Crookham Sunshines Community Preschool

Through observation, assessment and planning we can establish if a child is not meeting their developmental milestones and will openly communicate with parents about strategies we will put in place via an individual education plan.  

By having an open door policy and key companion system Parents have the ability to raise any concerns they may have in relation to their child.

Crookham Sunshines Preschool prides itself on a home from home environment and encourages parental involvement on any level. Some staff are trained in a variety of areas such as speech and language, behaviour management and autism (Thomas training). Key companions build close relationships with parents and value their opinions and their experiences as they are the first educators in their child’s lives.  Children's development and next steps are discussed at our termly parents evening. Parental questionnaires are sent out regularly to gather their opinions on the service and support we provide to both their children and themselves. The Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENDCo) is familiar with the SEND Code of Practice, keeps all records up to date and informs staff of any updates to the SEND policy. The Preschool's SENDCo liaises with parents, outside agencies and attends regular SEND support meetings and co-ordinates transitions into primary schools.

At Crookham Sunshines Community Preschool we use the revised Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS 2023) curriculum as a guide for each individual child’s development with our focus on a child centred approach. Each child at the Preschool is unique and has an individual learning style. All children will have an on-line learning journal which their key companion and parents can add observations to, these are then used to analyse where the child sits developmentally and how we can take their learning forward based on their individual interests. Through observations and assessment, areas which require development can be focused on and incorporated into daily activities. The Preschool's special educational needs and disabilities co-ordinator and behaviour officer, alongside other team members ensure any children requiring additional support are able to access appropriate activities in line with their development. We will endeavour to involve your child, enabling them to make choices and engage in activities & experiences that are of interest to themselves using in the moment planning. By making bonds with your child, we can support them and fully understand what level of support is required and additional help is sought. We can provide visual timetables, now and next boards and social stories to support a child's understanding of the daily routines.  Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) are completed where required to support learning both at Preschool and home. These are reviewed alongside the parents on a termly basis. 

At Crookham Sunshines Preschool we support children in the following ways:

• Regular communication with key companion and other staff members
• Every Key Companion plans activities based on the individual needs of their children and their interests at the time
• Individual online learning journals which contain your child's observations, assessment and photographs
• Parents can communicate via our online learning journal, adding observations/comments
• Daily sheets posted online detailing activities and achievements
• We have an open door policy and welcome parental involvement at all times both at home and within our stimulating environment
• Termly parent’s evenings to focus on child’s development and discuss 2-year-old progress checks. By completing these checks, it helps the Preschool to monitor and adapt targets which will maintain and challenge your child’s development progress
• We also correspond with families via social networking pages and newsletters

At Crookham Sunshines Community Preschool we consider children's overall well-being by providing the following:

• Our Practitioners are welcoming, friendly and provide a sensitive, inclusive and positive approach
• Practitioners provide good role models for positive behaviour and we have a consistent duty of care to all our children. Should we have any unwanted behaviour we will provide positive reinforcement and work closely with the parent/carers to provide a consistent and planned approach to improving behaviour
• The Preschool is able to administer prescribed medicines with parental consent
• Every child within the Preschool is unique and will be given every opportunity to make their own choices
• Children with behaviour difficulties will be fully supported by every member of staff
• The setting is fully secured
• Comprehensive policies are held within the setting which includes behaviour, special educational needs and disabilities and inclusion. A copy of the safeguarding, equal opportunities and complaints policy are issued on joining
• All staff complete a criminal record check via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) which is checked termly, alongside a suitability form which is completed annually
• Daily activities such as dough gym, encourage positive language, social skills and will therefore build your child’s self-confidence.

Every staff member undertakes regular first aid and safeguarding training and any other training relevant to each individual child, ie. diabetes, epilepsy.  We work alongside the specialist services involved with your child and we welcome them to our Preschool.  Working closely with you and your child will enable us to build stronger relationships and understand any support you may need as a parent.  The Preschool's SENDCo has attended the special educational needs induction training, Thomas training for autistic children and attends termly SENDCo support meetings which contain important changes, legislation or new ideas and resources to support children with SEND. All information is then cascaded down to the rest of the team. Most staff members have attended basic sign language (Makaton) training which we endeavour to incorporate into our songs and rhymes, through general play and specific activities such as snack. We work closely with outside agencies such as Portage who work directly with parents in their own home, to ensure the Preschool is able to offer a suitable environment for all children to learn, play and most importantly feel safe in.

