Special Educational Needs and Disabilities ‘offer’
1) How does the setting know if children need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?
All 2 year old children will undergo a 2 year check once they have been in the setting for approx. 4-6 weeks.
Children are allocated a key-person and it is that person who supports your child as they settle in and takes most formal observations. All staff meet daily and initial concerns may be raised at this point so all staff can input information, or with the manager/SENCO more privately.
Concerns will be discussed with parents in the first instance and the help of outside specialists and agencies may be sought.
2) How will early years setting staff support my child?
All children require 1:1 support at times i.e. when settling into nursery and this is given when necessary. If a child is considered to require more support the SENCO will make some assessments, write an SSP (Surrey Support Plan) in conjunction with the key-person and, if necessary, allocate a member of staff to act in a 1:1 capacity. Parents are involved at every stage and will be asked to agree the SSP before it is implemented. SSP’s may be written with the input of specialists ie physiotherapist, SALT (Speech and Language Therapist) etc. At transition time all records would be discussed at the meeting with the new school.
3) How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?
SSP’s are written for children to reflect their own place within learning and paced accordingly.
Staff are trained, if necessary, to be able to cater for children with specific requirements. Similarly where appropriate specialist equipment will be purchased: furniture, toys and resources.
4) How will both you and I know how my child is doing and how will you help me to support my child’s learning?
We hold parent’s sessions regularly: informal, termly, coffee mornings and more formal parents consultation sessions which are held twice in the academic year both in the evening and mornings. When your child starts at nursery this will be time to introduce you to the Learning Journey. As your child progresses through the nursery it will be a time to look at your child’s targets for the term and how they are being met. Half termly you will receive an overview of our activities and what, most particularly, we hoped to achieve with the activity. This will give an indication of things you can do at home to support your child’s learning.
Staff are available to meet and discuss key-children each day in an informal manner or for longer by arrangement.
We have ‘fabulous me’ vouchers and exciting weekend/holiday sheets. A box is available in reception together with a note pad to post quick notes you wish us to see.
5) What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being?
All staff hold a current Paediatric First Aid Certificate. However, children with particular medical needs will have allocated members of staff trained with the specific requirements of your child.
Full instructions must be given by parents/carers on the administration of medication and on administration the member of staff concerned will date, time and sign the relevant documentation.
Intimate care is recorded in a diary and on an individual Intimate Care form. The nursery has a behaviour policy which is adhered to by all staff giving a continuity and consistency of care.
Children’s views are sought regularly and encouraged and ideas incorporated into planning.
6) What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the setting?
Staff have a very broad base of expertise and continue to engage in regular CPD (Continued Professional Development) to meet demands of the nursery.
The setting regularly accesses the support of SALT, Occupational Therapist, Educational Psychologist, Physiotherapist etc. At the Home Visit, which takes place prior to a child starting at nursery, the Manager will ask parents to sign a form to give permission for information about children to be shared with other agencies when in the interests of the child. At all times parents are kept involved with consultations taking place with outside agencies.
7) What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had or are having?
Our manager is a trained SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) and another member of staff has also undergone training and is now the allocated member of staff for reference. Staff have attended an Autistic Spectrum Disorders course to enhance knowledge. Two members of staff are Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSA).
All staff attend a Manual Handling course to support their ability to appropriately lift, move etc child with SEND.
8) How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?
Our Forest School programme runs throughout the year. We anticipate involving all children in these activities and will access equipment and support to do so.
Other trips are planned with parental input – via a letter/questionnaire to glean views and information. Appropriate extra staff and equipment would be accessed to enable any child to join the excursion
9) How accessible is the setting environment?
The Village hall is fully wheelchair accessible with large front doors and ground level access. There is a disabled toilet and showering facility.
Suitable translators would be sought if required although this has not yet been something we have experienced.
Extra funding is usually available to us to purchase specialist equipment.
10) How will the setting prepare and support my child to join the setting, transfer to a new setting or the next stage of education and life?
Children joining the nursery are encouraged to participate in our settling in process to help familiarise the child, parent/carer and staff with a child’s individual needs.
If a child is/has been attending another nursery the manager may ask for permission to visit the child at that setting.
Photo books can be prepared or a special box to bring to and from nursery linking home and setting. A full transition report is prepared as a child leaves the setting, a copy given to parents for amendment and sent to the new setting/school.
11) How are the setting`s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?
The nursery has a wide range of resources and plans its very limited budget to ensure all children have access to appropriate resources.
If necessary the nursery will endeavour to access Inclusion Funding or Discretionary Funding to provide specific resources to enable the employment of additional staff.
12) How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?
As a child settles into nursery – usually during the settling in session or at the home visit – the manager and parent/carer will talk through the child’s specific requirements. Very often this involves close 1:1 support in the early stages. Dialogue between nursery and parents is open and on-going and decisions to reduce support can be discussed and agreed. In some cases outside professionals will be involved in this decision process. Regular reviews will determine the impact of support and how this continues, reduces or increases.
13) How are parents involved in the setting? How can I be involved?
Parents are welcome to involve themselves in numerous ways via the Parent Helper rota, on the Trustees committee in an official capacity or as a fundraiser. Several meetings are held each year where input is welcome Sunday walks are an informal opportunity to discuss ideas. Email and regular newsletters welcome ideas as well as a ‘message box’ in reception for ideas, comments and messages.
14) Who can I contact for further information?
The initial point of contact at Grayswood Nursery and Forest School is the manager – Kate Dean. The SENCO may also be involved and your child’s key-person. If your child has SEND then you may also be eligible to involve the local authority who have teams to support parents and carers.