When we think about high-quality Early Years provision, our minds often jump straight to the children: their learning, development, and wellbeing. But just as important is the support, guidance, and reflection given to the adults who work with them. That’s where supervisions come in.

Supervision is more than just a casual chat with staff, and it should not be confused with appraisals, they are entirely separate processes. Supervision is a vital aspect of professional practice in the Early Years and a statutory requirement under the EYFS Statutory Framework. When carried out effectively, it can transform practice, boost staff confidence, and improve outcomes for children.

What are supervisions?

The EYFS  statutory framework states that:

3.34 Providers must put appropriate arrangements in place for the supervision of staff who have contact with children and families. Effective supervision provides support, coaching, and training for the practitioner and promotes the interests of children. Supervision should foster a culture of mutual support, teamwork, and continuous improvement, which encourages the confidential discussion of sensitive issues.

3.35 Supervision should provide opportunities for staff to:

• Discuss any issues – particularly concerning children’s development or wellbeing, including child protection concerns.
• Identify solutions to address issues as they arise.
• Receive coaching to improve their personal effectiveness.

Early years foundation stage statutory framework - For group and school-based providers - September 2025

3.40 Childminders must put appropriate arrangements in place for the supervision of

assistants who have contact with children, families, and carers. Effective supervision

provides support, coaching, and training for the assistant and promotes the best

interests of children. Supervision should foster a culture of mutual support,

teamwork, and continuous improvement, which encourages the confidential

discussion of sensitive issues.

3.41 Supervision should provide opportunities for staff to:

• Discuss any issues – particularly concerning children’s development or wellbeing, including child protection concerns.
• Identify solutions to address issues as they arise.
• Receive coaching to improve their personal effectiveness.

Early years foundation stage statutory framework - For childminders - September 2025

This means every member of staff working directly with children should take part in regular supervisions.

A supervision is a planned, recorded, and supportive meeting between a practitioner and their manager or senior leader and is an opportunity to:

• reflect on practice and professional development
• discuss the needs, interests, and progress of key children
• identify any concerns about children’s safety or wellbeing
• support staff wellbeing and workload
• agree on next steps for practice and development

What supervisions are not

It’s important to be clear about what supervisions are not. They are not the same as appraisals. Appraisals are usually annual, formal reviews of performance against objectives. Whereas supervisions are more regular, ongoing professional conversations, typically focused on reflection, professional development safeguarding, and support.

While both processes are valuable, supervisions are not about judging performance, they are about supporting staff in their day-to-day practice and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children.

Why are supervisions important?

Supervisions are essential for a number of reasons:

1. Safeguarding Children

The EYFS highlights that supervision should foster a culture of “mutual support, teamwork and continuous improvement” while also ensuring “confidential discussion of sensitive issues.” This includes safeguarding concerns*. Supervisions create a safe, structured space to share worries about children, families, or practice that might not be raised in day-to-day conversations.

*If you have a safeguarding concern about a child or adult, you must follow your school’s or setting’s policy and procedures and must not wait for your supervision meeting to share this concern but share it with the DSL/ DSO immediately.

2. Professional Development

For staff, supervisions are a chance to talk openly about strengths, areas for growth, and aspirations. They can be used to identify training needs, support career progression, and help practitioners reflect on how they put theory into practice.

3. Staff Wellbeing

Working in the Early Years is rewarding but demanding. Supervisions give leaders the opportunity to check-in on staff wellbeing, workload, and stress levels. This proactive approach helps to ensure team members are supported and feel listened to and valued.

4. Consistency and Quality of Practice

Regular supervisions support staff to work towards shared goals, understand and implement key policies, and reflect on how to meet children’s individual needs. This consistency is key to delivering high-quality provision.

What should supervisions include?

