SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES
(SEND) LOCAL OFFER
EARLY YEARS EDUCATION PROVIDER NAME: SQUIRRELS PRESCHOOL
OFSTED UNIQUE REFERENCE NUMBER: 203962
CONFIRMATION THAT ‘CO-PRODUCTION’ HAS TAKEN PLACE WITH PARENTS, CARERS, STAKEHOLDERS: YES
LOCAL OFFER SUBMITTED BY: Name ANITA HEARSUM/FIONA LUCK Date 20.08.2014
Signature Anita Hearsum/Fiona Luck
Questions for Educational Settings (From the parent carer’s point of view):
1. How does the early years setting know if children need extra help and what
should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs or disabilities?
How do you identify children with special educational needs? How will I be able to raise
concerns I may have? If the early years setting is specialist which types of special educational
need do you cater for?
All children attending the preschool are observed on their learning and development. These assessments will identify if your child needs additional support. Your child will be monitored and supported by the preschool and outside agencies with parental consent. Each child has a key person, the child’s main care giver at preschool. Discussions with you and your child will take place with their key person. Squirrels Preschool cater for children with special educational needs such as autism, speech and language difficulties, behavioural problems, English as an Additional Language, disabilities and social communications difficulties.
The preschool includes all families in parent sessions, home school books and the completion of an ‘All About Me’ on admission.
2. How will early years setting staff support my child?
Who will oversee and plan the education programme and who will be working with my child
and how often? What will be their roles? Who will explain this to me? How are the early
years setting governors or trustees involved and what are their responsibilities? How does
the early years setting know how effective it's arrangements it's provision for children with
special educational needs are?
Squirrels staff are widely trained in a lot of areas which includes speech and language, autism training and behaviour management. Squirrel’s key person approach involves each key person to plan around their children’s individual needs. Each key person tracks their child’s development and reviews their progress termly at parents meetings. The home link diary supports communication between parents and key persons. A key person will plan what the child is working
on each term and what activity their parents can carry out with the child at home to support their learning. On induction each child receives an ‘All About Me’ form which focuses on their strengths, areas for development, home life, interests and language. Observation, assessment and planning along with the routine of the preschool is explained on induction. Each year Squirrel’s send a Parents’ Questionnaire to each family to gather opinions on the service and support we provide to children and their families. The results are used to inform preschool developments.
The preschool’s 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
establishes and maintain positive relationships with our parents; informing of any progress, ensuing the preschool staff are familiar with the SEN policy and that it is reviewed annually. Our SENCO supports staff with SEN children. The preschool SENCO liaises with the Area SENCO and other professionals; attends the professional’s SEN support group and coordinates transitions to school. The SENCO when in need of support from other professionals regarding your child would undertake a process of referral. A form ‘child of concern’ would be completed and a meeting arrange for them to attend the nursery to observe your child.
3. How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?
What are the early years setting’s approaches to differentiation? How will that help my child?
Every child is different. We take into consideration your child’s progress and plan and support the child at their own pace. We use the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum as a guide for a child’s development .The preschool’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) and Behaviour Coordinator (BeCO) helps children who need extra support. They will provide each child’s key person with support and activities for your child to learn within the area of need. Progress will be evidenced in your child’s learning journeys and One Plans will be written to support learning in the preschool and in the home. One Plan’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.
4. How will both you and I know how my child is doing and how will you help me support my child's learning?
In addition to the normal reporting arrangements what opportunities will there be for me to discuss his or her progress
with the staff? How does the early years setting know how well my child is doing? How will I know what progress my
child should be making? What opportunities will there be for regular contact about things that have happened at early
years setting e.g. a home / school book? How will you explain to me how his or her learning is planned and how I can
help support this outside of the setting? How and when will I be involved in planning my child’s education? Do you
offer any parent training or learning events?
