the week commencing 24th February. These will include copies of each of the 25/26 Explorer books and other resources to help practitioners plan gifting events in 25/26. It is likely you will receive these resource kits for 25/26 gifting before you receive your 24/25 Explorer bags. Please put these resource kits away somewhere safe until next year.
Meanwhile the Explorer gift bags for 24/25 will be sent out to you nearer the end of term to correspond with Bookbug Week in May or end of term activities.
Best wishes
Wendy
Birth to Three - Training update
The third and final session of Birth to three training will take place on Thursday the 20th of February at Loanhead Primary School community rooms from 6:30 - 8pm. This session will focus on the new 0-3 planning guidance.
Further sessions are planned for the 6th and 27th of March and 24th of April. Places will be advertised shortly so please keep an eye out for these.
Education Scotland - Science assessment and moderation
For information for early years as well as primary and secondary staff. This will be in school bulletin next week, but training is first come for availability.
Education Scotland is pleased to announce upcoming national BGE Science Assessment and Moderation events. Details are outlined below.
Please circulate to colleagues.
Target audience
Practitioners from early learning and childcare, primary, secondary and ASN sectors who teach BGE science
Local authority lead officers with remits for science and STEM
School leaders, QAMSO-trained practitioners and those with an interest in assessing progress and achievement in BGE sciences
Event dates and locations
Edinburgh – 0915 to 1515 on Wednesday 26 February 2025
Location: Radisson Blu Hotel, 80 High Street, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH1 1TH
Registration link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/assessment-and-moderation-in-bge-science-tickets-1152482007709?aff=oddtdtcreator
These events are FREE to attend. Those interested in joining the sessions are encouraged to sign up through the registration links above. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Early booking is advised to avoid disappointment.
Aim of the events
These events will provide attendees the opportunity to review assessment materials across all levels of the Broad General Education (BGE) science curriculum, with the goal of establishing a nationally agreed standard for achieving a level in BGE science. These events will build on the success of the initial assessment event held in Glasgow on 23 January 2024, with this latest series being organised in direct response from attendees of that event for similar events to be held nationally.
The intended outcomes of the forthcoming events include:
Increased practitioner confidence in professional judgement around achievement of a level within BGE sciences
An agreed national standard of evidence required to achieve a level in BGE science – from early to fourth level
The creation of a bank of nationally moderated exemplar evidence for BGE science that can be used to support school and local authority moderation processes.
Further development of our national understanding of progression within and across CfE levels within BGE sciences.
Format of the day
Attendees will work closely with practitioners from across Scotland to review portfolios of learner evidence in BGE sciences and to moderate these to determine whether or not they contain sufficient evidence to demonstrate achievement of a level. The events will provide valuable oppor tunities for rich professional dialogue and learning.
Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with learner evidence from a range of levels to develop their understanding of the journey of learners as they progress through BGE sciences.
These events will support the wider work underway in relation to the Sciences Curriculum Improvement Cycle (CIC) by building national capacity and understanding of assessment and moderation processes. This will support the review of the curriculum as we enter a significant period of education reform.
If you have any questions then please contact our team on email: science@educationscotland.gov.scot
Question for Reflection
How do we engage our families and children to ensure they have a key role in our quality assurance? CI - 3.1, HGIOELC 1.1, 1.3, 2.7, National Criteria 1
Welcome Back! We hope you had a relaxing Christmas and have had time to recharge for the term ahead.
NEG - 21st January
Our next NEG will be online on Tuesday 21st January at 3.30pm - 4pm. Please see the link below and we look forward to seeing you then.
Meeting ID: 374 278 896 998
Passcode: zZ7eB3jh
Care Inspectorate Preventing scalding episodes in childcare guidance (attached)
A new guidance document has been published to help childcare providers prevent and manage scalding episodes.
The Care Inspectorate published the guidance in response to a small number of incidents where children were scalded in childcare settings.
The document provides essential information on:
Understanding why young children are particularly vulnerable to scalding accidents.
Implementing safe food handling and serving procedures.
Knowing how to react quickly and effectively in a scalding emergency.
Each year, we ask you to complete an annual return. This gives us important information that helps us plan, inform and carry out our inspections and improvement work. This year's annual returns will be available between 6 January and 2 March 2025.
The annual return must be completed electronically through our online eForms system. Even if your service is inactive, you must still submit an annual return.
Further information and guidance about annual returns is available on our website
Professional Learning - Bite Sized Modules
We are pleased to announce that there is a new Up, Up and Away training module available for you to access! Click here for access to Early Years Bite Sized Modules
Speech and Language Therapy Team
Please see attached top tips to share with practitioners and families to support children’s speech and language development.
Question for Reflection
How welcome and included do all children, parents/carers and partners feel? How do we know?
Please ensure that this is a focus as unfortunately CI have picked up in some inspections that parents are encouraged to drop off at the door rather than coming in and settling children.
CI 2.2, HGIOELC 2.4, 2.5, 2.7
Thank You Thank you for all of your hard work you have done so far this session to support our Midlothian children and families, it is greatly appreciated. We wish you all a relaxing and restful Christmas when it comes and we look forward to continuing to work with you in the new year.
Merry Christmas from all of us in the Early Years Team!
ASN Training – Tuesday 7th January
The next online ASN Training will be on the first Tuesday after the holidays, Tuesday 7th January 2025. The training will be about regulation and sensory supports, delivered by the Occupational Therapy Team. The training will run at 3.30pm – 4.30pm Book here and 7pm – 8pm. Book here
Care Inspectorate - Annual Returns
Each year, we ask you to complete an annual return. This gives us important information that helps us plan, inform and carry out our inspections and improvement work. This year's annual returns will be available between 6 January and 2 March 2025. The annual return will be available for you to complete through our online eForms system. The annual return must be completed electronically, using the eForms system. It is important that you regularly check your eForms account to make sure that your email address is up to date, and that only you or authorised people have access to the account. You should check your eForms email address now to ensure you are notified when the annual returns go live. You can do that here.
Even if your service is inactive, you must still submit an annual return. Further information and guidance about annual returns is available on our website
Professional Learning - Bite Sized Modules
We are aware that access to our Bite Size Modules on SWAY has been removed as GLOW no longer hosts SWAY as a platform. Do not fear, we are pleased to announce that all the current modules are now available on a new platform! We have used Book Creator to bring it all together into one easily accessible book.
Click here for access to Early Years Bite Sized Modules
Each module can be accessed via clicking on the title in the contents page, additional reading, resources and action plans are all available by clicking on the links on the pages.
Please save this link as a web address in your bookmarks.
Any feedback, questions or suggestions please email Jenny on j.marr@midlothian.education
Have a good week and a fabulous festive break,
Question for Reflection
How do we ensure children’s personal plans are maintained in line with legislation and that they fully support children’s needs?
It is essential that these are robust documents, clearly follow guidance and are regularly updated. Care Inspectorate will sample these when they inspect. They may select plans of a children they observe and look in more detail at the plan around these children.
CI 1.1, HGIOELC 2.3, 3.1, 3.2
Congratulations
We would like to share the hard work that Stacey-Burns Clarke and her team at Scots Corner ELC are doing to support their military families. Stacey presented at the Forces Children’s Education Event last week and was highly praised for her presentation ‘Being the Heart of Our Community.’ Her presentation significantly enhanced the discussion and reflection on how we can engage with and support forces children and their families. Stacey’s enthusiasm, energy and commitment to those in her setting: children, parents and staff (armed forces and civilian) was clearly evident and it was noted how lucky these families are. The use of ‘deployment dolls’, ‘purple’ uniform, borrow bags, and focus on ‘emotional literacy’ are nurturing children and adults, which is wonderful. Well done Stacey and her team!
Care Inspectorate
Management of medication in daycare of children and childminding services December 2024
Please see below the very recently published Care Inspectorate guidance on medication. Please use this as an opportunity to audit practice and update if needed
Many children require medication while in daycare or childminding. Our new guidance helps ensure their safety and wellbeing. It covers everything from storage to administration and provides practical tips for service providers and carers.
This guidance has been developed by a partnership of Care Inspectorate staff and care professionals and supersedes the 2014 Care Inspectorate’s document ‘The Management of Medication in Daycare and Childminding Services’ (publication code HCR-0514-087).
Preventing and Managing Infection in childcare and education settings
You are invited to register for our webinar on preventing and managing infection in childcare and education settings, and what this means in practice. The webinar will be facilitated by Marie McKerry, chief nurse. We will be joined by Fiona Browning, health protection nurse specialist for NHS Grampian, and other health protection team nurses for the question and answer session.
The webinar will include:
health protection teams - who they are, what they do and how they can help you
how to prevent and manage infection in childcare and education settings
a refresher on standard infection prevention and control in practice
a question and answer session.
Date: Wednesday 29 January 2025 Time: 18:00-19:30
Please complete this short form to register.
Infection prevention and control practice is underpinned by the Health protection in children and young people settings, including education guidance which was published by Public Health Scotland in March 2024. It would be helpful if you could take time to read the guidance before the webinar. You can submit questions for our panel to answer during the webinar. Please use this form to submit questions by Wednesday 15 January 2025.
The webinar will be recorded and made available afterwards. We hope that you can join us.
Annual Returns
Each year, we ask you to complete an annual return. This gives us important information that helps us plan, inform and carry out our inspections and improvement work. This year's annual returns will be available between 6 January and 2 March 2025.
The annual return will be available for you to complete through our online eForms system. The annual return must be completed electronically, using the eForms system. It is important that you regularly check your eForms account to make sure that your email address is up to date, and that only you or authorised people have access to the account. You should check your eForms email address now to ensure you are notified when the annual returns go live. You can do that here.
Even if your service is inactive, you must still submit an annual return.
Further information and guidance about annual returns is available on our website
Collaborative Conversations
Please note there will be no collaborative conversation this Thursday. The next Collaborative conversation will be Thursday 30th January 2025
Professional Learning - Bite Sized Modules
We are aware that access to our Bite Size Modules on SWAY has been removed as GLOW no longer hosts SWAY as a platform. Do not fear, we are pleased to announce that all the current modules are now available on a new platform! We have used Book Creator to bring it all together into one easily accessible book.
Click here for access to Early Years Bite Sized Modules
Each module can be accessed via clicking on the title in the contents page, additional reading, resources and action plans are all available by clicking on the links on the pages.
Please save this link as a web address in your bookmarks.
Any feedback, questions or suggestions please email Jenny on j.marr@midlothian.education
Question for Reflection
How do we promote a positive staff ethos in our service?
QI 4.3 staff deployment HGIOELC QI’s 1.3,2.3,3.1
Care inspectorate have a real focus on staff deployment now and even if you are above ratios want to see the needs of all learners being met effectively. Visibility and line of sight is also mentioned in relation to staff deployment inside and outside.
Thank you
We really appreciate staff helping out in other settings when capacity allows.
If you have asked for additional staff but find that numbers of children coming in that day allow you to be in ratio, it would be really helpful if you could send staff back to their own settings.
Interviews are currently ongoing for supply staff too which should help.
Leadership in ELC. Session 6. Professional Learning and Reflective Practitioners
Thursday 5th December 1:30 pm – 4pm. Gorebridge Primary School
In the last of this year's sessions on Leadership in ELC we will focus on the importance of professional learning, enquiry and reflective practitioners. We will evaluate current practice and consider practical strategies to support you to improve.
To book a place on Eventbrite please click link below
Collaborative Conversations
Please note there will be no collaborative conversation in December. The next Collaborative conversation will be Thursday 30th January 2025
Play pedagogy network meetings
There will be no meeting in December. The next meeting will be Wednesday 29th January 2025.
Professional Learning - Bite Sized Modules
We are aware that access to our Bite Size Modules on SWAY has been removed as GLOW no longer hosts SWAY as a platform. Do not fear, we are pleased to announce that all the current modules are now available on a new platform! We have used Book Creator to bring it all together into one easily accessible book.
Click here for access to Early Years Bite Sized Modules
Each module can be accessed via clicking on the title in the contents page, additional reading, resources and action plans are all available by clicking on the links on the pages.
Please save this link as a web address in your bookmarks.
Any feedback, questions or suggestions please email Jenny on j.marr@midlothian.education
Wellbeing coaching
Thanks to funding from the Scottish Government, Know You More is offering 2 hours of free wellbeing coaching to education practitioners, including those in ELC, to help them navigate challenges, build resilience, and improve their wellbeing.
The 1:1 Coaching is open for registrations now and will close when the allocated funding has been used up, or end of March 2025, whichever comes first.
Here’s the link to learn more and/or sign up:
Know You More Coaching for Wellbeing
Please note that this offer is additional to the coaching offer that will be available to participants on our ELC pedagogical leadership programme in 2025.
Scottish Government - Scottish study of ELC – Progress update
A number of ELC settings in Midlothian are involved in this study. We have included a brief summary of progress to date below
Phase 6
2 information sessions were held about this final phase in October.
Study packs went out to settings in October, and there has been follow-up phone contact with most settings
Over the next fortnight, settings who have not yet returned questionnaires will be contacted to see if support required. Completed questionnaires will be accepted right up until Christmas.
Phase 5
Data about children aged 4 and 5 was collected last spring. There was an extremely positive response from settings with significantly more questionnaires returned than anticipated. Findings have now been submitted to Scottish Government for review and the report is likely to be published early in the new year.
Final study report
Work on the final report for the study will begin in the spring. In order to determine the impact, the expansion of funded ELC has had on children and families across Scotland, findings from across all six phases will be analysed right back to 2018 when the first pre-expansion data collection took place.
Care Inspectorate Update
Preventing and Managing Infection in childcare and education settings
You are invited to register for our webinar on preventing and managing infection in childcare and education settings, and what this means in practice. The webinar will be facilitated by Marie McKerry, chief nurse. We will be joined by Fiona Browning, health protection nurse specialist for NHS Grampian, and other health protection team nurses for the question and answer session.
The webinar will include:
health protection teams - who they are, what they do and how they can help you
how to prevent and manage infection in childcare and education settings
a refresher on standard infection prevention and control in practice
a question and answer session.
Date: Wednesday 29 January 2025
Time: 18:00-19:30
Please complete this short form to register.
Infection prevention and control practice is underpinned by the Health protection in children and young people settings, including education guidance which was published by Public Health Scotland in March 2024. It would be helpful if you could take time to read the guidance before the webinar.
You can submit questions for our panel to answer during the webinar. Please use this form to submit questions by Wednesday 15 January 2025.
The webinar will be recorded and made available afterwards. We hope that you can join us.
Annual Returns
Each year, we ask you to complete an annual return. This gives us important information that helps us plan, inform and carry out our inspections and improvement work. This year's annual returns will be available between 6 January and 2 March 2025.
The annual return will be available for you to complete through our online eForms system. The annual return must be completed electronically, using the eForms system. It is important that you regularly check your eForms account to make sure that your email address is up to date, and that only you or authorised people have access to the account. You should check your eForms email address now to ensure you are notified when the annual returns go live. You can do that here.
Even if your service is inactive, you must still submit an annual return.
Further information and guidance about annual returns is available on our website
Question for Reflection
How do we ensure that all interactions are characterised by warmth, kindness and compassion?
QI 4.1 HGIOELC 1.3, 2.3 Health and Social Care Standards 3.6,3.7, 3.9,3.14, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.11
Care routines in ELC
"Care routines are crucial literacy opportunities and ought not to be perceived as rushed and necessary... it is critical that we carefully consider (and perhaps reconsider in some instances) how these essential care routines are represented as respectful, ethical, and meaningful learning experiences."
Dr Karen Boardman, Head of Early Years Education
This article asks us to reflect upon the care routines we provide for our youngest children and includes some video clips and reflective questions which could be used in staff meetings and training sessions. To illustrate, Bussey and Richardson (2020) estimate that daily care routines of nappy changing, feeding and rest preparation can take up approximately 80% of the day for babies and young children so we need to value this time and make it count.
Are-you-a-literacy-advocate-for-babies-and-young-children?
Me, My Family and My Childcare Setting
Please see attached this Care Inspectorate document which has been highlighted in a number of recent inspections. It is an expectation as well as best practice that all parents are given the opportunity to come into settings on a daily basis.
Funded Provider’s meeting:
Tuesday 26th November 2pm – 4pm (approx.) Loanhead Primary School
The focus for this month’s ‘sharing practice’ meeting will be transitions. Please bring your own mug to reduce waste.
Leadership in ELC. Session 6. Professional Learning and Reflective Practitioners
Thursday 5th December 1:30 pm – 4pm. Gorebridge Primary School
In the last of this year's sessions on Leadership in ELC we will focus on the importance of professional learning, enquiry and reflective practitioners. We will evaluate current practice and consider practical strategies to support you to improve. To book a place on Eventbrite please click link below
Collaborative Conversations
Please note there will be no collaborative conversation in December. The next Collaborative conversation will be Thursday 30th January 2025.
Play pedagogy network meetings
There will be no meeting in December. The next meeting will be Wednesday 29th January 2025.
Professional Learning - Bite Sized Modules
We are aware that access to our Bite Size Modules on SWAY has been removed as GLOW no longer hosts SWAY as a platform. Do not fear, we are pleased to announce that all the current modules are now available on a new platform! We have used Book Creator to bring it all together into one easily accessible book.
Click here for access to Early Years Bite Sized Modules
Each module can be accessed via clicking on the title in the contents page, additional reading, resources and action plans are all available by clicking on the links on the pages.
Please save this link as a web address in your bookmarks.
Any feedback, questions or suggestions please email Jenny on j.marr@midlothian.education
Weekly Update 18.11.24
Question for Reflection
Have we successfully established an inclusive learning environment and setting?
QI 2.2 (CI) Children experience high quality facilities
Care Inspectorate Updates
As you may be aware we have had a lot of CI activity recently, some reminders from recent visits about expectations.
Medication Reviews
Please remember to review medication every 3 months and to update your QA calendars to reflect this.
This has been picked up in a number of recent Care Inspection reports.
Cleaning
Please remember to check sinks and toilets throughout the day to ensure they are in good order.
Drop off/pick up
As discussed previously parents should be welcomed into settings at drop off and pick up and should be able to spend time settling their children and if needed speaking to staff to ensure important information is passed on. This is a clear expectation from CI and evaluations will be affected if this is not happening.
Accidents/incident forms
Accidents/incidents should be recorded in a timely manner and signed by parents.
Use of outdoors
Maximise opportunities for getting outdoors, and ensure opportunities for challenge when children are outdoors, use CI outdoor guidance
We will continue to keep you updated about areas that are identified at feedback sessions.
Early Years Network meeting (NEG) November 5th, 2024
Please see slides attached with additional slides from Lawfield included
Early Years Inclusion and Wellbeing Team update
Please see attached updates from the Inclusion and Wellbeing team
Leadership in ELC. Session 5. Pedagogical Leadership. Thursday 21st November, 1:30 pm – 4pm, Loanhead Primary School
In the fifth of this year's sessions on Leadership in ELC we will focus on understanding how to lead pedagogy using recent research and sharing good practice. We will evaluate current practice and consider practical strategies to support you to improve.
Click here to book via eventbrite
Play Pedagogy Network Meeting. Wednesday 20th November, 4pm – 5.30pm, Loanhead Primary School
At our next play pedagogy network meeting we will be exploring how to observe children in play to identify learning. Please bring examples of any observation formats you currently use and remember to bring a cup!
Funded Provider’s meeting: Tuesday 26th November, 2pm – 4pm (approx.) Loanhead Primary School
The focus for this month’s ‘sharing practice’ meeting will be transitions.
16 days of activism to end violence against women and girls in Midlothian and East Lothian
Please see attached a flier about an online briefing event to hear more about why and how Midlothian is committing to keep everyone safe with their local strategy.
Bookbug -gifting update
As Library Services now disseminate the P2 & P3 Read Write Count bags in November as well as the P1 Bookbug Bags, we are changing the gifting of the Bookbug Explorer bags to May to coincide with Bookbug Week.
Training Directory
Please circulate a copy of the Directory to your ELC staff team as they will need the link in the Directory or in the email to book onto courses. All places on courses must be booked with the name of the person attending the course. Please do not book multiple places under 1 name. Courses can only be booked through the links in the Training Directory or links that are sent out in emails. Courses will not be visible by searching the Eventbrite website.
Professional Learning - Bite Sized Modules
We are aware that access to our Bite Size Modules on SWAY has been removed as GLOW no longer hosts SWAY as a platform. Do not fear, we are pleased to announce that all the current modules are now available on a new platform! We have used Book Creator to bring it all together into one easily accessible book.
Click here for access to Early Years Bite Sized Modules
Each module can be accessed via clicking on the title in the contents page, additional reading, resources, and action plans are all available by clicking on the links on the pages.
Please save this link as a web address in your bookmarks.
Any feedback, questions or suggestions please email Jenny on j.marr@midlothian.education
Congratulations
Well done to the team at Scallywags Loanhead for their fundraising efforts to buy and install a defibrillator for use by everyone in the local community. This has now been installed on the nursery wall and registered.
