Hatch Warren Under Fives Preschool

Our SENco oversees all support and progress of any child requiring additional support. Our SENco will refer and liaise closely with any outside agencies, eg speech and language therapist, portage etc. Our SENco will oversee, plan and, together with your child’s keycarer, work with your child to ensure that progress is made. We will keep you closely informed and decide with you your child’s next steps. We will discuss with you how your child’s needs are to be met, for example offering one to one support. '''Who will explain this to me?''' Our SENco together with your child’s keycarer, will formally meet with parents half termly to discuss your child’s needs, support and progress. If you feel the need to meet more frequently we can arrange this. In the meantime we will continue to informally discuss support and progress on a daily basis. Our Head of Pre-school is available to discuss any concerns. '''How are the Committee involved, and what are their responsibilities?''' The Head of Pre-school reports to the Committee every term to inform them about the progress of children with SEND, this report does not refer to individual children and confidentially is maintained at all times. The Committee agree priorities for spending within the SEN budget with the overall aim that all children receive the support they need in order to make progress.

To successfully match your child’s ability to the Early Years Foundation Stage there are some actions we may take to achieve this:- We will work in partnership with parents, carers and external agencies in order to provide for your child’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). To make suitable provision for your child to fully develop their abilities, interests and aptitudes and gain maximum access to the Early Years Foundation Stage. Ensure your child is fully included in activities in order to promote the highest levels of achievement. All activities are planned at an appropriate level so that all children are able to access according to their specific needs. Typically this might mean that an activity there would be visual support, appropriate reduction in language and use of Makaton. The benefit of this type of differentiation is that all children can access an activity and learn at their level. We look closely at the individual child and plan around their needs.

We offer an open door policy where you are welcome to meet with either your child’s keycarer or SENco. We can offer advice and practical ways to help your child. We believe that your child’s education should be a partnership between parents and pre-school and therefore we aim to keep communication channels open and communicate regularly. We will introduce an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that describes the provision that we will make to meet a child’s special educational needs and agreed outcomes. Parents and carers will be fully involved in this process. If your child has complex SEND they may be part of an IPA (Inclusion Partnership Agreement) or may need an assessment that could lead to an Education, Health Care Plan. The keycarer continually assesses each child and notes areas where they are improving and where further support is needed using our learning and development summary. Children who are not making expected progress are picked up through review meetings with the keycarer & Head of Preschool.

We are an inclusive pre-school and welcome and celebrate diversity. We have a caring, understanding team who believe that when working with children areas for consideration should include such factors as supporting self-esteem and developing resilience. The pre-school has a policy regarding the administration and managing of medicines on site. Parents need to inform us if medication is recommended by Health Professionals to be taken during the day. Pre-school will administer medication and parents are to complete a Personal Medication Form. All staff have regular first aid and epi-pen training together with updates of conditions and medication affecting individual children so that they are able to manage medical situations. Accidents are recorded in our accident book and a parent is always informed, either at the end of the session or via a telephone call. As a pre-school we have a very positive approach to all types of behaviour with a clear reward system that is followed by all staff and children. If a child has behavioural difficulties an Individual Behaviour Management Plan is written alongside the child and parents to identify the specific issues, put relevant support in place and set targets. After any behaviour incident we encourage the child to reflect on their behaviour. This helps to identify why the incident happened and what the child, or staff, needs to do differently next time to change and improve their behaviour. We value and celebrate each child being able to express their views on all aspects of pre-school life.

Our SENco is fully qualified and is working towards level 5 within a foundation degree in childhood studies. She has experience of supporting children with a wide range of need. We consult with a wide range of agencies, specialist services and partnerships to ensure the pastoral, medical and social needs of SEND children are met. These may include our Area Inco, speech and language therapists, paediatricians, educational psychologists, specialist teacher advisers, portage and outreach support. Together we will work with your child to identify the support needed to meet agreed outcomes. The provision is planned and interventions, such as one to one adult support, visual support and Makaton are allocated to individual needs. Our latest Ofsted report (2015) stated that `staff work effectively in partnership with other professionals and parents when children require additional help. This provides consistent help for all children, included those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to make the best possible progress’.

