Happy Days Pre-School

All staff at Happy Days pre-school have received training in specific areas, such as Special Educational Needs, Challenging Behaviour, Makaton signing. Each Key person who is assigned to your child will plan for their individual needs. Observations will be made so that a child’s learning and development needs can be encouraged and planned for. This is tracked termly by the Manager and reviewed with parents/carers at termly parent/carer meetings. A detailed sheet of all children’s development needs is available for all key persons so that observations can be made. Parents input is greatly received and any help which we can assist with is given. The initial I AM book can help to create an inviting and positive environment for your child to attend. Individual Education Plans with small achievable targets can be set for children who need a little extra support to reach developmental stages. These are completed with input from the parent/carer, key person and SENCO. The SENCO is fully aware of the SEN policy and attends the support group to ensure up-to-date information is received.

Happy Days staff understand that all children are unique in their own right. Planning for each child is done individually based on a child’s learning and development needs. We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and will adapt this to suit your child’s individual needs. Observations and assessments are made and will be recorded in your child’s learning journey and record of development, which is shared with parents/carers termly. Our tracking procedures such as PRAMS and KOT is completed termly to ensure that progress is being made. The SENCO/BECO can offer support in moving children forward and with parental consent the request of outside agencies to aid this further can be sought.

Happy Days staff are available at the beginning and end of each day to discuss any concerns you may have with your child’s learning and development needs. If a longer time is needed then this can be arranged at a convenient time with all concerned during the session. A confidential area can be provided for this discussion to take place. At 8 weeks a 2 year old development check is completed with parents/carers to assess where your child’s development is at that time and how the best way to move your child forward can be achieved. Learning journeys are begun as soon as your child enters pre-school which will build up a photographic picture with detailed observations of how your child has progressed within their pre-school life. Happy Days pre-school will support parents in achieving specific areas of development. We offer stay and play sessions where you can come and play with your child and see how our different play activities can be incorporated into a positive learning environment for your child. When opportunities arise, courses can be offered to parents to attend with Happy Days staff which will help to increase knowledge and understanding of the EYFS

Happy Days have 2 Health & Safety officers who are responsible alongside the Manager with risk assessments and ensuring that correct procedures are being followed. A daily risk assessment is carried out in the indoor and outdoor environment to ensure that the premises and equipment is suitable for all children and staff to access. A chain with fire proofed cable ties are placed on 2 x outdoor gates to ensure the safety of children whilst they are at play in the outdoor environment. All staff at Happy Days preschool are Paediatric First Aid trained and update this on a 3 year rota. Medicines can be administered by all staff as long as a parental consent form has been completed and that medicines have been issued by a doctor/pharmacist. For children who have allergies or any special conditions, such as asthma, an individual Health Care Plan is completed so all Happy Days staff are aware. Happy Days preschool do have boundaries in place with some golden rules to ensure the continuing safety of all the children who are in attendance. Happy Days have in a place policies which cover Health and Safety issues, Special Educational needs, Behaviour and Safeguarding issues. All staff are aware of these policies and adhere to these daily. The Safeguarding Lead Practitioner attends support groups to ensure that up to date information is received. All policies are reviewed regularly and changes made accordingly.

The SENCO has attended the SENCO Induction training, the BECO attended the ‘Positive Approach to Challenging Behaviour and the Safeguarding Lead Practitioner is Level 4 trained in Safeguarding. All members of staff are expected to attend First Aid, Safeguarding and Food Hygiene courses on a regular basis. Induction to Makaton has been delivered to all staff and basic signs are used daily with pictures of signs placed in strategic places. Happy Days have close links with outside agencies, such as the Area Inco and Early Years Advisory teachers who can be accessed for help at any time.

7 members of staff have achieved a NVQ Level 3, with 1 having a Level 4, and one in the first year Early Years Educator. The Owner/Manager has completed her BA (Hons) in Education and Training. The Manager is the SENCO and has received induction training also attends the support groups. The BECO has received Positive Approach to Challenging behaviour training and SENCO induction course. The Manager and BECO have received initial training for writing IEP’s. The Lead Practitioner in Safeguarding is currently trained to Level 4 in Safeguarding, along with the Manager. All other staff have received Level 3 training. All staff are First Aid trained. All staff have received initial Makaton training.

>All outside visits are delivered on a ratio of 2:4. Our visits involve a walk to the library through a park, with the occasional visit to the local post office. All children are included in visits and permission is always sought from the parent/carer before a visit will commence. A risk assessment is always carried out and recorded to ensure the children are kept safe at all times. On some occasions we have a police car or fire engine visit our setting, again children are taken off site to visit these. Parents’ permission is always gained before children are taken off the premises. Transition visits to a child’s infant’s school are arranged yearly. All visits are discussed with the Parents, such as routes taken and length of time child out of setting, also which key persons will be accompanying the children.

Our preschool is located within a community hall, and is wheelchair accessible. Visual routines of the day are located on our entrance board, at child’s eye level so daily routines can be followed. Individual time lines are available to children who require extra support. Photo cards of equipment located in the storage cupboard are available for the children so choices can be made to access all toys. Visual cards are available at snack time so children can make choices, along with Makaton signs. English as an additional Language is respected and children are encouraged to use their native tongue within the session. Extra support will be given to the child and family through EMTAS. There are books and leaflets available within our book area and words in different languages can be found in various places around the hall. The room layout can be altered if need be to ensure that the room is fully inclusive to all. The outdoor environment offers a secure space for your child to learn and explore whilst having fun with many different resources. Resources are located in the same areas for children’s recall to an existing theme of their play. We have a mud kitchen for exploration and lots of mark making opportunities to be explored. We have PE equipment which varies in size for all to be able to access. A gardening area has also been created where children can plant various items, watch them grow and then cook and eat at snack time.

We at Happy Days have a settling in policy which encourages the parents/carers to visit the setting as often as possible before the child is due to start. This is so that familiarity of the surroundings and staff and the bonding process can take place between children, parents and key person. An introduction into the settings procedures and all paperwork is carried out with the parent/carer to ensure that permission is given for observations to take place. This is also a good time to discuss any issues that a parent may have regarding their child. For transitions into school, Happy Days ensure that there is role play school uniform available to all the children for the differing schools. Talking photo albums are also made accessible to the children to ensure that the children are familiar with the new school surroundings. Visits are also arranged so that children can visit their new setting with their key person. Happy Days pre-school also offer stay and play sessions, workshops, and charity funding days for all parents to be involved in, so they too can experience time in the life of their children’s day.

All funding for Special Education Needs are allocated to the individual child’s needs, this could include 1:1 support or specific equipment or training that is required. All SEN are treated on an individual basis and resourced accordingly.

All children are observed whilst in the preschool with opportunities to monitor each child’s progress. Early intervention within a child’s learning and development needs is vital. If any concerns were highlighted by a key person then they would seek advice from the SENCO/BECO who can in turn ask for help from outside agencies as long as parental permission is gained. All children are treated fairly and as an individual and Happy Days respect all children’s uniqueness. All children are included within the setting and additional support will be sought on an individual basis

All parents are encouraged to take on an active part in their child’s learning and development. Parent meetings are held termly for the sharing of information and the planning for the next stages of their learning and development can be discussed. All parents have the opportunity to speak to the child’s key person or any member of staff on a daily basis. This can be confidential if need be. Each term the staff at Happy Days arrange a stay and play session or workshop where parents/carers are invited in to share in their child’s learning environment. We at Happy Days always recognise that the parent is the child’s first educator and like to offer any help and support we can to families who come involved within our setting.