While the content of a supervision will vary depending on staff roles, some common elements could include:

• discussion of key children: their development, interests, challenges, and next steps
• reflection on practice: what’s going well, what could be improved, and how staff are supporting learning through play
• safeguarding: reviewing any issues and exploring understanding of safeguarding policies
• professional development: identifying training needs or sharing feedback from recent CPD
• wellbeing check-in: offering space for staff to share how they’re feeling about their role and workload
• goal setting: agreeing on clear, achievable actions for the practitioner to take forward.

Making supervisions effective

Supervisions can sometimes feel like a tick-box exercise if they’re not thoughtfully planned.

To make them more effective:

• schedule them regularly: build them into the calendar so staff know when to expect them
• create a safe, confidential space: staff need to feel they can speak honestly without judgment or someone walking in!
• keep records: document key discussion points and agreed actions, ensuring both parties have access
• follow up: check progress against actions in the next supervision
• tailor to the individual: one size doesn’t fit all so consider the staff member’s role, experience, and confidence.

Final thoughts

Supervisions are not just about compliance with the EYFS statutory framework, they are about creating a culture of reflection, growth, and support. When done well, they build stronger teams, empower practitioners, and, most importantly, improve outcomes for children.

As leaders, investing time in high-quality supervisions is one of the most powerful things you can do to support staff and ensure the very best provision for the children in our care.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I do love a good look at the end of KS2 assessment Question Level Analysis (QLA) when it is published on the DfE’s Analyse School Performance (ASP) site. It interests me to dig into questions where pupils have scored well nationally, but more so, where pupils have been less successful. As a former maths subject leader and Year 6 teacher, I found this a useful tool and point of reflection. Even though the data relates to children who have moved into KS3 by this point, the QLA can provide a powerful lens to consider implications for supporting teaching and strengthening fluency across school for the current cohorts we have.

In Ben Fuller’s blog Using Question Level Analysis to inform your curriculum evaluation, Ben goes into more detail about what the QLA is, how to access it, and lines of enquiry that might be useful for both maths and English. It is well worth a read.

The focus of this blog is digging into the QLA data from the 2025 arithmetic paper and considering the implications. The aim with the timing is to support our current cohort of Year 6 children to secure learning over the coming term, based on knowledge of the challenges faced by previous cohorts. 

So, how did children get on in 2025 with the KS2 arithmetic paper in maths? Let’s begin with who attempted the questions and the overall success rate:

Perhaps unsurprisingly (as the arithmetic paper tends to build in complexity) the average success rate for the first 10 questions in the paper was 90%* with an average of 99%* of children attempting them.  Even for the first 15 questions of the paper, the average of correct answers remains high at 89%* with 99%* still attempting.

And again, unsurprisingly, if we look at the other end of the paper, questions 27 to 36, we see a drop in the average success rate to 57%* with the average number of children attempting to answers these questions also dropping a little, to 86%*. Although we see a more significant drop in the accuracy rate, I do think that it is encouraging that a good proportion of children are getting to the end of this 30-minute, 36 question paper.

To me, this suggests that the majority of children manage to maintain stamina. However, within your current cohort of Year 6 pupils, this might still be worth reflecting on: Do all the children manage to maintain focus and keep their stamina up over the 30 minutes? This takes effort and resilience to do. And, what is their accuracy like toward the end of the paper? If it dips, looking at the individuals, is this more about the challenge of the calculations required or test fatigue?

We know that the KS2 SATs are designed to test learning from across Key Stage 2. Knowing that the arithmetic paper focuses on number, including place value and calculation, plus fractions decimals and percentages, there is some level of predictability to the questions. The Primary Maths Team at HFL Education have been able to summarise this. The document groups questions by their focus and allows us to explore them by area of focus.

Analysing the arithmetic papers initially in this way then allows us to build in rehearsal with current Year 6 in a more strategic way. Based on these question types and groups, what do your pupils need more rehearsal of?

Both of the above points – the stamina required and the broad groups of questions that have previously come up, we can design some rehearsal opportunities that target these and make the most efficient use of the time available.

Going deeper, we then need to look at the challenge that some specific questions posed – what made them tricky and how can we use this to ensure we design precise teaching and rehearsal that targets this understanding.

