Early Years Latest News

We are seeking feedback on Buckinghamshire’s new Accessibility Strategy for 2027-32 and would welcome comments from schools and settings, parents and carers, and children and young people before the strategy is finalised.

The strategy supports our shared vision:

“To build a better future for all children and young people in Buckinghamshire so they realise their potential, whatever their starting point is.”

It sets out how we will work together to ensure all children and young people can participate fully in education and school life. It focuses on four key areas:

• Increasing access to the curriculum
• Improving the physical environment of schools
• Improving access to information
• Improving access to enrichment opportunities, extended provision and wider school life

We Want Your Feedback

We are keen to hear your views on the draft strategy, including whether the proposed priorities are the right ones and if there is anything missing that should be considered.

Please review the draft strategy and complete the consultation by 15 November:

https://yourvoicebucks.citizenspace.com/schools/accessibility-strategy-2027-2032

If you have any questions, or require the consultation documents in an alternative format, please email educationconsultation@buckinghamshire.gov.uk or call 01296 383225.

Please also share this opportunity with your parents and carers. We've attached a digital flyer to make this as easy as possible.

Thank you for taking the time to help shape the final Accessibility Strategy for Buckinghamshire.

On the 10th September 2026, the government published new guidance about Information Sharing. This changes the good practice of sharing information into a duty to share. The guidance document 'Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners (DfE, 2024)' has now been superseded and replaced with 'Information Sharing Duty Statutory guidance for safeguarding organisations and their practitioners (UK Government, September 2026)'.

From 30th September 2026, the Children Act 2004 section 16LA, inserted by the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, says that information sharing is a legal duty.

Where schools, settings, childminders and all childcare providers hold information relevant to safeguarding or promoting a child's welfare and sharing it may help another agency covered by the duty to take action, they must share it. There is no threshold that has to be met first.

Currently, KCSIE 2026 mentions this new duty once, at paragraph 144, describing it as a duty "intended to give staff greater confidence to share information appropriately ... and in a timely way to safeguard children". KCSIE gives no commencement date, no reference to section 16LA, and no indication that it is a requirement. Paragraph 149 then directs the reader to the old information sharing advice, which has now been replaced on the same page under the same link.

Updated guidance key changes (from 30th September 2026):

• Must, not may. The old advice reassured practitioners that the law allowed them to share. The new guidance requires it.
• 'Seven golden rules'.  The new document's framing has changed and does not mention the seven golden rules, nor has it replaced them with anything similar.
• Consent. Previously, golden rule three told us to consider a family's objection to sharing and then consider overriding it. The new guidance calls that a false choice: identify your lawful basis for sharing first, then explain what will happen rather than ask for permission you do not need.
• Early help referrals. Schools must share relevant information they hold, even where the family does not agree, because consent is no longer needed. Families still choose whether to take up any support offered.
• Confidentiality. Under the duty, there is no need to consider the overriding public interest, and a disclosure made under it does not breach any obligation of confidence.
• Requests. Responding to another agency's request is now part of the duty, not good practice.

The only exception to sharing is where sharing would be more detrimental to the child than not sharing, which the guidance expects to be rare.

Data protection has never been a barrier to sharing, and that has not changed. What has changed is the question: it is no longer whether you may share, it is that you must.

Follow up actions

• Check what your safeguarding policy says about seeking consent before a referral and information sharing, and update with the new guidance information.
• Download the latest version and replace the obsolete guidance document in your reference file.
• Discuss the impact of the changes with your organisation’s Data Protection Officer.
• Review the updated guidance with your staff team, assistants and any volunteers so they understand the changes and procedures to follow if they had a concern. 

You can find the guidance here: Information Sharing Duty - Statutory Guidance September 2026

BBC CBeebies Parenting have launched new resources and content to help parents/caregivers across the UK support their pre-schoolers, as they prepare to start their adventure in either early years settings or school.

CBeebies Parenting brings together expert advice, practical activities, honest parent experiences and familiar CBeebies faces, helping children and their grown-ups approach the milestone together.

‘Skills for starting school’ collection on the CBeebies Parenting website for free, expert advice and activity ideas to grow children’s independence and support their development. Find help with everything from introducing the potty and toilet independence, taking turns and sharing, to helping with shyness around starting school, managing separation anxiety and activities to help boost children’s language development.

Families can also enjoy a selection of songs, stories, games and advice from CBeebies on BBC iPlayer.

For more information access our webpage: Why supporting parents with learning at home matters.

The Be Healthy Bucks Child Weight Management Programme is helping children and families across Buckinghamshire to build healthier lifestyles and achieve lasting improvements in their wellbeing.

Over the past year, 116 children aged 4 to 6 years and 7 to 13 years participated in the programme. An impressive 81% completed the programme, and among those who completed it, 100% maintained or reduced their BMI z-score. These positive outcomes were sustained over time, with 100% maintaining or reducing their BMI z-score at six-month follow-up and 97% continuing to do so at 12 months.  These results demonstrate the programme's success in supporting families to make sustainable lifestyle changes that can have a lasting impact on children's health.

