Woodhams Farm Day Nursery EY359298

Our nursery team are all involved in progressing the development of each child through the child development files we produce. Each childs development is tracked using the guidelines for each age and stage. Should any concerns be raised and identified then the setting SENCo or BECo would be involved to add their knowledge. They will plan any extra support needed within the Nursery. Your child’s Key Person will work with your child to ensure that progress is being made, and if necessary an Individual Education Plan will be devised involving parents, the SENCo and Key Person or possibly the Behaviour Coordinator (BECo) if their involvement would be beneficial. We have language groups and small group work which will assist in supporting any additional identified needs a child may have and these will be available as often as a child’s needs dictate. We will also liaise closely with any outside agencies such as to ensure we are all working together on the same targets to give as much support to the child and family as possible. We will have regular meetings with parents of children with additional needs to discuss their progress and next steps. Parents are also invited in at any time to discuss progress and/or concerns, particularly when an external agency is visiting so that they can talk directly with them too. It is very important that the families feel able to talk openly to the setting so that we can all work together to support the child.

Throughout the nursery we use the Statutory Framework for the Early Years and Foundation Stage. For more information on the EYFS please go to https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/early-years-foundation-stage Curriculum planning must be based around the Unique Child. The setting plan each week in each age group, for each child, based on their individual ‘next steps’ using their interests to support areas of their development. The ‘next steps’ are taken from the observations and development folders created for each child, and follow them through from the day they start at the setting until the day they leave.

We encourage families to spend time in the setting when they collect their child, talking to the care team about what has been happening during the day. This includes all aspects of play, development, welfare and fun. Through this open discussion, we can offer support and or practical advice relating to any aspect of your childs development, care or progress. With the under twos, we also offer a ‘daily diary’ giving a snapshot of the day. Every child has a Development folder which contains observations, photographs and next steps relating to their progress. This folder is available for parents to take home and look through if they wish, and formally discussed at parents events during the year. Through We encourage families to spend time in the setting when they collect their child, talking to the care team about what has been happening during the day. This includes all aspects of play, development, welfare and fun. Through this open discussion, we can offer support and or practical advice relating to any aspect of your childs development, care or progress. Through ‘well done’ stars, we also invite parents to contribute to this folder with achievements and celebratory moments achieved outside the setting. If your child has additional needs and they have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) which will have targets on it to support your child’s development we will have meetings with you to discuss progress made and the next steps needed.

We have a welfare policy in place which includes Administering medicine, Managing children who are sick, infectious or with allergies, Recording and reporting of incidents as well as all aspects of food hygiene. These policies are available for view in the nursery or copies can be obtained from either the Managers or senior staff. We aim to ensure all staff have relevant up to date first aid training along with all staff receiving safeguarding training. Regular staff meetings ensure any issues of safeguarding, additional needs or behaviour are discussed, and that strategies are put in place to support those children and other children in the nursery including them in all activities in an appropriate way. As children get older and are more able to communicate, we ensure we take their opinions into account when planning activities and if appropriate, when completing IEPs or behaviour plans. As children get older and are more able to communicate, we ensure we take their opinions into account when planning activities and if appropriate, when completing IEPs or behaviour plans.

Although we do not currently have any children requiring additional support from outside agencies, we have worked in the past with SALTA’s and Lanterns as well at the Area Inco’s and the Early Years Advisory Teams Updated Oct 16, We now have a Physiotherapist, Children’s Community Nurse, Area Speech and Language Therapist and have been involved in meetings with our Area Inclusion Co – Coordinator, if we need additional support. We have a dedicated Speech and Language Coordinator who runs ‘Chatterbox’ sessions 4 days per week - Updated October 16, From August 16; this role has now been incorporated within the Pre- School room. We have an audiologist and a hearing therapist attend as required for a child with hearing loss who is going to have cochlea implants during 2016 Should we need any additional services again, or support from other agencies, we would make the appropriate contacts.