So, let’s now pick some high value areas of the paper to delve into – fractions and percentages and what this might mean for teaching and learning. Of the 2025 arithmetic paper, 40%* of the total marks come under the domain of FDP (fractions, decimals and percentages). Last summer, across the 16 questions, children scored on average 79%* with 91%* of pupils attempting them. This ranged from question 11, with great 85%* success rate to question 33, which had a much lower success rate of 43%* (the lowest of all questions in this paper).

A spotlight on percentages

Each year, we’ve come to expect a couple of questions in the arithmetic paper which assess children’s understanding of calculating with percentages – in 2023 there were 4 questions, in 2024 there were 2 and in 2025 there were 3.

The national average for success across all 3 questions was 64%*. For question 25 this was 74%* (93%* attempting), for question 27 this was 61%* (89%* attempting) and for question 32 this was 57%* (84%* attempting). These numbers possibly indicate that for some children, stamina may have played a part, as the attempt rate drops as we move towards the end of the paper.

It might be worth considering how the majority of your Year 6 children last year might have gone about tackling these. For question 25; finding 5% of 860, would they have made the link between finding 10% and then halving this to find 5%? Or, would they divide by 100 to find 1% and then multiply up? Of course, the second strategy would work for any percentage question however there is much more room for error and more demand on stamina at a point in the paper when reserves might have been dwindling.

I wonder, when finding 19% of a number, how many children would consider the closeness of 19 to 20. And then what strategies would they use to find 20% before then taking away 1%? Would they find 10% and double? Or would they have used ÷5 to find , understanding that this is the same as finding 20%? Again, if children used a strategy of finding 1% and multiplying by 19, or, finding 10%, then 1% x9 and adding these together, are errors going to be more likely?

And what about question 32? The least successfully answered question of the set of percentage of amounts? How would you find 65% of 540? Below is my offering! 

A reflection point: Are our Year 6 children really confident with flexible regrouping and do they see the usefulness of this when calculating with percentages? If, for example, we regroup 65% into 50%, 10% and 5%, I would argue that this is a fairly simple question to solve!

Would it be useful to build opportunities into our planned rehearsal for children to regroup percentages into manageable parts and use known facts. If 1%, 10%, 50%, 5% and 20% are easier to find, can we use and combine these to find other percentages, such as 49% or 61%.

A spotlight on fractions

Here are 2 of the questions which came up in 2025:

A reminder from earlier in the blog that for question 11, there was an 85%* success rate, but for question 33, there was just a 43%* success rate (the lowest of all questions in this paper).

Before we celebrate the success of question 11 however, it might be worth considering why nationally, 15%* of children did not get this question correct. This is tricky to do without seeing the exact answers of course. This question is fairly early on in the paper and if children remember the generalisation that we can ‘multiply the top, multiply the bottom’ then they’ll find these are ‘friendly’ numbers to multiply; 2x5 and 5x6.

But what if they forget this process? If we have taught multiplying pairs of fractions using a process alone (without any concrete or pictorial representations), then the children who forget the process might not have a visual that they can fall back on. However, if we have spent time exploring how to find a fraction of another fraction, two fifths of five sixths in this example, and link this to previous learning with arrays and multiplication, plus visual representations and use this alongside the process, we are likely to create a stronger understanding and connection to the learning. This might support children who may forget a numerical process on its own.

Both of these representations show how sixths and fifths can be represented in an array and how 2/5 of 5/6 is 10/30, and so also 2/5 x 5/6 = 10/30. For this question, children could have simplified the answer to 1/3, however they don’t need to do this to get the mark; 10/30 would be acceptable. Do see the screen shot below from the 2025 Key Stage 2 mathematics test mark schemes Paper 1 for clarity:

Now let’s turn our attention to question 33. This question had an average success rate of just 43%* with 83%* of children attempting it. So, what made this question much trickier? I wonder how many children did the following: 

The mark scheme is quite clear that this answer unfortunately cannot be accepted:

However, even to arrive at the answer 120/3 there is lots that the pupil would need to have understood: 

• the conversion is correct; 3 1/3converts to 10/3
• the multiplication is correct; 10/3 x 12 = 120/3
• the understanding that the denominator remains 3 (we are still working with thirds) is also correct. 

