Little Sunbeams Preschool (Fareham)

We pride ourselves on getting to know children and their families. Our registration includes forms to ascertain; child’s interests, family group, likes and dislikes, health information etc. A key person is assigned and introduced to you prior to your child starting. If this is not possible a manager will be available to answer your queries and discuss your individual child’s requirements. During the summer term an open day takes place to meet those children starting with us in September. The pre-school allocates each child and their family a key person and co-key person to give continuous care, supporting the child whilst away from home. They observe your child, assess their current stage of development in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and plan activities to support their continued development. The Key person shares this information with parents/carers on a regular basis. If the child comes to us before their third birthday the key person will also carry out a 2 year old development check, which is carried out with your input and fully shared with you. Any concerns regarding development will be discussed. Our staff have a wealth of experience in child care and child development. We have a dedicated Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) who monitors your child and liaises with you and outside agencies if required.

Each child is allocated a Key-person and co-key person who will get to know them and their parents. They will plan around their individual’s needs. The keyperson gets to know the child and reviews their progress; this includes discussion of development and ideas for home learning. Parents complete an ‘All about me form’ which discusses homelife, likes, dislikes and interests. We ask for information on special words used. Three times a year the keyperson also sends out a questionnaire to parents to update this information. The preschools Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) is familiar with the SEN Code of Practice, monitors records and ensures they are kept up to date regarding information about your child’s learning and progress. Our SENCo supports staff with SEN children. The SENCo liaises with the Services for Young Children Inclusion Setting Support Officers (ISSO) and other professionals; attends the professional’s SEN support group and coordinates transitions to school. Where appropriate the SENCO will talk to the ISSO vis the advice line or for a longer pre booked surgery telephone call.  The SENCO creates resources to support children in setting and at home for example notice boards, bags of support (toileting information etc). The committee and trustees are not involved in the day to day running of the preschool. Regular supervision meetings and child review meetings between management and all staff ensure individual’s needs are reviewed.

Each child’s needs are individually considered. Individual’s needs are considered for each activity and adult support and equipment varied as necessary. Each child has an electronic learning journey (Tapestry) which has written observations, photos and videos which are linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and shared with parents. Parents are asked to also record their own observations to enable us to work together. Parents are recognised and respected as each child's first and best educator. We use the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum as a guide for a child’s development along with other recognised child development resources to link observations to age and stage of development. Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) can be written to support learning in the preschool and in the home. IEP’S will be reviewed termly to view your child’s progress. Observations are taken on your child and an assessment is made, which will highlight areas of development that may need to be focused on. Planning will be addressed within these areas of learning.

We promote regular discussion with parents/carers at the start and end of a session. Where this is not possible we offer a home contact book or contact by text, email or telephone. The Tapestry system allows for parents to have an immediate view of their child's learning experiences and comment on them. We send out questionnaires each term to revisit your child’s interests and find out what they are doing at home. We have a wealth of information displayed in setting on the Early Years Foundation Stage and information on home learning which is available for parents to borrow or read in setting

Staff can administer medicines (see administering medication policy). Critical incident care plans are agreed with parents/carers and shared with all staff so they are fully aware of procedures to follow should your child become unwell. A child with behaviour difficulties will be supported by each member of staff. An Individual Education Plan will be put in place to support their needs. Please see our policies on Behaviour, Special educational needs and disabilities and inclusion. The child’s keyperson and co-keyperson support the child physically and emotionally and usually deal with intimate care such as nappy changes. Potty training information/guidance is provided through our ‘potty bag’ with daily support provided through sticker charts and reminders at intervals as directed by parents/carers. We provide areas for rest and will ensure children that require a sleep are given a quiet, secure area to rest. All of our five permanent staff are qualified to at least a NVQ level 3 and are first aid trained. At least one manager is present each day; both are qualified to NVQ level 4, and have received safeguarding training, all other staff have received a safeguarding briefing. Managers meet with staff formally every term to discuss children and supervise care (see our supervision policy). Children’s care and planning is also discussed at half termly staff meetings. At snack time a member of staff sits with children to help them self-serve drinks and prepare/choose snack items. Staff sit with children at lunch and assist with opening packets and encouraging/supporting eating.

