Bright Futures Pre-School

At Bright Futures preschool, all parents are introduced to the manager and staff. You are then given the opportunity to look around, fill out registration forms and ask questions before your child attends the setting. We recommend that every child has some settling in sessions before they start.

Your child will be allocated with a Key Person, this member of staff will be responsible for your child, feeding back any information or concerns regarding their development and progress. Your child's key person will be responsible for supporting your child to settle in, building confidence and positive self-esteem, helping the child feel secure emotionally and physically, sharing information regularly and always available to communicate and answer any queries.

A 2-year-old developmental check is carried out and shared with you and any concerns regarding development will be discussed.

The setting has a dedicated Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) who monitors your child and liaises with you and outside agencies if required.

Your child will have an online Learning Journal with Tapestry, where we share observations and photos of activities your child takes part in with you. When you come for settling in sessions, you are given the option to sign a form to say you agree to access your Learning Journal online. These Learning Journals help staff to monitor their Key child's progress, learning and development. Record of Development sheets are completed termly in the child's last year before school. These are to inform your child's chosen school about their interests, strengths, progress and development.

We have a Facebook page which is a closed group for parents at the setting.

The manager decides the allocation of sessions for your child and applies for funding and extra support as needed

If your child has any additional needs, then the key person and the SENCo will liaise with you and any outside agencies involved to monitor your child’s development and progress. To meet your child’s individual needs an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or a behaviour plan will be put in place and reviewed as often as needed. On the IEP there will be targets set for your child to achieve to progress their development. We will also work alongside agencies such as Speech and Language (SLT) to help the child achieve targets set.

If your child has a physical disability then Bright Futures can accommodate this by making sure the hall is set up so they have access to all activities and the outside area. We have wheelchair access at the front and the back of the hall.

The amount of support given to your child will be tailored to fit their individual needs

The assigned key person will work closely with your child and implement their next steps to encourage their development.

Bright Futures can obtain help from Services for Young Children Area Inclusion team. The SENCo attends regular support meetings with this team keeping up to date with any recommended changes.

We use IEP’s and behavioral plans to inform all parents and agencies involved with your child. This plan will assist with any physical, social and cognitive development needs that your child may have.

Your child's key person will observe your child weekly and record their findings in their Learning Journal along with next steps to encourage their development. If your child needs extra support then one-on-one activities will be arranged after having a meeting with parents.

The planning of the setting is child led so the curriculum is built around every child's interests, accommodating their needs to meet their developmental milestones.

Your child is unique and Bright Futures allows them to explore and investigate the environment with adult support, creating a safe and happy environment and allowing them to develop.

There is always the opportunity to speak to the SENCo and your child’s key person at the beginning or end of each session your child attends. If this is not convenient then we can arrange a more suitable time for you.

IEP’s or behavioral plans are reviewed with you, key person and the SENCo at appropriate intervals throughout the year and dependent of your child’s individual needs. Other outside agencies involved with your child are able to visit the setting to observe and work with your child.

You will be given information in the form of a newsletter and on Tapestry (if you have chosen to do this Learning Journal).

Some staff know some Makaton signs to communicate with children, who need some extra support, which is also supported by spoken language.

All staff have the responsibility of ensuring your child’s safety. Your child’s key person will work closely with your child to build a close relationship which will make them feel safe and secure, both emotionally and physically throughout their stay at Bright Futures.

Bright Futures maintains an inclusive service. The room and equipment are checked before each session for safety. Any broken equipment is removed from the setting and replaced if needed. Children are supported with behaviour to ensure their safety.

Behaviour plans are put in place if needed, we also use visual timetables, sand timers and the settings Golden Rules. These are displayed on the wall and are also spoken about at registration and throughout the day.

All staff are First Aid trained, any medication is stored in a secure place. Record sheets are kept of any medication that is administered along with the dosage and time of administration then signed by the staff member that has given the medication. This is also signed by another member of staff and the parents when they pick up.

All staff are DBS checked, they are regularly updated with safeguarding training. Bright Futures policies include Child Protection and Special Educational needs.

Parents are reminded not to use photographic devices including mobile phones in the setting. There is also a poster on the door as they come in. When we have events like Christmas, Easter and end of term, we ask parents if they want to take pictures then they must be of their child and not used on Social Media, by the manager and also reiterated by the Chair of the Committee.

We have an accessible toilet with nappy changing facilities.

No students, parents/carers, volunteers may accompany children other than their own to the toilet. We have an open door policy when children use the toilet facilities, this is to protect staff and children in the setting.

All staff are made aware of any children with allergies or special dietary requirements. This is recorded on child’s personal records and a list of their individual need placed on snack cupboard door.

Bright Futures are happy to accommodate children with allergies and dietary requirements. We would also welcome a visit from a specialist nurse if involved with that child to help assist the child with their specific needs.

