Enchanted Nursery Ltd

Each child has settling in sessions before starting at the nursery, one of which gives the parent the opportunity to let us know any concerns that they have, this also chance for the keyworker to review the child’s registration pack which also gives the parent chance to elaborate on any additional help or requirements that their child my require. Each keyworker in the nursery follows the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS), the developmental matters, birth to five guidance and progression recording progress tools each day focusing primarily on the Prime areas of learning. These areas are assessed on an individual basis and if a child is not achieving a particular area, it is recognized very quickly using guidance checkpoints and the overall knowledge of the children. Qualified Practitioners in the nursery have a trained knowledge of working with specific ages groups and feel confident in recognition of any areas of learning and development that require more support. We are a ‘ECAT (Every child a talker) friendly’ nursery and work hard to ensure Communication and Language is being supported with additional provision in-house such as a ‘Chatterclub’ and use of the Wellcom Software/GL Assessment for Speech. Each child’s progress is observed daily and if concerns are flagged up to the management and the setting SENCo then the child can be assessed further and additional targets for this child may be put into place. If any keyworker or parent has any concerns at any time, our trained SENCo is there to support and advise, and then enroll the support of outside agencies where required following internal observation and strategies. Through strong parent partnerships that we look to build from the outset, we encourage any parents with concerns to speak openly with us and the opportunity to speak in confidence with the keyworker is encouraged through our communication software and in daily conversations. Parents are aware who the setting SENCo is and who they can contact in the management team who are always available for our parents via telephone, email or our FAMLY Software.

The keyworker and room leader within each child’s age group will initiate the support for the child, and the nursery SENCo (Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-ordinator) will be able to oversee and co-ordinate this support. The SENCo will offer strategies for the keyworker to use with the child, and will create, review and assess the ‘Personalised Plan’ or ‘SEND Action plan’ in partnership with the parents, this will outline development targets we can work towards. These are written to support the child during their day within the rooms and can also be used at home, the plans are tailored to the individual child and used consistently. The SENCo will ensure full inclusion is managed by the room team and ensure that all activities are adapted appropriately for the child. The Nursery Management Team and SENCo will liase with the Inclusion Team for East Hants to ensure the best support is provided for any children with SEND. All room leaders are trained in Behaviour Management and Speech and Language, and we use ‘Makaton’ across the setting wherever possible. The SENCo attends local support groups and all related training courses, ensuring her knowledge is updated regularly and is able to offer the best support possible. The SENCo will also identify any other training requirements that may help the team to support the child, and access possible funding/financial support or other outside support such as ‘portage or outreach’.

The EYFS 2021 is followed and its flexible approach allows targets to be set for the individual child by those who know them best.  The qualified key persons knowledge of your child will be used first and foremost alongside the parents, and collating that knowledge can help adapt the day to suit the needs of the child best. Available developmental checkpoints accessed can steer the curriculum aims for the child surrounding their three Prime Areas.  Extra support with SENCo strategies and the adaption of activities promoting inclusion for all will enable children with SEND to still learn within the curriculum. Each child is very different and on an individual basis they will be planned for observed and assessed, and in some cases a ‘one-to-one support’ is provided so the child can integrate and achieve to the best of their abilities.

Any plans, strategies, and methods of support will be used in partnership with our parents. All implemented documentation will be copied for home by the SENCo and this will enable consistency in the use of the same at home to enable the individual child a consistent approach to their learning and development. All reviews and assessment of plans will be done alongside parents and the child’s Learning Journey on our Tapestry software and the accompanying evidence book can be taken home each evening by parents to enable them to ‘stay in the loop’. The SENCo is able to visit children in the home where needed to offer support, and leaflets and relevant publications will be sent home to help keep parents informed. Six weekly review meetings are organized to discuss progress and general parent sharing week appointments are set throughout the year, with additional times allocated to children who have additional needs. All parents will be informed of any related training that is available within the local area that may be of interest or benefit to them. Nursery information, letters and Newsletters are posted on the nurser Communication App that parents can access and if parents would like any documents in an additional language or in a hard copy due to not having internet access, they can request this from the office. The office offers an ‘Open door policy’ and if parents would prefer to gain the support from the management team they are able. We encourage our parents to pay an active part in their child’s learning and each child’s learning Journeys and our FAMLY App are a good way to keep up to date with their progress.

Each child will have their own keyworker who specifically manages their Care, Learning and Development in the setting, this enables the child to feel secure in the setting with a familiar adult encouraging their independence. Children with SEND will then have the added support of the nursery SENCo who can offer small one-to-one time with the child during the day. Children with medical needs will have a Care Plan in place and this will outline the medical background and care requirements of each child. This Care Plan is written in partnership with the parents. The setting can also administer medicines if we have parental consent signatures on a day-to-day basis, and parents can store other medicines with us on a ‘Long-Term’ basis for when a child requires them if they have any medical conditions. All staff are First aid trained and Room Leaders are trained and responsible for the Health and Safety within their rooms, carrying risk assessments and reporting any safety problems within the room. Children feel secure in our setting and that security is offered by a consistency that we work hard to sustain with the familiar adults looking after them. We are there to comfort children if they feel unhappy and we will teach and discuss emotions within activities and promote friendships and support diversity within the nursery age groups.