Question for Reflection
How well does the learning environment, including the provision of open -ended and natural resources and the adaptability of space, encourage creativity?
Care Inspectorate 2.2
Care Inspectorate Update
We have had several visits in the last few weeks and 3 lots of feedback all in one day! Good to hear a lot of positive messages that absolutely echo the Quality Framework. If you are in line for an inspection it is worth revisiting any QI audits to ensure you are in a place to give the best picture of your setting. This is an interesting reflection for 2.2 which doesn’t always get evaluated as highly as 1.1 and 1.3. Please note that some questionnaire requests have gone into HT/school junk mail, this has happened in several recent inspections and the CI are aware and hopefully rectifying this.
Leadership in ELC. Session 5. Pedagogical Leadership
Thursday Nov 21, 2024, 1:30 pm – 4pm (Loanhead PS community rooms)
In the fifth of this year's sessions on Leadership in ELC we will focus on understanding how to lead pedagogy using recent research and sharing good practice. We will evaluate current practice and consider practical strategies to support you to improve.
This is part of a six session programme exploring the role of the leader in ELC.
Attendees will benefit from improving their awareness of their own leadership strengths and areas for development. Throughout the sessions you will be supported to reflect on and improve your knowledge of the role of a leader in ELC and develop your skills in leading others in ELC. Current frameworks, research, good practice guidance and sharing good practice from across the authority will be used throughout the programme.
Each session will cover a different aspect of leadership in ELC, attendees are not expected to attend all 6, but can if they choose. Please book on to each session individually.
Click here to book via eventbrite
Training Directory
Please circulate a copy of the Directory to your ELC staff team as they will need the link in the Directory or in the email to book onto courses.
All places on courses must be booked with the name of the person attending the course. Please do not book multiple places under 1 name.
Courses will only be able to be booked through the links in the Training Directory or links that are sent out in emails.
Courses will not be visible by searching the Eventbrite website.
Professional Learning - Bite Sized Modules
We are aware that access to our Bite Size Modules on SWAY has been removed as GLOW no longer hosts SWAY as a platform. Do not fear, we are pleased to announce that all the current modules are now available on a new platform! We have used Book Creator to bring it all together into one easily accessible book.
Click here for access to Early Years Bite Sized Modules
Each module can be accessed via clicking on the title in the contents page, additional reading, resources and action plans are all available by clicking on the links on the pages.
Please save this link as a web address in your bookmarks.
Any feedback, questions or suggestions please email Jenny on j.marr@midlothian.education
Outdoor Learning
Following on from a wonderful Collaborative Conversations hosted at Vogrie Outdoor ELC last month, we have uploaded all of their very useful ‘How to guides’ onto the Early Years website for you to access. A big thank you to Vogrie for hosting and for sharing these great resources.
Click here for Outdoor Learning 'How to guides'
NEG – thanks to everyone who attended, please find attached the slides we shared on Tuesday and further information about Setting the Table below.
Setting the Table
With the new Setting the Table guidance being published last month we would like to take the opportunity to reshare a sharing good practice document that was published by SEIC around the theme of food. Newtongrange ELC feature as a case study. It prompts us to ask the question “Are we making the most of the learning opportunities provided by snack and mealtimes and are we ensuring that children have opportunities for learning through planting, growing and cooking?”
Click here for a short video introduction to the pamphlet: The EARLY YEARS PEDAGOGY IN PRACTICE PAMPHLET Issue 5 – Food Glorious Food
Please find the pamphlet attached.
Consultation on a proposal to increase SSSC registration fees
We're consulting on a proposed increase to SSSC registration fees and want to hear your views.The proposal is for a small increase each year over five years with different rates for the different registrant fee levels. The consultation is open now and closes on 23 December 2024. Find out more here:
Please remember that it is staff responsibility to ensure their SSSC registration is up to date, a database of your staff renewal dates is useful to have to ensure you can give gentle reminders. There are serious consequences of not keeping registration up to date. Kristina Robb from SSSC came to our first NEG this session in September and gave us a very useful update at that time.
Care Inspectorate - Annual returns
This year's annual returns will be available to service providers for completion between 6 January and 3 March 2025. The closing date includes an extension of two weeks on our usual six-week deadline.
Question for Reflection
How do we ensure staff are reflective practitioners and that training embeds improvement in practice?
CI 4.1, HGIOELC 1.3,2.3,3.1, National Standard 1
NEG – (Local Authority only) please send any agenda items today if you wish them to be discussed at the NEG.
5th November - Virtual 4pm -5pm
Meeting ID: 366 181 880 273
Passcode: 5SCMFA
This meeting will be focused on the new ‘Setting The Table Guidance’, lunchtime good practice sharing from two of our settings, SG updates and the new ‘Shared Inspection Framework’ update.
Leadership in ELC. Session 4. Empowering and Motivating Staff
Thursday Nov 7, 2024, 1:30 pm – 4pm (Loanhead PS community rooms)
In the fourth of this year's sessions on Leadership in ELC we will focus on understanding how to empower and motivate staff teams using recent research and sharing good practice. We will evaluate current practice and consider practical strategies to support you to improve. Click here to book via eventbrite
Leadership in ELC. Session 5. Pedagogical Leadership
Thursday Nov 21, 2024, 1:30 pm – 4pm (Loanhead PS community rooms)
Click here to book via eventbrite
Birth to Three training
A reminder that Birth to Three training part two will take place this Thursday, the 7th of November, at 6:30 in Loanhead Primary School Community Rooms. If you managed to complete the homework task, please remember to bring it along!
Training Directory
A copy of the Directory will be put on the website as soon as completed – please ensure all staff have access as they need the link in the Directory or in the email to book onto courses.
All places on courses must be booked with the name of the person attending the course. Please do not book multiple places under 1 name.
Courses will only be able to be booked through the links in the Training Directory or links that are sent out in emails.
Courses will not be visible by searching the Eventbrite website.
Setting the table: Nutritional standards and practical guidance for early learning and childcare providers in Scotland Please note a change: now two dates for webinar!!
Updated Setting the Table was published on 8 October 2024. It aims to ensure that children from birth to 5 years in childcare settings across Scotland are given meals, snacks and drinks that meet their nutritional requirements and are conducive to good health.
Regulated childcare providers for children aged 0-5 years who provide food (including snacks) and/or drinks will be responsible for the implementation of this guidance. It will apply to all providers who serve food or drinks, including local authority and private, voluntary, or independent settings, family centres, childminders, playgroups and caterers who provide food or drinks for early years settings, regardless of the length of time that children are being cared for.
A webinar is planned on 11th November and 11 December 2024 to support effective implementation by giving attendees the opportunity to learn about the content of the updated guidance from the expert group who co-produced the document, and to ask any questions they may have of the panel.
You can register for the 11th Nov webinar here.
You can register for the 11th Dec webinar here
The expectation is that the guidance will be fully implemented by 1 August 2025 in order to provide time for settings to familiarise themselves with its contents and make changes where necessary. The Care Inspectorate won’t be inspecting against the updated document until after August 2025.
Question for Reflection
How do we know staff enjoy working here and feel involved and part of an effective team?
CI 4.3, HGIOELC 1.3,2.3,3.1, National Standard 1
Update on the Quality Framework for ELC
A Joint statement has been issued from the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland on early learning and childcare inspections and our progress towards the delivery of the new Quality Improvement Framework for the early learning and childcare sectors.
Important dates:
series of engagement sessions to be run throughout November 2024.
The framework will be released on 14 January 2025
Testing of the use of the new framework in some settings during late January and February 2025
The framework will be used by the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland when carrying out inspections from September 2025.
We will use our existing frameworks for inspection until implementation of the new framework from September 2025.
Follow this link to read the statement in full: Update on the quality framework for early learning and childcare sectors
Collaborative Conversation
A reminder that the next Collaborative Conversations will be held at Vogrie Outdoor ELC 3.30pm on Thursday 31st October. You will have the opportunity to look around the walled garden and meet some of the team, please bring appropriate footwear and clothing it can be muddy! We will then invite you to join us in the round house to hear some top tips for supporting children’s learning outdoors in the winter months. The team will also share some creative ideas that you can take back to your setting.
Please bring a mug for refreshments.
Leadership in ELC. Session 4. Empowering and Motivating Staff
Thursday Nov 7, 2024, 1:30 pm – 4pm (Loanhead PS community rooms)
In the fourth of this year's sessions on Leadership in ELC we will focus on understanding
how to empower and motivate staff teams using recent research and sharing good
practice. We will evaluate current practice and consider practical strategies to support you
to improve. Click here to book via eventbrite
Child protection and safeguarding update
Please see attached updated documents:
Contact list
Template for child protection policy
Safeguarding induction booklet for new staff
These should all be updated, throughout your setting, as soon as possible. Older copies should be destroyed.
Setting the table: Nutritional standards and practical guidance for early learning and childcare providers in Scotland
Updated Setting the Table was published on 8 October 2024. It aims to ensure that children from birth to 5 years in childcare settings across Scotland are given meals, snacks and drinks that meet their nutritional requirements and are conducive to good health.
Regulated childcare providers for children aged 0-5 years who provide food (including snacks) and/or drinks will be responsible for the implementation of this guidance. It will apply to all providers who serve food or drinks, including local authority and private, voluntary, or independent settings, family centres, childminders, playgroups and caterers who provide food or drinks for early years settings, regardless of the length of time that children are being cared for.
A webinar is planned on 11 November 2024 to support effective implementation by giving attendees the opportunity to learn about the content of the updated guidance from the expert group who co-produced the document, and to ask any questions they may have of the panel. You can register for the webinar here.
The expectation is that the guidance will be fully implemented by 1 August 2025 in order to provide time for settings to familiarise themselves with its contents and make changes where necessary. The Care Inspectorate won’t be inspecting against the updated document until after August 2025.
SSSC Update
We're consulting on a proposed increase to SSSC registration fees and want to hear your views on the proposal. The proposal is for a small increase each year over five years with different rates for the different registrant fee levels. The consultation is open now and closes on 23 December 2024.
Follow this link for further information and to keep up to date with all SSSC news: SSSC fee increase consultation
Bookbug Training Sessions
The next training dates for Bookbug Session Leader and Bookbug for the Home training, taking place Jan-Mar 2025, will go live on Monday 21 October at 12 noon,
If you would like to apply please click on the links below:
Bookbug Session Leader:
https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading-and-stories/bookbug/bookbug-session-leader-training
Bookbug for the Home:
https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading-and-stories/bookbug/bookbug-for-the-home-training
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the BookBug training team directly at bookbugtraining@scottishbooktrust.com
Question for reflection
How well do we support and encourage children’s natural curiosity in our setting?
CI 1.3, 2.1 HGIOELC 2.2, 2.3, RTA 4, National Standard 2 & 3
HAPPY RETIREMENT AILEEN
We would like to send our best wishes and love to Aileen Burns as she retires.
Aileen has done an amazing job as an Early Years Principal Teacher, she is knowledgeable, hard working, kind, caring and supportive and committed to making a difference for our youngest children. Aileen did a spell at Burnbrae Early and supported a very good HMIE re-visit. She will be missed very much by us all in early years. We wish you happy, fun times ahead Aileen in this new phase and please keep in touch!
NEG – CHANGE OF DATE
Apologies but the next meeting will now be the 5 November.
As that day we will be meeting in person at HT meeting we will make this a virtual meeting from 4-5pm.
Any agenda items should be sent to Sally or Julie after the October break. Thank you.
Education Scotland - Caring for Outdoor Spaces - Tue, 29 Oct 16:30 - 17:30
Through this session we aim to strengthen awareness of Caring for Our Outdoor Spaces practitioner guidance and to share simple and practical methods to embed Learning for Sustainability in Early Learning and Childcare settings.
We will hear from practitioners about how they have been using the guidance within their settings to extend children’s active engagement with the natural world and to reduce the impact on biodiversity as a result of increasing children’s time outdoors. Education Scotland will help strengthen our understanding of place based outdoor learning and cross-curricular approaches to Learning for Sustainability.
To book - Click here for event booking page
Care Inspectorate
Children’s rights, care experience and corporate parenting plan 2024-2027
We have published our Children’s rights, care experience and corporate parenting plan 2024- 2027. This high-level plan details our commitments and priority actions to meet our obligations, as corporate parents, to care experienced people.
Over the next three years we will:
promote, uphold, and fulfil children’s rights for all connected by our work, particularly those where we have corporate parenting responsibilities
strengthen our participation and equalities practice to support care experienced individuals
provide flexible and supportive development, volunteering, and employment opportunities for care experienced individuals.
Early Years Film and Screen Curriculum (see attached for more details)
If you are interested in joining Mauricewood Primary as part of this exciting project, please contact Chantal Forbes or Siobhan Thomas
C.Forbes@midlothian.education
S.Thomas2@midlothian.education
Film and Screen training is being made available to all Early Years establishments/settings across Scotland, funded by Screen Scotland and delivered by my company, Breaking the Wall. This means that my time is covered by the funding and will be of no cost to the participating establishments. In October, I will be delivering this training at Mauricewood ELC, with 15 spaces available for practitioners to join us from other establishments across Midlothian.
Screen Scotland are currently in Phase 3 of the draft stage of Film and Screen Curriculum development. Sitting within the Expressive Arts suite, the Film and Screen Curriculum will allow pupils to explore the world around them through creative play and enhancing pupil voice. The training will empower practitioners to deliver Film and Screen opportunities in an Early Years setting, with a focus on practical ideas and hands-on, play-based learning. This will be useful to establishments whose focus this year is:
Enhancing/increasing pupil voice
Developing the use of technology
Outdoor learning
Developing Young Workforce
Imbedding the use of technology in learning
STEAM/STEM
Science
Early Literacy Skills
We are offering an invite to all Early Years establishments in Midlothian to send at least one practitioner to join us in this exciting opportunity. Training will be a full day, 9.00am - 3.30pm, 21st October at Mauricewood ELC.
Ian Cameron
Breaking the Wall
Freelance Educationalist
Web: https://www.breakingthewall.co.uk
Family Engagement Survey - please complete
A massive thanks to everyone who has completed the form and to those who have reached out regarding the issues with it. Please, if you have not already done so, take some time to complete the questionnaire below using the QR code or link. Please could you let me know if this is not working for you. The deadline was 1st October but I know there has been some clinches with the form, so this has been extended to 15th October. Your support is very much appreciated.
Local Authority ELC’s, Schools and SureStart settings:
https://forms.office.com/e/cdVQBhY0v6
If you have any queries regarding the survey or the mapping process please contact:
Nina Dinwoodie, Family Learning Coordinator
nina.dinwoodie@midlothian.gov.uk
0131 270 5662 / 07721721227
Early maths ideas
Maths goes way beyond numbers and playing with counting blocks. Read this early maths article by Lynda Keith to find out more!
A maths area or is maths everywhere | Topics | Community Playthings
Question for reflection
How do we know personal plans are having a positive impact on children’s nurture, care and support?
CI QI 1.1, HGIOELC 2.1,2.4, 3.1 NS Criteria 2 & 6
ASN
Please see attached the Inclusion and Wellbeing Newsletter.
Monthly ASN training – Tuesday 1st October 3.30pm/7pm
October ASN training is a refresher of "Up, Up & Away", please see the Teams links below for the training:
3.30pm – 4.30pm: Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 318 108 639 156 Passcode: qRCaiF
7pm – 8pm: Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 375 088 978 608 Passcode: DYjWYq
For anyone who does not have a paper copy of the document it can be found online here: Up, Up and Away document
Leadership Training
Leadership in ELC – session 2: Thursday 3rd October – Loanhead PS
Our next session on Leadership in ELC (putting vision, values and aims into practice) is on Thursday 3rd October (1.30pm – 4pm) at Loanhead Primary School. We will reflect on vision, values and aims and look in depth at the role of the leader in ensuring these are informing practice within the ELC setting. You will be given opportunities to reflect on your current practice, discuss with others and explore good practice examples. You will be supported to develop an action plan to implement any identified areas for development.
See link below for booking if you haven’t already done so. If you are too late for booking please just let Jenny or Carole know that you are coming.
Leadership in ELC session 2 - book here.
Please bring a copy of your current vision, values and aims and your own mug if you are able.
Funded Providers Meeting
Thank you to those of you who came along for our sharing practice session on schemas last week. Please see below for the PowerPoint from the session, which includes a useful quiz that you might like to do with your team, as well as a leaflet for parents/carers.
Care Inspectorate
Registering and running a childminding service: what you need to know
This booklet is designed to help you if you are applying to register a childminding service or you are already running a childminding service.
It explains the requirements of the Care Inspectorate so that you can make sure you meet them before you register your service. It also provides you with information that will help you when running your service and what to expect when you are inspected.
We have designed new posters for services to display in their settings beside their registration certificate.
When people complain anonymously, it is much harder for us to investigate to help improve things as we can’t verify information. We want to encourage people that they can complain to us confidentially and that their personal details are safe. We have two posters available to download, one for early learning and childcare/children and young people’s services and another for adult and older people’s services. You can download the poster that is most suitable for your service from the links below.
These are also available to download on The Hub.
Sensory Stories Fund
https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading-and-stories/sensory-storytelling/sensory-stories-fund
Question for reflection
How well are we involving children in identifying and assessing their learning and progress?
CI QI 1.3, HGIOELC 2.2, 2.3, 3.2, NS Criteria 2
Care Inspectorate
Prevention of scalding incidents in children’s settings
We have been notified of a small number of incidents involving children being scalded by hot soup. Although small in number, it is important to prevent any child suffering a scalding incident. Accidents of this kind can happen quickly, and the effects can be devastating. The Child Accident Prevention Trust UK states that overall almost half of all serious burns are to children under two and 70% are to children under five.
You can prevent these types of accidents by taking some easy to implement actions. You can read more about this in a news item on our website.
Child Accident Prevention Trust.
Phishing emails claiming to be from Care Inspectorate. It has come to our attention that some services are receiving phishing emails falsely claiming to be from us. These emails may appear authentic at first glance. An example of how one might look is included below.
How to spot a phishing email
Grammar and spelling: look out for poor grammar or spelling mistakes.
Generic greetings: be cautious if the email uses generic greetings like ‘Dear Customer’ instead of your name.
Suspicious email addresses: watch for unusual or misspelt email addresses, for example, Ba_nkofScotland.co.uk
Urgency: be wary of emails urging immediate action.
Self-reflection: ask yourself if you were expecting the email or attachment and if it feels legitimate.
Best practice
If you are at all suspicious about an email and its contents:
double check the sender’s email address
pause before clicking on any links or opening any attachments
More useful information can be found at Cyber Scotland and Cyber Fraud Centre.
Monthly ASN training - Tuesday 1st October 3.30pm/7pm
October ASN training is a refresher of "Up, Up & Away", please book your session on eventbrite. For anyone having difficulty accessing this please contact your locality EY inclusion officer.
For anyone who does not have a paper copy of the document it can be found in our useful documents page Useful Documents or online here: Up, Up and away 2019
Collaborative Conversations
Next Collaborative Conversation is on Thursday 26th September and will be hosted by the lovely new Easthouses. Starts at 3.30pm for coffee, tea and a chat, a visit to the new ELC and then start at 4pm. This sessions 'Hot Topic' will be 'Lunches'. Please let Jenny Marr know if you are willing to share good practice of how you make lunches work in your setting.
Question for reflection
How well are our relationships with other agencies working?
CI QI 1.2, HGIOELC 2.1, 2.4, 2.6, 2.7, 3.1, NS Criteria 2 & 6
REMINDERS
Early Years Team – PT secondment
Please see attached details of a PT secondment to the Early Years Team (0.8) from October 24 – June 25
REMINDER – NEG, ELC SLT Network meeting TODAY - 17 SEPTEMBER 3.30pm-5.30pm at Easthouses PS
We are fortunate to have a SSSC update regarding the changes with registrations/expectations with Kristina Robb from SSSC.
Some of you may remember Kristina when she worked in our workforce team Workforce team training our MAs.
Please send any additional agenda items to me ASAP.
There will be an opportunity to a have a look at the lovely new ELC too!
The first Leadership in ELC session is running this week
This programme is now available to book on Eventbrite. Please see links below.
Leadership in ELC - Session 1: Self Evaluation & Quality Assurance
Thursday Sep 19, 2024, 1:30 pm – 4pm (Loanhead PS)
Play Pedagogy Network THIS WEEK (Local Authority Primary teachers)
We are looking forward to our next play pedagogy network meeting on Wednesday 18th September at Newtongrange Primary School (4pm-5.30pm) The focus for this session will be spaces for play. Please bring a copy of Midlothian’s Environment floorbook if you have one and a cup or a mug!
Meeting the National Standard Policy Overview (attached)
We appreciate that there are lots of different documents within the early years sector and therefore, we are reminding settings about the attached document, that cross-references key self-evaluation and policy documents with the National Standard Criteria. It includes links to HGIOELC, The Care Inspectorate’s Inspection Framework, Realising the Ambition, the Health and Social Care Standards and also signposts to other early years documents. When carrying out self-evaluation throughout the session, it is a useful document to support you in ensuring that you are cross-referencing and engaging with all of these documents.
