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Local Offer

Cornerstone Miss Muffet Nursery

Offering services to:
  • Parents
  • Children 0-5
  • Young parents
  • Looked after children
  • Families
Supporting people with:
  • Activities for children and young people
Carescheme type:
  • Day nursery

Home from home small nursery, where building strong foundations for your child's future is paramount.

Who to contact

Contact Name
Carolyn Martyn and Diana Partridge
Contact Position
Manager and Deputy Manager
Telephone
01256 - 840300 01256 - 840300
E-mail
cornerstonemissmuffets@gmail.com
Website
Cornerstone Web Page
Scan to visit this website
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/CornerstoneNurseries

Where to go

Name
Cornerstone Miss Muffet Nursery
Address
52-53 Abbey Court
Popley Way
Basingstoke
Hampshire
Postcode

RG24 9DX

View RG24 9DX on a map

Costs

Details
A full day session 8-6 cost includes snack, hot lunch and high tea

Childcare Information

Funded Places

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

Opening Times & Facilities

Facilities
Meals cooked on premises
Role play dressing up
Kitchen Facilities
Reading
Construction toys
Cookery
Sandpitsand play
Messy Play Area
Multicultural Themed Play
Nappy changing facility
Sensory Play
Nature Exploration
Songs, Rhymes and Music
Sleeping Area
Outdoor Play
Small world toys
Treasure baskets
Garden
Toys
Full cooked lunch
Games
Accessible Parking
Baby Facilities
Heuristic play
Visit & Outings
Walks to local park etc
Baby toys
Home Corner
Arts & Crafts
Healthy Eating
Both indoor and outdoor activities
Internet Connection
Quiet Area
Kitchen
Car Parking
Water play
House based activities
Books & Storytelling
ICT Facilities
PuzzlesJigsaws

Local Offer

Contact Name
Tessa Twyman
Contact Telephone
01256-840300
Contact Email
cornerstonemissmuffets@gmail.com
Local Offer Age Bands
Early Years (0-4 years)
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?

We look closely at assessments made for each child on a termly basis, and 6 weeks after starting at the nursery. We also build strong bonds with the children and focus on play based learning. Using these procedures and skills alongside early identification tools allows us to identify any special educational needs presents in children. 

Parents are able to voice concerns with staff who will support the child and family further by assessing development, imbedding strategies and liaising with any relevant professionals going forward.

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

Staff use multiple strategies to support children both with and without special educational needs. We embed golden rules and expectations, using visual aids to support this alongside visuals of emotions. Strategies such as transition aids, now > next routines, communication boards, small group activities, modelled play and language are used continuously for children with special educational needs. We also frequently use Makaton, a form of signing to promote language development.

Children that are being supported are set Individual Education Plans, where the child's key person will set targets with support of the Special Educational Needs Coordinator. All children are supported to achieve the best outcomes and successful transitions. We regularly liaise with other professionals to gain additional support, advice and strategies to support children. Professionals will also come to the setting to work directly with children and model and teach new skills. 

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

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, of which the curriculum is 7 areas. Prime areas being Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communication and Language Development and Physical Development. Specific areas being Maths, Literacy, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts and Design.

Despite these areas being broken down into age and stage brackets, we ensure that all children are engaging in the curriculum at a level that is appropriate for them. We will extend and simplify activities to match an individual's needs, always aiming for best outcomes. A wide variety of resources are available for children to freely access throughout the day and are appropriate to the children's ages and developmental stages. 

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 a 'Parents as Partners' approach. Parents and carers can access their child's online learning journal on a system we use called Tapestry. Tapestry provides daily information for parents/carers on what their child is doing throughout the day by observations uploaded by the team that can include notes, photos and videos. They also gain feedback on eating, toileting, sleeping, accidents/incidents, and end of day feedback. These functions are particularly useful if a child has dietary needs or experiences sleep issues; it allows parents/carers to know exact information. 

We hold Meet the Team events where parents/carers can come to the setting and discuss their child. These discussions can be about a child's development, behaviour, concerns or generally just to see what the children do at nursery. Parents can access reports written on their child and always touch in with staff at any time. Parents have an input in their child's education via termly information sheets that get sent home to be completed. Here they can inform the setting of any learning they are doing at home and enquire what new skills they are learning at the setting or inform the staff what they would like their child to be working on.

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

Well being is highly promoted at the setting. We promote children's mental health and have regular discussions and activities available around feelings and actions. Health eating is promoted at the setting with home made meals cooked and made on site daily. We promote Health Eating Week each year. 

Physical activity is part of every day learning at the setting. We are lucky to have a wonderful garden area where the children are able to access twice a day for an hour at a time, with smaller outdoor areas attached to classrooms available all day. 

