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Local Offer

Launchpad: Appleshaw Pre school

Offering services to:
  • Children 0-5
Supporting people with:
  • Activities for children and young people
Carescheme type:
  • Pre-School Playgroup

At Launchpad: Appleshaw pre-school, we provide an environment in which all children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are supported to reach their full potential. 

We have in place a clear approach for identifying, responding to, and meeting children’s educational needs and will apply SEN support to ensure early identification.

We ensure that parents are involved at all stages of the assessment, planning, provision, and review of their child's education including all decision-making processes, and by supporting and listening to them we can act on their wishes and concerns. We can also provide information on local sources of support and advice when needed.

We work in partnership with the local authority and other external agencies to ensure the best outcomes for children with SEND and their families and have a designated member of staff to be the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO).

We provide a varied, balanced and differentiated curriculum where all our children learn through play and where appropriate, and relevant to their level of understanding, consider their views and wishes in decisions being made about them.

Our preschool provides a fully inclusive service for children 2-5 years, we offer 2 and 3-year 15-hour funding and 3 and 4 year 30-hour funding.

Who to contact

Contact Name
Gemma Cosgrave
Contact Position
Manager and SENCo
Telephone
07801 218830 07801 218830
E-mail
manager@appleshaw.launchpads.org.uk
Website
https://launchpads.org.uk/
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Where to go

Address
Appleshaw Village Hall
Appleshaw
Nr Andover
Hampshire
Postcode

SP11 9HY

View SP11 9HY on a map

Childcare Information

Vacancies

Immediate vacancies
Yes

Funded Places

Offers 3 & 4 year old funded places
Yes
Offers 2 year old funded places
Yes

Opening Times & Facilities

Opening Times
Opening Times
DayOpening TimeClosing Time
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

Local Offer

Description

We are a small, inclusive preschool, set in the beautiful, rural village of Appleshaw, providing early years care and education to children from 2 - 5 years of age. With a warm, friendly, stimulating, and caring environment, we believe that our children develop and thrive when they are valued and supported to be confident, resilient learners. Our preschool focuses on a safe, secure, and happy environment to help create confident, inspired and kind children.

Launchpad Early Years was born through the work of Diocese of Winchester’s ‘Winchester Social Enterprise’ (WSE) and exists to strengthen and enhance early years links for the benefit of the children and for our wider community.

We provide opportunities for learning both indoors and outside offering fun and creative activities and resources to help support the needs and development of all the children in our care.

All our staff are qualified to care for your child and their individual needs and dedicated to their roles. We accept government funding for 2, 3 and 4-year-olds for their free 15-hour entitlement and can also offer the 30-hour funding.

If you are interested to know more and what we can offer you and your child, please contact us, we look forward to hearing from you.

Contact Name
Gemma Cosgrave
Contact Telephone
07760 664381
Contact Email
manager@appleshaw.launchpads.org.uk
How does the setting/school/college know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child/young person may have special educational needs?

When families register with us to start, we ask them to complete an 'All About Me' form which informs us of as much information as possible about their child. From this we form a 'baseline' assessment which shows where they are developmentally for their age and stage. Through the observations we can see how each child is developing.

We liaise closely with parent/carers. Through careful observations, assessments, a strong key person role and working closely with families we can identify additional support which may be required.

We liaise with outside agencies when required.

How will early years setting/school/college staff support my child/young person?

The setting has a SENco (Special Education Needs Coordinator) and staff training is carried out on a regular basis. Each child is allocated a key person who monitors their progress and are trained to identify gaps in a child's development, if any.

The staff may complete IEP (Individual Education Plans) on a child who needs additional support, a plan would be written when it is recognised that a child has not responded to the normal strategies, for example if a child has difficulty with sitting and listening to a story because they do not have the necessary levels of understanding then a plan would be put in place to both enable the child to access books at their level and promote the child's understanding of language.

How will the curriculum be matched to my child's/young person's needs?

We complete Individual Education Plans (IEP) to provide a guide to each child’s form of communication, things that help and things they do not like. This provides information for all staff working and playing with the child and supports settling in and ongoing development. They are reviewed monthly/termly but not always changed.

We also complete behaviour plans when needed along with following the development matters and EYFS.

How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support my child's/young person's learning?

We use an online system called Tapestry where we upload our observations and photos for you to see. You are also able to add to tapestry comments, photos, and things that you do at home. Activities are adapted to meet all children's individual needs. Strategies are put in place to support a child where needed, for example language group and visual cues. We also organise parent meetings and have an open-door policy where we can discuss your child’s development at any point.

What support will there be for my child's/young person's overall well being?

All staff are first aid trained. Medicine is administered by a qualified staff member and witnessed by another. All relevant paperwork is filled out and permission is granted by parents/carers.  Health care plans are put in place and any additional training if need is carried out. Children's views are always taken into consideration - age and stage appropriate.

We have a key person’s role so children and parents know who they can talk to if they have any concerns or need reassurance on a daily basis.  We have a good relationship with parents and support where we can and have an open-door policy to discuss any concerns or problems needed. We regularly send home ideas to families which can support SEN at home.

What specialist services and expertise are avaliable at or accessed by the setting/school/college?

We have a lot of experience at our preschool in terms of having our Manager who is SENco trained.

We have a staff member who has worked with Special needs for years and training is available if needed.

We communicate with speech and language therapists, have team around the child meetings, portage and access and support from many other outside agencies.

What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had? Are any being trained currently?

We have a member of staff who has completed the SENco training.

How will my child/young person be included in activities outside this classroom including school trips?

We will discuss the outing with you and will encourage you to take part in the activity with your child. If you are unable to help, a member of staff will look after your child during the outing. Our ratio for your child would be one to one.

We have celebration parties which all children and their families are encouraged to take part in.

All outings and events will help your child feel part of the wider local community.

How accessible is the setting/school/college enviroment?

The preschool is located all on one level, with access to the outside area with ease.  We have ramps for wheelchair access if needed.

The children use toilet steps and seats when they access these due to them being adult size, we have a disabled toilet with a changing mat fixed to the wall if needed.

How will the setting/school/college prepare and support my child/young person to join the setting/school/college or the next stage of education and life?

We communicate with all schools in advance of your child leaving the preschool. We offer the teacher/s to come in and observe the children, helping them to build an initial picture of your child’s development.

We also complete reports for the parents, which the school also get a copy of.

How are the setting's/school's/college's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?

If funding is allocated to children with additional needs, we can provide resources specifically for their use and needs allocating the budget effectively.  In some cases, the funding received could be used to allocate some one-to-one time for your child if this is appropriate.

Through our key person system and ability to get to know your child, we will observe them, assess their needs and plan accordingly, if we needed extra resources to extend and support their learning, these can be purchased. We also work in partnership with our parents and your views would be considered.

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?

As a setting the SENco would liaise with our area Inclusion coordinator where this would be discussed. This of course is with parental permission; we like our families to be involved with the process as much as possible. This would be judged on an individual case and developmental basis.

How are parents involved in the setting/school/college? How can I be involved?

Parents know their child best, so we discuss on a daily basis during feedback time, the use of tapestry and reports and we complete 2-year checks on all our 2-year-olds.

The setting has an open-door policy for parents/carers.

Offering services to:
  • Children 0-5
Supporting people with:
  • Activities for children and young people
Carescheme type:
  • Pre-School Playgroup

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Last Updated: 19 October 2022

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