Final version of our Service Standards and Quality Improvement Plan and Family-friendly version
Please find the final version of our Service SQIP and workstream plans on our QI Website. Please make the following Family-friendly Service Improvement Plan available to all parents/ carers and young people via your normal channels. It would be helpful if this could be included on your school website. The weblink and QR code are given below. https://read.bookcreator.com/Zv9dmRMUH1Wt8CwHD73O6oU3In32/-CTPUHy4SIqfKXJwiDFmvw
Birth to Three Training - Funded Providers
The new Midlothian Birth to Three training is now available to book on Eventbrite.
This training is aimed at those practitioners working with this age group. Please note that participants are expected to attend all three sessions, so please book onto all three. Places are limited to two per setting and 30 in total so early booking is advised.
26th Sep 2024
24th Oct 2024
7th Nov 2024
Family Learning information request from Nina Dinwoodie, Family Learning Co-ordinator.
To support the mapping of Family learning and Parental supports opportunities available throughout Midlothian Council, my role as Family Learning Coordinator is to gather and collate the information and identifying possible gaps and how these can be addressed. Please could you take some time to complete the questionnaire below using the link below. Please could this be done by 1st October and only one response per setting/ school is needed. Thank you,
https://forms.office.com/e/cdVQBhY0v6
If you have any queries regarding the survey or the mapping process please contact:
Nina Dinwoodie, Family Learning Coordinator
nina.dinwoodie@midlothian.gov.uk
0131 270 5662 / 07721721227
The Royal Highland Education Trust Training (more information attached)
We are delighted to be able to offer Early/First level practitioners a range of teacher training from our Countryside Cottage on the showground at Ingliston.
The series of training courses for teachers based on the principles of Froebel and aimed at early years practitioners based on the concept that play and creativity are integral to child development and learning. All the sessions on offer will be aligned to the good food nation outcomes. These sessions will make the most of the venue where we have access to a growing area and a small wooded area. The sessions are all free and can be booked using the link below. To book a place on any of these sessions visit https://forms.office.com/e/ZWBXwNvQqg
Question for reflection
In what way do we ensure children are involved and influence their day-to-day experiences?
CI QI 3.1 HGIOELC 1.1-1.5 NS Criteria 1
Local Authority only
Early Years Team – PT secondment
Please speak to your Headteacher if interested in applying for a PT secondment to the Early Years Team (0.8) from October 24 – June 25
REMINDER – NEG, ELC SLT Network meeting 17 SEPTEMBER 3.30pm-5.30pm at Easthouses PS
We are fortunate to have a SSSC update regarding the changes with registrations/expectations with Kristina Robb from SSSC. Some of you may remember Kristina when she worked in our workforce team Workforce team training our MAs.
Please send any additional agenda items to me ASAP.
There will be an opportunity to a have a look at the lovely new ELC too!
To ensure we have a suitable space please confirm if you will attend this meeting.
Using the I-pad for progression pathways (LA settings)
Are you successfully using digital tools to support practitioners and improve outcomes for children in your setting?
Are you ready to take the next step and move to using digital progression pathways on the I-pad?
Would you like to be part of a trial this year?
If so, contact Jenny j.marr@midlothian.education to book on to a short in-person session on Wednesday 11th September (3.30pm) venue TBC. We will talk you through how to use the digital version to make the most out of it. You will also be sent a link to your own set of online progression pathways for all children in your setting.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________-
Funded Providers Only
Funded Provider’s Sustainable rate
Following the funded provider meeting on 27/8/24, confirmation below that we will increase the sustainable rate for funded provider settings and childminders by the SG mandated amount of 7.6% from April 2024.
This is separate from the Tier 2 ASN top up, therefore proceed on the basis that the top up amount will remain the same. This will mean that the rates are:
Rates - see email communication
________________________________________________________________________________________
ERG and Tier 2 funding
Below are the forms to be completed for applying for both Teir 2 funding and a provision place for a Primary 1 child.
The highlighted ERG will focus on the allocation of provision places for new Primary 1 children, this is earlier than previous years. Please note, when applying for a provision place the child must meet almost all of the complex long-term factors detailed within the Midlothian Description – Complex ASN Aug 24 document (in attached folder). If you require support with this, please contact your Inclusion and Wellbeing Officer.
All T2 funding applications will be considered at these meetings and funding for each child must be applied for every academic year.
Please contact Cally Fraser and/or your Inclusion ad wellbeing Officer for further clarification.
Paperwork Deadline - see dates below
Leadership in ELC
This programme is now available to book on Eventbrite. Please see links below.
Leadership in ELC - Session 1: Self Evaluation & Quality Assurance
Thursday Sep 19, 2024, 1:30 pm – 4pm (Loanhead PS)
Leadership in ELC-Session 2: Putting your Vision, Values & Aims into practice
Thursday Oct 3, 2024, 1:30 pm – 4pm (Loanhead PS)
Leadership in ELC- Session 3: Staff Wellbeing
Thursday Oct 24, 2024, 1:30pm – 4pm (Loanhead PS)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/session-three-leadership-in-elc-staff-wellbeing-tickets-1006822903407
Leadership in ELC – Session 4: Empowering and Motivating Staff
Thursday Nov 7, 2024, 1:30 pm – 4pm (Loanhead PS)
Leadership in ELC – Session 5: Pedagogical Leadership
Thursday Nov 21, 2024, 1:30 pm – 4pm (Loanhead PS)
Leadership in ELC – Session 6: Prof Learning and Reflective Practitioners
Thursday Dec 5, 2024, 1:30 pm – 4pm (Gorebridge PS)
Care Inspectorate Updates
Explore the implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019
The safe staffing programme team has planned a range of engagement sessions throughout September. This is to support organisations and gather early learning around the implementation of the Act. We would like to invite colleagues, managers and staff from registered services to join a virtual meeting to explore the implementation of the Act. The intention is that these meetings will include a short presentation with an opportunity for delegates to submit questions in advance for the Q&A session.
Thursday 12 September 10:00-11:00 early learning and childcare services
Thursday 12 September 18:30-19:30 all social care sectors
Safe staffing end of year report
We are pleased to announce the publication of the Safe Staffing Programme End of Year Report. The report provides an overview of the work undertaken between April 2023 and March 2024. It has been informed by feedback from people who contributed, collaborated and participated in the work. The comprehensive document highlights our commitment to supporting the social care sector and all other relevant stakeholders with commencement of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 (HCSA). We hope you enjoy reading about our work and you can find additional information and resources on the Care Inspectorate Hub: Safe Staffing Programme.
Question for reflection
How well are children enabled to take risks, learning in safe, secure and supportive environments where they are expected to make decisions and where their contributions are valued?
CI QI: 2.2 HGIOELC QI:2.2,2.3
Funded Providers’ Business Meeting
Please see attached slides from last week’s Funded Providers’ Business Meeting
My Predictable Day
ASN training on My Predictable Day will be online on Tuesday September 3rd at 3.30pm and 7.00pm. If you haven’t yet booked a place, please use the Eventbrite link below.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/my-predictable-day-early-years-tickets-1003002205597
or (if after 3pm on Monday) contact your Inclusion and Wellbeing Officer.
All ELC staff are encouraged to attend one of the sessions.
Leadership in ELC
This year we are re-running the very successful Leadership in ELC programme from September to December. Attendees will benefit from improving their awareness of their own leadership strengths and areas for development. Throughout the sessions you will be supported to reflect on and improve your knowledge of the role of a leader in ELC and develop your skills in leading others. Current frameworks, research, good practice guidance and sharing good practice from across the authority will be used throughout the programme.
Each session will cover a different aspect of leadership in ELC and attendees are not required to attend all 6, but can if they choose. Please book on to each session individually.
Sessions:
Self-evaluation for improvement (Thursday 19th September -Loanhead PS)
Putting vision, values and aims into practice (Thursday 3rd October – Loanhead PS
Staff wellbeing (Thursday 24th October – Loanhead PS
Empowering and motivating others (Thursday 7th November – Loanhead PS
Pedagogical leadership (Thursday 21st November – Loanhead PS
Professional learning and reflective practitioners (Thursday 5th December – venue tbc)
Delivered by Carole Roberts and Jenny Marr
Please contact us on carole.roberts@midlothian.gov.uk or j.marr@midlothian.education
Booking will be via Eventbrite. The links will be sent out via the weekly update
Session 1: Thursday 19th September 24 - Self Evaluation for Improvement
In the first session we will consider the six themes of the programme to reflect and self- evaluate where you/your setting currently are on the Leadership journey. This should support you to decide which of the sessions to attend in the future. We will then dig into the first theme of self-evaluation in more detail.
We will examine the what, why and how of self- evaluation with opportunities to reflect on your own current practice, discuss with others and explore good practice examples and supporting guidance. We will discuss the roles of SQIPS, action plans, self -evaluation guidance documents, team meetings, feedback, internal and external scrutiny and quality assurance calendars within the self- evaluation process. You will be supported to develop an action plan to implement any identified areas for development.
Using the I-pad for progression pathways (Local Authority settings)
Are you successfully using digital tools to support practitioners and improve outcomes for children in your setting?
Are you ready to take the next step and move to using digital progression pathways on the I-pad?
Would you like to be part of a trial this year?
If so, contact Jenny j.marr@midlothian.education to book on to a short in-person session on Wednesday 11th September (3.30pm) venue TBC. We will talk you through how to use the digital version to make the most out of it. You will also be sent a link to your own set of online progression pathways for all children in your setting.
Birth to three: Save the dates!
The new Birth to three document is currently in production and in preparation for publication we would like to offer training in birth to three and how to use the document. The training will take the form of 3 x one and a half hour sessions which will take place at Loanhead Primary school community rooms on the following dates:
Thursday 26th September
Thursday 24th October
Thursday 7th November
All sessions will be from 6:30 - 8:00 pm and it will be necessary to attend all three.
Details will be available on Eventbrite shortly and spaces are limited to 30.
Early Years maths programme demonstrates longer term impact on development (EEF)
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has released further analysis from their independent evaluation of the early years programme Maths Champions, which suggests longer-term benefits on children’s early maths development. The programme, delivered by the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), aims to support maths development for three- to four-year-olds in early years settings by providing high-quality professional development for practitioners. One member of staff in each early year’s setting is given training to act as a ‘Maths Champion’, supporting their colleagues to implement and improve their maths teaching practices.
Midlothian Sure Start – Support Group (please see attached)
MSS is working in partnership with Home Link, offering weekly support group in our settings in Mayfield and Penicuik. Childcare spaces are available.
To make a referral or request more information, families or professionals can contact lora - Lora.t@homelinkfamilysupport.org
Care Inspectorate News
PLEASE NOTE NEW EXPECTATION FROM CARE INSPECTORATE
Completing your annual declaration
Each year, around the time of staff registration date, staff need to complete an annual declaration in their MySSSC account.
They will be asked to:
confirm or update personal and employment details
confirm CPL is up to date
pay annual fee if required.
If this is not done then SSSC will remove staff from the register
A reminder will be sent around a month before this is due. Unless staff have changed details, they don’t have to do anything until then.
CI have produced a short video guide on how to complete and submit your annual declaration.
Watch the video by clicking here
Report on disabled children and young people’s experiences of social work services
We have published a report on disabled children and young people’s experiences of social work services.
Our aim in carrying out this review was to learn and understand more about disabled children and young people’s views and experiences of the support they received from social work services. We focused on social work’s contribution to getting it right for every disabled child and considered how well disabled children’s rights were being respected and upheld.
This report presents the key messages of our review of how well social work services contribute to ensuring disabled children have their rights respected and receive early care and support. It includes reflections and actions for social work services and Scottish Government to consider in order to improve outcomes for disabled children and young people.
Webinars and events
Explore the implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 webinars
Stay up to date with all our webinars and events on The Hub. You can watch recordings of our webinars on YouTube.
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too
Question for reflection
What approaches are we using to promote children’s developing language, numeracy and literacy skills?
CI -QI 1.3 Play and Learning
HGIOELC QI’s – 2.2, 2.3, 3.2
Collaborative Conversations EYs network
29th August 3.30- 5pm at Strathesk Primary School
Come along, catch up with old friends, make new ones and help us to plan this year’s programme of Collaborative Conversations. This is your network and we want to hear from you to ensure these sessions meet your needs and support you throughout the year. This session we will hear from some settings who have recently been through inspections from HMIE and CI. The highs and the lows and hopefully some helpful advice too.
If you have been recently inspected and willing to share your experience please let us know by emailing Jenny on j.marr@midlothian.education.
Funded Provider Meeting
Tuesday 27th August 2pm – 4pm at Loanhead Primary School Community Rooms (business meeting)
Funded provider meetings will be held monthly throughout the session and it is an expectation that Managers attend these meetings. There will be a mix of business meetings and opportunities for sharing practice. Dates for this year’s meetings will be shared shortly.
Please see below the dates for the rest of the funded provider meetings this session (venues TBC):
Tuesday 24th September (sharing practice)
Tuesday 29th October (business)
Tuesday 26th November (sharing practice)
Tuesday 28th January (business)
Tuesday 18th March (sharing practice)
Tuesday 13th May (business)
Tuesday 10th June (sharing practice/celebration of year’s work)
REMINDER – Nursery Finance (Funded providers only)
The next cut-off date for submitting Preschool Funding Applications, Change of Hours Forms and Leavers Forms is TODAY Monday 26th August 2024. Please submit all paperwork for Period 1 as soon as possible. Please do not hold onto paperwork until the cut-off date as this will cause a back log and potentially delay the Period 1 Initial Statements being issued. We aim to issue the Period 1 Initial Statements from the week commencing Monday 2nd September 2024.
For those on a Service Improvement Plan, the first statement of the funded year will include payments for August and September before defaulting to monthly statements/payments as per the payment schedule previously circulated. We aim to issue the August/September Statements from the week commencing Monday 2nd September 2024.
Inclusion and Wellbeing Newsletter- please see attached with key information, including ERG dates.
New Birth to Three document photographs request (updated)
Midlothian's new Birth to Three document is almost ready to go to print. All we need now are some lovely photographs of children engaged in high quality learning experiences and interactions. We are looking for your help in providing us with these. You may already have some in your children's journals or planning documents or you could start gathering some new ones. We particularly need more pictures that reflect a diverse range of cultures, abilities and non-stereotyped playing (for example boys playing with dolls or dressing up). We are also particularly interested in photographs which clearly demonstrate stages of development e.g., a baby being fed or self-feeding, singing and dancing, using fine and gross motor skills, sensory experiences, clapping, pulling up on or cruising around furniture, sleeping etc. ( you can refer to Up, Up and Away Milestones for ideas). Photos from parents and interactions with parents would also be useful, for example welcoming parents into the setting or saying hello / goodbye to their child, stay and play or photographs from home and so on.
If you think you can help us with this please could you distribute the attached forms to your parents and begin gathering photographs. When sending photographs please use Egress. Please note that if you are planning to submit any photographs with adults in them, the adult will also have to give their consent for use.
Many thanks in advance, Jacqueline
Training
There will be a Fist aid course running and I thought it may be of interest to other who need to update their training.
We can run a Paediatric First Aid course with people completing units at home for the first part of the course and attending a 1 day practical and exam on Sunday 22 September 9.00 -5.00pm (venue to be arranged)
If you could reply to say this is of interest Laurence will confirm with the trainer and then get a booking form sent out.
If interest could be directed to Laurence. laurence.mcintosh@midlothian.gov.uk. More information will follow.
Early Language and Communication Development
The National Early Language and Communication (NELC) team at Education Scotland are excited to announce the launch of their new practice sharing website, dedicated to highlighting effective practices in supporting speech, language, and communication (SLC) across Scotland.
Early SLC Practice Sharing Storyboards
The storyboards are arranged under the 5 primary drivers of the National Early SLC Theory of Change and highlight a range of collaborative, evidence informed and outcome focused work which support the SLC skills of children in Scotland from pre-birth to 5
We encourage you to explore the website and take advantage of the wealth of knowledge available. Here are a few ways you can engage with this resource:
Discover Great Practices: Browse through the storyboards to see how different colleagues are making an impact.
Connect with Peers: Reach out to the practitioners behind the storyboards to discuss their methods and share your own experiences.
Share Your Successes: Consider contributing your own storyboards to the site to help others learn from your work. We can accept submissions via. our generic mailbox (edsearlylanguageleads@educationscotland.gov.scot) for the duration of the project, with a final submission date of 20th June 2025.
Your involvement and engagement are crucial to the success of this initiative. We believe that by sharing our knowledge and collaborating across systems, we can help to create the conditions to support early SLC development across Scotland.
Please note that the storyboards are hosted on a publicly available platform and will be shared across Education Scotland platforms and nationally across networks/social media. If you have any concerns around this with regards to the storyboard you have submitted, please let the team know on the above email address.
Question for reflection...
How do we ensure children’s individual needs are considered, responded to and planned for with families?
CI -QI 1.1Nurturing Care and Support
HGIOELC QI’s 2.3, 3.1, 3.2
Collaborative Conversations
29th August 3.30- 5pm. Strathesk Primary School
Come along, catch up with old friends, make new ones and help us to plan this year’s programme of Collaborative Conversations. This is your network and we want to hear from you to ensure these sessions meet your needs and support you throughout the year. This session we will hear from some settings who have recently been through inspections from HMIE and CI. The highs and the lows and hopefully some helpful advice too.
If you have been recently inspected and willing to share your experience please let us know by emailing Jenny on j.marr@midlothian.education.
Play pedagogy network (Local Authority Only)
come along to the first meeting and help co-construct the plan for the year ahead and tell us about the work that you are doing.
Meeting will be held at Easthouses Primary, on Wednesday 21 August 4-5.30pm, as initial meeting, times and venues will be confirmed at this meeting – and as well as discussing play pedagogy practice this is a lovely opportunity to see this amazing new school too!
New Birth to Three document photographs request
Midlothian's new Birth to Three document is almost ready to go to print. All we need now are some lovely photographs of children engaged in high quality learning experiences and interactions. We would be really grateful if, over the summer, you could start to gather some of these (or perhaps you already have some in your children's journals and planning documents?). We are particularly interested in photographs which clearly demonstrate stages of development e.g., a baby being fed or self feeding, singing and dancing, using fine and gross motor skills, sensory experiences, clapping, pulling up on or cruising around furniture, sleeping etc ( you can refer to Up, Up and Away Milestones for ideas). Photos from parents and interactions with parents would also be useful, for example welcoming parents into the setting or saying hello / goodbye to their child, stay and play or photographs from home and so on.
If you think you can help us with this please could you distribute the attached forms to your parents and begin gathering photographs. I will be in touch shortly to let you know how you can send these to me securely. Please note that if you are planning to submit any photographs with adults in them, the adult will also have to give their consent for use.
Many thanks in advance
Jacqueline
Me, My Family and my Childcare Setting
Please find attached the recently published practice note from Care Inspectorate which links well with our PICL approach Me, My Family and My Childcare Setting
Data Retention
The attached data retention chart from Care Inspectorate gives an overview of how long data should be held.
Book-bug training dates
Please find below the Bookbug Training dates for Oct-Dec (as well as dates that still have spaces for August and September)
Online Bookbug Session Leader - 9.30am–1pm
Thursday 3 and 10 October, Zoom
Monday 18 and 25 November, MS Teams
Friday 6 and 13 December
Refresher Session Leader
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the training team at bookbugtraining@scottishbooktrust.com
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too
Welcome to our final ‘brief’ weekly update for this session.
"Quality transitions that are well prepared and child centred, managed by trained staff collaborating with one another and guided by an appropriate curriculum, enhance the likelihood that the positive impacts of early learning and childcare will last through primary school and beyond." (OECD, 2017:19) Realising the Ambition P.88
Bookbug Training
The Bookbug training team would like to let you know about upcoming changes to Bookbug Session Leader and Bookbug for the Home training. We are introducing a direct booking system which will replace the application process. We hope this will make it easier for people to plan and book dates that are suitable for them.
Session dates, both online and in-person, will be released on a rolling basis every two months across the year, launching on June 24th for sessions in August and September. On completion of the booking form for the date required delegates will receive an email confirming their place.
Bookbug Session Leader Training
There is a small amount of preparation work to be completed which will be sent to delegates two weeks in advance of the session. Following attendance at the in-person or online Bookbug Session Leader training, you will receive login details for TalentLMS, our Bookbug Session Leader information and communication portal. There is a short follow up module to be completed, the Bookbug Session Leader Agreement, which will activate Bookbug Session Leader membership, and delegates will be able to start running Bookbug Session. Delegates are required to complete a short ‘refresher’ module annually to continue membership and allow them to carry on running sessions.
Mid Mouse
We hope that the children have enjoyed receiving their Mid mice to take with them to school in August. If you have any photos, with relevant permissions, or any practice examples about how you've supported children's transitions through the Mid Mouse project this year, then please get in touch with Emma Scafe, as we'd love to hear about this! There is so much lovely work going on out there in our settings around transition and thank you for all of your hard work in supporting our children with their transition to P1. It has also been heartening to get some lovely feedback about Mid mouse from CI and HMIE in recent inspections.
