Torbay's Home Learning Environment and Early Years team are available to support with setting up a childcare provision, as well as advice and guidance on ensuring high quality provision. The team consists of portage, early years development workers, specialist advisory teachers, early years language consultant, funding and business support and our home learning environment outreach worker. Please contact the team for all areas of support on 01803 207895 or earlyyears@torbay.gov.uk.
If you are opening a nursery provision for children aged 3 months to 5 years-old you must register with OFSTED. There are different childcare registers and the type of provision you are opening will decide which register you will be on. Listed below is guidance on registering childcare, and the Early Years Foundation Stage which is the statutory guidance to follow for early years settings.
Information and guidance for schools, PVI’s and childminders setting up early years provision The link below has guidance for all types of early years provision, including which Ofsted register the provision must register with.
A factsheet from Ofsted on registering school-based childcare provision. This factsheet outlines which Ofsted register you are required to register with, as well as the logistical rules and statutory requirements of opening an early years provision within a school.
Guidance from the Department of Education for ensuring a high-quality school-based provision. The document gives guidance around if your school is suitable for setting up a nursery as well as technical and financial planning.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is statutory guidance that outlines the developmental stages from birth to 5. It also states the statutory standards that providers must meet to ensure the safety of children in their care.
Development Matters is non-statutory curriculum guidance to be used alongside the EYFS. It supports practitioners in assessing and observing development.
Information on funding and the eligibility criteria for accessing funding.
Help and support for early years practitioners from the Department of Education.
How Ofsted regulates childcare and what parents should do if they have concerns about their provider.