But, we know that 120/3 does not achieve a mark.

So, for the children that did reach this point of 120/3, we can only guess that a number of the children either did not then convert 120/3 to 40, or that in attempting to make the conversion they made an error. 

So, why is 120/3 not acceptable? Below is a screenshot from page 7 of the 2025 Key Stage 2 mathematics test mark schemes Paper 1 which explains using the example of 80/4, showing that this would not be awarded a mark. This is because 80/4 results in an integer answer because 80 ÷ 4 = 20.

Children need to be able to notice when an improper fraction will convert to a whole number - my hunch would be that this is where a lot of children made errors. Is this a small point that your pupils would benefit from some practice with: identifying improper fractions that convert to whole numbers. 

Is there an easier way to tackle this question? I wonder what you think of the following strategy:

If the children understand that ‘x’ and ‘of’ mean the same thing that 3 1/3 x 12 can become 3 1/3 of 12. No converting required!

The penultimate question in the paper assesses similar concepts to those  discussed already. Again, fractions are involved. Again, multiplication is involved. Children were slightly more successful with this question than question 33 with an average of 49%* getting it correct – however, that is just slightly less than half of last year’s Year 6 pupils.

Here are 2 ways children might have solved this: 

How often in our rehearsal opportunities are children (and adults) discussing different strategies and assessing efficiencies? And following these discussions, are additional examples provided so that different strategies can be ‘tested’ out for their efficiency in different contexts?

Wrapping this together

I hope that it has been useful and interesting, seeing how the QLA can be used to gain insights into children’s strengths and possible misconceptions. This might also serve as a prompt to revisit how we build conceptual understanding and make explicit links to prior learning as well as strategy development and choice.

Some final reflection questions:

• Are we using what we know about the arithmetic paper structure and coverage to design practice for our pupils, when and where appropriate?
• Are we focusing on concepts and understanding, as well as processes and methods?
• Are we narrating the possible strategy choices, highlighting ‘efficient’ ways but referring to context to decide what makes it efficient?
• Are we looking at the current cohort and their needs, whilst using what we have learned from previous groups of pupils?

Resource: Key Stage 2 Arithmetic Paper Question Summary 2018-2025. This support might be useful if planning rehearsal opportunities in lessons, arithmetic quizzes or maths fluency sessions.

*Percentage data rounded to the nearest whole number.

Recent news stories have highlighted the urgent need for strong safeguards around technology in early years settings. The EYFS requires that safeguarding policies cover “how mobile phones, cameras and other electronic devices with image and sharing capabilities are used in the setting.” But what does that look like in practice?

Mobile phones

• Many settings operate a no mobile phone policy for staff, but it is equally important to consider how this is applied to parents and visitors. Be clear with anyone entering the setting that phone use is not permitted, explaining both the expectation and the safeguarding reasons behind it.
• Consider where staff personal devices are stored and when these are accessed. Ideally devices would be left in a central location, such as an office and only taken out during breaks. Mobile phone storage cabinets are available for storing phones carefully and securely.
• Check staff spaces where personal devices are used. Are children’s photos or sensitive information displayed? If yes, that information must be removed or personal devices should not be used there.
• Consider where the setting devices are stored and used. Are they, for example, accessible in a space where employees may also have access to their own personal devices such as in staff rooms when staff are on breaks and thus posing a risk for information to be transferred between devices using airdrop, Bluetooth or by taking photographs of the information itself.   If this is the case, consider how you can reduce any potential risk.

Smart watches

• While most adult smart watches cannot take photos, some models can access stored images or use apps independently.
• Potential risks include staff distraction or the possibility of inappropriate content being accessed or displayed.
• To reduce these risks, settings may ask staff to use aeroplane mode or disable Bluetooth during working hours. If a device has full internet access or camera functionality, consider restricting its use or not permitting it in areas where children are present.