Have a good week and a lovely summer when it comes!
‘In the book Children’s Rights and Early Education (1996), Nutbrown talks about the curriculum in this way:
“What makes working with young children so exciting is the way the anticipated possibilities planned and provided for by the educator are used by individual and groups of children in spontaneous and dynamic ways. The people, children, parents and educators, who share the experiences construct the curriculum.”
This explanation helps us appreciate that pedagogy is about the interactions and experiences which support the curriculum and the process of how children learn. This is inseparable from what young children should learn – the content of the curriculum.’
Realising the Ambition: Section 6 Page 62
Learning to Read in the Early Years: Education Scotland
Education Scotland has recently published a new resource, which has been created alongside educators across Scotland, to provide professional support to practitioners who teach young children in those very early steps towards becoming a reader.
Learning to read in the Early Years: A professional support overview (also attached as PDF) draws upon a range of international research and guidance to support practitioners to interpret Scotland’s curriculum guidance and make research-informed decisions for learning and teaching.
The resource outlines the range of ways that educators can build a holistic knowledge of each child as a reader in order to effectively support their reading journey and is for all educators who support children and young people to learn to read, in particular those working in primary schools and ELC settings.
Growing My Potential
The Growing my potential practice note (also attached as PDF) has been designed to provide support and guidance to ELC settings, including childminders, caring for children aged 1 and 2 years.
The earliest years of life are crucial to a child’s development and will have a lasting impact on their outcomes and wellbeing. This practice note shows the essential relationship between high- quality care and young children’s learning. It encourages staff to strengthen their self-evaluation approaches and supports continuous improvement to maximise the positive outcomes for our youngest children in Scotland.
Spaces to Grow and Thrive
Space to Grow and Thrive (also attached as PDF) builds on the previous Space to Grow resource and incorporates the lessons learned from the expansion programme along with the pandemic and feedback from the sector. The resource aims to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date framework for planning, designing and delivering high-quality ELC settings that support children’s wellbeing, learning and development.
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway.
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too.
Care Inspectorate Updates
Topics discussed during the webinar included:
ERIC’s new potty training online course for the early years sector
ERIC’s potty training champion’s programme
good practice and information available to the sector about potty learning
the health visiting pathway, including a case study.
We also explored how we can complement training for ELC practitioners by ensuring that the right kind of resources are available for parents.
If you were unable to attend, you can watch the webinar here.
With the summer break just around the corner, now is a good time to check if your child is fully vaccinated against measles. We are currently seeing an increase in the number of people getting ill with measles.
In response to this, Public Health Scotland has prepared this letter to raise awareness of the importance of the MMR vaccine in protecting against measles and provide information on what parents/carers can do to make sure their child is up-to-date with vaccinations.
For up to date information from Care Inspectorate… ‘remember to regularly check our website and The Hub as well as the social media and websites of other relevant organisations.’
The unique role of outdoor play
It is undeniable that daily, high quality outdoor play experiences have a direct and positive impact on children’s physical, cognitive, social, mental health and emotional development. Outdoor learning is one of three pillars of Learning for Sustainability, the others being global citizenship and education for sustainable development. As previously mentioned, the direct link between a child’s movement and coordination development and the development of fine motor and concentration skills must be made, valued - and demonstrated in practice - by us as early years educators. Realising the Ambition P54
Transitions - Mid Mouse
Most settings should have received their mice by now ready for gifting to children on week commencing the 17th of June.
We are writing to provide you with an update on the Oakley and MidMouse collaboration. We now have a limited number of knitted Oakley’s available. These can be used alongside the interactive story to support transition in ELC and P1. The extended story and FAQs provide further detail and examples from our pilot schools/ELCs. If you would like to receive a knitted Oakley for your school/ELC, please email digital.learning@midlothian.education and mark your email for the attention of Kellie Hunter, Digital Lead Teacher (Early Level).
Progression Pathways – Literacy, Numeracy, Health and Wellbeing
Please remember to pass on the completed progression pathways as part of your transition handover with schools as children move into Primary 1 and ELC. This will ensure all of the child’s learning happening within your ELC is captured and valued as part of their journey. Many thanks.
ASN
Please see attached information on Signalong for outdoors and communication passports.
Play pedagogy in Primary School
Thank you to those who have completed our questionnaire on play pedagogy. Your answers will help us to shape the support we provide next year. If you didn’t manage to complete the questionnaire and have play pedagogy in your school could you please spare 10 minutes this week to fill it in.
Training Courses
Play Scotland - LINC Webinar
In honour of the first International Day of Play, the LINC Programme will be hosting a free webinar on Tuesday, June 11th from 5pm to 6pm, featuring our very own Play Pedagogy Officer, Fiona Kirkland!
The LINC programme actively works to support the inclusion and active participation of children in the early years. They implement this through inclusivity, practice and pedagogy.
Find tickets for booking on Eventbrite
Childhood Practice - Flexible CPD units | Edinburgh College
The following courses are ideal for professionals to update their existing qualifications or complete additional credits. These units start in September 2024 and each takes around 10 weeks to complete:
Health, Wellbeing and Safeguarding - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Supporting Children with Additional Needs - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Leadership Starts With Me - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Supporting Children and Young People's Behaviour - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Facilitating Playwork Opportunities - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Play - 8 credits at SCQF 7
https://www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/courses/browse/childhood-practice-flexible-cpd-units-hw1cppds24
Contact us via email:
childhoodpractice@edinburghcollege.ac.uk
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
Midlothian Early Level Website
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too
Observation can... be seen as noticing what it is that the children are finding interesting; noticing what they do and seeing how this might be changing over time. It is impossible to design a progression or tracker for everything a child might do or find interesting, and for babies and toddlers this might feel very adult-centred and unnatural. But we can notice interest and, as adults think about how we can make something even 'more interesting'.
Realising the Ambition P50
Transitions - Mid Mouse
Most settings should have received their mice by now ready for gifting to children on week commencing the 17th of June.
If you haven't already got your mice they will be available for collection at our next Early Years Network Meeting on the 6th of June – details below. Please see attached a reminder of ideas that can be used with the children for the mice that already live at your settings from previous years.
Progression Pathways – Literacy, Numeracy, Health and Wellbeing
Please remember to pass on the completed progression pathways as part of your transition handover with schools as children move into Primary 1 and ELC. This will ensure all of the child’s learning happening within your ELC is captured and valued as part of their journey. Many thanks.
ASN
Please see attached newsletter and information on Signalong and communication passports.
Meetings
Early Years Network Meeting - to be held at Mount Esk Nursery School on Thursday 6th of June from 3.30 (networking until 3.45) - 4.30, where the theme will be the outdoor environment at an indoor nursery. Mid mice can be collected at this meeting.
Care Inspectorate
Relaunch of the Space to Grow and Thrive resource
The Minister for Children, Young People and the Promise, Natalie Don MSP, recently attended the relaunch of the Space to Grow and Thrive resource. The minister was joined at Cairellot Nursery in Bishopton by the Care Inspectorate’s Executive Director of Scrutiny and Assurance, Kevin Mitchell.
Space to Grow and Thrive supports the delivery of high-quality environments for children attending early learning and school aged childcare (SACC) in Scotland.
The resource incorporates relevant Care Inspectorate guidance and provides a one-stop resource related to both indoor and outdoor settings. It provides a comprehensive and up-to-date framework for planning, designing and delivering high-quality ELC and SACC settings that support children’s wellbeing, learning and development.
Research confirms that environment plays a key role in shaping children’s development and learning.
The newly updated resource can be found here and is attached.
Care Inspectorate Corporate parenting report 2021-23
We all want the best outcomes for all babies, infants, children and young people who are care experienced and accept our responsibility as a corporate parent to make their needs a priority.
Our Corporate parenting report 2021-23 reflects how over the last three years, we have fulfilled these duties to complement and support the actions of parents, families, and carers to deliver positive change for children and young people.
Health Protection
You are invited to register for our webinar to explore the Health protection in children and young people settings, including education guidance which was published by Public Health Scotland in March 2024.
The webinar will:
cover the role of health protection teams, who they are, what they do and how they can help you
explore the guidance and what it means in practice
offer an opportunity to refresh your knowledge on Standard Infection Prevention and Control Precautions (SIPCP) and what it means in practice
offer an opportunity to ask questions.
We will be joined by Fiona Browning, Health Protection Nurse Specialist for NHS Grampian. Marie McKerry, Chief Nurse at the Care Inspectorate will facilitate the webinar.
Date: Wednesday 12 June 2024
Time: 18:00-19:30
Please complete this short form to register.
It would be helpful if you could take time to read the guidance before the webinar.
Questions can be submitted in advance for our panel to answer during the webinar. Please use this form to submit questions by Wednesday 5 June.
The webinar will be recorded and made available afterwards. We hope that you can join us.
Articles
Together seeks children and young people’s stories!
Together is gathering ‘stories’ from babies, children and young people to inform our State of Children’s Rights Report 2024! We have launched a series of resources – including a facilitator pack, child-friendly leaflets and video – to support babies, children and young people to take part. Read more
Please note - most of the activities in this resource are aimed at school-aged children however if you jump to section 2.4 'Adapting the activities' you will find activities for babies and very young children. Together are also happy for you to adapt any of the activities yourself.
Training Courses
ASN online training
Sensory preferences and differences - Tuesday 4th June at 3.30 – 4.30 and 7 pm – 8 pm. Please see attached for further information
Award in Forest Kindergarten
This SQA-certificated two-day course is an industry must-have for practitioners who would like to set up a routine of off-site visits to a local wood or nearby greenspace for children in their setting. We offer flexible delivery to suit your schedule.
Award in Forest Kindergarten | Edinburgh College
Childhood Practice - Flexible CPD units | Edinburgh College
The following courses are ideal for professionals to update their existing qualifications or complete additional credits. These units start in September 2024 and each takes around 10 weeks to complete:
Health, Wellbeing and Safeguarding - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Supporting Children with Additional Needs - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Leadership Starts With Me - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Supporting Children and Young People's Behaviour - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Facilitating Playwork Opportunities - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Play - 8 credits at SCQF 7
https://www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/courses/browse/childhood-practice-flexible-cpd-units-hw1cppds24
Contact us via email: childhoodpractice@edinburghcollege.ac.uk
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
Midlothian Early Level Website
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too
‘Working with and for babies and young children is extremely rewarding – but can be very demanding of us physically, cognitively and – sometimes - emotionally. To give our youngest the best we must strive to be at our best. And to do this it’s important for us as a workforce to look after ourselves and each other. Kindness and self-care are vital.’
cited in Realising the Ambition pg. 42
Mid Mouse
A reminder that the deadline for mice this year is Monday 3rd June and thank you for your continuing support with this.
Please see attached a reminder of ideas that can be used with the children for the mice that already live at your settings from previous years!
SQIP writing training
We are offering a half-day training session on writing an Improvement plan on Friday 31st May at Loanhead Primary school. (9.30am – 12pm) This will be an opportunity to revisit the process of writing an action plan, reflect on the use of evaluative language and make a start on your actions for next year with support from Jenny and Carole. If you are interested in attending, please email:
Carole.roberts@midlothian.gov.uk
Meetings
Funded Provider Manager’s meeting
Our next meeting for Funded Provider Managers is on Tuesday 28th May at Loanhead Primary School and the focus will be on our upcoming 0-3 document.
Please note that Mid Mice will be available for funded provider settings to collect at this network.
Early Years Network Dates
The next EY network meeting will be Thursday 6th June from 3.30- 4.30 pm at Mount Esk Nursery School (with the first 15 minutes for refreshments and to allow flexibility for those who need to travel.) The focus will be on Outdoor Learning in an ELC Garden
Please note that this session is open to all local authority and funded provider settings. Mid-Mice will be available to collect at this session for our local authority settings.
Care Inspectorate
Use of raw flour
Following our provider update on 30 April, where we highlighted the Food Standards Agency guidance regarding the use of raw flour, we have received questions and concerns from providers. We understand the importance of addressing these concerns and providing some reassurance to the sector. However, as the regulator, it is our duty to direct providers to relevant guidance, especially when it comes to potential risks to the health of children.
The guidance from the Food Standards Agency states that heat-treated flour minimises the risks associated with raw flour. It also provides information on how to heat treat flour yourself. However, we do recognise that some settings may not have the necessary facilities for heating flour. In such cases, it is possible to purchase flour that is already heat treated.
This is not an area that inspectors will be considering as part of their scrutiny. When it comes to all activities involving food products, it is essential to adopt a sensible approach to minimise risk so we can ensure children continue to have fun and enjoy the learning experiences this can offer.
SSSC open badges
The SSSC produce a suite of Open Badges that recognise learning and achievements. These badges are helpful to use as part of your training and development and to evidence your continuous professional learning (CPL).
Open Badges are digital certificates recognising learning and achievement. If you can demonstrate that you’ve learned from materials produced by the Scottish Social Services Council you can earn an Open Badge. Find out more here
Our Error Response process
Just a reminder that if a service has not submitted an Error Response Form by the associated deadline, the inspection report will be automatically finalised and published on our website. This process is automated. It is important that if you plan to respond to the Error Response, you do so prior to the associated deadline using eForms. If you have any concerns please speak to inspector who carries out the inspection.
Quality improvement and participation update
We are pleased to share the May 2024 edition of our Quality Improvement and Participation update. During the last three months, Quality Improvement colleagues continue to deliver targeted interventions, working collaboratively with colleagues, providers and stakeholders to improve outcomes for people who experience health and social care. If you haven’t done so already you can sign up to receive our bimonthly updates here.
Webinar: Exploring health protection guidance for use in children and young people settings, including education
You are invited to register for our webinar to explore the Health protection in children and young people settings, including education guidance which was published by Public Health Scotland in March 2024.
The webinar will:
cover the role of health protection teams, who they are, what they do and how they can help you
explore the guidance and what it means in practice
offer an opportunity to refresh your knowledge on Standard Infection Prevention and Control Precautions (SIPCP) and what it means in practice
offer an opportunity to ask questions.
We will be joined by Fiona Browning, Health Protection Nurse Specialist for NHS Grampian. Marie McKerry, Chief Nurse at the Care Inspectorate will facilitate the webinar.
Date: Wednesday 12 June 2024
Time: 18:00-19:30
Please complete this short form to register.
It would be helpful if you could take time to read the guidance before the webinar.
Questions can be submitted in advance for our panel to answer during the webinar. Please use this form to submit questions by Wednesday 5 June.
The webinar will be recorded and made available afterwards. We hope that you can join us.
NHS Inform
May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month: Lyme disease is still on the rise in Scotland. It is caused by being bitten by an infected tick and can be serious if not treated. To avoid tick bites when spending time outdoors, stick to footpaths where possible, cover up bare skin with trousers and long sleeves, and use insect repellent on exposed skin. If you or a child is bitten, remove the tick as soon as possible. More information here. The quicker you find and remove ticks, the less likely you are to get ill.
Training Courses
Award in Forest Kindergarten
This SQA-certificated two-day course is an industry must-have for practitioners who would like to set up a routine of off-site visits to a local wood or nearby greenspace for children in their setting. We offer flexible delivery to suit your schedule. Award in Forest Kindergarten | Edinburgh College
Childhood Practice Flexible CPD units
The following courses are ideal for professionals to update their existing qualifications or complete additional credits. These units start in September 2024 and each takes around 10 weeks to complete:
Health, Wellbeing and Safeguarding - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Supporting Children with Additional Needs - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Leadership Starts With Me - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Supporting Children and Young People's Behaviour - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Facilitating Playwork Opportunities - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Play - 8 credits at SCQF 7
Childhood Practice - Flexible CPD units | Edinburgh College
Contact us via email:
childhoodpractice@edinburghcollege.ac.uk
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
Midlothian Early Level website
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too
Midlothian Professional Learning Academy
Have a good week everyone.
‘The European Commission working group on Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) describes the image of each child as:
“a unique and a competent and active learner whose potential needs to be encouraged and supported. Each child is a curious, capable and intelligent individual. The child is a co-creator of knowledge who needs and wants interaction with other children and adults. As citizens children have their own rights which includes early education and care.” (European Commission, 2014)’
cited in Realising the Ambition pg. 14
SQIP template (Funded Providers)
Attached is a template for your SQIP (Standards and Quality report and Improvement Plan) for 24/25. Your principal teacher will be in touch to plan a phone call/Teams call or visit to support with the writing of this. Please email your completed SQIP to Sally Ward by 31st July 2024.
Please remember self-evaluation is an ongoing approach and you will have been collecting evidence throughout the year. You can discuss with your Principal Teacher how this evidence can be collated, perhaps a folder for each HGIOELC Quality indicator or a floor book. The important part is being able to talk about your improvement journey and link this to your improvement plan and the key documents (HGIOELC and the Care Inspectorate Framework)
SQIP writing training
We are offering a half-day training session on writing an Improvement plan on Friday 31st May at Loanhead Primary school. (9.30am – 12pm) This will be an opportunity to revisit the process of writing an action plan, reflect on the use of evaluative language and make a start on your actions for next year with support from Jenny and Carole. If you are interested in attending, please email:
Carole.roberts@midlothian.gov.uk
Mid Mouse
Thank you to those of you who have been sharing the mice patterns with your parents/carers, we have had some lovely mice donated at our drop off points. We have extended the deadline for the mice to Monday 3rd June and would really appreciate it if you can share this with your families. If you have any mice that are dropped off directly to your setting/you already have some left over from last year, please email Emma Scafe to let her know.
E.Scafe@midlothian.education
Please note mice will still be available for Funded Providers to collect at the next Funded Provider Manager’s meeting on Tuesday 28th May.
Transitions Training
You can access transitions training via our bite size training modules on Sway:
Meetings
Funded Provider Manager’s meeting
Our next meeting for Funded Provider Managers is on Tuesday 28th May at Loanhead Primary School and the focus will be on our upcoming 0-3 document.
Early Years Network Dates
The next EY network meeting will be Thursday 6th June from 3.30- 4.30 pm at Mount Esk Nursery School (with the first 15 minutes for refreshments and to allow flexibility for those who need to travel.) The focus will be on Outdoor Learning in an ELC Garden
Please note that this session is open to all local authority and funded provider settings. Mid-Mice will be available to collect at this session for our local authority settings.
Play pedagogy Network- P1 and beyond.
The next meeting for our play pedagogy network is on Wednesday 29th May 4 - 5.15pm at Loanhead Primary School. We will be looking at examples of play pedagogy from out with Midlothian and talking about environments and daily routines that could support this approach. Anyone with an interest in play pedagogy is very welcome.
If you are using a play pedagogy approach in your primary school and have not yet completed our questionnaire, we would be very grateful if you could do this.
Interactive Bulletins
Sent on behalf of Euan Mitchell, Head of Early Years and Primary SSERC
Dear Colleague
You may have seen through our social media channels that there has been a new addition to our catalogue of interactive bulletins. The bulletins are published twice a year with amazing ideas, activities, video links and so much more.
In this edition we have focused on –
· Debugging – making mistakes in computing science, how to solve mistakes in code and how this can link and incorporate other curricular areas.
· Bee’s – encouraging learners to take an active part in improving local habitats and biodiversity.
· Links to useful resources from our strategic partners
· Adverts and updates on new resources from our digital partners
· Sponsors from ‘My Science club’ and Scottish Water
· Additional information to STEM a story (3Engineers, ASE Scotland, GSSFS, Explorify and YSLP)
https://www.sserc.org.uk/publications/primary-bulletins/98-spring-2024/
Early Years Film and Screen Curriculum (see attached for more details)
Screen Scotland have created a draft Film and Screen Curriculum for Scotland. Designed by early years practitioners, teachers, further and higher education specialists, industry advisers, the BFI, SQA and Education Scotland, the draft Curriculum has been tested in five local authorities, Shetland, Highland, Dundee, Edinburgh and Argyll and Bute, as follows: Phase One: Early Years and Primary 2022/23 and Phase Two: Secondary 2023/24. The curriculum is designed as an expressive art for Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence, and focusses on practical filmmaking for the classroom, from early years to senior phase, including a pilot SQA Film and Screen Award.
For phase Three of the testing Screen Scotland have partnered with Breaking the Wall education to offer training to Early Years Practitioners in all Local Authorities, in the delivery of this draft Film and Screen Curriculum. This training represents a vital part of Screen Scotland’s work to bring Film and Screen Education to all learners in Scotland.
If you are interested in joining Mauricewood Primary as part of this exciting project, please contact Chantal Forbes or Siobhan Thomas
C.Forbes@midlothian.education
S.Thomas2@midlothian.education
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
Midlothian Early Level Website
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too
“Quality settings have a clear shared vision for what they would like their provision to be and what they want for the children in their care. The vision should be based on the unique needs of your children and families in your setting. Developing a vision that is co-created by us with children and families means that everyone is working together for the best interests of the children. It is important to refresh the vision from time to time to ensure that it remains relevant to the community you work within” Realising the Ambition Page 82
Training opportunities
Leadership in ELC
The sixth and final session of Leadership in ELC programme (professional learning and reflective practice) will be on Tuesday 21st May (1.30pm – 4pm) at Loanhead Primary School.
