Brookside Pre-School

We arrange Home visits and setting visits to meet the child and parents/carers prior to their start date.

We liaise with all outside agencies to ensure that the correct support is put in place prior to the child starting pre-school.

Risk assessments are done prior to the child's first day.

We observe all children within the setting and support all parents/carers of children that may require additional support we will then liaise with parents/carers within the first half term to discuss any additional support required.

On a home visit a manager and the child's key practitioner (KP) attends to introduce themselves to you and the child. A 'All About Me' is completed on the visit enabling us to build up a positive relationship with you and your child. We encourage you to bring your child for settling in sessions.

A brief is given to all staff about the child's additional needs and what support is to be put in place to aid the child in their development. The key practitioner and the SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) have weekly meetings and half termly meetings are arranged with parents/carers, but there is always an open door policy just to give support.

All staff do regular training and the SENCO attends termly meetings with the Local Authority (LA) and has half termly meetings with the INCo (Inclusion Co-ordinator).

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum. But we believe each child is an individual and we believe its important to adapt the curriculum to suit the child and their own rate of development. Children learn through play so we plan for their next steps using the child's own interests and expand it, opening it up to create new experiences.

We keep Learning Journals (LJ) for all our children these are done online and this also allows you to share your experiences with us too.

The SENCO and the KP develop Individual Educational Plans (IEP's) to give additional support and are reviewed termly with the parent/carer.

The child's LJ are kept up to date and regularly meetings are arranged with the parent/carer. We believe in working as a team to support your child in their development.

IEP's are developed with the parent/carer, these ensure that the child's learning is being continued at home and pre-school and we are all working as a team.

We have an 'Open Door Policy' and we are available to reassure and support you.

A Risk Assessment will be completed prior to your child starting pre-school, these will be assessed termly.

If your child requires medication prior to this being given all staff will be informed and if specialist training is required it will be provided prior to the child's start date. Forms will need to be completed by the parent/carer prior to start and signed and witnessed by two staff members as and when the medication is administered.

Our pre-school also has a designated Behaviour Education Co-ordinator (BECO) who works alongside the SENCO and KP to promote positive behaviour.

A 1-1 Practitioner is employed to work with the children who require additional support and liaises with the SENCO and KP. 

We as a setting access Services for Young Children and liaise with the ISSO. We are able to refer to various professionals i.e. Speech and Language, Portage/Outreach.

We as a setting complete a range of referral forms and are able to support parents/carers in completing their forms.

All staff have Paediatric First Aid and Safeguarding training. The owner managers have Health & Well-Being First Aid. All staff do regular online training. All our staff are qualified ranging from 1 x Level 6 BA (Hons) in Childcare and Education, 1 x Diploma Level 5 in Childcare, 3 x NVQ Level 3 in Childcare and 1 x Level 2 in Childcare, 2 unqualified staff about to start training in Childcare.

We do in house training as well as online training and attend out of house training. It is important that all staff have continous learning and specfic training will be allocated if required.

Each child is an individual and all activities are planned to ensure that all children can access them. It is the KP or 1-1 Practitioner's responsibiltiy to ensure that the child with additional needs can access the available activity.

Risk assessments will be carried out if required and all resources prepared prior to the activity or outing. The child will be prepared using a range of resources i.e. Now & Next Boards, Objects of Reference, Makaton.

Our setting is fully accessible to wheelchair use both indoor and outdoors, all our doors are wider allowing free access throughout the hall and outside area through one door. We have an accessible toilet with changing facilities.

We have a large car park on site with disabled parking and ramps accessing the pavements.

We arrange visits prior to the child starting, we suggest multiple visits to ensure that both the child and the parent/carer feels comfortable and happy about staying/leaving. Each child is an individual and we access the situation as per child and find what works best for them.

We have transition meetings with all our Local Infant/Primary Schools; we have arranged visits from the school Reception Class Teachers, where they meet the children and have a little chat while the child plays and we then give them a little brief on each child and ideas and suggestions on what will help the child take their next steps in their educational journey. We do an end of term report which is shared with the school.

We also arrange Individual Transition Meetings with the schools, parent/carers, ISSO and us. We have the child's needs and requirements set out on a Transition Plan, we then discuss what support is required and by who and who will provide this. We also offer additional visits to the school in the Summer Term to help with the Transition.

AS SENCO I arrange for visits in the Autumn Term after the child has settled into school, to offer additional support to both the school and parent/carer before signing off completely.

We have a range of equipment, which is maintained and checked for suitability. The room is set up daily and adapted to the needs of the children, allowing them free access to all areas.

If your child receives SEN Funding this allocated to them for i.e. addititonal support or specialist resources. This will be monitored by the SENCO, who will arrange termly meetings with the parents/carers to discuss your child's needs.

All information provided by the parent/carer is kept alongside observations made by the KP, other staff members and the SENCO.

The SENCO will arrange a meeting to discuss the possibility of referring the child for additional support. The SENCO will complete all relevant forms in with the parent/carer.

The Area Inco will be informed and half termly meetings will be arranged to give support and suggestions on the best route to take.

We believe that the Parent/Carers are the most important people in the children's lives you are their primary educator. We believe in working in partnership with you by doing this it will enhance your child's experiences with us as a setting.

We encourage you to share your child's experiences with you with us via their Learning Journal by doing this it allows us to expand our knowledge of your child and their interests and experiences.

We have Sports Day Events, Charity Events, Termly Parties, Christmas Productions and End of Term Tea Parties which we encourage parents/carers to attend and enjoy with their child.