ELC Weekly Update

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 - 

Professional Learning Academy

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.

Interim update – Care Inspectorate 2023 nappy changing guidance

The 2023 Nappy Changing Guidance was issued to the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) sector to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of children. We are currently reviewing this guidance to ensure it remains aligned with infection prevention and control procedures. The updated guidance will be issued in the coming weeks. If you have any questions, please contact your registration or case holding inspector.

Strengthening our protection procedures

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.

Health and Care (Staffing) Act survey 2025  

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 

Annual returns now closed 

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), 

Fearless 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:

Join the meeting now

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:

 Quality improvement framework for the early learning and childcare sectors | Inspection frameworks | Inspection and review | Education Scotland

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:

Join the meeting now

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. 

Join the meeting now

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.

Click here to view and download Good practice guidance: prevention and management of scalding episodes in daycare of children and childminding services.

Annual returns now open

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 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

Leadership in ELC session 6

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

Leadership in ELC session 6

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

Join the meeting now

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.

Get confident with being confidential 

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.  

• Poster for early learning and childcare, and children and young people services 

• Poster for adult and older people services  

 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

1. Grammar and spelling: look out for poor grammar or spelling mistakes.

2. Generic greetings: be cautious if the email uses generic greetings like ‘Dear Customer’ instead of your name.

3. Suspicious email addresses: watch for unusual or misspelt email addresses, for example, Ba_nkofScotland.co.uk

4. Urgency: be wary of emails urging immediate action.

5. 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)

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/leadership-in-elc-session-one-self-evaluation-quality-assurance-tickets-1006804157337

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

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/birth-to-three-training-from-birth-and-beyond-onwards-and-upwards-tickets-1007439507687

24th Oct 2024

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/birth-to-three-training-from-birth-and-beyond-onwards-and-upwards-tickets-1007514802897

 7th Nov 2024

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/birth-to-three-training-from-birth-and-beyond-onwards-and-upwards-tickets-1007525394577

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)

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/leadership-in-elc-session-one-self-evaluation-quality-assurance-tickets-1006804157337

Leadership in ELC-Session 2: Putting your Vision, Values & Aims into practice

Thursday Oct 3, 2024, 1:30 pm – 4pm (Loanhead PS)

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/leadership-in-elc-session-2putting-your-visionvalues-aims-into-practice-tickets-1006809352877

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)

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/session-four-leadership-in-elc-empowering-and-motivating-staff-tickets-1006829663627

Leadership in ELC – Session 5: Pedagogical Leadership

Thursday Nov 21, 2024, 1:30 pm – 4pm (Loanhead PS)

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/session-five-leadership-in-elc-pedagogical-leadership-tickets-1007449778407

Leadership in ELC – Session 6: Prof Learning and Reflective Practitioners

Thursday Dec 5, 2024, 1:30 pm – 4pm (Gorebridge PS)

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/session-6-leadership-in-elc-prof-learning-and-reflective-practitioners-tickets-1007452827527

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.

Early Years maths programme demonstrates longer term impact on… | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk)

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.

Early Years website

You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway

Sway

Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too

Professional Learning Academy

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

Book here

Refresher Session Leader

Mon 7 Oct 10-12noon MS Teams

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.

Early Years website

You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway

Sway

Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too

Professional Learning Academy

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.

Early Years website

You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway.

Training modules on Sway

Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too.

PLA website

Care Inspectorate Updates

Supporting potty learning in early years settings (session 2) 

Following the success of our first potty learning webinar in November 2023, we recently held a follow-up session. Once again, we were joined by ERIC, The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity. 

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. 

MMR vaccine letters 

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.

 Play pedagogy questionnaire

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

Bite Size Modules on SWAY

Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too

Professional Learning Academy

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

Bite sized on SWAY

Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too

Professional Learning Academy

 ‘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

Bite Sized 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.

“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 

Leadership in ELC session 6

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

Bite sized training 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. 

Download poster 1

Download poster 2

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...

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

Bite Sized training 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.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nurturing-nature-family-learning-in-local-greenspace-tickets-875900450827

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. 

Download poster 1

Download poster 2

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...

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   

Webinar on supporting potty learning in early years settings 

Following the success of our first potty learning webinar in November 2023, we invite you to register

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

Bite Sized training 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 

Leadership in ELC session 5

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

Bite Sized training 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.

 Play pedagogy questionnaire

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.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nurturing-nature-family-learning-in-local-greenspace-tickets-875900450827

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

Click here

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:

Children in Scotland

Training opportunities

Early Years Website and Professional Learning

Please remember to refer to our Early Years website for updated information and support materials.

Early Years Website

You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway

Early Years SWAY

Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Professional Learning Academy website too

Professional Learning Academy

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

Early Years 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:

HEYS Dashboard (shinyapps.io)

 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.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nurturing-nature-family-learning-in-local-greenspace-tickets-875900450827

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

Leadership in ELC- Session 4: Empowering and Motivating Staff Tickets, Tue, Apr 23, 2024 at 1:30 PM | Eventbrite

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.

Early Years Website

You can also access our bite size training modules on Sway

Early Years Sway