Cuckoo Meadow Pre-School

We provide an individualised approach to ensure the best possible educational outcomes are achieved for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

We have an experienced SENDCo (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator) who: ensures all practitioners in the setting understand their responsibilities to children with SEN (Special Educational Needs) and the setting’s approach to identifying and meeting SEN; advises and supports colleagues; ensures parents are closely involved and that their insights inform action taken by the setting; and liaises with professionals or agencies beyond the setting. We perform regular reviews together with parents to monitor children’s progress of their individual targets, learning and development.  

We provide an environment in which all children with special educational needs and disabilities are supported to reach their full potential. All children are included in our activities within the setting, these activities are adapted where necessary and adult support is given as required, to ensure all children can take part.

Where an Individual Educational Plan is in place, targets are tailored to your child’s needs and will be reviewed regularly to monitor progress.

We operate an open-door policy where staff are available for discussion at any time. Regular staff meetings are held to plan and discuss individual children’s needs. We work alongside other agencies and professionals who may already be involved to support children and parents. Parents evenings are offered through the year to discuss your child’s development. Where an Individual Education Plan and/or Individual Healthcare Plan is in place, progress reviews are carried out at least every six weeks with key members of staff including the SENDCo, and parents/carers. We can provide support for home learning activities which are tailored to your child’s needs.    

We have a highly qualified, experienced, inclusive and professional team who are all dedicated and committed to providing a safe, happy and stimulating environment in which your child will feel special and cared for and above all, have fun!

Individual Educational Plans, Individual Health Care Plans and Individual Risk Assessments are prepared taking into account the special educational needs and disabilities of your child ensuring their safety, welfare, comfort and above all, happiness during their time at our setting.   

We are able to administer medicines with parental consent. All staff give support to children with behaviour difficulties. We work with other agencies and professionals such as speech and language therapists to ensure appropriate support is given. Our children’s social, emotional and mental health development is important to us and staff discuss feelings and emotions during the sessions and at ‘show and tell time.’ This helps to develop positive language, social skills and build self-confidence.

We have a team of highly qualified and experienced staff. Our SENDCo is a qualified teacher specialising in the Early Years and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. 

The team have worked with children who have a wide range of special educational needs and disabilities, such as specific medical conditions including: both Hypoplastic Right and Left Heart Syndromes; Di George Syndrome; Autism Spectrum Condition; Global Developmental Delay; and have worked with a broad spectrum of children who have speech, language and social communication delays as well as behavioural difficulties.    

We have excellent partnerships with external professionals and agencies such as: Portage, educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, Hampshire SEN team, physiotherapists, paediatric consultants, occupational therapists, Solent Children’s Therapy. We have an excellent track record and the experience in making referrals to all of these experts. We have the knowledge and experience in supporting parents through the Educational Health Care Plan process and have the experience to ensure a smooth transition takes place when children move to mainstream or special schools.     

The setting’s SENDCo is a qualified teacher specialising in Early Years and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. The SENDCo attends regular SEND training throughout the year, and accesses frequent SEND sessions and networking meetings provided by Hampshire County Council. The SENDCo cascades relevant training to the rest of the team and ensures training is received as necessary to meet the needs of every child.    

Our annual training plan for the whole team takes into account any additional training requirements required, this is updated throughout the year should we need to allocate further training for a child who requires specific support.  

From a recruitment perspective we expect our staff to hold a minimum NVQ level 3, equivalent or higher qualification. Any students working within the setting are not included in our ratios.

We provide an environment in which all children with special educational needs and disabilities are supported to reach their full potential. All children are included in our activities within the setting, as well as when we explore the surrounding areas. Activities are adapted to meet the needs of each child. Parental consent and advice are always sought when external trips are planned. Detailed risk assessments will be in place.       

The outdoor area is fully enclosed, safe, and spacious. We are creative with our outdoor play and all children are encouraged to take part. Throughout the course of the session there are predictable transitions such as snack time, lunch time, show and tell and story time. Inside the pre-school there is a disabled toilet.

Cuckoo Meadow Preschool invite new children to an induction day where parents have the opportunity to meet their keyperson and other parents. We offer an opportunity to stay and play depending on your child’s needs. Our settling in process takes into account each child’s unique situation and is tailored accordingly. Separation is handled sensitively and again, adapted to each individual child and is discussed with the parents in advance. Transition to ‘big school’ is different for each child and will be managed accordingly, the team are experienced in ensuring the mainstream or special school have a detailed handover.     

Staff are allocated as needed, our setting has a higher staff to children ratio than most and so we are in the fortunate position of ensuring no child is overlooked. Cuckoo Meadow Preschool accesses a local children’s resource centre where inclusion equipment can be borrowed on a long-term loan basis helping to meet the individual needs of each child. SEN funding can be applied for further resources as needed. A meeting with parents and staff would be held to discuss how the funding and resources would benefit your child’s needs.

We have in place a clear approach for identifying, responding to, and meeting children’s SEND. The setting ensures parents receive the information, advice and support that they need in order to participate in the SEN decision-making process. Parents are closely involved throughout their child’s journey within the setting and their insights inform action taken by the setting. We involve parents in the discussion of any early concerns, in identifying any SEN, and agreeing: the outcomes being sought for your child; the interventions and support to be put in place; the expected impact on progress, development, behaviour and; any dates for review.

SEN support will be implemented, with parental agreement, using the graduated approach of: ‘assess, plan, do, review’ to meet the outcomes identified for your child. An Individual Educational Plan (IEP) may be written, with parental input, to provide achievable targets. IEPs are reviewed at least every six weeks to monitor your child’s progress.

In terms of your child’s development – we believe our parents are integral to the children’s learning and development and so we involve them every step of your child’s journey with us. We work closely with all our parents and have regular progress reviews throughout the year. We have a two-way approach to reviewing the children’s learning and development and parents are able to provide updates from home through our online learning journey system, Tapestry. Where an Individual Education Plan is in place, progress reviews are held approximately every six weeks together with parents/carers, to assess progress and discuss future targets.      

Parents can be involved as much or as little as they would like in our setting - We are a parent-committee run setting where parents are involved in the decision making and management of the pre-school. We have an open-door policy and parents are able to speak to us about any concerns whenever they need to. We actively encourage parents to come and join us for a stay and play session to see how life at pre-school works! We have a private Facebook page where regular updates and home learning ideas are shared, as well as giving the parents an opportunity to share their ideas as well. Special events are held to encourage other members of the family to become involved. We send a weekly parent mail via email where parents are updated on the day to day running of the group.