Support for EYFS in primary schools

Ofsted have guidance for schools about when they must register their early years or childcare provision with Ofsted.

This factsheet sets out when a maintained or independent school must register its early years or childcare provision with Ofsted, where this provision is made directly by the school and managed by the governing body. There is also information about early learning or childcare provision on a school site not made directly by a school but through a private provider.

There is useful information for schools who are converting into academies to consider in respect of early learning and childcare provision offered on site. Finally, there are examples of how provision is run on school sites with clarification around the registration and inspection arrangements.

Schools who are considering developing or building either governor-run or working with a private provider to offer early years provision on the school site need to be aware of the DfE Change of use of playing field and school land legislation.

Governor run childcare settings – Impact and best practice

The Early Learning and Childcare Service has developed some ‘best practice’ top tips to highlight what works well when links are strong between schools and governor-run early years provision.  

Support for schools wanting to set up governor-run pre-school provision

At Leicestershire County Council, we recognise that establishing governor-run pre-school provision in your school is a journey – one that can take lots of time and effort to ensure that it is done well.

Our support package for schools has 3 main elements:

Business support

This session is best attended by school business managers and head teachers. Content will include:

• How the childcare market operates in Leicestershire, where to find the relevant information to support market research to develop a business plan.
• How the childcare is funded through the Free Early Education Entitlement and how it is managed by the county council.
• The process of registering with Ofsted.
• The importance of planning for operating your business for delivering childcare. Models of operation that the school can adopt.
• The support available through the Early Learning Childcare and Inclusion Service, their different roles and functions.

Quality improvement support

This session is best attended by head teachers and EYFS leaders. Dependent on numbers at the time, this may be delivered through an online webinar or as a face-to-face visit at your school. Content will include:

• Looking through the key considerations schools need to make prior to setting up pre-school provision. These will focus on EYFS Statutory requirements and information from Ofsted’s inspection handbook, along with the DfE’s guidance document Establishing school-based nursery provision (GOV.UK)
• This session will encourage schools to reflect current knowledge, understanding and practice in EYFS and highlight aspects which may need to be developed prior to setting up a pre-school. It will help raise awareness of statutory duties and expectations in the EYFS, particularly for nursery age children, alongside offering further information and ideas to support this journey.

Childcare improvement and sufficiency officer support

This support will be a face-to-face visit to the school. During this visit, the CISO will have a conversation with the head and EYFS leader about what was highlighted for further development during the previous session and ask the school to share what has since been put in place. They will discuss your circumstances and plans in order to tailor the advice and support provided on an individual basis. Areas covered will include:

• Planning permission and change of use of building
• Ofsted registration – meeting the requirements of the Early Years and Childcare Register
• Policies and procedures, risk assessments including site security, fire safety and environmental health.
• Safe recruitment and retention – Safe recruitment checks: DBS update service, on-going training, supervisions and appraisals
• Suitability of Indoor and outdoor environment to meet all children’s needs
• Consultation with all stakeholders
• Public liability insurance/employers' liability insurance
• Support with claiming the Free Early Years Entitlement (FEEE)

To access this support package schools should express an initial interest by emailing childcare@leics.gov.uk.

Schools also need to ensure SchoolOrganisationService@leics.gov.uk have been made aware of their intentions to offer pre-school provision.

This support package can feed into your school development plan.

Ongoing support will be available from the Early Years Inclusion and Childcare Service once pre-school provision opens on aspects such as:

• Quality of practice and provision
• SEND
• Business considerations including funding
• Recruitment and retention of staff