Please use link below to book a place
Learning Through Landscapes – Forest Kindergarten Leader Training
Spaces are still available for Forest Kindergarten Leader training next month in Edinburgh.
https://ltl.org.uk/outdoor-learning-event/forest-kindergarten-course-edinburgh-may-2024/
We can also offer you a 10% discount if you book 3 or more places – please just use code “FK10off3plus” at the checkout.
Webinar on Supporting Potty Learning in Early Years Settings
Date: Wednesday 29 May 2024
Time: 18:00-19:30
Please complete this short form to register.
The webinar will include:
· ERIC’s new potty training online course for the early years sector
· ERIC’s potty training champions programme
· good practice and information available to the sector about potty learning
· the health visiting pathway, including a case study.
We will also explore how we can complement training for ELC practitioners by ensuring that the right kind of resources are available for parents. The webinar will conclude with a question and answer session.
Transitions
Mid Mouse
A reminder to please share Mid Mouse information including knitting / crochet pattern with your local community as we need more mice! If you no longer require mice you requested or have extra mice please contact Emma Scafe and let her know. We appreciate your support with this.
The deadline for mice to be made is Monday 20th May if possible!
Instead of asking settings to collect their mice from drop off points, we will now be bringing them along to specific network meetings this term for you to collect -please see further information below about network events.
Transitions Training
You can access transitions training via our bite size training modules on Sway
Meetings
Early Years Network Dates
Thursday 6th June from 3.30- 4.30 pm at Mount Esk Nursery School - Outdoor Learning in an ELC Garden
(with the first 15 minutes for refreshments and to allow flexibility for those who need to travel.)
Please note that this session is open to all local authority and funded provider settings.
Mid Mice will be available to collect at this session for our local authority settings .
SSSC
Your new SSSC Codes of Practice
We are pleased to let you know we have now published the revised SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers (the Codes).
They take effect from 1 May 2024. The revised Codes replace the previous 2016 version.
As an employer you must support workers to achieve the standards set out in the Code for Social Service Workers and make sure your workforce is trusted, skilled, confident and valued.
You can read the revised Codes on our website. Read the revised Codes...
What's changed?
The revised Codes reflect the values, behaviours and standards expected of workers and employers.
Updated wording and a more positive, empowering tone
We have refreshed some of the wording, for example, we’ve changed ‘people who use services’ to ‘individuals’. The revised Codes aim to take a more empowering tone and use positive language.
Kindness and compassion
The revised Codes make clearer links to the Health and Social Care Standards, support our commitment to The Promise and more strongly reflect the importance of kindness, compassion and involvement in decision making.
Greater focus on relationships, trauma and risk enablement
The revised Codes reflect the importance of positive relationships as well as maintaining appropriate boundaries. We’ve added a new Code on working in a way that is informed by an understanding of the impact of trauma.
You can see the changes we've made compared to the previous 2016 Codes here.
Codes products to order
Services can place a bulk order for staff and to share with individuals using the service.
We also have postcards and A4 size posters to use at your service and in welcome and induction packs.
Services can order up to 100 fold out Codes cards, five posters and five postcards. If you need more please email communications@sssc.uk.com
You can download and print posters for your service here.
Making the changes as smooth as possible
The changes we're making might cause some temporary disruption.
We're doing everything we can to minimise the impact and make sure you have the information you need.
You can find out more about the revised Codes of Practice and the other changes on our Registration is changing web page. Read about the changes...
Care Inspectorate
Keeping children safe
We launched the Simoa (Safety, Inspect, Monitor, Observe, Act) campaign in August 2021 to help support the sector and reduce the number of incidents of children leaving settings unaccompanied by an adult. We also produced a series of practice notes to support improvement and to help ELC staff keep children safe.
We ask all ELC services to please raise awareness of the SIMOA campaign across your setting or networks as this campaign helps you consider the child’s relationships and safety. We also strongly encourage you to consider the physical environment in your setting and the supervision of children by your staff.
You can review the Simoa campaign tools and practice notes on The Hub website. They will help to remind all ELC staff to be aware of how and why children could leave a setting without a responsible adult and actions to prevent these incidents from happening.
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
Midlothian Early Level Website
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too
Midlothian Professional Learning Academy
General
Food Standards Agency
The Food Standard Agency has recently published advice for using flour safely. When flour is uncooked (raw flour) there is risk of food poisoning. This includes when using flour in craft activities (such as making play dough) or in raw batter or dough for cooking or baking. For more information and advice on how to safely use raw flour safely in your setting, please click here.
Defining transition
“Transition is considered to be an adjustment over time to new contexts outside the family, where babies and children experience changes to their social environment, to their routines, to what is expected of them and to the relationships they have with others in new situations. Our aspiration should be to promote in babies and children a sense of belonging by providing them with their entitlement to continuity of learning in a caring and respectful environment which reflects the settings unique cultures.”
(Realising the Ambition, P89)
Support Staff Professional Learning Opportunities- May 20th
Please find attached the Support staff PL offer for the May inservice day which includes the locations and signup links. The sessions are offered on an optional basis and colleagues are free to sign up to 1 or 2 events of their choice.
If you have any queries please email jack.knott@midlothian.gov.uk
Outdoor Learning opportunity
We are delighted to offer a Learning for Landscapes Outdoor Training session
Nurturing Nature – Family Learning in local Greenspace training will be taking place on Monday 20th May at Penicuik High School 9am – 3pm. Please see attached information for further details of the course content. Please note that the training will be a mixture of indoors and outdoors (please wear appropriate clothing/footwear), making use of a woodland area, which will be accessed via a hill. Booking will be available via Eventbrite from 9am on Tuesday 23rd April (tomorrow) using the link below:
Any queries please contact Emma Scafe.
SSSC
Your new SSSC Codes of Practice
We are pleased to let you know we have now published the revised SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers (the Codes).
They take effect from today, 1 May 2024. The revised Codes replace the previous 2016 version.
As an employer you must support workers to achieve the standards set out in the Code for Social Service Workers and make sure your workforce is trusted, skilled, confident and valued.
You can read the revised Codes on our website. Read the revised Codes...
What's changed?
The revised Codes reflect the values, behaviours and standards expected of workers and employers.
Updated wording and a more positive, empowering tone
We have refreshed some of the wording, for example, we’ve changed ‘people who use services’ to ‘individuals’. The revised Codes aim to take a more empowering tone and use positive language.
Kindness and compassion
The revised Codes make clearer links to the Health and Social Care Standards, support our commitment to The Promise and more strongly reflect the importance of kindness, compassion and involvement in decision making.
Greater focus on relationships, trauma and risk enablement
The revised Codes reflect the importance of positive relationships as well as maintaining appropriate boundaries. We’ve added a new Code on working in a way that is informed by an understanding of the impact of trauma.
You can see the changes we've made compared to the previous 2016 Codes here.
Codes products to order
Services can place a bulk order for staff and to share with individuals using the service.
We also have postcards and A4 size posters to use at your service and in welcome and induction packs.
Services can order up to 100 fold out Codes cards, five posters and five postcards. If you need more please email communications@sssc.uk.com
You can download and print posters for your service here.
Making the changes as smooth as possible
The changes we're making might cause some temporary disruption.
We're doing everything we can to minimise the impact and make sure you have the information you need.
You can find out more about the revised Codes of Practice and the other changes on our Registration is changing web page. Read about the changes...
Care Inspectorate
Keeping children safe
We launched the Simoa (Safety, Inspect, Monitor, Observe, Act) campaign in August 2021 to help support the sector and reduce the number of incidents of children leaving settings unaccompanied by an adult. We also produced a series of practice notes to support improvement and to help ELC staff keep children safe.
We ask all ELC services to please raise awareness of the SIMOA campaign across your setting or networks as this campaign helps you consider the child’s relationships and safety. We also strongly encourage you to consider the physical environment in your setting and the supervision of children by your staff.
You can review the Simoa campaign tools and practice notes on The Hub website. They will help to remind all ELC staff to be aware of how and why children could leave a setting without a responsible adult and actions to prevent these incidents from happening.
If you have any good practice stories that your services are doing we would love to hear from you. Please email us at communicationsteam@careinspectorate.gov.scot
We will be joined by Juliette Rayner, Chief Executive of ERIC, The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity, and Sunni Liston, ERIC Nurse.
The webinar will include:
ERIC’s new potty training online course for the early years sector
ERIC’s potty training champions programme
good practice and information available to the sector about potty learning
the health visiting pathway, including a case study.
We will also explore how we can complement training for ELC practitioners by ensuring that the right kind of resources are available for parents. The webinar will conclude with a question and answer session.
Date: Wednesday 29 May 2024
Time: 18:00-19:30
Please complete this short form to register.
The webinar will be recorded and will be made available afterwards. We hope that you can join us.
Transitions
Mid Mouse
A reminder to please share Mid Mouse information including knitting / crochet pattern with your local community as we need more mice! If you no longer require mice you requested or have extra mice please contact Emma Scafe and let her know. We appreciate your support with this.
The deadline for mice to be made is Monday 20th May if possible!
Instead of asking settings to collect their mice from drop off points, we will now be bringing them along to specific network meetings this term for you to collect -please see further information below about network events.
Transitions Training
You can access transitions training via our bite size training modules on Sway
Inclusion and Wellbeing Team
Enhanced Transitions Training
Tuesday 7th May
Time: 3.30 pm – 4.30 pm
Meeting ID: 323 992 505 435
Passcode: FbxjYg
Time: 7 pm – 8 pm
Meeting ID: 359 567 584 99
Passcode: CvfBbJ
Meetings
Early Years Network Dates
Thursday 6th June at Mount Esk Nursery School – Outdoor Learning in an ELC Garden
Please note that Mid Mice will be available to collect at the June session for our local authority settings (funded providers are also very welcome to join us for the session too – an open invite to all providers) Please come dressed appropriately for the weather.
Training opportunities
Learning Through Landscapes – Forest Kindergarten Leader Training
Spaces are still available for Forest Kindergarten Leader training next month in Edinburgh.
https://ltl.org.uk/outdoor-learning-event/forest-kindergarten-course-edinburgh-may-2024/
We can also offer you a 10% discount if you book 3 or more places – please just use code “FK10off3plus” at the checkout.
Leadership in ELC
Session 5 of our Leadership in ELC programme which will consider the role of the pedagogical leader will be on:
Tuesday 7th May (1.30pm – 4pm) at Loanhead Primary School
Please use link below to book or just turn up
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
Midlothian Early Level Website
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too
Midlothian Professional Learning Academy
Play Pedagogy in Primary Schools
Questionnaire
To help us with planning our support for schools who are using a play pedagogy approach we have made up a short questionnaire to ascertain where Midlothian schools are at on this journey. We would be very grateful if Head Teachers and Teachers of classes which have a play pedagogy approach could complete this by the end of May.
General
Food Standards Agency
The Food Standard Agency has recently published advice for using flour safely. When flour is uncooked (raw flour) there is risk of food poisoning. This includes when using flour in craft activities (such as making play dough) or in raw batter or dough for cooking or baking. For more information and advice on how to safely use raw flour safely in your setting, please click here.
Quality settings have practitioners with an understanding of child development and how young children learn
Realising the Ambition P82
We appreciate that learning is at the heart of all that is done in your settings and the quality framework and HGIOELC have valuable information that support self evaluation of learning.
NEG
Thanks to everyone who came along to the NEG on Wednesday and to Paradykes team for hosting. It was lovely to see your ELC and have an opportunity to chat to the practitioners who kindly stayed behind to speak to visitors. Well done on your very good Care inspectorate report. The slides from the meeting are attached and I have added Cally’s slides.
Outdoor Learning opportunity
We are delighted to offer a Learning for Landscapes Outdoor Training session
Nurturing Nature – Family Learning in local Greenspace training will be taking place on Monday 20th May at Penicuik High School 9am – 3pm. Please see attached information for further details of the course content. Please note that the training will be a mixture of indoors and outdoors (please wear appropriate clothing/footwear), making use of a woodland area, which will be accessed via a hill. Booking will be available via Eventbrite from 9am on Tuesday 23rd April (tomorrow) using the link below:
Any queries please contact Emma Scafe.
Early Years Film and Screen Curriculum
I am delighted to share that Screen Scotland have partnered with Breaking the Wall education to offer training to Early Years Practitioners in delivery of our draft Film and Screen Curriculum. This offer forms part of Phase Three of our draft Film and Screen Curriculum testing programme which has been running since February 2023. Details are attached.
There will be an online Q&A about the training offer on Teams at 4pm on Tuesday 7 May.
Meeting Link here: Early Years Film and screen
This training represents a vital part of Screen Scotland’s work to bring Film and Screen Education to all learners in Scotland.
Transitions
Mid Mouse
A reminder to please share Mid Mouse information with your local community as we need more mice! We appreciate your support with this. The deadline for mice to be made is Monday 20th May.
Thank you to those of you who have told us how many mice you require. If you haven't done so already, please contact Emma Scafe to let her know.
Instead of asking settings to collect their mice from drop off points, we will now be bringing them along to specific network meetings this term for you to collect -please see further information below about network events.
Transitions Training
You can access transitions training via our bite size training modules on Sway
There will be online enhanced transitions training on Tuesday 7th May 3.30pm and 7pm.
Meetings
Early Years Network Dates
We are offering a transitions focused session to all settings (funded provider and local authority) on Thursday 2nd May at Loanhead Primary School 3.30pm and 4.30pm (with the first 15 minutes for refreshments and to allow flexibility for those who need to travel.)
We hope that you will be able to join us for this session to support you in making links between settings and sharing lots of good practice that we know is going on around transitions in our authority.
Thursday 6th June at Mount Esk Nursery School – Outdoor Learning in an ELC Garden
Please note that Mid Mice will be available to collect at the June session for our local authority settings (funded providers are also very welcome to join us for the session too – an open invite to all providers) Please come dressed appropriately for the weather.
General
International Day of Play
On 25 March, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to create a new International Day of Play, with more than 140 countries as co-sponsors. The annual International Day of Play will take place on 11 June every year, beginning in 2024.
Read an article about this here:
Right To Play and partners achieve a new U.N.-designated International Day of Play - Right To Play
Childhood obesity
Rates of childhood obesity are on the rise - read about it here:
Training opportunities
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too
We have a key role to play in providing motivating learning provocations and appropriate challenge. Our richer knowledge of the world helps young children to make progress in their learning. This is what Bruner meant by “scaffolding”. Children and practitioners working together can take learning further than the child could by themselves (Siraj-Blatchford, 2009).
Realising the Ambition, P.63
NEG
Our next meeting will be at Paradykes at 4pm on the 24 April with the opportunity for a visit to the ELC at 3.30pm.
Great if you can find time to drop in to the ELC who have just had a very positive Care Inspectorate visit.
The main agenda items will be transitions, update on SSSC regulations and we will also discuss ELC enrolment for next session.
Transitions
Mid Mouse
A reminder to please share Mid Mouse information with your local community and we appreciate your support with this (attached). The deadline for mice to be made is Monday 20th May.
Thank you to those of you who have told us how many mice you require. If you haven't done so already, please contact Emma Scafe to let her know.
Instead of asking settings to collect their mice from drop off points, we will now be bringing them along to specific network meetings this term for you to collect -please see further information below about network events.
Transitions Training
You can access transitions training via our bite size training modules on Sway
There will be online enhanced transitions training on Tuesday 7th May 3.30pm and 7pm.
Safer Staffing
The Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019
We have introduced a new core assurance to reflect The Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 which came into force on 1 April 2024.
Our staffing core assurance already includes recruitment of staff and going forward will also include the skill mix, numbers and deployment of staff.
Core assurances are things that we always look at on inspections because we know, and research tells us that these key areas are essential to a service being safe.
New safe staffing core assurance
The numbers, skill mix and deployment of staff are determined by an effective process of continuous assessment featuring a range of measures and is linked to quality assurance.
As with all core assurances, inspectors will make their assessment of this area considering the aims and objectives of the service.
Some of our Quality frameworks already have core assurances included, these will be updated to include the new staffing assurance as the frameworks are reviewed.
Our Quality frameworks already consider and include relevant quality illustrations that cover the guiding principles of the new legislation and our Safe Staffing team has been supporting people to understand what the change in legislation means for them in practice.
You can find more information on our Safe Staffing programme and the new legislation here.
Providers’ duty to refer to Disclosure Scotland
Providers have a legal duty to report harmful behaviour to Disclosure Scotland if they permanently remove a person from a regulated work role, or may have done had they not already left. Disclosure Scotland recently produced new video guidance to help providers understand this important safeguarding responsibility.
Providers should submit their referrals to pvgreferrals@assured.systems.gov.scot. If providers do not make a referral within three months of the decision to permanently remove the individual from their role, Disclosure Scotland will report the organisation to Police Scotland.
There is more guidance on making referrals on the Disclosure Scotland website. If they are unsure whether to make a referral in specific cases, providers can contact Disclosure Scotland’s Customer Engagement Team for help.
Early Years Network Dates
We are offering a transitions focused session to all settings (funded provider and local authority) on Thursday 2nd May at Loanhead Primary School 3.30pm and 4.30pm (with the first 15 minutes for refreshments and to allow flexibility for those who need to travel.)
We hope that you will be able to join us for this session to support you in making links between settings and sharing lots of good practice that we know is going on around transitions in our authority.
Thursday 6th June at Mount Esk Nursery School – Outdoor Learning in an ELC Garden
Please note that Mid Mice will be available to collect at the June session for our local authority settings (funded providers are also very welcome to join us for the session too – a open invite to all providers) Please come dressed appropriately for the weather.
Health in the Early Years Scotland Health Board Information
As mentioned at the last meeting, there is a new dashboard online that shows developmental delays recorded at the three health checks, to council level. Please see link:
Training
We are delighted to offer a Learning for Landscapes Outdoor Training session
Nurturing Nature – Family Learning in local Greenspace training will be taking place on Monday 20th May at Penicuik High School 9am – 3pm. Please see attached information for further details of the course content. Please note that the training will be a mixture of indoors and outdoors (please wear appropriate clothing/footwear), making use of a woodland area, which will be accessed via a hill.
Booking will be available via Eventbrite from 9am on Tuesday 23rd April using the link below:
Any queries please contact Emma Scafe.
Leadership in ELC
The next session of Leadership in ELC looking at motivating and empowering staff will be:
Tuesday 23rd 1.30pm – 4pm at Loanhead Primary
Please book via PLA Professional Learning Academy - Leadership Bookable Sessions (google.com)
or use Eventbrite links below
Adult Interactions part 4
The final session in this series on adult interactions will be Thursday 25th April from 7pm – 8pm and will focus on promoting independence and autonomy.
Please use link below to join the meeting
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 338 548 518 831
Passcode: ceRNff
Bookbug
Bookbug Explorer Bags
In Feb/March you were sent the resource pack for the next Bookbug Explorer pack, including your own copies of the 3 books – Bunnies On The Bus, I Did See A Mammoth and my absolute favourite Mavis the Bravest (possibly one for a future P1 transition theme?).
Please have a look but then keep them somewhere safe as you will not get your delivery of bags until next academic year. Future Midlothian deliveries are being moved for gifting during Bookbug Week which takes place in May – so your next delivery will be in 2025. This will help ensure that all of the right children receive their bag - 3 year olds/ante-preschoolers/N4’s/starting school in August 2026.
Would you like practical tips for gifting the bags in your setting? The Scottish book Trust are running a Webinar on Wednesday 24 April 2024: 4pm – 5pm. It will be available to watch on demand on the website or you can register to attend at www.scottishbooktrust.com/bookbugtraining
Bookbug Week, 13th – 19th May 2024
The theme for Bookbug week this year is Bookbug Says Hello! Bookbug is all about being accessible for every family and this year we want to invite families from different communities and cultures to be part of the Bookbug community. This is why, while the theme is Bookbug Says Hello, the focus is on saying hello in all the different languages spoken across Scotland. Maybe you could plan a trip to a Bookbug session in your local library or hold a special event to celebrate all the languages spoken in your setting. To help with this you could use www.lote4kids.com/uk-midlothian-libraries a free digital collection of picture books (ebooks and audiobooks) in a diverse range of world languages. All you need is your library membership number!
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too
“As a starting point, research with young children supports the view that the following dimensions are among the most important aspects of child development, underpinning not just learning but also essential for survival and flourishing: executive function and self-regulation, communication and language, confidence, creativity and curiosity, movement and coordination, and self and social development.”
Realising the Ambition page 23
Funded Provider Meetings
The next Funded Providers meeting will be on Tuesday 19th March 2pm -4pm at Penicuik High School. (Please come to main reception) This is a sharing practice session and will be focussed on the Seeds for Change resource for developing global citizenship as well as offering an opportunity to review ASN paperwork. Dates for meetings next term will be confirmed as soon as possible.
Midlothian Early Years Network
Our next Early Years Network meeting will be on Thursday 2nd May looking at transitions. Please contact one of us if you are interested in hosting on that date.