We have a SENCO Our SENCO holds a NVQ level 4 childcare qualification and has attended the introduction to SENCO course, she attends the SENCO support groups termly. These meetings contain important information regarding changes to legislation or new ideas to support children with SEN. We are in regular communication with the ISSOs to discuss and refer children. We have working relationships with individual Speech and Language Therapists, Portage, Health Visitors and Outreach. Little Sunbeams has policies and procedures in place to support the running of the Preschool and the safety and wellbeing of the children and staff. 

Little Sunbeams have 5 permanent members of staff, 2 staff members hold a NVQ Level 3 in childcare. The two managers both hold a NVQ Level 4 in childcare. All members of staff are qualified in First aid. One manager and the deputy have attended advanced Safeguarding training. Three staff have received introductory Makaton training

>We take occasional trips to the local area; the park, the greengrocers etc. We gain parental agreement to small local trips in our registration process. We ensure a good ration of adults to children to ensure the safety of all children. We use reins, buggies or walking rings as directed by parents and carers.

There is a ramp at the front of the church building for wheelchair access. Our playroom is on the ground floor with free flow access to the garden. The garden is accessed by a step with no ramp access. There is a disabled toilet on the ground floor. Guidance from specialists would need to be sought if specialist equipment is required as the pre-school is in a church building that is also used by others. English as a second language is catered for by the [http://www.hants.gov.uk/education/ema.htm Ethnic Minorities and Travellers Achievement Service (EMTAS)] who help with translation of information for parents. We provide: books, posters and culturally appropriate items whenever possible.

We will consult with parents and carers and any other agencies involved with your child to ensure appropriate care and equipment is in place. We will ensure staff are trained to meet your child’s needs to make entry into preschool as smooth as possible. Before your child starts at pre-school, you are asked about your child’s interests so that the curriculum can be tailored to ease transition from home to pre-school. We encourage parents and children to visit prior to starting so they can familiarise themselves with the environment and staff and discuss needs. For children progressing to Year R we ensure a smooth transition in a number of ways. In the term before they leave us to start Year R we read stories about going to school, provide school uniform dress up in home corner. Children can also bring in a PE kit from home to practice getting changed. Year R teachers from all receiving schools visit us in setting and staff members accompany children on visits to their new school. We compile a ‘transition pack’ for school including an ‘all about me section, data on current levels of development in key areas and summaries of achievement. For children requiring extra support to access their local main stream school an Inclusion Partnership Agreement (IPA) is set up in collaboration with the pre-school, the feeder school and you to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible. Information is shared with the feeder school that is relevant to the transition.

All children receive up to 570 hours per funded year of free early years education the term following their third birthday. The pre-school includes children who are in receipt of 2 year old funding, which is accessible to families meeting a number of criteria including low income. Additional funding can be claimed for children with special educational needs (SEN). The funding is allocated to enable the child to achieve their full potential, possibly one to one support, specialist equipment, and appropriate toys to aid development or the creation of pictorial support aids .This is decided upon through consultation with all who are involved with the child at a “Team around the child”(TAC) meeting.

If your child has already had a diagnosis then a TAC meeting will be held before he or she starts at the pre-school. Decisions are made through consultation with all parties involved with the child’s care; this includes you, specialists, as well as the Pre-school’s SENCo and key staff. If your child has no diagnosis but you have expressed concerns or the Key Person has identified a problem at the 2 year check (which is carried out during the child’s first term) then a meeting will be held with you to explore ways of supporting your child. Observations and behaviour records (ABCC) are carried out and shared with you on a regular basis. The Key Person draws up an Individual Education Plan (IEP) in collaboration with you and the SENCo; this is reviewed each half term. Monitoring of progress is carried out termly and recorded; to ensure that the curriculum is ensuring progress in all seven areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

We have a management committee made up of Staff, local community members and parents. Parents are invited to attend meetings or take on roles such as Chairperson or Treasurer. Parents are invited to share information with their child’s key person with regards to their home learning and interests. Parents share their child’s latest home learning achievement via Tapestry and in person through their key person. Ideas for home learning are posted on Tapestry. Parents are asked to suggest activities for their children based on home interests. Parent’s views on the preschool are sought once a year in a formal questionnaire. A child’s interest form is also issued termly. The key person speaks with the child’s parent/carer regularly and is given a summary of their ages/stages termly. Parents are asked to contribute to craft/care items.