Health is monitored in every child and we carry out procedures if a child is ill or requires medicines. Each child with medical needs has an individualised care plan and any medicines kept in a safe place in their classroom. Qualified practitioners can administer medicines where a medical form has been completed.

All staff gain paediatric first aid training and are able to administer first aid and support a child's well being after an incident. 

 

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

The setting has a supernumerary Special Educational Needs Coordinator, supported by another staff also SENCo trained. They are available at the setting for all staff to talk to about children with additional needs and gain information, advice and support. The setting liaises with a range of specialist services such as Paediatricians, Portage workers, Outreach workers, Inclusion Setting Support Officers, Speech and Language Therapists, Specialist Teachers, and several training professionals. Parents are welcome to discuss any specialist services and expertise they feel their child may need and we can look into this. 

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

The setting has a supernumerary Special Educational Needs Coordinator, supported by another staff also SENCo trained. All staff access Special Educational Needs and Disabilities training through our training provider Noodle Now. Staff have had Makaton training as well as multiple safeguarding trainings. All training attended by the SENCo is then disseminated to all staff via discussions, handouts or staff meetings. 

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

The children, permitting parental consent, get to attend outings. This is usually trips to the park, nature walk, sessions at elderly homes and sometimes into the town centre. Children are highly supervised at all times and wear high-vis jackets and lost child bracelets. Those with additional needs are usually 1:1 with a familiar adult but are still included within the group activity. The 1:1 allows extra supervision and support.

How accessible is the setting/school/college enviroment?

The nursery is accessible via vehicular transport or on foot, we have a private car park shared with the adjoining building Abbey Court Sheltered Housing. The approach to the nursery is a wide pathway, suitable for access. The setting is over two floors, with a stairwell leading to the first floor. Unfortunately this is unlikely to be adapted to provide further accessibility however the ground floor can be adapted to include ramps for the classrooms to our outdoor provision. 

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?

Prior to starting at the setting we hold a paperwork visit and stay and play visits for the children. We encourage parents/carers to bring their child along to these as it helps the child to begin to familiarise themselves with the setting and staff. We also send home a welcome pack which consists of a list of what the child will need on the first day, an All About Me sheet of the staff that will be working with the child and relevant policies and procedures that further outline how we support children. During the paperwork visit we gain knowledge of the child's current abilities and any existing needs or concerns a parent may have. By knowing this in advance we can effectively beginning supporting the child straight away. Children that have additional languages can access talking pegs and books that speak in their home language, this actively promotes their home language and supports the transition. Photos of all staff are displayed at the front of the nursery and within the setting also. 

Prior to a child leaving the nursery to start school we provide further support. A one page profile is completed about the child and shared with the child's school so that any support or information that is needed has been given, to ensure a successful transition. We also get in touch with school to discuss the children's development, family life, and any requirements they may have or involvements due to additional needs. Parents are able to download their child's online learning journey from Tapestry and this can be transferred over to their new school if the school also use Tapestry. A wide range of activities and resources are available in classrooms prior to children leaving the setting. A Transition Partnership Agreement may be made between the setting, parents and new school if a child requires ongoing support when starting school.

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

A wide range of resources are available within each classroom, and in storage, that are appropriate for a range of age and developmental stage. In the case that further resources are needed for a specific purpose, ie to support a child with SEND, we would apply for Special Educational Needs Inclusion Funding, or use Disability Allowance if a child already received it at home. Some families are eligible for Early Years Pupil Premium, which is used towards areas to support or further their development. The setting will also fund some resources and training ourselves. 

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

Initially we will start with setting support provided by the staff working with the child and the SENCo. From assessments made we will be able to identify if we have, for example, a development concern, or a challenging behaviour concern. We would then, with parents permission, refer to relevant professionals. These professionals will be able to provide support and advice on what is needed for the child. Additionally, the child's Individual Education Plan will outline how often a specific strategy is needed. 

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

Parents are welcome to provide feedback on the setting through discussions and questionnaires. They are able to add to their child's online learning journey. Parents are encouraged to come to meet the team events and activity mornings. We ask for parental input on 2 year checks, any referrals that are sent, any individualised plans for a child. We encourage parents to also join and engage in our social media pages where they can gain information about upcoming events. Where able, we invite parents into the nursery if they have jobs or hobbies they would like to teach the children about, or to learn more about their culture. Parents have also played a key part in development of the nursery by offering time for decorating, creating things for the setting or donating toys and clothes.

Offering services to:
  • Parents
  • Children 0-5
  • Young parents
  • Looked after children
  • Families
Supporting people with:
  • Activities for children and young people
Carescheme type:
  • Day nursery

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Last Updated: 14 June 2023

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