Adult Interactions online course
Due to unforeseen circumstances many people were unable to join the last session of this course on adult interactions. We will therefore re-run session 3 on Thursday 21st March from 7pm-8pm
Please see Teams link below:
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 334 106 115 749
Passcode: DqCSLz
Leadership in ELC
The next session of Leadership in ELC looking at staff wellbeing will be:
Friday 22nd March 1pm -3.30pm at Loanhead Primary
Tuesday 26th March 1.30pm – 4pm at Gorebridge Primary (please note change of venue)
Please book via PLA Professional Learning Academy - Leadership Bookable Sessions (google.com)
or use Eventbrite links below
Friday 22nd of March: Book Here
Tuesday 26th of March: Book here
Early Years Inclusion Update
Please see attached Early Years Inclusion Update along with Introduction to Signalong handout and details of Signalong workshop to be held in May
Safer Staffing – are you ready?
New legislation will be in place from 1st April and is becoming a focus in CI inspections.
Staff need to be able to talk about this new Act and provide evidence that it has been considered.
We will do an update on this and national standard compliance on Monday 25 March at 4-5pm. This will be a teams meeting.
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 397 687 092 564
Passcode: Njk5k8
Download Teams | Join on the web
Consultation on UNCRC
Please see below link to consultation on the statutory guidance for incorporation of UNCRC
Children Affected by Parental Substance Misuse
Please see attached flyer with information about a half day training course on supporting children affected by parental substance misuse
Demystifying Maths – Quick Reference Guide
Please see attached our quick reference guide to demystifying maths written by Liffy Kelly (Early Years Team) and Jane Cunningham (Mauricewood Primary School)
Congratulations
Congratulations to King’s Park Primary School ELC for their very positive inspection from the Care Inspectorate. Well done to all involved.
Please remember if you have a visit from the Care Inspectorate please let us know. We can then offer support if needed and attend feedback.
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
Midlothian Early Level Website
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too
It is important to consider the life-stories of the children in our settings from their earliest days. Practitioners should seek to learn from parents and carers the significant information about a child’s previous experiences. .... be attentive and know that a baby or young child comes into our care with their own unique set of countless experiences and interactions that have shaped who they are and how they respond to their world.
(Realising the ambition P17)
Early Years Network meeting
Thank you to everyone who came along to the Early Years Network meeting on Thursday. Please find attached the Power Point around global citizenship that was discussed.
The next EYN will take place on Thursday 2nd May, where we will discuss transitions (Venue TBC).
Information- from the Scottish Book trust:
I hope you are all well. We wanted to give you some brief updates including upcoming training available from Scottish Book Trust. This includes both funded and paid for opportunities.
Funded training - Applications for Bookbug Session Leader and Bookbug for the Home Training now open until Wednesday 13 March at 12pm.
This is for training taking place between April and June 2024, a full list of dates are shown on our website. All applicants will be notified on or before Monday 15 April about the outcome of their application.
Upcoming Bookbug Training Webinars:
We’re excited to announce further Bookbug training webinars taking place this year, as follows: Wednesday 20 March, 2-3pm:
Bookbug Baby and Toddler Bag Gifting – register Wednesday 24 April, 4-5pm:
Bookbug Explorer Bag Gifting Webinar. – register Tuesday 19 March, 3.30-4.30pm:
In it, we will explore how to choose and create sensory stories to create an inclusive and engaging learning environment for all.
Paid-for training Webinars:
All our webinars are live with the chance to chat to fellow practitioners and ask questions to the speakers. The webinars will be recorded and ticket holders will be sent a private link to the recorded session. You can also buy a ticket to access past webinars on-demand.
17 April 4-5pm – Casper Addyman – Laughing babies: The secret of our success
11 September 4-5pm – Prof Anna Franklin – Baby Vision and Baby Books
12 November 2-3pm – Liz Pemberton – Why anti-racist practice is important in the early years
There is a 20% discount available for purchases of 3 or more tickets.
https://shop.scottishbooktrust.com/collections/learning
In person training with Suzanne Zeedyk:
We will have an exclusive in person training day with Dr Suzanne Zeedyk on Wednesday 5 June 10-4pm at the SBT offices in Edinburgh City Centre. This day-long session with infant psychologist Dr Suzanne Zeedyk will give us a chance to explore this fascinating idea in depth. Tickets can be purchased using the link above. If you have any question about any of our training, please visit the Bookbug training page, or email bookbugtraining@scottishbooktrust.com.
Bookbug app
The Bookbug app has partnered with World Book Day this year! From 15 February – 31 March children can snuggle up and watch three of World Book Day’s Share A Story Corner’s stories on the app. Enjoy watching (and share widely): Elmer by David McKee , Brown Bear Wood: Grand Old Oak and the Birthday Ball by Rachel Piercey and Freya Hartas , Ruby's Worry by Tom Percival
Care Inspectorate
Congratulations to Scallywags Nursery in Loanhead who have just received a very positive care inspection. Well done Nicola and team!
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too
It is now widely acknowledged that the child’s earliest experiences at home and in education and care settings are critical for their future social and cognitive development.
A successful transition experience at this stage is likely to influence whether or not they can develop their full potential, and their ability to cope with future transitions.
(OECD,2017:13 )
Realising the Ambition page 92
Vacancy
Please find attached an opportunity for a secondment to Scots Corner in Penicuik.
ASN Training
Please note, due to unforeseen circumstances the ASN on-line training planned for Tuesday 5th March at 3.30 pm and 7 pm has been postponed to Tuesday 23rd April at 3.30pm and 7 pm. It will be on Trauma Informed Practice and Nuture presented by the Education Psychology team.
Enhanced Transitions Training will be held on Tuesday May 7th at 3.30 pm and 7pm
Safety
Inspectors across a few local authority areas have observed an increase in the use of water beads. Please see some information below about in case they are being used as a sensory play resource. Whilst they are attractive to children and appear fun to play with, they pose a serious risk if they are swallowed.
https://capt.org.uk/keep-water-beads-away-from-young-children/
Early Years Network Meeting
Our next Early Years network meeting will be on Thursday 7th March at King’s Park Primary from 3.30pm – 4.30pm. Please come along to talk about how you can support global citizenship using the Seeds for Change resource from Highland One World. This resource looks at play based ways to explore this very important topic and specifically encourages practitioners to think how they can challenge racism, encourage gender equal play and support connection to nature in settings.
The other sessions planned for the rest of this session are:
Thursday 2nd May
Thursday 6th June
Further details to follow.
Play pedagogy Network- P1 and beyond
Wednesday 13th March 2024 at Loanhead Primary School from 4pm – 5pm
This network is for anyone who is interested in play pedagogy in Primary School from P1 up. It provides a context for sharing good practice, learning about play pedagogy and exploring new and innovative ideas from guest speakers. Please share this information with anyone in your school who is working with P1 or above and interested in play pedagogy.
Leadership in ELC
To book a place on session 2 on ‘Putting your vision, values and aims into practice’ please follow eventbrite links below:
Friday 8th March: 1pm – 3.30pm
Tuesday 12th March: 1.30pm – 4pm
Delivered by Carole Roberts and Jenny Marr
Please contact us on carole.roberts@midlothian.gov.uk or j.marr@midlothian.education if we you have any queries.
SIMOA keeping children safe bitesize session
This bitesize has been developed jointly by the ELC improvement team and scrutiny and assurance colleagues leading on the SIMOA keeping children safe campaign. The bitesize is designed to be used alongside the ELC keeping children safe practice notes. You can watch this bitesize here.
ELC Self-Evaluation Toolkits and Webinars
Care Inspectorate have paused the launch of their self-evaluation toolkits and associated webinars until later in the year, to align more fully with the development of the shared framework with Education Scotland. The commitment to engaging and consulting with the sector remains, and they look forward to continuing this collaboration moving forward.
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
Midlothian Early Level Website
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too
“The quality of adult-child interactions is key in developing effective practice. This includes how we:
attune the interactions to the developmental stages of children, so that children are supported and also challenged,
use a range of communication and interaction strategies including describing and commenting on learning and handing over conversational control to children,
use skilful questions to extend learning, for example, “I wonder why..” I wonder if…”, and,
work together with children to solve problems, clarify concepts, develop thinking. This is known as sustained shared thinking.”
Realising the Ambition page 82
NEG
Thanks to everyone who came along to the meeting last week at Scots Corner. This was a really informative session about their teams work with Starcatchers. Huge thanks to Stacey, Julie and Carolanne for sharing their work. They are keen for feedback and happy to discuss further with you. The presentation can be accessed here - https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_Coq4qqU_1w54Se4PZV5xkOpd0v14hi0/edit#slide=id.p1
Midlothian Council Progression Pathways – Literacy, Numeracy and Health and wellbeing -uploading to Seesaw
In order to support your tracking and monitoring of these areas and show how we are working towards the Early Level Benchmarks, digital services have created a file which can be uploaded to Seesaw. It is our expectation that all settings are using the progression pathways to track learning. This can be done via Seesaw or on paper. Guidance and word documents attached
The Progression Pathways can be added to Seesaw by any Seesaw admin within a setting through importing this CSV file.
Deferral to P1
Please encourage parents who wish to defer entry to P1 to submit deferrals via our on-line system – if you can ask them to use the link provided that would be appreciated.
https://www.midlothian.gov.uk/info/879/school_places/692/deferred_entry_to_primary_school
For those who require assistance please use the form attached. Guidance notes also attached
Play pedagogy Network- P1 and beyond
We are delighted to announce that we will be resuming our play pedagogy network meetings from next month. New and old members are invited to join us on
Wednesday 13th March 2024 at Loanhead Primary School from 4pm – 5pm
for consultation about the future direction of these meetings. This network is for anyone who is interested in play pedagogy in Primary School from P1 up. It provides a context for sharing good practice, learning about play pedagogy and exploring new and innovative ideas from guest speakers. Please share this information with anyone in your school who is working with P1 or above and interested in play pedagogy.
Adult interactions online course
Part 3 of our online course exploring adult interactions will take place on Thursday 29th February from 7pm – 8pm. In this session we will continue to look at interactions that support learning and use the adult engagement scale to reflect on our own interactions
Please see Teams link below
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 317 610 362 980
Passcode: mzPDCZ
Leadership in ELC
We are looking forward to our first session of Leadership in ELC for Local Authority settings on Tuesday 27th February from 1.30pm – 4pm at Loanhead Primary School.
If you haven’t booked a place but would like to attend please e-mail Carole or Jenny
Carole.Roberts@midlothian.gov.uk
J.Marr@midlothian.education
To book a place on session 2 on ‘Putting your vision, values and aims into practice’ please follow eventbrite links below:
Friday 8th March: 1pm – 3.30pm
Leadership in ELC session 2 - Putting Vision, Values and Aims into Practice - Friday 8th March
Tuesday 12th March: 1.30pm – 4pm
Leadership in ELC - session 2. Putting Vision, Values and Aims into practice - Tuesday 12th March
Care Inspectorate: Growing My Potential Practice Note (attached)
Care Inspectorate are very focussed on this document at the moment so please draw it to the attention of all staff.
ASN training
Please see attached slides from latest ASN training session on ‘My Predictable Day’
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
https://sites.google.com/midlothian.education/earlylevelmidlothianstaffsite
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
https://sway.office.com/6KDdYrnlwmVFStBg?ref=email
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too
https://sites.google.com/midlothian.education/mid-pla/home
Welcome to our Early Years weekly update this week.
'We know how babies and children learn best. They learn best in an environment of quality interactions, interesting spaces and when the experiences on offer are set in meaningful contexts. They learn best in environments that inspire them to be curious and creative.'
(RTA Section 5, Page 52)
Are your children learning in environments that inspire curiosity and creativity or are you missing opportunities for creativity by using adult-directed activities to produce 'cute' art? See article below for information on how art develops the whole child.
Experiencing creative art in early childhood | Community Playthings
Funded Provider Meeting rescheduled to Tuesday 13th February
Unfortunately the date we selected for our Funded Provider business meeting clashes with Child Protection training which many of you are attending. This meeting has been rescheduled to Tuesday 13th February 2pm – 4pm at Loanhead Primary (venue subject to confirmation)
Job opportunity (Local authority only)
Senior Early Years Practitioner -Mount Esk Nursery School Bonnyrigg
We have an exciting opportunity to support Mount Esk Nursery School as a SEYP.
This secondment will be from Feb 2024 to Dec 2024.
We are looking for someone who currently is a SEYP (maybe you fancy a wee change/ a new challenge?) or an EYP with aspirations.
We are seeking practitioners with significant experience in an ELC environment. Please circulate to all ELC staff (see attached).
New 0-3 planning document
A new birth to three planning document and guidance is due to be piloted shortly. We hope that this will be available for all settings to use by the summer term. With thanks to the staff of Midlothian Sure Start, Scots Corner and Scallywags for taking part in the pilot. Watch this space!
Adult role training
Session 2 of our adult role training is on Thursday 8th February 2024 from 7pm – 8.15pm. In this session we will start to look at how adult interactions can support and extend learning in child-led learning experiences.
Please see link below
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 336 934 209 637
Passcode: qDNist
If you didn’t sign up for session 1 (Thursday 18th January) but would like to join the course now please e-mail Carole Roberts carole.roberts@midlothian.gov.uk
Leadership Training
Leadership in ELC – Save the date!
We are delighted to be offering further professional development opportunities for Leaders in ELC including Managers, Senior EYP’s, and PT’s or DHT’s with an Early Years remit.
Dates for the 6 sessions are as follows
Tuesday afternoons 1.30pm – 4pm for SEYP’s DHT’s and PT’s with Early Years remits in LA settings
Tuesday 27th February
Tuesday 12th March
Tuesday 26th March
Tuesday 23rd April
Tuesday 7th May
Tuesday 21st May
Friday afternoons 1pm – 3.30pm for SEYP’s and Managers in Funded Provider settings
Friday 23rd February
Friday 8th March
Friday 22nd March
Friday 19th April
Friday 3rd May
Friday 24th May
Please note the first dates are February not March as previously advertised
Further details about content and booking information to follow. This will also be available on PLA website.
ASN Training Reminder (please note timings have been corrected)
The focus for the next ASN training is Supporting Understanding using Objects, Signs and Symbols on Tuesday 6th February 3.30 – 4.30 or 7pm – 8pm.
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SEIC
Please use link below to access SEIC ELC pamphlets which are now available in padlet form.
https://padlet.com/seicollab/early-years-pedagogy-in-practice-d50n54u2noqrw1to
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Care Inspectorate Updates
Below is the link to the Care Inspectorate’s evaluation of their improvement programme:
Early learning and childcare (ELC) improvement programme evaluation
Please contact elcimprove@careinspectorate.gov.scot for more information.
Self-evaluation webinars
As part of the Care Inspectorate's series of webinars to support the care sector, we are hosting sessions focused on self-evaluation for people working in or providing early learning and childcare (ELC) and out of school care services.
The webinars aim to increase people’s confidence and skills in undertaking self-evaluation in their service. We will be working through the self-evaluation process and offering some practical support for how this can be used in services.
The webinar will feature interactive activities and you may find it helpful to have a second device such as a mobile phone or tablet available to allow you to participate in these. You can access our current guide to self-evaluation in care services here.
Supporting healthy smiles
Toothbrushing experiences within early learning and childcare (ELC) settings, including childminders, are a vital way of ensuring all children are given opportunities to develop their oral hygiene skills.
Our new practice note, Supporting healthy smiles: Childsmile practice note for early learning and childcare, has been written, in collaboration with colleagues at Childsmile, to help celebrate the excellent work in improving children’s dental health and oral hygiene across the country, as well as to support ongoing development of this initiative across ELC settings. It is designed to act as a tool to prompt reflection and develop approaches to toothbrushing, supporting good oral hygiene throughout life.
Annual returns
The annual return is now available for services to complete. The deadline for submissions is Sunday 17 March 2024.
And finally …..
Congratulations.
Congratulations to Melissa Stewart at Mount Esk Family Learning Centre for achieving an A in her action research project for her BA in Childhood Practice. Melissa was looking at how speech and language could be improved by working with parents using the Up, Up and Away toolkit.
If you would like to highlight some of your work-related successes or congratulate someone in the weekly update please contact your link PT.
If you would like any further information or training on Up, Up and Away please contact
Jacqueline.matthew@midlothian.gov.uk
Or
Emma.scafe@midlothian.gov.uk
‘As practitioners across ELC settings and schools we need to work together to plan for progression in learning and for continuity across a child-centred play pedagogy and curriculum.’ (Realising the Ambition pg. 45)
New Early Years Network Meetings
In place of the previously much loved Collaborative Conversations we are introducing monthly Early Years network meetings for Senior EYPs in Local Authority and Funded Provider settings. These will be held on the first Thursday of every month between 3.30pm and 4.30pm (with the first 15 minutes for refreshments and to allow flexibility for those who need to travel.)
The first meeting will be Thursday 1st February, at Loanhead Primary School. There will be an opportunity for you to shape the future of these meetings so please come along and have your say. Refreshments will be provided (please bring your own cup/mug with you).
Neglect Toolkit Training
One of the priorities of the East Lothian and Midlothian Public Protection Committee is to ensure staff across all services are equipped to understand and respond to neglect. To support this agenda you are invited to join our free, two hour learning event which is open to all staff, volunteers and decision makers in East Lothian and Midlothian who work with/support children and families. Please distribute widely amongst your colleagues and networks. Please note this is the same briefing that was held last year and will again be delivered by Child and Family Training. Read more in the attached flyer and join our event by clicking on the link below.
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 371 598 296 205
Passcode: dZgEbs
Please note that the subject matter will include issues around harm and abuse, which we recognise can be emotive for some people. We would ask you to bear this in mind when you come along to the training, and if you need support before or after, please discuss with your line manager so that you can look after yourself during and after the training.
Leadership in ELC Training – Save the date reminder!
We are delighted to be offering further professional development opportunities for Leaders in ELC including Managers, Senior EYPs, and PTs or DHTs with an Early Years remit.
The 6 sessions which will further explore essential leadership qualities will be:
Friday afternoons (alternate) for Managers of Funded Providers starting on Friday 23rd March
Tuesday afternoons (alternate) for SEYP’s and DHT’s/PT’s starting on Tuesday 27th March
Further details including booking information to follow.
ASN Training
The focus for the next ASN training is Supporting Understanding using Objects, Signs and Symbols on Tuesday 6th February 3pm – 4pm or 7pm – 8pm. Please see the attached poster for more details.
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Care Inspectorate Updates
Below is the link to the Care Inspectorate’s evaluation of their improvement programme:
Early learning and childcare (ELC) improvement programme evaluation
Please contact elcimprove@careinspectorate.gov.scot for more information.
Self-evaluation webinars
As part of the Care Inspectorate's series of webinars to support the care sector, we are hosting sessions focused on self-evaluation for people working in or providing early learning and childcare (ELC) and out of school care services.
The webinars aim to increase people’s confidence and skills in undertaking self-evaluation in their service. We will be working through the self-evaluation process and offering some practical support for how this can be used in services.
The webinar will feature interactive activities and you may find it helpful to have a second device such as a mobile phone or tablet available to allow you to participate in these. You can access our current guide to self-evaluation in care services here.
Early learning and childcare and out of school services
Tuesday 12 March 2024, 10:00-11:30
Find out more and register here.
Tuesday 26 March 2024, 18:30-20:00
Find out more and register here.
By registering for this event, you consent to the Care Inspectorate storing your name, details of your job role and email address. We will use these details to invite you to the event and to send you materials related to the event, such as recordings or questions and answers after the event has concluded. We also use this data to measure the impact our work is having. Your participation in the event is optional and if you no longer wish to be contacted in relation to the event, please click the cancellation link in your confirmation email. When we have concluded the process of distributing materials related to the event, we will delete your personal details.
Safe staffing regional events
The safe staffing programme team invites you to register for one of our regional countdown events on the implementation of the Health and Care Staffing Scotland Act 2019, being enacted on 1 April 2024.
Each session will last two hours and will give you the opportunity to learn more about the Health and Care Staffing Scotland Act 2019.
Please see details below for local venue, dates and start times for your service type.
Tea and coffee will be provided.
01 February 24 - Glasgow Woodside Hall, 36 Glenfarg Street, Glasgow, G20 7QE
10:00 Early learning and childcare services; children and young people’s services.
08 February 24 - Edinburgh 13:30 Apex Waterloo Hotel, 23-27 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3BG
Early learning and childcare services; children and young people’s services.
Annual returns
The annual return is now available for services to complete. The deadline for submissions is Sunday 17 March 2024.
Reinforced Autoclave Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in buildings providing daycare of children and childminding services
Please be reminded of your responsibilities to take action to assess for the presence of reinforced autoclave aerated concrete (RAAC) in your buildings and take action if RAAC is discovered, liaising with the relevant authorities as appropriate. This was outlined in the letter issued by the Scottish Government last year which is available to read here.
International English Language Testing System Certificates
The Scottish Government has highlighted a potential fraud risk following the identification of fraudulently acquired International English Language Testing (IELTS) certificates. You can read more about this here.