We are in close partnership with the Local Children's Centre and Services for young Children in East Hants, who are able to provide us with contacts for specialist professionals who may be able to support the child and family within our setting. We have direct, regular contact with the Inclusion Team who can request other services where required and can assist in referrals for the individual child or family. We have knowledgeable staff who have worked with children with special education needs and disability previously and what they have learnt is reflected in their practice with any other child of the same need or similar. These practitioners will always be supported by the nursery SENCo and the Management team as would the child and family. The Management team and the SENCo are the most qualified/trained and knowledgeable within the setting of children's SEN overall.

The SENCo attends regular intense training and support meetings which keep them up to date with all developments in relation to Special Educational Needs and Disability. They will cascade this training to other practitioners where required and support them. Any children who have needs of which the team or an individual practitioner is not familiar with will undergo the relevant training as soon as possible, to enable them to support the child effectively. All practitioners have behaviour management training and the Management team and SENCo attend more in depth training which often covers Autism and Social Communication difficulties. We have experience as a nursery with many different medical needs and educational needs such as, severe allergies, epilepsy, speech and language difficulties and hearing impairment. We adapt our own Care Plans for the individual and any training surrounding the management of such medical care or SEND would be sought where necessary. The management team and SENCo. We have developed our own 'Chatterclub' which supports speech and Language the SENCo is the most specialised in this and the management team. We are currently refreshing our training in Makaton and this is ongoing alongside our 'Boogie Mites' in house music training. 

All children in the setting take part in local community outings and activities. All outings would be planned ahead taking particular care to specific detail, such as appropriate routes, (which are wheelchair/buggy accessible), risk assessments, ratios, visual aids/timetables, and the needs for accessibility and adaption for the individual child on such occasions. All activities are planned weekly by the key-carer and the child's abilities are taken into account when planning and adapting activities to ensure all children gain the best learning experience and enjoyment from the activity or outing alongside their peers. Parents will be notified of an outing in advance.

Our setting is set over three levels with the two lower levels as play spaces. Our over 2 years are situated upstairs which unfortunately has no accessibility. Our lower level playrooms are used for our 1-2 year olds and for our preschool children for part of the year which is fully accessible as are our outside areas. The nursery is willing to look at possible funding or specialist equipment for an individual child where available to enable the setting to become more accessible and able to meet additional specific requirements.

We would ensure transition meetings are held, with taster sessions and home visits. Social stories would assist the transition for the child of which the setting would create or consistently use if they have been brought from a previous setting. Meetings would regularly take place to ensure a happy transition into the setting, and this would enable us to get to know both the family and child, and gain as much knowledge of the child and their needs as possible. We would ensure that the designated key-carer assigned to the child and the setting SENCo would attend and be included in every meeting and transitional visit. If a child with SEND was transitioning into school, we would insist on additional class teacher visits to help the child feel at ease before heading off to school and ensure all information regarding the child was reflected on and followed. 

All resources are made accessible for children in the setting at different stages with areas of learning set out within the rooms. The key-carer would ensure that all of the resources planned and accessible are appropriate for the child and their learning on a daily basis. Relevant resources that will assist in learning outcomes/objectives for the child will be used alongside the curriculum planning on a weekly basis. Additional SEND resources may also be loaned through some children centres and support groups, and in partnership with outside agencies any required resources can be sought and funded. They can possibly also be purchased from specialised companies with any accessible funding money which may explored for the child. Early Years Pupil Premium will be claimed and any potential SEND funding can be claimed where accessible. 

With the direct key-carer regularly meeting with the setting SENCo and the parent, any decision regarding the child's support will be documented and requested through firstly, the Inclusion Team, SENCo and Management team in partnership. All requests will be directed to the relevant professionals where needed, who will look to make the final decision of how, what and how much support is required. This decision could also be made within the setting in the partnership with the parent if the nursery is able to meet the request without any negative impact on the setting. Any referrals made by the setting to professionals, who would decide on specialist support for the child such as one-to-one support, certain funding would have to be put in place to provide such a requirement. Funding decisions would not be that of the setting and would usually be made through Services for Young Children.

Parents are always made to feel welcome and are encouraged to come in and help, or play for short periods if they have time on their hands. We currently have parents who are actively involved in the developments and improvements of the setting, and who spare time occasionally to come in and play. We have a large yearly 'events calendar' of which parents are invited to, with the children and who help out on the days wherever needed. We have strong parent partnerships which we endeavour to maintain, so parents trust in the setting and feel happy to express any information to the team and stay to play where they can, they are valued as parents in the setting.