Our SENco is trained in identifying and supporting children with Speech & Language difficulties. Our SENco and another member of staff have received Portage training. All staff have undergone training to support children with behavioural difficulties. Our SENco and two other members of staff are trained in Makaton and all staff has undergone basic training in Makaton. Our SENco is trained to support children with social communication difficulties. The Head of Pre-School is trained to degree level. As an Early Years Professional a significant proportion of study revolved around the individual needs of children and their families. All staff attends a wide range of ongoing training and support courses throughout the year. With effect of September 2014 both the Assistant Head of Preschool and SENCO have embarked on their Foundation Degree in childhood studies. This is a fully inclusive programme which covers all aspects of childhood to provide understanding and knowledge. With effect of September 2014 both the Assistant Head of Preschool and SENCO have embarked on their Foundation Degree in childhood studies. This is a fully inclusive programme which covers all aspects of childhood to provide understanding and knowledge.

>All children are included in all parts of the school curriculum and aim for all children to be included on pre-school trips. We will provide the necessary support to ensure that this is successful, for example pre-visits (where appropriate), one to one adult support, and visual supports such as story boards and photos. A risk assessment is carried out prior to any off site activity to ensure everyone’s health & safety will not be compromised. In the unlikely event that it is considered unsafe for a child to take part in an activity then alternative activities, which will cover the same curriculum areas, will be provided in pre-school. Parents are kept fully informed of any off site activities and are invited to attend if they wish.

The pre-school is wheelchair accessible with a disabled toilet large enough to accommodate changing. The pre-school is all on one level with wheelchair access at specified fire exits. All outside play equipment is age appropriate and incorporates sensory activities. Our Senco liaises with our area Inco (inclusion co-ordinator) who assist us in supporting our families with English as an additional language. All storage and wall displays are clearly labeled with both photos and words. A number of staff have on their person visual supports, for example transition cards and motivator toys. All staff use basic Makaton, whilst three other staff members use more detailed makaton. A visual time-table is on display for all children to access.

We encourage all new children to visit the school prior to starting when they will meet their keycarer and be shown around the pre-school. For children with SEND we will encourage further visits to assist with the acclimatisation of the new surroundings. We would also visit them at home. We write social stories with children if transition is potentially going to be difficult. When children are preparing to leave us for a new school, typically to go to Primary school, we arrange additional visits and social story books. We liaise closely with Primary school staff when transferring children to different schools ensuring all relevant paperwork is passed on and all needs are discussed and understood. If your child has complex needs then an Inclusion Partnership Agreement or a Transition plan will be used at a transition meeting during which we will invite parents and staff from both schools to attend.

We ensure that all children who have Special Educational needs are met to the best of the pre-school’s ability with the funds available. We have a SENco who is funded from the SEN budget and delivers programmes designed to meet individual children’s needs. We have most recently used funding to purchase the software `boardmaker’, which provides visual support for children with communication difficulties.

Your child’s keycarer, along with the SENco will discuss your child’s needs and what support would be appropriate, for example an IEP may be written. Children will require different levels of support in order to bridge the gap to achieve their age expected levels. We will provide regular meetings with parents to keep them informed on their child’s support. '''How do we know if it has had an impact?''' By reviewing children’s targets on IEPs and ensuring they are being met. The child is making progress against national age expected levels and the gap is narrowing, i.e they are catching up to their peers on expected age levels’. Verbal feedback from the keycarer, parent and child. Children may move off the SEN register when they have made sufficient progress.

At pre-school we welcome you to come in and play during any session. We have a rota - `bring your mum to pre-school week’ as well as ‘bring your dad to pre-school week’ leading up to both mothers day and fathers day. We have termly parent meetings where you can come in and speak to your child’s keycarer and see how your child is progressing. Pre-school has an annual AGM whereby all parents are invited to attend. Pre-school has a committee, run by parents. We would welcome anyone who has some spare time and wishes to become a committee member to help with the running of pre-school.