Our nursery provides care for children from 1 -5 years and is designed to meet a range needs for SEN children. For example:
Our SENCo is:
Sanjay Morzaria
We will assess each child’s current skills and levels of attainment on entry as a baseline. Our nursery assistants will make regular assessments of progress for all children and identify those whose progress:
This may include progress in areas other than attainment, for example, social needs. Slow progress and low attainment will not automatically mean a pupil is recorded as having SEN. When deciding whether special educational provision is required, we will start with the desired outcomes, including the expected progress and attainment, and the views and the wishes of the child (if able to give) and their parents. We will use this to determine the support that is needed and whether we can provide it by adapting our core offer, or whether something different or additional is needed.
The children are taught in small groups depending on their age. As an example:
Children with high needs are in smaller groups with increased staff ratios. We use person centred approaches to teaching so all work is highly differentiated and modified to meet the child’s individual needs. We use a range of Learning Language and Loving It strategies to meet children’s communication, sensory and therapeutic needs.
Our Nursery Assistants are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all the pupils in their care. High quality teaching is our first step in responding to children who have SEN. This will be differentiated for individual children so that their individual needs are cared for.
We follow the EYFS Statutory Framework (2021) to provide a total communication learning environment to enable children to have every opportunity to communicate and understand. This will include visual prompts, objects of reference, photographs, symbols and words. Our nursery assistants use Makaton sign language and technology (iPad and TeleTablet) is also used to support learning.
In addition, we make the following adaptations to ensure all children’s needs are met:
All of our activities, facilities and external visits are available to all our children, including our before-and after-school clubs.
All children are encouraged to take part in all activities and where additional help is required, additional nursery assistants help. No child is ever excluded from taking part in any activities because of their SEN or disability.
We will have an early discussion with the child and their parents when identifying whether they need special educational provision. These conversations will make sure that:
Parents are invited to a meeting usually within 6 weeks of their child starting our nursery to discuss their targets. These are formulated into an ILP and this is shared with the parents.
Thereafter, a parents evening is held every term which enables a short meeting to discuss progress or concerns. Parents are invited to contribute to the annual reviews in written format and through their attendance at the meeting.
Ultimately the nursery operates an open door policy which enables parents to come into to share any concerns or to telephone staff. Parents are also included in our monthly “Parent Brunch” were we select a training topic such as Makaton or behaviour.
Annually use a questionnaire to gather parents’ views and collate their responses to the annual review and end of year reports.
We constantly solicit feedback from children with SEN through their ability appropriate methods. We also give them choice and from this we are able to judge their likes and dislikes.
The nursery assistant will work with the SENCo to carry out a clear analysis of the child’s needs using our development tracker software. This will draw on:
The assessment is reviewed regularly, at least twice a term. All nursery assistants who come in contact with the child are made aware of their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided, and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required. We will regularly review the effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the child’s progress.
There are many opportunities for children to reflect on their progress and are encouraged to consider next steps and or what they might do differently.
Children throughout their care in the nursery are encouraged to be as independent as possible using the skills they have. This will include aspects of personal care, personal organization, learning to be independent of full adult attention, moving around independently and much more.
A lot of our activities are designed to develop the child’s self-confidence, social skills and resilience. These help towards them being independent.
We will prepare a transition report and share this information with the school or other setting the child is moving to. We will agree with parents and children which information will be shared as part of this.
The nursery views relationships and emotional wellbeing as vital to learning. There are good ratios of nursery assistant to children so that they can feel nurtured, valued and have their needs met. We support children with behavior management plans if required and nursery assistants meet regularly to maintain levels of awareness and training. The nursery has a significant focus on communication as many situations arise out of frustration at not being able to speak or express feeling.
Additionally, we provide support for children to improve their emotional and social development in the following ways:
We provide extra pastoral support arrangements for listening to the views of pupils with SEN and measures to prevent bullying.
There is a highly skilled workforce that consist of a Level 6 settings manager with Level 5 managers and Level 3 assistants.
All staff have basic skills in the aspects of meeting SEN that are universal across the nursery, for example Makaton, behaviour management, total communication, first aid and learning strategies.
There are Level 3 trained safeguarding officers on site at all times to ensure that children are effectively protected from harm. These officers ensure all other nursery assistants are aware of their duty of care to keep children safe.
Our more senior nursery assistants work closely with other professionals such a Speech and Language therapists, Physiotherapists and Occupational therapists who provide support and guidance to the nursery. Knowledge, skills and practice is shared within the nursery and we are closely involved with special schools across the borough so that we keep abreast of ideas and practice that we could use.
Our SENCo has four years’ experience in this role and is a key part of his role.
Some specialist expertise is provided through commissioned services i.e. yoga therapy and phonetics through drama. We also have a dedicated budget that can be used to procure additional services as needed.
We grow our own expertise by utilizing the passion, skills and knowledge of our dedicated workforce.
The nursery uses its own budget to provide the majority of resources and facilities that are needed to provide for the children. Sometimes the nursery will secure resources through making applications to Local Authority where a specific scheme exists.
The nursery is well supported by the Local Authority, Children’s Centres and the Local Safeguarding Board. Whenever we need and help or advice, they are always willing to help.
The nursery evaluates its own effectiveness and this is monitored through a variety of processes. For example:
There is an opportunity for all parents to raise concerns about their child’s provision at any time through contact with either the keyperson or the manager. For a more formal complaint, the parent would be directed to the complaints procedure which is found on our website. We would hope that through early intervention any complaints would be resolved without the need for this stage.
The parents of children with disabilities have the right to make disability discrimination claims to the first-tier SEND tribunal if they believe that our nursery has discriminated against their children. They can make a claim about alleged discrimination regarding:
The nursery holds a monthly “Parent Brunch” as a training forum for parents in a selected topic that changes every month. We are also able to listen to parents concerns and needs providing a sign posting service and making referrals if required i.e. early help referrals to support parent to access the disability service.
The LA’s local offer is to be found on their website. The nursery contributed to the local offer by providing information about its provision and registering their services.
This report is available in large print, audio, braille or other languages upon request.
Also available in Gujarity or Hindi.
Review date: 31 December 2024