Tablets and nursery phones

Many settings choose to use tablets and phones to support learning journals or other digital tools.  The team should consider the following safeguards:

• devices should be shared across the setting, not personally allocated to individuals
• apply strong filtering - block social media, email, and unnecessary browsing
• use a personal log when using the tablet so it can be determined who has accessed or logged anything
• allocate responsibility for periodically checking the browsing history so that leader can be reassured there has been no misuse
• delete photos after an agreed timeframe (e.g., 30 days) and document who is monitoring this and responsible for deleting photos when consent expires.

Devices must stay on-site only - never taken home. Additionally, staff should not be able to access children’s learning journals from home on their own devices using a log in.

• Consider what your policy includes. Does it clearly explain when and where setting devices can be used safely? Make sure it specifies where tablets must not be used, such as in toileting areas or when a practitioner is working alone with children, including situations like supervising in a sleep room.
• Do staff know how to report concerns about the use of devices in the setting and does your safeguarding culture mean that staff feel confident to raise their concerns? When supporting and updating staff safeguarding knowledge, include questions and scenarios about what they would do if they had concerns or came across concerning content on a setting device.

Other technology

New gadgets like smart glasses and smart speakers can record or stream content without notice. How familiar are you with this technology and what steps are you taking to upskill staff and mitigate the risks?

Final thought

Children are surrounded by technology every day. It’s worth pausing to ask ourselves: What is the purpose of taking photos of children in our setting? Do we need a photograph to evidence every developing skill?

Perhaps we can reduce the use of cameras for this purpose or at least introduce clear, consistent parameters around when and why we photograph children. Sometimes the safest and most meaningful choice is also the simplest one: put the device down, be present, and enjoy the moment.

Behind every powerful piece of writing lies two essential building blocks: vocabulary and grammar. These components aren’t just technical details, they’re the tools that allow young writers to express ideas with clarity, precision, and creativity. In this latest instalment of our series of blogs exploring the Writing Framework, we will delve into the topic of vocabulary and grammar and how they are fundamental to breathing life into writing.

Vocabulary and grammar can both be found within ‘Section 4: Composition’ of the framework, pages 47-73. For more reflections on this section more broadly, do take a look at this previous blog written by Rickella.

Vocabulary

The writing framework references the National Curriculum which states:

“Effective composition…requires…an increasingly wide knowledge of vocabulary”

We know that children with a breadth of vocabulary at their fingertips are likely to be more proficient in communicating their intended message and effect for the reader. We want to empower curiosity in young writers to explore new vocabulary through rich reading and high-quality models for writing.

In order to do this successfully, the framework discusses the importance of explicit vocabulary instruction and references the work of Beck, McKeown and Kucan in exploring the tiering of vocabulary. Tier 2 vocabulary is the sweet spot for vocabulary instruction – exploring this rich, literary language which children are going to meet time and time again in quality literature. These transferable words often appear across a range of writing and can provide the depth and breadth of vocabulary needed to improve the quality of writing. Spending time teaching and discussing the effect and impact of these language choices can enable children to experiment with them in their own writing.

The Writing Framework references the following strategies to support in the teaching of vocabulary effectively:

• providing pupil-friendly explanations of the meaning of the word in the context in which it is encountered
• enabling pupils to encounter the words in different ways e.g. in a sentence linked to their experiences; in talk and in writing; analysing both literal and abstract meanings
• analysing the word’s morphology and etymology
• using visuals to help in defining vocabulary, with the use of physical objects

When introducing tier 2 vocabulary, it is crucial to plan opportunities for children to revisit these words repeatedly, as rich word knowledge develops through multiple encounters. This requires deliberate curriculum design, where such opportunities are mapped out to allow children to explore vocabulary in varied contexts. Although children often have a general sense of what these words mean, they need explicit teaching to use them confidently and accurately. Through these intentional encounters, children’s understanding evolves into broader concepts rather than words remaining as standalone terms.