The programme supports children who are overweight through a combination of practical nutrition education, physical activity, behaviour change support, and family-focused goal setting. Delivered in a supportive and non-judgemental environment, it recognises that families have different needs at different stages of childhood and therefore offers age-appropriate support for children aged 4 to 6 years and 7 to 13 years.

Families can self-refer or be referred by a healthcare, education or other professional. Referrals can be made through the Be Healthy Bucks website: Healthy Lifestyle Support for Families in Buckinghamshire

Be Healthy Bucks is a free healthy lifestyle service commissioned by Buckinghamshire Council and the NHS. In addition to child weight management support, the service offers adult weight management, stop smoking support, alcohol reduction support, and NHS Health Checks, helping residents across Buckinghamshire to improve and maintain their health and wellbeing.

Buckinghamshire's Supervised Toothbrushing Programme is now live, with more than 21 early years settings and schools already engaged and preparing to start delivery this autumn. Delivered by Community Dental Services (CDS), the programme supports children aged 3 to 5 years to develop positive oral health habits through daily supervised toothbrushing. Target settings include eligible early years providers, Reception classes in Opportunity Bucks areas, and specialist SEND settings.  

Supervised toothbrushing helps children develop healthy habits, reduces the risk of tooth decay and hospital dental extractions, and supports children's wellbeing, learning and development.  The programme is not intended to replace children toothbrushing at home.

Interested in finding out more?
Eligible settings should already have been contacted by Community Dental Services (CDS). If you're unsure whether the programme is right for your setting, CDS is offering introductory information sessions for settings that would like to learn more before making a decision. These sessions provide an opportunity to ask questions and understand what's involved, with no commitment required. Training and onboarding support remain available for settings wishing to join during the autumn term. Please contact CDS to find out more Ohimp.Buckinghamshire@cds-cic.co.uk

The Department for Education has developed non-statutory screen use guidance for early years providers which you should be aware of.  You should have regard to the guidance which is linked in the EYFS frameworks and can be accessed here: https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/screen-use. 

This evidence-based guidance was developed with contributions from sector experts including the Digital Standards Early Years Action Group and Early Years Screen Time Advisory Group.

The early years are a critical period for children’s development. Healthy child development depends on sufficient sleep, play, real-world interaction and responsive adult engagement.  The Department encourages educators to take a precautionary approach when using screens in your setting.

The guidance sets out useful information on how to use screens safely and effectively in your setting.  

Join us for the second South West Every Word Matters webinar series to learn more about the evidence behind the Government’s new early years screen time guidance and ways to support parents to understand and engage with it.

Microsoft Teams Meeting

Meeting ID: 372 415 660 906 838

Passcode: Cr3uB3gX

The Department for Education (DfE) announced in March that it will be providing an Inclusive Early Years Fund to support the early years sector in becoming more inclusive for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

This funding marks a first step towards a more coherent and inclusive early years SEND funding system. It is upfront funding intended to:

• support providers in adopting setting-wide inclusive practices
• reduce reliance on individual child-based funding applications
• enable early intervention for children with SEND

The allocation we received was based on the number of 3&4 year olds claiming Universal hours recorded in both the Early Years and School January 2026 censuses.

To ensure we are using the most up-to-date information to work out how much each provider will receive, we used data from the Summer 2026 censuses (both Early Years and Schools).  

The Inclusive Early Years Fund will be split as follows:

• Childminders and wrap-around care providers, with at least one eligible 3&4 year old will receive £300 each
• The remaining funding will be distributed evenly across all Early Years settings and schools who claimed funding for a 3&4 year old.  This works out at £1,298.22 each

The Inclusive Early Years Fund will be paid to qualifying providers in September 2026.

The DfE has indicated that the fund should be used to support activities such as:

• strategic planning
• workforce development
• adaptations or resources to create an inclusive environment

Local Authorities will be required to ensure that this funding is used for its intended purpose. Therefore, providers must retain appropriate financial records (for example, detailed spreadsheets or receipts) demonstrating how the funding has been spent.

Friday 27^th November 2026: The Gateway, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF

Be part of our annual Early Years Conference and join colleagues from across the sector for an inspiring day of learning, collaboration and fresh thinking. Drawing on the Best Start in Life Plan, this exciting event will bring together expert speakers, engaging workshop sessions and opportunities to explore effective practice that can make a lasting difference for children and families.

Delegates will hear from keynote speaker Gary Wilson: What if we started by listening to our boys? Drawing on a wealth of experience and the powerful voices of young children themselves, renowned education consultant Gary Wilson explores how understanding boys’ perspectives can transform outcomes from the very beginning of their learning journey.

Participants will also be able to choose 2 Workshops to attend from the following:

• Workshop 1 - An Exploration of the Importance of Outdoor Adventurous Play for all by James Davolls
• Workshop 2 - Let's Talk and Move by Helen Guntrip
• Workshop 3 - Supporting EAL Children in the Early Years by Rachael Turkington and Marzena Fernando
• Workshop 4 - Develop understanding of the role of physical development when supporting children with SEND by Rachel Mitchell

To book your place, please click the title above. To view our poster and guidance document, please click here.