Foundation Years - DfE Effective Practice Support to the Early Years Sector

The Department is looking to source a supplier to manage the longstanding Foundation Years website. This requirement is being procured under the Light Touch Regime - PCR 2015

The Supplier shall assist the Department in successfully delivering the following aims and objectives of early years education and care:

1) Host and develop the Foundation Years service. The contractor will ensure the platform, across its website and social media presences, is user friendly, accessible, and provides relevant information, guidance, and documentation to its subscribers and visitors. They will achieve this by keeping the website up to date by uploading the monthly newsletter at the time of publication, being proactive at developing content for blogs and vodcasts (editing and archiving as needed after publication) and adding and updating events in the calendar, as well as frequently and consistently posting to social media platforms.

This is an existing website platform and therefore there is not a requirement to build a new website.

2) A focus on creating evidence-informed and effective practice content. This will be achieved by working with the Department, subject matter experts, and independently to create content to provide curriculum and practice support. The supplier will proactively suggest topics, identify opportunities, and develop content, such as case studies from sector voices and spotlights on evidence informed and effective practice. This will enable high-quality early education and care in early years settings while also helping foster an engaged community amongst the EY sector. They will understand the challenges faced within the EY sector, creating specific support for the differing needs, responding with appropriate and timley guidance (for example learning materials). They will create sector updates, webinars, vodcasts, blogs and publish these on the relevant channels. The support provided must be in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage frameworks, Development Matters non-statutory curriculum guidance, the Help for Early Years Providers website, Early Years Leadership NPQ framework, DfE's Professional Development Programme, Education Endowment Foundation's Evidence Store, and other strands of the Department's Early Years Recovery Programme.

3) Creating strong networks. This will be achieved by building the number of users to Foundation Years and reaching out to the sector in a variety of innovative ways to introduce new people to the platform and retain users. They will look to utilise appropriate channels used by the sector, such as social media. They will work with the Department to provide bespoke in person and online events. They will deliver peer to peer sharing, for example through creating and sharing content by providers for providers.