Clanfield Community Pre-School

Key Person and SENCO will monitor children and set small achievable targets and they will discuss and explain this to parents/carers. Our SENCO attends regular meetings/training to keep up to date with latest information and cascades this back to staff. There will be regular achievement reviews with Key Person, SENCO and parent/carer and we also have parental questionnaires. The Committee and staff work together to ensure staff have clear guidelines to follow and job descriptions are in place.

On going observation, planning and assessments help to identify the child’s individual needs. Targets are then set to work on using an IEP and are regularly reviewed. Learning Journals are also in place to show the development of the child. We use a tracking system to monitor whether children are meeting the early learning goals within each area of learning.

We hold a parents evening twice a year and these are an opportunity to share your child’s progress. We carry out two year checks and also record of achievement reports for 3 & 4 year olds which are shared with parents/carers. We regularly review the children’s next steps and discuss with parents. Informal discussions with key person or SENCO at beginning or end of each attended session or a separate meeting can be arranged. Learning journals are always available for parents to look at either in the setting or to take home. A home/school link book is available to share information from pre-school to home. Targets are reviewed regularly by the SENCO. Outside agencies involved with your child are able to visit to work with the staff and your child. Training courses for parents/carers can be arranged through the Children’s Centre. You can also receive information through our face book page, reports, notice boards in the lobby and newsletters. We have a wow tree for the special things the children achieve at pre school and we also send home house wows for achievements at home that children bring in to put on the wow tree. Children are able to take storey books home to share with parents/carers. We have a makaton sign of the week. We also have a parent rota in place.

Up to date policies are available for you to view either on line at [mailto:enquiries@clanfieldpreschool.org enquiries@clanfieldpreschool.org] or at the setting. We have show and tell sessions every day to involve and encourage children to become confident talking within a group. Risk assessments are carried out daily both in the indoor and outdoor areas. All staff have a DBS in place and are regularly updated with safeguarding training. All medicines are logged with dosage and time given and signed by the staff member who administered the medicine and a witness and then signed by the parent/carer. All medicines are stored in a safe place. Allergy and dietary information is displayed in the kitchen for all staff to see. We are a nut free setting. Students or volunteers do not attend to children’s toileting needs/nappy changing and parents who attend to their own child’s needs must inform a member of staff before doing so. Staff are first aid trained. We operate a password system so any person who collects your child will need the correct password otherwise we are unable to let your child go. We have a no mobile phone policy so all staff and anyone who visits our setting has to put their phones in the office. Staff cannot use any social networking sites to be friends with parents/carers.

Staff have a range of qualifications and experiences including: * NVQ Level 3 – Children’s care, Learning & Development * CACHE Level 4 in Children’s care, Learning and Development * Level 2, 3 & 4 in Safeguarding * First Aid * Leadership & Management * Positive Approaches To Challenging Behaviour * Initial & advanced Makaton * CAF awareness * Birth to Three * Health & Safety * Food Hygiene * Health & Nutrition for children in the Early Years We also liaise with outside agencies – Area Inclusion Team, Speech & Language Therapists, Portage, Specialist Advisory Teacher, Occupational Health, Education Psychologist, Outreach, Riverside Special School, Services For Young Children, TOPS.

We are a fully inclusive setting and have had lots of experience with children with SEND. This includes, cerebral palsy, laxity development delays, behaviour problems, Aperts Syndrome. All staff will work closely with you and outside agencies to support children and to learn specific skills needed to support the children. We have a fully trained SENCO who attends up to date meetings and cascades this back to all staff. All staff have attended initial makaton training and this is supported with spoken language.

>Outings take place within the local area and risks assessments are carried out. We use one adult to two children unless 1:1 is required. We include parents in our discussion about suitability of outings. The committee arrange a number of fundraising events throughout the year to which all families are welcome and the venue is accessible to all. As a team, we will ensure that all children are included in outings and events that take place.

Our setting has a ramp so is wheel chair and buggy accessible. We have disabled parking in the car park. We have a disabled toilet. We use makaton sign. Sensory activities are available every session. To support children/families who’s first language is not English we can access EMTAS (Ethnic Minorities and Travellers Service). http://www.hants.gov.uk/education/ema.htm

To ensure appropriate equipment and care is in place, a meeting will be arranged with parents and any agencies involved with your child to help make the transition into pre school as smooth as possible. We give families an All About Me booklet so you can provide as much information as possible in order for staff to get to know your child. Families are welcome to do settling in visits and we also arrange an open day in the summer holidays for all new children. When your child starts with us you are welcome to stay for as long that you think is necessary. A transition meeting is held with all schools in the local area when your child starts/changes school. Key persons fill out a transition form and the Manager and Deputy have meetings with the Year R teachers. For children who need extra support or need an IEP (Inclusion Partnership Agreement), a separate meeting will be arranged with teachers, parents/carers, SENCO, key person and any other professionals involved with your child to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible. Any strategies put in place or resources used such as flash cards, reward charts etc will also be discussed/passed on to the new setting/school. We have good links with Petersgate Infant School who allow us to use their hall, library and outside area. This helps the children get to know the teachers and become familiar with a school environment. The term before children start school, we are able to take the children to visit the classrooms to have a story and to use computers. If your child attends another setting or a childminder, we also liaise with them to discuss transition.

All children are entitled to 15 hours per week of free early years education the term following their third birthday. The pre school also include children who are in receipt of 2 year old funding which is accessible to families who are on a low income. If a child is eligible for SEN funding, we will liaise with parents and all professionals involved with your child to ensure funds are allocated appropriately. All toys/resources are accessible to all children and are at a suitable height.

With advice from professionals involved and the use of a tracking system, this helps to identify children’s progress and a decision will be made on how much support the child will need. An IEP (Individual Education Plan) will be put in place with the involvement of the key person, SENCO and parents. Although the key person is responsible for carrying out the targets set out on the IEP, all staff are aware of these so that they can still be carried out if the key person is absent. The IEP’s are also reviewed at staff meetings. The SENCO, key person and parents will regularly review the IEP to ensure that the targets and support are being reached.

We are a committee run pre school who welcome new members to join either the management team to help contribute to the running of the pre school, or the fund raising committee who organise events such as a summer fayre, Christmas fayre, nearly new sale, sponsored events and a Christmas card project. These all help to raise money to supply toys/resources for the pre school. We run a mother, baby and toddler group in Petersgate Infant school main hall on a Thursday morning from 9.00am to 10.30am which is accessible to all families. We have a parent/carer rota where you are able to come in and help out with activities, read stories, play games etc or if you have any interests you would like to share such as a musical instrument, cooking skills, or maybe you are a nurse/doctor or any talent you may have which could benefit the children at the pre school, please come in and share it with us. We have a wow tree for the special things the children achieve at pre school and we also send home house wows for achievements at home that children bring in to put on the wow tree. Again, we also have the home/school link book to share information. When your child starts with us, you will be given a settling in questionnaire and when your child leaves you will also be given a questionnaire. These give you the opportunity to evaluate and comment on our performance.