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Funded Providers only:
Funded Provider Meeting
Due to unforeseen circumstances, there has been a change of date for the next funded provider meeting - apologies for any inconvenience caused.
This will now take place on Tuesday 6th February 2pm – 4pm at Loanhead Primary School (Venue TBC, but will be at Loanhead unless we send out further communication).
Funding Follows the Child and the National Standard
The Improvement Service and Scottish Government are running information sessions about the updated Operating Guidance in February. Register to attend here for LA Leads on 5 February and here for PVI settings on 8 February.
Review of Sustainable Rates
The Scottish Government and COSLA published the Early Learning and Childcare: Review of Sustainable Rates on 20 December 2023, which examined the approach to setting rates for providers of funded ELC in the private, third and childminding sectors. While rates are increasing, the Review recommends further actions to improve rate-setting. The Scottish Government and COSLA will set out more detail on implementing the recommendations in early 2024 and will continue to work together to consider wider action in this area.
Notifications
Settings still need to remember to complete staff absences and vacancies notification on a Tuesday
The Environment of relationships within an early years setting is just as important as the physical environment’ (Mortensen and Barnet, 2015) cited in Realising the Ambition pg 32
New Early Years Network Meetings
In place of the previously much loved Collaborative Conversations we are introducing monthly Early Years network meetings for Senior EYP’s in Local Authority and Funded Provider settings. These will be held on the first Thursday of every month between 3.30pm and 4.30pm (with the first 15 minutes for refreshments and to allow flexibility for those who need to travel.)
The first meeting will be Thursday 1st February at Loanhead Primary School. There will be an opportunity for you to shape the future of these meetings so please come along and have your say.
Leadership in ELC – Save the date!
We are delighted to be offering further professional development opportunities for Leaders in ELC including Managers, Senior EYP’s, and PT’s or DHT’s with an Early Years remit.
The 6 sessions which will further explore essential leadership qualities will be:
Friday afternoons (alternate) for Managers of Funded Providers starting on Friday 23rd March
Tuesday afternoons (alternate) for SEYP’s and DHT’s/PT’s starting on Tuesday 27th March
Further details including booking information to follow.
Mental health and wellbeing learning resource for EY professionals
A new resource for those working with children aged 0-5yrs & their families to support learning around mental health and wellbeing. (see attached)
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
Midlothian Early level website
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too
Midlothian Professional Learning Academy
ASN training and support
Thank you to everyone who turned up to the training over the last two weeks, it was well attended. Up up and away should be used to understand the stage of development of a child. Inclusion and Wellbeing officers will be able to help with any of the positive behaviour support and STAR plans. We are working on supporting settings to implement 'My Predictable Day' (visual timetable) as appropriate over the next term. Your Inclusion and Wellbeing Officer will be able find out the correct level for visuals for individual children.
Please see below for the slides from last week’s training on Positive Behaviour supports
Happy New Year and welcome to the first weekly update of 2024
Hope your first week back went well and you have had a restful weekend.
Have a good week.
Julie
" Each child's needs should be at the centre of how we think about and plan for their unique development. Children have their own ideas and plans and their brains and bodies are good at seeking out the kinds of activities, environments and encounters that they need to help them develop"
(Realising the Ambition Page 12)
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Shared inspection Framework
Joint statement from the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland on the shared inspection framework for early learning and childcare (ELC) services, including childminding and school-aged childcare in Scotland.
The Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland have published a draft version of the new shared inspection framework.
Implementation Timeframe - There is currently going to be a delay in plans to use this as further consultation is taking place. Please share your views to inform the final shared framework. Sally and the PTs are working on a LA response and can send this on if helpful.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials, remember you can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Local authority settings only:
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too.
Training
The Adult Role
This course on adult interactions and learning will be delivered online by Carole Roberts (PT Early Years) and Lesley Benn (PT Early Years) It will use the Adult Engagement Scale to encourage participants to reflect on their own practice in relation to supporting and extending learning and it will explore how to ‘tune into' children’s learning in order to optimise the impact of interactions. In addition to the Adult Engagement Scale the content of this course will draw on Julie Fisher’s book ‘Interfering or Interacting’
Thursday 18th January 2024
Thursday 8th February 2024
Thursday 29th February2024
Thursday 21st March 2024
All meetings are online (MS Teams) - 7pm-8pm
Please visit the Professional Learning Academy website to book a place through Eventbrite or follow the link below:
If you have problems with accessing Eventbrite please contact Carole.Roberts@midlothian.gov.uk
Link for 1st session:
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 365 447 113 003
Passcode: DGqqw5
ASN Training
The slides from Part 1 of the training led by Natalia Zamzam from CAMHS are attached . Part 2 will take place on Tuesday 16th January 3.30 – 4.30 and can be booked through Eventbrite. The second part of the training will focus on practical strategies.
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 368 655 276 476
Passcode: VCwjpY
Sensory Friendly Bookbug Sessions
These sessions will take place on Saturday mornings at 10.30 in Penicuik Library from 13th January. Numbers will be limited to 10 per session and will provide a sensory friendly space for children with additional support needs to enjoy stories and rhymes.
Please promote these sessions to families of children who might benefit from quieter, smaller sessions. To find out more information and to book your place please contact Penicuik Library 01968 664 050
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Training Opportunities at Edinburgh College
PDA Level 8 Childhood Practice
PDA Level 8 Childhood Practice is an online evening course designed for people already working in the early education, childcare or playwork sectors who are interested in progressing with their careers. The course has a strong focus on leadership and professional practice and aims to improve your knowledge, understanding and skills.
Two-year course, starting January 2024
Thursday evenings – 6.30pm-8.30pm
Find out more and book your place
PDA Level 9 Childhood Practice
PDA Level 9 Childhood Practice is a qualification designed for lead practitioners and managers of childcare and playwork settings. This qualification is equivalent to a university degree and is accepted by the SSSC for registration as lead practitioner/manager.
This course is now full for session 2023/24
We are hosting an information event for our 2024/25 intake, email to register your interest below.
Award in Forest Kindergarten
This two-day, SQA-certificated, Forest Kindergarten course has been designed to meet the needs of practitioners who would like to set up a regular routine of off-site visits to a local wood or nearby greenspace for children in their setting. It is becoming increasingly recognised that there are many benefits to allowing children to play freely in local woodlands on a frequent and regular basis.
Two days on campus – April 2024
Find out more and book your place
Childhood Practice: Additional Credits
This course offers continuing professional development (CPD) for those already working with children and young people in a childcare setting. Individual units offer current knowledge and information in the subject areas and are ideal for people who would like to update their existing qualifications or complete additional credits.
Flexible open learning, flexible start date
Find out more and book your place
Supporting Play and Play Pedagogy
This course is designed to support and develop an understanding of play as the key mechanism for learning, development and wellbeing, and the importance of play for its own sake. Through exploring and reflecting on current thinking, guidance frameworks and practical approaches, the course aims to develop the confidence, creativity and practice of those who work with children and young people in settings which are predominantly play-based (or moving towards this).
12-week course, starting January 2024
Wednesday evenings – 6.30pm-8.30pm
Find out more and book your place
Final update of 2023 – hope it’s a good week and see you all in 2024!
Funding Follows the Child and National Standard Operating Guidance
On behalf of Eleanor Passmore Deputy Director Early Learning and Childcare, Scottish Government:
On Thursday, the Scottish Government published updated Funding Follows the Child and National Standard Operating Guidance - Funding Follows The Child and The National Standard for Early Learning and Childcare Providers: Operating Guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).
As you will be aware, Funding Follows the Child and the National Standard is the policy framework for the provision of funded early learning and childcare (ELC).
Operating Guidance was originally published in 2018 ahead of the 1140 expansion, however Interim Guidance was created in 2021 and 2022 to take into account the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and to afford some necessary flexibilities in the system.
Following engagement with stakeholders, the Operating Guidance has now been updated, as was the commitment within the 2022 Interim Guidance.
Education Scotland - Shared Inspection Framework
The deadline for responding to the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland’s draft version of the new shared inspection framework has now been extended.
You now have until 19 January 2024 to take part in an online survey comprising of 12 short questions relating to the new framework.
Midlothian Training
The Adult Role
This course on adult interactions and learning will be delivered online by Carole Roberts (PT Early Years) and Lesley Benn (PT Early Years) It will use the Adult Engagement Scale to encourage participants to reflect on their own practice in relation to supporting and extending learning and it will explore how to ‘tune into' children’s learning in order to optimise the impact of interactions. In addition to the Adult Engagement Scale the content of this course will draw on Julie Fisher’s book ‘Interfering or Interacting’
Thursday 18th January 2024
Thursday 8th February 2024
Thursday 29th February2024
Thursday 21st March 2024
all online 7pm-8pm
Link for 1st session:
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 365 447 113 003
Passcode: DGqqw5
Training from CAHMS
‘The whys’ behind the behaviour - Understanding behind the scenes, the compulsory and consistent use of my predictable visual timetable - which will support me to regulate and make progress in my learning
Microsoft Teams meeting Tuesday 9th and 16th January 2024 15:30 - 16:30
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 368 655 276 476
Passcode: VCwjpY
An Introduction to Signalong
Wednesday 17th January, 15:45-17:15, Online via Teams
A session for those who are new to using Signalong to support communication or for those who would benefit from a refresher.
Speech and Language – Visuals
Tuesday 7th February 3:30pm – 4.30pm & 7pm – 8 pm
Book on Eventbrite
Occupational Therapy – Understanding Sensory Systems
Tuesday 7th March 3.30 – 4.30 pm & 7pm – 8pm
Book on Eventbrite
Speech and Language - Transitions
Tuesday 2nd May 3.30 – 4.30 pm & 7pm – 8pm
Book on Eventbrite
TBC
Tuesday 6th June 3.30 - 4.30pm & 7 pm – 8 pm
Book on Eventbrite
The Care Inspectorate
https://hub.careinspectorate.com/media/5408/elc-safe-staffing-poster-aug-23.pdf
The Froebel Partnership - Mealtimes
https://thefroebelpartnership.co.uk/mealtimes/
SEYP Secondment Opportunity - Mount Esk Nursery Bonnyrigg
We have an exciting opportunity to support Mount Esk Nursery School as a SEYP. This secondment will be from Jan 2023 to Jan 2024.
You will currently be a SEYP or an EYP with aspirations. You will have significant experience in an ELC environment.
You must demonstrate leadership qualities combined with good communication, organisational, motivational, and interpersonal skills. Evidence of good team working and collaboration skills is required along with a flexible and responsive approach, self- motivation, the ability to work under pressure as well as the capability to take on additional responsibilities as and when required. You will also be able to demonstrate a passion and flair for working with young children and families as well as a commitment to equality and social inclusion.
Please discuss this with your line manager in the first instance.
If you would then like to be considered for this role, please email Claire Fergusson Head Teacher, c.fergusson@midlothian.education with an expression of your interest in approx. 250 words by Friday 15th December.
Interviews will be held the week commencing 19th December.
Midlothian Update:
Funded Providers Meetings
The next funded providers meeting was scheduled for Friday 8th December with a business focus. Please note this meeting will be replaced by the safer staffing virtual meeting on Thursday 7th December from 4pm – 5pm on Teams. This is open to everyone and there is no need to book.
Please see link below
Microsoft Teams meeting:
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 362 333 754 254
Passcode: XUqiHh
The following meeting on Tuesday 30th January 2024 will now have a business focus and we will advise a new date for a sharing practice meeting in the New Year.
Local Authority - NEG
Please note this months NEG will be replaced by the safer staffing virtual meeting on Thursday 7th December from 4pm – 5pm on Teams. This is open to everyone and there is no need to book.
Please see link below
Microsoft Teams meeting:
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 362 333 754 254
Passcode: XUqiHh
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Scottish Government Update:
Early learning and childcare: national induction resource (3 Nov)
This resource (attached) has been developed to support professionals in their induction to delivering early learning and childcare (ELC) – whether that is funded ELC or that which families purchase themselves. It sets out how they can expect employers to support them in their new role.
ELC National Induction Resource
Draft shared inspection framework for early learning and childcare services including childminding and school-aged childcare in Scotland – Survey for stakeholder views.
We are writing to you with regards to seeking views on the draft version of the shared inspection framework for the inspection of early learning and childcare, including childminders and school-aged childcare in Scotland.
The development of a shared inspection framework in collaboration with The Care Inspectorate was as a result of Ken Muir’s 2022 report, ‘Putting Learners at the Centre: Towards a Future Vision for Scottish Education’. The report included the recommendation that the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland should develop a shared framework for the inspection of early learning and childcare (ELC). Following the Scottish Government’s consultation seeking views on the future of inspection of ELC including childminders and school-aged childcare settings, we have today published a draft version of this shared inspection framework.
We aim for this new framework to provide support to the sector with self-evaluation, as well as reducing the burden of having to engage with two separate quality frameworks.
We would like to hear your feedback on the draft framework and invite you to complete a short online survey before 22 December 2023.
Once we have considered stakeholder views, we will publish a final draft of the shared inspection framework in January 2024.
We would like to thank you all again for your support in the development of this framework and look forward to hearing your views.
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Other Updates:
Midlothian SureStart AGM (see leaflet attached)
Midlothian Sure Start’s AGM and Market Place is on the 6th of December at 10am at St John’s and Kings Park Church, 31 Eskbank Road Dalkeith. If you have not already joined up please consider doing so here
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/.../midlothian-sure-start...
Please feel free to pop in if you cannot attend for the whole event (10-12)
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too.
Midlothian Professional Learning Academy
Children in Scotland : New eLearning module
Visual Impairment in Preschool Children
Children in Scotland are committed to bringing quality, accessible training courses that inspire and inform as many people working in the children's sector as possible.
One of the ways we do this is through our eLearning Hub. This November we launched a new module, Visual Impairment in Preschool Children in collaboration with Sight Scotland and Visibility Scotland.
This course will help you understand what visual impairment is and how to identify a child who may be affected. It will increase your knowledge of multisensory learning techniques, enhance your understanding of the relationship between food and eye health, and provide you with strategies to promote inclusivity and support, encourage food acceptance and avoid sensory dislikes in your early years’ settings.
Wednesday, 29 May 2024, 09:00 am - 4:00 pm – Edinburgh
Children in Scotland's Annual Conference 2024 Our Annual Conference will return to Murrayfield in 2024! Super early bird tickets are available now. Are you interested in hosting a workshop, having an exhibition stall or becoming a sponsor? Tell us here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/V28QW8Z
Midlothian Updates :
Early Learning and Childcare Start Dates
Next week (20th – 24th November) is P1 enrolment week. Please ensure that all parents with children eligible to start P1 in August 24 are aware of this.
Application forms can be found on Midlothian Council’s website. Any questions contact Magnus Inglis
Magnus.Inglis@midlothian.gov.uk
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
Midlothian Professional Learning on SWAY
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too.
Midlothian Professional learning academy
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Local Authority only:
NEG meeting – 7 December
The next meeting will be the safer staffing virtual meeting on Thursday 7th December from 4pm – 5pm on Teams. This is open to everyone and there is no need to book.
Please see link below
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 362 333 754 254
Passcode: XUqiHh
Secondment opportunity for SEYP at Mount Esk.
An opportunity has arisen at Mount Esk and we would appreciate if you could please share this with your practitioners. (see attached)
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Funded Providers Only:
Funded Provider Meetings
The next funded providers meeting was scheduled for Friday 8th December with a business focus. Please note this meeting will be replaced by the safer staffing virtual meeting on Thursday 7th December from 4pm – 5pm on Teams. This is open to everyone and there is no need to book.
Please see link below
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 362 333 754 254
Passcode: XUqiHh
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Care Inspectorate Updates
We will be updating the resource Space to Grow: Design guidance for early learning and childcare and out of school care settings. As part of this review, we are keen to hear views from across the ELC sector.
The resource is a design guide for non-domestic premises-based ELC and school-aged childcare settings.
We are encouraging all stakeholders to share their views through the consultation which will be open until Wednesday 6 December. You can access the consultation through this SmartSurvey link.
Each year, we ask you to complete an annual return. This gives us important information that helps us plan, inform and carry out our inspections and improvement work. This year's annual returns will be available between 8 January and 18 February 2024.
The annual return will be available for you to complete through our online eForms system. The annual return must be completed electronically, using the eForms system. It is important that you regularly check your eForms account to make sure that your email address is up to date, and that only you or authorised people have access to the account. You should check your eForms email address now to ensure you are notified when the annual returns go live. You can do that here.
Even if your service is inactive, you must still submit an annual return.
Further information and guidance about annual returns is available on our website
Within the early learning and childcare (ELC) sector, the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 will place duties on care service providers for daycare of children services and childminders.
To support services to prepare for the enactment of the Act in April 2024, we are running a series of webinars. These will be relevant to
anyone working in the ELC sector, such as staff, managers, and senior management teams.
Find our more about each session and register to attend here.
Are you ready for the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) 2019 Act's implementation in April 2024? Let us know by completing our short poll.
Thank you to everyone who has responded to the survey about our draft quality framework for childcare agencies.
The survey is still open until Friday 15 December.
We are keen to get feedback on the framework from our partners, staff working in these services, and people who experience care.
We would appreciate if you could read our draft framework and complete our survey to let us know what you think.
We’ve created a Christmas activity advent calendar for all care services to adapt to suit the people you love and care for. We would love you to get involved in as many of these activities as you can and share your photos with us. Remember to use the #CAREistmas2023 when sharing your posts on social media. We can’t wait to see them. Download our advent calendar and other materials here.
A newly updated and condensed version of the ELC national induction resource to support new professionals in the sector is available here. An editable copy of the reflective questions will follow soon.
Information Commissioner's Office
Link to Early Level website
Please save this in your bookmarks or favorites
Electric socket covers
In the attached link are a few videos demonstrating the dangers of using socket covers. They can quite easily and quickly defeat the inbuilt safety mechanisms and increase significantly the dangers of children being electrocuted.
Safe Staffing Programme : information for ELC services
Reminder – a virtual session has been arranged for 7 December from 4-5pm, link was sent last week.
Supporting Potty Training in early years settings
Care Inspectorate held webinar training on supporting potty training this week which was led by the charity ‘eric’ The Children’s Bowel &Bladder Charity. There are lots of support materials for both ELC settings and parents on their website. See below
Potty Training support materials
Review of Space to Grow: Design guidance for early learning and childcare and out of school care
Space to Grow was launched in 2017 and is the Scottish design guidance for premises-based day care of children settings including school aged childcare. The resource is not for childminding settings.
Since Space to Grow was launched in 2017, there have been several developments which has impacted on the delivery of early learning and childcare (ELC) and school-aged childcare. This includes the expansion of ELC, the innovative approaches to how care and learning is delivered and increased provision such as a meal for every funded ELC child. The pandemic has also impacted on how the environment requires to be flexible to meet the needs of children.
In recognition of the need to refresh and update this resource, the Scottish Government requested that the Care Inspectorate lead and work with stakeholders to develop a revised resource by the end of March 2024.
Karen Quinn, Team Manager at the Care Inspectorate, is leading this project. As part of the review there will be consultation across the sector with all stakeholders including providers, managers, practitioners, parents and children. We want to encourage you to share your views through this consultation which will be open until Wednesday 6 December.
You can access the consultation document through this link.
At the request of the sector, the Care Inspectorate developed additional resources to support indoor/outdoor and satellite settings. It is anticipated these resources and other premises related resources will be incorporated into the updated Space to Grow.
(Local Authority only)
Secondment opportunity for SEYP at Mount Esk.
An opportunity has arisen at Mount Esk and we would appreciate if you could please share this with all your practitioners EYP and SEYP. (see below)
Funded Provider Settings
Meetings
Please see attached power point presentation and minutes from meeting at Strathesk on Tuesday 31st October.
We were very disappointed that only a small number of settings attended this meeting. We take time to prepare and ensure that we have relevant information to share with you. The expectation as part of our contract with you is that someone from your setting attends the meetings. We really appreciate our collaborative working with you.
Dates for future meetings
Friday 8th December – Business focus (online)
Tuesday 30th January – Sharing Practice: Loanhead Primary School
Friday 15th March – Business focus (online)
Tuesday 30th April - Sharing Practice: Gorebridge Primary School
Friday 14th June – Business focus online
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Care Inspectorate
Staffing and recruitment
Candice Aitken from the Care Inspectorate has offered to deliver a one hour overview of the upcoming legislation on safe staffing. This will be on Thursday 7th December from 4pm – 5pm on Teams. This is open to everyone and there is no need to book.
Please see link below
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 362 333 754 254
Passcode: XUqiHh
Care Inspectorate and SSSC have also published new guidance on safer recruitment. You can download this document by following the link or by using QR code below
https://www.careinspectorate.com/images/documents/Safer_recruitment_guidance_2023.pdf
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Midlothian Sure Start AGM
This will be held on Wednesday 8th December 2023 at St.John’s and King’s Park Church, Dalkeith. Please save the date
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Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
https://sites.google.com/midlothian.education/earlylevelmidlothianstaffsite
The 2023-24 training directory has now been uploaded with dates for mandatory training courses for Funded Providers. There are still spaces available on some of these courses in November and December so check out what is coming up.
