Early Years

Dear Colleagues, Updates from the Team 2nd Headcount Request AUT 2025-26  If you have any disadvantaged 2 year olds who have; started accessing funding with you, or have increased their hours since full headcount, please email sophie.downing@northumberland.gov.uk to request a 2nd headcount form by Friday 5th December 2025. Funding Drop-in

Dear Colleagues, Updates from the Team Key Dates Spring Term Please find key dates attached. Keep these handy to prevent missing submission deadlines. Funding Discussion Slots We are now holding drop-in sessions every Wednesday (term-time only). If you would like to book a slot to discuss your funding queries, please

Choices College are looking for genuine work experience opportunities and the aim is, after training, to have our students working independently supporting you in the classroom. Students would be placed on a volunteer DBS through your school or nursery at no cost to the school. We complete all other paperwork

Dear Colleagues, Updates from the Team Paediatric First Aid at Work Training Four places are now available for the Paediatric First Aidcourse (face-to-face session on the 6th of December).  First come, first served – don’t miss out!  Additional date added for Paediatric First Aid at Work  Great news! Due to

Dear Colleagues, Updates from the Team Funding Discussion Slots We are now holding drop-in sessions every Wednesday (term-time only). If you would like to book a slot to discuss your funding queries, please complete this form. New Information for Childminders DfE have brought together the most relevant Childcare Works resources for

FAO of Headteachers: The 2025/26 EYFS Profile Handbook has been released. Please find attached the EYFS Profile Briefing slides which we recommend you read to understand any changes to the Handbook and your responsibilities as a Headteacher. If you have any questions about the EYFS Profile, please contact rosy.dickinson@northumberland.gov.uk.

Dear Colleagues, Updates from the Team Funding Discussion Slots We are now holding drop-in sessions every Wednesday (term-time only). If you would like to book a slot to discuss your funding queries, please complete this form. Updates from Partners Help to Grow Business Management Course The University of Sunderland is delivering

From spring 2026, we will provide new written resources, videos and peer-to-peer sessions for schools, facilitated by local authorities. This is to help reception teachers carry out the EYFSP assessment with confidence and consistency. Best practice sharing As part of this support, we would like to share some examples of

Dear Colleagues, Updates from the Team Headcount AUT 2025-26 Reminder (School360 Users) A reminder that your pre-populated AUT 2025-26 headcount returns are available in the AUT 2025-26 file in your school360 account. We recommend you start looking at filling it in now (do not leave it until last minute). You

Northumberland Portage Service is delivering a series of National Portage Association Workshops at Blyth West Family Hub in 2026. The workshop is suitable for all Early Years Practitioners. The Course aims to develop: Central to the course are the ‘Portage Principles’ and the ‘Three Circle Model of Portage’. These are emphasised throughout

Dear Colleagues, Updates from the Team Maths in the Early Years- self-directed learning library course available to SLA members.   Login to your School Readiness Passport account to find our new Math’s in Early Years training course which includes an introductory video and 6 supplementary videos focusing on key mathematical concepts: 

The learning team at Stephenson Steam Railway are now taking bookings for onsite school visits from September 2025 onwards. If you are interested in booking a workshop, then you can find information about the Primary and Early Years workshops we are delivering here: School Workshops | Stephenson Steam Railway and can book

This grant is available for eligible state-funded primary-phase schools and maintained nursery schools to apply for up to £150,000 of capital funding to create or expand a school-based nursery. This is the second phase of the school-based nurseries programme. It builds on the foundations of phase 1 (SBN Capital Grant

Dear Colleagues, Updates from the Team Northumberland Family Hub App As new families join your setting, we kindly ask you to share the link to the Family Hub app with them. The app has been developed in Northumberland, for Northumberland families. It contains a wealth of activity ideas and advice

For those of you who submit your early years data via School360, we have prepopulated your autumn returns which are now available in the 2025-2026 > AUT 2025-26 file in your school360 account, in recognition of the significant increase in children on roll.  The attached guidance will set out how to

Dear Colleagues, Updates from the Team Best Start in Life You will no doubt be aware of the publication of the government’s Best Start in Life Strategy which has set the ambition of significantly increasing the number of children who are school ready.   Over the coming weeks and months you will start