Grammar

Let’s now draw our attention to the grammar section from the Writing Framework, the messages of which are reflected in the recently published Curriculum and Assessment Review final report.

The framework states that:

“…grammar teaching will improve writing only if pupils apply what they have been taught to their writing. Grammar instruction is most effective when taught in the context of a writing task…so that pupils can make informed choices about their writing.”

This is a welcome message. Rather than teaching grammar in isolation, the framework emphasises contextual learning. This means linking grammar instruction to authentic writing experiences. Pupils need to see how choices in sentence structure, word choice and punctuation affect tone, clarity and style. For example, instead of rehearsing pupils on sentence types, show them how authors use short, sharp sentences for impact or longer, complex ones to build tension.

Teaching children to rehearse and recite definitions of grammatical features is often too abstract a concept. Without examples, rooted in high quality literature, children do not have something concrete on which to hang these abstract concepts onto. Model texts become essential here - they demonstrate grammar in action and help pupils see the effect on meaning.

When teaching grammar, children should be evaluating the work of authors, considering how the grammar choices they have made have influenced our experience as readers. We then want to provide opportunities for children to experiment with these techniques, reasoning how they impact the purpose and effect in their own writing. 

Most importantly, grammar should never overshadow creativity. It’s not about perfection; it’s about giving pupils the tools to express themselves effectively. When grammar is taught as part of purposeful writing, it becomes empowering rather than intimidating.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review final report concludes that:

“…a thorough knowledge and understanding of grammar is crucial to success, not just in English but across all subjects. We therefore recommend that the grammatical content… should include a stronger focus on using and applying grammar rather than on identifying theoretical constructs by name, which is not developmentally appropriate or meaningful.”

We await how these recommendations will affect change in the National Curriculum English Programmes of Study over the coming months. The review panel has recently been announced, and you can read more about who will be shaping the curriculum here: The experts shaping England's new curriculum | Tes.

In summary, both grammar and vocabulary should support composition, not overshadow it. A key takeaway is to ensure that grammar and vocabulary teaching are integrated into meaningful writing opportunities and not taught in isolation. We can support children in making choices linked to grammar and vocabulary according to their intended audience and purpose for writing thus linking their composition to writerly choices for the reader. By helping pupils understand how words and structures shape meaning, we empower them to make deliberate choices in their own compositions.

If you wish to find out more on how to enhance writing provision in your school and integrate grammar and vocabulary teaching through the writing process, do take a look at our award-winning writing curriculum: ESSENTIALWRITING. This ambitious and progressive writing programme from Early Years to Year 6 is fully aligned with the key messages in the Writing Framework.

References:

Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G. and Kucan, L. (2013) Bringing Words to Life: Robust vocabulary instruction. New York: Guilford Press.

DfE Writing Framework (2025)

DfE Curriculum and Assessment Review Final Report: Building a world-class curriculum for all (2025)

This blog was originally published 19 December 2024 and has been updated for January 2026.

You may have heard of the Department for Education’s (DfE) School Census but may not know much about it - it collects information from primary schools, secondary schools, special schools, maintained nurseries and academies and pupil referral units three times a year. SEN provision is collected for all pupils on roll every census day using the following codes: ‘E’ (Education, Health and Care plan) or ‘K’ (SEN support).

However, for SENCOs the spring term census is particularly important. This is when the DfE collects additional data for all on roll pupils with SEN. This year the census will be completed on Thursday 15th January 2026.   

This blog will give you a few top tips to make sure you are well-prepared, answer some frequently asked questions and explain what happens with the information after it has been submitted to the DfE. 

What do SENCOs need to do to prepare for the census?

Before January 15th have a conversation with whoever completes the School Census in your school (usually the office manager or school business manager) to ensure that the information held about the pupils with SEN in your management information system (MIS) is accurate.   

Check:

• Is the list of pupils identified with SEN on your MIS correct?
• Do all pupils with SEN have an accurate SEN provision code description?