All staff have access to relevant training to equipt them with the necessary knowledge as and when the need arises. The staff will work with you and outside agencies to learn and develop specific skills to support children with additional needs.

Bright Futures liaise with the Area Inclusion Team, Speech and Language Therapists to support the children to develop. The SENCo has training in speech and language development and runs the language group in the setting.

All members of staff have experience in childcare and currently hold level 2 and level 5 in Early Years. Certificates are displayed.

The Manager and Deputy, who is also SENCo, hold a level 5 diploma in Early Years Child Care and Education, they have had training in Speech and Language, Behaviour Management, hearing and visual impairment. The Deputy also has access to regular SENCo support groups.

Any trips or outings that are arranged outside or preschool are suitable for all children, considering the needs of every child. On arranged outings we use parent/carers help as well as staff. If your child should need one to one on the outings, this will be arranged.

All areas visited are wheelchair and pushchair accessible.

Bright Futures hold an Easter, Christmas, and Leavers party, which every child and their parent are invited to and every child's and parents needs are met including dietary requirements.

Our committee organize fund raising events which all children and families can attend.

At Bright Futures the building has wheelchair access at the front and the back. We have accessible toilets with nappy changing facilities. We are open planned, and the room is set up to allow access to all areas. Our preschool is set up in one room and there are large shutters so the room can be divided.

If you or your child requires support because English is a second language then we are supported by the Ethnic Minorities and Travelers Achievement Service (EMTAS), who help with the translation of information for both you and your child understand the daily routines.

Bright Futures will ensure that the appropriate equipment and care will be in place for when your child starts preschool to make the transition as smooth as possible.

We recommend that you and your child attend settling in sessions, so you and your child become familiar with the setting and staff prior to you starting. These will include settling ins with your child and you and then the child on their own.

At Bright Futures we recommend that you attend any transition days offered to your child from the school they will attend. We invite your child’s class teacher in to spend time with them. We share relevant information regarding your child’s development, progress and any additional needs they may have before they start school.

If your child has additional needs then a review meeting will be held with the SENCo of the setting, key Person, yourselves, the class teacher, the SENCo in the school and all other professionals involved in your child’s care. This is done to support your child’s transition to in to school or other setting.

Before our child starts preschool, you will be asked about your child’s interests so that the transition can be tailored to ease the transition from home to setting.

All children receive up to 570 hours per funded year of free early years education the term following their third birthday.

Our setting also includes children who are in receipt of 2-year-old funding, which is accessible to families on low incomes.

 Additional funding can be claimed if your child has a special educational need (SEN). The funding is allocated to enable your child to achieve their full potential, possibly 1-1 support, specialist equipment and appropriate toys to aid their development. This is decided through consultation with all involved with your child at a “Team around the child” (TAC) meeting.

At Bright Futures will allocate part of our budget to adapt or require resources and equipment appropriate to your child’s need. We have in the past received a grant to support children with speech and language delays and we used this to buy equipment to help progress their speech and resources for the language group, which we developed.

Some children may qualify for EYPP (Early Years) which we can use for equipment, professionals to come in for extra help or extra sessions.

If your child already has a diagnosis, then a TAC meeting will be held before your child starts at the setting. Decisions are made through consultations with all parties involved with your child’s care. This includes you, specialists, as well as the preschools SENCo and key person. A care plan will be put in place so all staff understand what happens if the child requires medication, also if your child needs an epi-pen then a meeting with the child’s nurse will be held to make sure everyone understands how and when to use it. If your child has no diagnosis but you have expressed concerns or the child’s key person has identified a concern, then a meeting will be held with you to explore ways of supporting your child.

At Bright Futures, we work closely with parents, any other professionals and outside agencies to ensure we are providing the relevant and up to date support for your child and that your child’s individual learning needs are being met. This is an ongoing process and will be in place for as long as your child requires support to develop and progress in their development.

Observations and behaviour records (ABCC) are carried out and shared with you on a regular basis. The amount of support is dependent upon your child’s needs and is decided through consultations between the manager and Chair of the committee.

The SENCo will support the key person to develop an IEP in collaboration with you, this will be reviewed each half term. At the review the impact of the support will be assessed and moderated as appropriate. Monitoring of the progress is carried out termly and recorded to ensure that the curriculum is ensuring progress in all seven areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage

Bright Futures is run by a committee of parents, members of which are nominated by others at the Annual General Meeting, which is held in July before the end of term. This is open to all parents and we encourage them to be part of the committee when they come for settling in sessions. 

Committee meetings are usually held every term or if there is an urgent/important requirement then will be held as needed. We have events at Christmas, Easter, Halloween, End of Term and this is for all parents, children, grandparents and siblings. Throughout the school year we have fund raisers which we like to get all parents and children involved with, to help raise money for equipment, enhancing the environment.