Warrington Early Years

29/10/2026

ITS TIME TO COMPLETE YOUR EARLY YEARS WELLCOMM SPEECH LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION SCREENING!

Its time to screen your children using the WellComm Toolkit and submit the information to us.
You should now have received via AnyComms or email a template to complete and return. If you have any difficulties completing or submitting the information, please let us know and we will be happy to help you.

NEED TO BORROW A FULL WELLCOMM TOOLKIT? please get in touch with Karen at [email protected] and we can arrange for a toolkit to be available to you.

Thank you for your support in helping us to identify and support children's communication and language development to give every child the best start in life.

13/10/2026

A huge shout-out to Anna Needham for being the first to complete WellComm screening on children in her setting and submit the data. Thank you for being so proactive and using the WellComm screen to plan your children's next steps in their speech, language and communication development!

A friendly reminder to all Early Years Settings: please complete WellComm screening for all your children by 16th November and submit your data no later than 4th December.

Thank you everyone for your commitment and should you need any assistance with screening or data submission, reach out [email protected]

09/10/2026

🍁 A simple song like 'Walking in the forest' has so many hidden benefits for babies and toddlers:

🎵 Learning to listen carefully - as they get used to the rhythms and rhymes of familiar songs they'll start to mimic or join in with the rhyming bits or the repeated chorus

🎵 They can focus their attention and listen to the sounds around them - the crunch of dry leaves, the snap of a twig, maybe a plane flying over or a motorbike roaring by

🎵 Joining in by adding other sounds and verses, or changing the words to fit in with where you're going. Or changing the tune if you prefer a different one.

🎵 Making a "boring" walk a bit more interesting, by distracting them with the song or giving them a focus - looking for leaves or other things that make a noise. A cheerful toddler is more fun to be with than a whining toddler!

No one song is a magic bullet, and sometimes children just aren't in the mood for singing. But building up a bank of songs that you both know is worth it for the many times that they DO want to listen or join in. 🍂

09/10/2026

On Friday, October 9, we celebrate the dedicated professionals who help ensure every child receives the support they need to thrive. National Early Years SENCO Day recognises the extraordinary contribution Early Years SENCOs make to children, families, colleagues, and settings across England. Why not take this opportunity to thank your SENCO for the brilliant work they do!

The Department for Education, in partnership with Best Practice Network, is funding training for an additional 9,500 Early Years SENCOs by March 2028. If you haven't already signed up, National Early Years SENCO day could be day to do it! For more information and to submit your application, please visit Early Years SENCO 2026 | Best Practice Network.

Applications are open for the Early Years Special Educational Needs Coordinator (EY SENCO) programme, a role that identifies and supports children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

17/09/2026

It's that time again to dust off your WellComm Toolkits and prepare for screening your children for the Autumn Term!

In response to your feedback, there is now an Annual Schedule of the WellComm and other reporting deadlines for your calendar.

Also an alternative simpler MS Word format return template which may be easier to complete. Find both here https://www.myschoolservices.co.uk/Page/30032

Remember, any questions or queries contact [email protected]

10/09/2026

Coming up Childminder virtual ‘staffroom’ session Autumn Term 2026 - Microsoft teams termly drop in networking session for our Warrington childminders Wed, 16/09/2026 18:30 - 19:30

Join us this term for September 26 EYFS and Ofsted toolkit updates, WellComm/Talk, Share, Play news and to explore current networking opportunities. Book via My Early Years Services for link

02/09/2026

Start the new academic year with a focus on Speech, Language and Communication. Listen here about quality interactions.

Read (Or Listen!) To My Brand New Article: PEARLS of Practice!

11/08/2026

Early Years Providers, if you missed the Warrington Borough Council Pathfinder update delivered by the Early Help Support Team last month, there is another chance to book one of three sessions in September. This important update will tell you what is changing in relation to Early Help Assessments and how this will affect your work with families. New dates are as follows: 21st Sept 9.30-10.30am. 22nd Sept 12.30-13.30, 23rd Sept 16.30-17.30. Book via

The Early Years team offer advice and support to practitioners, parents and carers on the many issues surrounding childcare and early years across Warrington. The team includes: Early Years Quality

10/08/2026

An updated suite of UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guideline infographics are now available to help professionals promote clear, consistent messages about the benefits of moving more. https://campaignresources.dhsc.gov.uk/campaigns/uk-chief-medical-officer-physical-activity-guideline-infographics/uk-chief-medical-officer-2026-physical-activity-life-stage-infographics/