Dates for other live training events will be published in advance through this update. Remember to check our Bite size classrooms regularly as new modules are added throughout the year. You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
https://sway.office.com/6KDdYrnlwmVFStBg?ref=email
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Local Authority Settings
Midlothian Apple RTC sessions
All Midlothian Apple RTC sessions are now available to book via the Professional Learning Academy. These sessions are aimed at all staff who use iPads with their pupils.
The Midlothian RTC offer consists of four sessions which will take place across the course of the academic year: Getting Started with iPad, Accessibility with iPad, Creativity with iPad and Show and Share. All of these sessions will take place in-person and will be repeated for each ASG.
The sessions begin with Getting Started with iPad which takes place over the next few weeks as follows:
You can find the full list of dates and venues here. There will also be an online option for each of the sessions which can also be booked via the PLA.
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SSSC Updates
Tell us your views on the new CPL requirements
We’ve reviewed our continuous processional learning (CPL) requirements to give a more flexible approach and make sure you have the right skills at the right time in your career journey.
We want to hear from people working in social work, social care and children and young people services and their employers to help finalise the new process.
Find out more and respond to the consultation..
Safer recruitment through better recruitment
An updated version of Safer Recruitment Through Better Recruitment is now available.
This joint SSSC and Care Inspectorate guidance will help employers to meet legislative and regulatory requirements for the recruitment and selection of staff into social work, social care and children and young people services in Scotland.
Discover your potential with Leading to Change - it's for everyone
Did you know that Leading to Change is for everyone, whatever position, working in social work, social care and children and young people services?
You can use this service to help you recognise the leadership skills you already have and how best to build on these skills.
Leading to change has lots of resources and opportunities and will work with you to develop your leadership skills.
What is Leading to Change? Watch the video...
Visit the Leading to Change website...
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Scottish Government consultation on changes to our Register
Following our Register for the future consultation in 2022, Scottish Government is now consulting on those parts of the proposals that may need legislative change.
The Scottish Government consultation is open now until 2 January 2024.
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Local Authority:
Our next NEG meeting will be on 7 November at Bonnyrigg PS at 4pm, with an opportunity to visit the nursery at 3.30pm. Please send any agenda items by Friday.
The final NEG of the term will be held at Mount Esk NS on 5 December, 4-5.30pm and this will be an opportunity to view the nursery and have some seasonal refreshments.
Funded Providers
Our first Funded Provider meeting will be held next week on Tuesday 31st October 2023 at Strathesk Primary School. The meeting will be from 2pm – 4pm and the focus of this meeting will be on the new structure at Midlothian Council including PT support, staff development opportunities and ASN. We will also be joined by Magnus Inglis who will give an overview of this year’s ELC and school registration process.
Dates for future meetings are as follows
Friday 8th December – Business focus (online)
Tuesday 30th January – Sharing Practice: Loanhead Primary School
Friday 15th March – Business focus (online)
Tuesday 30th April - Sharing Practice: Gorebridge Primary School
Friday 14th June – Business focus online
Early Learning and Childcare Start Dates
Please find attached a table setting out when entitlement to ELC starts for three year olds. Please take this opportunity to refresh your memory of the different dates that children become entitled, with the more complicated ones being:
a child turning three at any point in August is entitled from the first day of term as per the legislation - if they have not turned three on the first day of term and the setting is only Care Inspectorate registered for age three and over then they can start from when they turn three
a child turning three in November or December is entitled from the first day of term in January. We don’t start November birthdays in December to avoid children transitioning in to the setting for just a short period before the holidays, then having to transition in again in January
Please also remember that if a child moving to you is currently attending a private or voluntary nursery or childminder (no matter whether or not they are getting a funded place), you must allow time for them to give notice before starting with you.
School Entry
Please ensure parents of children who are eligible for school entry in August ’24 are aware of following registration dates
“If your child will become five years old between 1 March 2024 and 28 February 2025 you should register them to start primary school in August 2024.
You should receive a letter at the beginning of November that explains the arrangements for registering them and the procedure for making a placing request. If you do not receive a letter please contact the Council, details are below. Registration is open online from 20 to 26 November 2023 at www.midlothian.gov.uk/schoolplace.”
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
https://sites.google.com/midlothian.education/earlylevelmidlothianstaffsite
Dates for other live training events will be published in advance through this update. Remember to check our Bite size classrooms regularly as new modules are added throughout the year. The newest classroom on Spaces for Learning is now available.
(Funded provider)
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
https://sway.office.com/6KDdYrnlwmVFStBg?ref=email
Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too.
https://equipped.midlothian.education/professional-learning/
Bookbug
All Bookbug Explorer bags for 3 year olds have now been delivered to settings. Please see message below from Wendy Johnston, Service Development Leader (Children and Young People) Midlothian Libraries.
“Hi Everyone
It’s the Bookbug lady here! Thank you to all of you for keeping me right with the number of bags you require for your 3 year olds. I’ve included again the link to the Scottish Book Trust’s information on the Explorer Bag and ideas for gifting:
About the Bookbug Bags - Scottish Book Trust
The bags are best received when there is some element of family involvement – King’s Park are planning a Stay and Play for their gifting during Book Week Scotland ( 13 – 19 November) and some of our partnership settings are going to gift at their Parent’s Night.
Just to let you know I have some plans to move the gifting period in future years to nearer the end of the academic year, in the hope that this will make the ordering, delivery and gifting more straight forward. I’ll keep you posted.
I would love to hear about what you’ve got planned – happy gifting ”
Applications for Bookbug training are now open for January - March 2024 on the Bookbug training website They close on Monday 6 November, 12noon. As well as the usual Bookbug Session Leader (in person and online) and Bookbug for the Home online, there are now open dates for our new Bookbug for the Home blended training.
If you have any questions, please email the Bookbug Training team on bookbugtraining@scottishbooktrust.com
Core Assurances Document
Please see attached Core Assurances document that was circulated earlier this year. This document provides a useful checklist of what Care Inspectors will expect to see in settings and can therefore be used in preparation for inspections.
Care Inspectorate Updates
Records that all registered C&YP care services must keep
Please see attached document
To support the children and young people's (CYP) sector to get ready for the enactment of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 next April, we are delivering a webinar on 16 November from 14:00 - 15:00. This will be relevant to anyone working in the CYP sector, such as staff, managers and senior management teams.
This webinar will provide an overview of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 in relation to children and young people. The Act will affect legislation that guides the requirements of the services you currently provide. For regulatory purposes, those changes include the redaction of regulation 15 from the Scottish Statutory Instruments which you currently work towards.
To register for this webinar click the link below.
We will also be hosting future events, so please watch out for further information. If you need more information about the Act or our webinar you can visit The Hub or email safestaffingproject@careinspectorate.gov.scot and speak to our safe staffing advisers.
Please see poster attached. As a council we will host a meeting at the end of November to discuss further. Date to be advised
The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 requires the Care Inspectorate to publish a report every three years to show what steps have been taken to put the UNCRC into practice. This report covers progress during the period 1 April 2020- 31 March 2023 and highlights a range of activities undertaken to protect, promote and defend children’s rights. Read more here.
Update - Care Inspectorate undertaking short model shared inspections with Education Scotland of funded early learning and childcare settings 2022/23
Together, the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland are committed to working closely with you, to ensure that children, parents, carers, and practitioners are clear on the purpose and role of the shared inspection process.
The following update provides clarity on the quality indicators the Care Inspectorate will inspect against when we undertake shared inspections with Education Scotland during inspection programme 2022/23.
Until now, the Care Inspectorate has been inspecting against five quality indicators when undertaking short model inspections with Education Scotland.
We received feedback from settings that inspecting against this number of quality indicators was placing additional pressure on the manager and practitioners to evidence the quality of the care and learning in their setting.
We have listened to your feedback and where we undertake a short model inspection with Education Scotland, the Care inspectorate will now inspect against the following three quality indicators
1.1 Nurturing, care and support
1.3 Play and Learning
3.1 Quality assurance and improvement are led well
You can find a link to the Quality Framework here.
We would like to thank you for your feedback and your continued and valued work in delivering the best possible outcomes and experiences for children in Scotland.
We are making changes to the way we inspect childcare agencies and we are engaging with services about our new draft quality framework for childcare services.
Our new childcare agency framework sets out the elements that will help us answer the key questions about how agencies provide high quality care to children and their families and how they support their staff to achieve this.
The core of this methodology is for the framework to be used primarily a self-evaluation tool, but we will also use this on inspection.
We will be carrying out six test inspections between November and December to enable us to test the framework, key questions and quality indicators.
If your service is identified as a ‘test inspection’, your inspector will inform you on arrival at your service. Your views and input will be invaluable as to how our inspections are conducted in the future. Our inspector will engage with you throughout the test inspection. On completion of the test inspection, we will ask you for your feedback to help us finalise our methodology.
We are also keen to get feedback on the new childcare agency framework from our partners, staff working in these services, and people who experience care. We would appreciate if you could read our draft framework and complete our survey to let us know what you think.
Read the draft framework here.
Click here to complete the survey.
The survey is open until Friday 15 December.
Information collected from the test inspections and the survey will inform the final quality framework, which we aim to publish early next year.
Our Early Years Principal Teachers and Inclusion and Wellbeing Officers are now out and about in schools and settings working alongside you to provide the best outcomes for our children. Here is a brief summary as to their roles:
The Early Years Inclusion and Wellbeing Officers’ role is practical and supportive working with children, families and practitioners in an early intervention and prevention role. They will aim to
support children who have additional support needs and their families
offer support within Early Learning and Childcare settings to meet individual children’s needs along with offering universal support looking at strategies and enabling environments for all
The Early Years Principal Teacher will work more strategically to offer Early Years support around quality interactions, spaces and experiences; ongoing self-evaluation; The National Standard; Care inspectorate and Education Scotland inspection preparation working alongside the Senior Early Years Practitioners and Senior Leadership teams within schools and settings.
There may be times when both work together to offer a consistent approach.
Early Years Website and Professional Learning
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.
https://sites.google.com/midlothian.education/earlylevelmidlothianstaffsite
The 2023-24 training directory has now been uploaded with dates for mandatory training courses for Funded Providers.
Dates for other live training events will be published in advance through this update. Remember to check our Bite size classrooms regularly as new modules are added throughout the year. The newest classroom on Spaces for Learning will be going live very soon.
You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway
https://sway.office.com/6KDdYrnlwmVFStBg?ref=email
Funded Provider Meetings
Our newly established Funded Provider rep group met on Tuesday 26th September and will be drawing up a programme of meetings for Funded Providers across Midlothian Council. Some meetings will have a specific focus on ELC practice and others will be more business focussed. We will publish a full list of dates and venues shortly. Please make a note of Tuesday 31st October from 2pm – 4pm (venue tbc) for the first meeting with a focus on ELC practice
Outdoor Play
The Scottish Government have just published new guidance on outdoor play with a particular emphasis on caring for outdoor spaces. This links well with the focus on sustainability that is included in the refreshed curriculum for excellence and is well worth a read. (please see attached)
Learning through Rights in ELC
The attached document explores ways of weaving UNCRC through policy, provision and everyday practice.
The story of destructive play
The following article on how adults approach destructive play is really interesting and cause for some professional reflection. Curiosity is the key!
https://www.interactionimagination.com/post/the-story-of-destructive-play
Care Inspectorate Updates
Secure Care Pathway review
Timely support is not always available for children and young people with experience of - or who may require - secure care, according to a new report by the Care Inspectorate.
The Secure Care Pathway Review found that availability and access to the right kind of educational, legal, health and community support is essential in preventing young people going into or returning to a secure care setting.
Between July 2022 and July 2023 the Care Inspectorate followed the cases of 30 young people who were either experiencing or had previously experienced secure care, or who had been considered by their local authority for a secure care placement, to assess the impact of the support they received over time. Read more here.
Join us to discover the role that ELC providers can play in empowering and supporting parents with the best advice so that they can effectively potty train their children and avoid problems.
The webinar will also provide the opportunity to find out more about the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 and what it means for ELC services.
We will be joined by Juliette Rayner, Chief Executive of ERIC, The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity. Marie McKerry, Chief Nurse at the Care Inspectorate, will cover what the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019 means for ELC services.
Date: Wednesday 8 November 2023
Time: 18:00-19:30
We hope that you can join us. Please click here to register.
Updates from other organisations
The Scottish Government has published an updated version of the National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland.
Disclosure Scotland and Scottish Government - Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) membership costs waived for childcare profession until 31 March 2024.
The Scottish Government and the Scottish Social Services Council - new ELC signposting tools. (CPL directory)
The Scottish Government - letter to all Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) providers of daycare of children services and childminders on Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).
ERG Dates 2023/24
SSSC – Continuous Professional Learning Consultation
The consultation for SSSC on Continuous Professional Learning runs until Friday 3rd November at 5pm.
This link will take you to a page explaining the consultation which contains links to the accompanying document and survey.
https://www.sssc.uk.com/knowledgebase/article/KA-03586/en-us
If you could take part in this consultation it would be much appreciated.
Tax Credits moving to UC
Tax Credits are ending, and people will be invited to move on to Universal Credit. In Lothian, Edinburgh and Forth Valley this starts at the beginning of September.
Please find attached information on Transitional Protection and a link to information on GOV.UK
Universal Credit if you receive a Migration Notice letter - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Childcare Payments
Universal Credit childcare payments have increased by almost 50%, up to £951 for one child or £1,630 for two or more children. This is an increase of 47% from the previous limits, which were £646 for one child or £1,108 for two or more children
Childcare can be paid in advance when people start work or increase their hours. Up to 85% of childcare costs can be claimed.
Detail on this can be found on GOV.UK Working parents to benefit from childcare boost worth up to £1,630 per month - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Care Inspectorate
As we move into autumn, my colleagues in the Care Inspectorate and I want to express our sincere gratitude to everyone in the early learning and childcare (ELC) sector for their extraordinary effort and work in supporting children and their families across Scotland.
I also want to alert you to our continuing concerns about incidents involving children leaving a setting without a responsible adult. I am alerting you to this so you can consider mitigations within your setting to prevent incidents from occurring. We know the context the sector is working in is challenging, but we must ensure children are safe. Providers must ensure safety and safe practice are paramount in their setting at all times. Each practitioner is responsible for keeping the children in their care safe.
Your staff team is the greatest resource in supporting children to have positive care and learning experiences. We encourage you to continue to support them to deliver the best outcomes for children. We recommend reviewing the deployment and expectations of staff and consider how the environment within your setting supports children to be safe and protected at all times. We all want children to have a good experience, be happy and be supported in safe and stimulating environments by the adults who care for them.
To assist you, we have produced a series of practice notes to support improvement and to help ELC staff keep children safe. To support you and raise awareness of children leaving settings without an adult, we developed our SIMOA (Safety, Inspect, Monitor, Observe, Act) campaign to help you consider the child’s relationships and safety. Please take time to review these resources on The Hub website. They will help to remind all ELC staff to be aware of how and why children could leave a setting without a responsible adult and actions to prevent these incidents from happening.
We know there are significant challenges for the sector. You have told us that recovery from the pandemic, staffing shortages and the cost-of-living crisis is having an impact on how you deliver your service. We have published our Recovery Play Survey Report, which outlines what practitioners said were challenges and strengths in the sector. The Care Inspectorate remains committed to supporting all those who provide care and learning in ELC and school-aged childcare settings, and this includes taking action on the findings from this survey.
High-quality outcomes for children
Despite the challenges, evidence from inspection shows many of you continue to provide high-quality outcomes for children. We also see evaluations in settings improving from previous inspections. We know some settings are struggling. Where these settings are operating within the context of particular challenges, we will always acknowledge this context within the inspection report, however the evaluations will always reflect the outcomes for children we observe.
Where improvements in services are needed, the inspection should support that improvement. For those providing funded ELC, if they fall below the national standard, we will work with local authorities as they support settings through their service improvement period. Our ELC improvement programmes are also there to support settings.
To help new managers and staff better understand the inspection process, we have published How we inspect regulated services: guidance for providers of regulated care settings and the public. This resource outlines how we carry out our inspection function. Information includes how we gather evidence, how we provide feedback during the inspection and the feedback meeting, as well as how we provide opportunities for professional dialogue with inspectors and sharing your views or further evidence. When we issue a draft inspection report, you will be able to comment on the inspection report, and we encourage everyone to submit an error response on areas of the report they feel is inaccurate.
Thank you again for all you do and for your attention to this letter.
Yours faithfully
Jackie Irvine
Chief Executive
FROEBEL TRUST
A Froebelian Approach - Empowering Learning : play, symbols & creativity (see below)
Early Years Support
Principal Teachers have now been allocated to each locality within Midlothian to provide support to Early Years settings. The locality PT’s are:
Penicuik/Beeslack: Cally Fraser/Aileen Burns
Dalkeith/St. David’s: Jenny Marr/Emma Scafe
Lasswade: Carole Roberts
Newbattle: Lesley Benn
Early Years Website
Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and resources.
https://sites.google.com/midlothian.education/earlylevelmidlothianstaffsite
For training needs please refer to the Professional Learning Academy site
https://sites.google.com/midlothian.education/mid-pla/home
Or you can access all our bite size training modules on Sway
https://sway.office.com/6KDdYrnlwmVFStBg?ref=email
ASN Support
Please find below a powerpoint presentation which explains ASN paperwork and procedures along with a zip file of the templates, the Stages of Intervention table and an ELC exemplar.
Please note: ELC – P1 transition ERG date is 17.01.24, paperwork deadline to CYP Request for Support mailbox is 03.01.24.
ESO (Education Support Officer) ASN locality contacts:
Lasswade – Amy Sutherland amy.sutherland@midlothian.gov.uk
Newbattle – Lauren McMahon lauren.mcmahon@midlothian.gov.uk
St David’s & Dalkeith – Nadia Percy-Davis nadia.percy-davis@midlothian.gov.uk
Beeslack & Penicuik – Aileen Kelly aileeen.kelly@midlothian.gov.uk
Please note this is amended from the NEG information.
Early Years Inclusion Officers:
Dalkeith/St David’s – Katie Kerr (Mon-Wed) katie.kerr@midlothian.gov.uk
Newbattle - Mamie McKenna mamie.mckenna@midlothian.gov.uk
Penicuik/Beeslack– Clair McInnes (Tue-Thurs) clair.mcinnes@midlothian.gov.uk
Lasswade – Sharyn Davidson Sharyn.davidson@midlothian.gov.uk
Currently peripatetic – Lynne Thomson (Mon, Tue, Thurs & Fri) lynne.thomson2@midlothian.gov.uk
Book Bug
In February this year every Early Years Setting received a resource pack from the Scottish Book Trust with the three wonderful books that will be gifted in this year’s Explorer Bookbug Bag:
· How To Catch A Rainbow
· Follow The Trail Trucks
· One Banana, Two Bananas
The Explorer Bags will start being delivered to settings from the end of September. In advance of your delivery here is a link to the Scottish Book Trust website to help you prepare for the gifting. The link will give you access to a very short film about the pack contents as well as the longer webinar which some practitioners attended in April.
Bookbug Explorer Bag 2023: plan your gifting celebration! - Scottish Book Trust
The Bookbug Explorer Bags are for three year olds in their ante-preschool year. Please consider gifting the bags during Book Week Scotland (13-19 November 2023). Those 3 year olds starting in the Spring or Summer intake will get their Explorer bags next year.
The Bookbug P1 Family Bags will be delivered and gifted around the same time, so you may like to consider a combined gifting event or why not contact your local library and plan a gifting event?
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact Wendy Johnston- Midlothian’s Bookbug co-ordinator
wendy.johnston@midlothian.gov.uk
Early Years Scotland – Supporting Scotland’s Playgroups
Early Years Scotland are collating playgroup volunteers so if you would like more volunteers for your playgroup you can complete their volunteers request form (see below)
Care Inspectorate Updates
The Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019
The safe staffing team is leading on a national programme to support services in preparation for the enactment of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019, in April 2024. A copy of the Act can be found here. The Act aims to enable high quality care and improved outcomes for people using services in health and care by helping to ensure appropriate staffing.
Within the early learning and childcare sector and the children and young people sector the Act places duties on care service providers and the Care Inspectorate. This will impact on the requirements of care services as defined in section 47(1) of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.
The Scottish Government is developing statutory guidance to accompany the legislation which is currently open for consultation. This will close on the 19th September 2023, follow this link to have your say.
The Care Inspectorate is leading a review of the Space to Grow document. This work will be led by Karen Quinn, Team Manager. The updated design guide will be delivered by March 2024. We will be undertaking the review in collaboration with the sector. The draft design guide will be fully consulted on. We will also be developing an external stakeholder reference group with key stakeholders who have an interest or role in the provision of premises based daycare of children or school aged childcare to guide the work.
The aim of the review is to update the resource to reflect best current practice to support positive outcomes for children and families in environments that support staff deliver high quality provision.