Crookham Sunshines Preschool has a total team of eight who are all qualified in childcare. The Manager is trained to level 5 with 6 Practitioners holding an NVQ level 3 qualification and 1 Practitioner holding an NVQ level 2 qualification. All staff regularly complete both their first aid training and safeguarding training. Our SENDCo is our Behaviour Officer as well and has attended Thomas training for autistic children, behaviour management training, language projects and speech and language courses. The SENDCo and SENDCo support attend termly networking meetings to keep up to date with new legislation and news. All staff have attended various training courses which include behaviour, speech and language, basic Makaton and strive to continue their professional development. 

All trips and outings outside of the Preschool require parental consent which is obtained via letter. Parents and carers are always welcome to attend if they wish. Risk assessments are completed for all trips and we welcome parental input. If your child requires additional help they will be allocated one to one support which will generally be their key companion. Where required visual timetables and social stories will be available and discussed with your child in order to prepare them for a change in their routine. It will explain what will take place on the outing in order for them to feel comfortable when outside of the Preschool.

Both the indoor and outdoor environments are accessible at all times with both being very spacious. Our outdoor area has a lot of natural resources such as tyres, planks, milk crates which provide challenging activities for all children to participate in. The garden is flat and is suitable for easy access indoor and out.  The indoor environment provides a lot of loose parts and natural resources to ignite children's curiousity.

If you are a parent/carer who has English as an additional language, then we can arrange to get another family member to translate or with the permission of parent we can contact EMTAS who may provide us with a translator. Visual cues can support the child's understanding and we can adapt any activity to support the child's learning and stage of development

On the first day of term we aim to hold an induction day where you and your child come into the Preschool to play, explore and meet your child’s key companion. It gives you both the opportunity to see the environment and start to build relationships with the team, alongside completing our welcome pack. We also provide a photo book for your child to have within the setting of family and friends and things they like to do at home.

Prior to children moving to primary school we will hold meetings with the appropriate staff at the designated school ie. SENDCo, Head Teacher, Class Teacher, LSA where your child's needs will be discussed and relevant support put into place.  The designated school will receive all documentation relating to outside agencies/strategies in place along with a one page document outlining their family, likes/dislikes, best place of learning and any support they may require.

Crookham Sunshines Community Preschool is a charity non-profit organisation where fundraising is essential to raise additional funds for resources to support children's development.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) funding may be allocated to your child where appropriate and is this will be used for 1:1 time and resources appropriate to their age and stage of development.

Visual timetables, choice boards, now and next boards and social stories are created for individual children where necessary.

At Crookham Sunshines Community Preschool we pride ourselves on working in partnership with all of our parents. Alongside your child’s key companion, you will work to establish if any additional support is required and a decision will be made jointly. The Preschool’s SENDCo/SENDCo Support will assist the key companion in completing an individual education plan for your child which will immediately be put in place and will be supported by the rest of the team with the aim that your child will become independent within the environment.  The plan will then be reviewed on a termly basis with parents.

Ongoing partnerships with parents and outside agencies will support the discussion of progress and future requirements ie. education health care plan (EHCP). Our SENDCo/SENDCo Support will give advice on meeting your child's needs within the Preschool in consultation with you and other professionals when necessary, with your permission. Our SENDCo Support will advise you on the process of applying for extra support. 

At Crookham Sunshines Community Preschool the parents can be involved by:

• joining the trustees as we are a committee run Preschool and being actively involved in fundraising activities throughout the year
• via your child's online learning journal, providing observations and communication from home
• attending termly parents evenings where together we can discuss your child's progress and development and review any individual education plans
• completing a daily communication book if required.