If you would like some more information about when to identify a child with SEN, then please refer to the SEND Code of Practice (paragraph 6.15).  You may also find this article by Sara Alston useful:  Who should go on the school SEN register?

Is the SEN type code description correct?

To be recorded under one of the SEN types, there is no requirement for a pupil to have a specialist assessment, though it is important, as part of your ongoing conversations with families, that they are aware of the SEN type code descriptions the school is using.   

For the School Census, you must choose a SEN type code description from the list provided.  This is available in Hertfordshire’s SEND Toolkit.

You will find more information about some of the SEND type descriptions in the SEND Code of Practice paragraphs 6.30 to 6.34.

Is every pupil’s primary need – and, where appropriate any secondary need – recorded as an SEN type ranking?  Only two rankings are collected in the School Census - the most significant, or primary need, is ranked as ‘1’, with any secondary need ranked ‘2’.

If your school has an MIS support contract with HFL Education you will be able to find more information about how to record SEN on the data management services portal. If not, you will need to access any help guides provided by your school’s management information system (for example:  Arbor, SIMS, BromCom or ScholarPack).

Does my school have an SEN Unit or Resourced provision?

These indicators identify pupils with SEN who are members of a SEN unit or a specialist-resourced provision.

• SEN units are special provisions within a mainstream school where the pupils with SEN are taught within separate classes for at least half of their time.
• Resourced provisions are places that are reserved at a mainstream school for pupils with a specific type of SEN, taught for at least half of their time within mainstream classes, but requiring a base and some specialist facilities around the school.

Schools and academies must only use these indicators where the SEN unit or resourced provision has been formally recognised as such by the local authority where the school is located. The school’s get information about schools (GIAS) record should indicate if the school has an SEN unit or a resourced provision.

What happens after the data has been submitted?

Submitting the correct data is important.

The data SENCOs submit is collated by the DfE who then use it to publish national SEN statistics in June every year.  You may not realise it, but this is the data used to create the SEND Context poster published annually in Hertfordshire’s SEND Toolkit - a helpful tool enabling SENCOs, school leaders and governors to understand their own school context.

For example, we know from the 2025 national SEN statistics that 14.2% of children are identified as receiving SEN support, and 5.3% of children have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).  We know that the most common type of need for those with SEN support continues to be speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).

The School Census information is also used in other databases, such as Ofsted’s inspection data    summary report (IDSR) which is used by inspectors when preparing for and during inspection to access information about individual schools.               

If you have made any changes to your data, you may want to update your SEND Context poster and share with your leadership team and governors.

Make sure that parents have been informed of any changes to those identified with SEN. Follow up conversations in writing, giving a copy to parents as well as retaining a copy for the school’s records.

Please subscribe if you would like to receive new blogs from the SEND team as they are published: HFL Education 

Links to resources that you might find useful

Complete the school census - Guidance - GOV.UK

SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years - GOV.UK

Hertfordshire SEND Toolkit, 7th Edition

Special educational needs in England, Academic year 2024/25 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK

Sara Alston article: Who should go on the school SEN register?

Community spaces like village halls, leisure centres, and faith buildings offer fantastic opportunities for early years provision. They bring families together, make childcare accessible, and strengthen local networks. Operating a childcare provision from a shared space comes with unique challenges, especially when it comes to safeguarding and security.

In this blog, we will explore key risks and practical solutions aligned with the EYFS 2025 statutory framework.

Why shared spaces need extra attention

Unlike purpose-built and sole purpose nurseries and pre-schools, community venues often have multiple users and could contain unrestricted access points. This means early years providers must take additional steps to keep children safe while meeting EYFS requirements.

1. CCTV and data protection

Shared spaces often have CCTV installed for security. But who controls the footage?

Considerations:

• agree on a data-sharing policy with the venue
• restrict access to authorised employees only
• display clear signage and comply with GDPR
• ensure it is included in your policy that CCTV is in use

2. Security and access control

Multiple entry points can increase risk.

