Dear Colleagues,
Updates from the Team
Key Dates Autumn 2024-25
Please find the key dates for Autumn term attached.
Early Years Ordinarily Available Provision
Come and find out more about the Early Years Ordinarily Available Provision document being launched this term to support all early settings in Northumberland in ensuring best practice with regards inclusion.
This will be an opportunity to see the document and ask questions.
To find out more please see the attached flyer.
Oral Health
Over the next five weeks why not celebrate National Smile Month 13th May – 13th June 2024 and share Northumberland Oral Health key messages with your children and families.
- At home brush children’s teeth for at least 2 minutes twice a day, brush last thing at night and on one other occasion with a slither or pea size amount of fluoride toothpaste according to the child’s age. Allow them to spit out any excess and don’t rinse with water. This activity should be supervised by an adult.
- Children to attend the dentist for regular checkups.
- To use and encourage the use of an open cup by the age of 12 months
- To drink milk and water and cut out sugary drinks altogether.
- To reduce the frequency of sugar. The frequency of sugar attacks should be reduced to 3 meals and 1 snack per day and sugar should be completely avoided 1 hour before bed. Can you reduce sugar attacks within your setting and share the important messages with the children and their families and support families to make changes of their own?
To access and borrow our Oral Health resource boxes please contact the provider who hosts a box nearest to your setting.
- Henshaw Nursery, Kids First Hexham, Fern Hollow Stocksfield, North Tynies Bellingham, Whalton PAWs, Mini Merry’s Seaton Delaval, SEND to Learn Blyth, Cramlington Kids Club, Hirst Welfare Ashington, Busy Bees Seahouses, Berwick Rascals and St Paul’s Alnwick.
Updates from Partners
Ready to Play – building brains through active play
The Network is supporting the delivery of a new project aiming to reduce health inequalities through one of our recent ‘Core20PLUS5’ funding awards. Core20PLUS5 is a national framework to address health inequalities, which the Network has developed to focus on regional priorities and incorporating wider determinants of health.
Funding was awarded to Rise for the Ready to Play project, designed to help create more active children who are healthier, happier and learn better – in the communities that need it most.
The project will support you and your organisation and staff to reduce health inequalities by improving early development and school readiness through active learning, as well as increase physical activity and build the knowledge, skills and confidence of staff.
Rise are currently taking applications from organisations that work with underserved communities in low-income areas where the NHS has highlighted a higher risk of health inequalities.
Your setting or organisation must also:
- Be in Northumberland or Tyne and Wear
- Work directly with children aged 0-5
- Be able to send at least one staff member to a face-to-face training session on 20th June 2024 (afternoon) at the Linskill Centre, North Shields.
Successful applicants will get a package worth more than £650 including:
- FREE equipment for your setting or organisation to inspire open-ended Loose Parts Play
- FREE training for your staff from internationally renowned expert in play Ben Kingston-Hughes, as well as face-to-face training on the importance of physical movement for development
- LOADS of activity ideas to use with the children
- Networking opportunities with other local organisations and settings to share best practice and ideas
- Information to share with parents and families to help you to connect with them and communicate the importance of active play.
Download an information pack and apply