We have two nursery SENCos. Our senior SENCo has completed training in Foundation Stage SENCo, Inclusion, Early Communication Signing and Symbols and the Makaton Foundation, and has spent several years working with a number of children with a wide range of additional needs. Our second SENCo is currently attending her Senco Induction training – due to complete in October 2014.

>Our setting is based in the countryside with access to acres of open spaces as well as woodland. We do not run organised trips out as the children have regular and varied use of wide open spaces. Most areas are accessible by wheelchair and we would adapt our ‘adventures’ to ensure we were inclusive should that be needed. Should we have any children with additional needs in terms of ratios or support, we would again ensure that we made all spaces and outdoor adventures available to all children who attended.

The nursery is situated in a converted barn on two floors. The first floor is for the babies aged between birth and 17 months, and the ground floor is split into three play areas – 18 months to 2 years, 2 to 3 years and 3 years to 5 years. Access to the Nursery front door from the dedicated car park is via a sloped tarmac pathway. This leads into the main entrance area from where access is on one level to all play rooms. There is no lift to the first floor. We have the facilities for nappy changing on both levels and there is a disabled toilet on the ground floor. Our grassed outdoor play areas are accessible through french doors from both of the playrooms and areas are gated and secure but wheelchair access is possible. The hardcourt areas are again fully accessible from all areas. The pre school room is on two levels divided by three wide steps with hand rail guidance fitted. Both levels of this room can be accessed separately from the outside.

We work closely with all local primary / reception settings in preparing the children for the transition to school. Schools staff are invited to visit the children in our setting and we visit the schools when appropriate. We have a school role play area each summer term, which we stock with uniforms and photographs from the various school settings the children have been accepted into, to encourage the children to learn to dress and undress as well as recognising and talking about, their new school and the teachers they will be with. If we have any children with any additional learning requirements, it will be important that this liaison is even closer so that all information is shared ensuring smooth and supportive transition. We complete transition forms for all children detailing their stage of development and any or all additional information including their Characteristics of Learning to aid in supporting their ongoing learning journey. If your child has any additional needs we will arrange an IPA and Transition meeting to get all of the professionals working with your child together to ensure the school or new provision knows how best to support them and what they may need to put into place before your child starts with them.

We have four rooms within the nursery and the children are arranged into these rooms based on their ages. Each room is set up with the correct resources for this age/ stage of development. If a child needed additional resources we would ensure these resources were in the room for them to access freely. We will ensure that the needs of all children with Additional Learning requirements are met to the best of our ability with the funds available.

The support required for each Unique child will be different and dependant on their individual needs. The Key Person and the setting support staff, plus any additional external agencies, will discuss requirements and reach a conclusion on the level of support available. We will monitor the support once in place ensuring that it is helping your child and that progress is being made. This will be achieved through regular observations, reviewing targets on IEPs and looking at how they are achieving on their developmental milestones. Meetings with parents, as well as the aforementioned team will take place to discuss progress. We may lessen, or even take away the additional support, if we feel that your child has made significant progress and is no longer in need. Continued close progress monitoring would happen as a matter of course.

Parental involvement is really important to the running of a happy Nursery – whether that is regular catch up chats at drop off or pick up, or more involved conversations as and when required. Parents can also be involved when contributing to a child’s learning journeys and celebrating milestones achieved away from the setting. We invite parents to come into the nursery to help us with specific activities, or celebrating certain festivals. We have social occasions and evenings that parents are encouraged to attend, where additional time is given to discussing progress in learning and developing. We have a wonderful Christmas week where families are invited to come and watch the whole nursery involvement in a Christmas celebration. We send out questionnaires to all parents to find out their views on all aspects of the nursery. This also includes a ‘traffic light’ census to indicate areas the parents want us to Stop, Maintain or do More of. From these, we will implement changes if necessary. Our Parental Partnership is a vital part of Woodhams Farm Day Nursery.