Considerations:

• Install secure entry systems such as coded, alarmed, or locked doors. For sites near main roads, car parks, or other high-risk areas, a two-stage entry system is likely to provide an enhanced level of protection.
• Consider all entry and exit points to the space used to provide care for children, as there are often more than one. Consider who can access the different entry points and risk assess these accordingly.
• Review fire doors to ensure they can be used as fire exits but do not allow children to easily leave the premises. Fire exit doors often have handles positioned at child height, which can pose a safety risk. A simple and cost-effective solution is to install a door alarm that alerts staff whenever the door is opened, enhancing security without significant expense.
• Keep a setting visitor log and supervise all visitors who are not employed by the setting.
• Train and provide ongoing support to staff to challenge unauthorised individuals.
• Ensure all community/shared space employees are familiar with the early years provision security processes and child protection policies and procedures. Consider inviting them to attend your safeguarding training and share your safeguarding policies and risk assessments to ensure there is an understanding of the importance of following the procedures to keep children safe. Use signage to support this procedure.
• Have a clear policy in place that ensures that all staff and parents understand the processes as well as what happens if an unauthorised person accesses the early years space while in session.
• Consider establishing regular meetings between the shared space governing body to ensure that both parties can work together to ensure that children’s safety is a priority.

3. Shared toilets

Children using shared facilities may encounter members of the public.

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, Toileting an intimate hygiene - 3.86 it states that providers must ensure ‘Children’s privacy is considered and balanced with safeguarding and support needs when changing nappies and toileting.’

Considerations:

• Supervise toilet visits carefully and plan how this is managed to maintain both staff and child safety, while minimising disruption to play and learning
• Designate child-only toilets or schedule exclusive times so that toilets are not shared by the public when the session is operating.
• Plan where and how nappy changing will take place and ensure that privacy can be maintained for children while balancing safeguarding and allegation risk.
• Maintain hygiene checks and safeguarding oversight.
• If toilets are accessed through an area that may come in to contact with the public, ensure there is a risk assessment in place to minimise risks.
• The DSL or leader to constantly keep procedures under review and monitor their effectiveness making adaptation as needed. 

4. Outdoor space access

Getting to outdoor play areas often means passing through shared corridors.

Considerations:

• Use designated routes to maintain effective supervision of children and minimise risk of children encountering the public or leaving the safe space of the setting.
• Use walkie talkies or similar devices to allow staff to communicate easily from one space to another.
• Ensure the space is safe for use by the children and conduct daily checks prior to accessing with children.
• Check if the space is easily accessed by members of the public, consider the height of fencing.
• Plan how you will safely manage children requiring the toilet when in the outside space without compromising safety and whilst also minimising risk of allegation to staff.
• Complete regular risk assessments.

5. Managing public interaction

Strangers in shared spaces pose safeguarding concerns.

Considerations:

• Display restricted access signage.
• Ensure all shared space staff are aware of the restricted access and enforce this with public users.
• Ensure all shared space staff are aware of confidentiality.
• Train staff in challenging and reporting procedures and support them to enact these
• Follow EYFS safeguarding policies for escalation.

6. Managing unexpected events and minimising risk:

• Establish and maintain clear fire and lockdown procedures, ensuring regular drills are conducted to confirm all staff and children understand and can follow these protocols as leaders intend.
• Fire Procedure: include evacuation routes, assembly points, and roles (e.g., who checks rooms, who takes registers).
• Lockdown Procedure: define triggers (e.g., intruder alert), safe zones, communication methods, and staff responsibilities.

EYFS 2025: What you need to know:

• Safeguarding policies and procedures and implementation.
• Suitable person and DBS checks.
• Staff and child ratios and staff deployment.
• Safety of premise including fire risk management.
• Privacy in toileting balanced with safeguarding.

Final thoughts

Community spaces can be a brilliant resource for early years provision but only if risks are managed effectively. By following these steps and aligning with EYFS 2025, you will create a safe, welcoming environment for every child.