Learning journeys hold each child’s observations and assessments, the child’s creative work, along with a photo album telling the story of the child’s progress. One Plans will also be generated which explain what area of learning your child needs support in and how the key person and parent can support this at home and at the preschool. Squirrels preschool assesses each child’s development through 2 and 3 year old progress checks, this is how Squirrels monitor and adapt targets to maintain and challenge a child’s development progress. Parents are their child’s first educator; Squirrels preschool involves their parents in their child’s learning and development.
Parents are encouraged to be involved in supporting their child’s learning at home. Squirrels have an open door policy. Parents are welcome to come in at any time. Key persons will discuss daily with you, how your child is doing and any progress made. Termly parent’s meetings are focused on the child development. Squirrels newsletters are posted on our website www.squirrelspreschool.com, half termly. Our newsletters contain dates for coffee mornings, parents meetings and activities taking place. Newsletters can be printed for parents who have not got internet access.
5. What support will there be for my child’s overall well being?
What is the pastoral, medical and social support available in the setting for children with SEND? How does the early
years setting l manage the administration of medicines and providing personal care? What support is there for
behaviour, avoiding exclusions and increasing attendance? How safe is my child in your early years setting? How will
my child being able to contribute his or her views? How will the early years setting support my child / to do this?
Squirrels staff can administer medicines with parental consent. A child with behaviour difficulties will be supported by each member of staff. The preschool Behaviour Officer will ensure each child has a One Plan in place to
support their needs. Squirrels have a policy in place to support behaviour, Special educational needs and disabilities and inclusion. The child and their family along with the Area SENCO and possibly other agencies devoted to supporting children and families with behaviour difficulties will work together with the preschool to ensure the child receives the amount of support needed. Every child has a choice and a voice. Children are invited and supported to play, learn and develop; however Squirrels staff respect that this is on your child’s terms. The preschool has a sensory area to encourage calm down time. Choice boards are available around the preschool to encourage different types of play. Emotions and feelings are discussed. Small language groups are held throughout the session to encourage positive language and social skills and to build self-confidence.
6. What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the early years setting?
Are there specialist staff working at the early years setting and what are their qualifications?
What other services does the early years setting access including health, therapy and social care services?
Each staff member is fully qualified in National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 3 or above in child care. They are all first aid trained, and have attended advanced safeguarding training. The nursery’s SENCo has attended course such as SENCo Induction training, training for autistic children and attends termly SENCo network meetings which contain important changes, legalisation or new ideas and resources to support children with SEN.
The preschool has had basic Makaton training. Squirrels use Makaton signing through songs and rhymes, and through general play, and snack time etc. Sign and symbols are displayed around the setting in the appropriate areas to support our children’s communication skills. A number of staff have also had introduction to PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System).
Squirrel’s has policies and procedures in place to support the running of the preschool and the safety and wellbeing of the children and staff. Squirrels work together with outside agencies to support children with behaviour troubles. We have had strong support from our children’s centres, Specialist Teacher Advisors with help in developing the preschool into a calm sanctuary for children to learn, play and feel safe in.
7. What training have the staff supporting children with SEND had or are having?
This should include recent and future planned training and disability awareness.
Squirrels have nine members of staff; 7 with a full and relevant level 3, 1 currently in their final year of an Early years degree and 1 about to commence level 3 training. One of Squirrels committee members is an EYP with a degree in Counselling /studies and a Diploma in Person Centred Counselling. One of the preschool’s SENCos is also a Manager.
Each member of staff has attended speech and language training. The preschool’s BeCo, and SENCo have attended Behaviour management training. Squirrels staff have attended basic training in Makaton. Each member of our team are qualified in First aid and have attended safeguarding training.
8. How will my child be included in activities outside the early years setting including trips?
Will he or she be able to access all of the activities of the early years setting and how will you assist him or her to do
so? How do you involve parent carers in planning activities and trips?
Trips and outings are advertised through our newsletter. Parents give consent to outing on Squirrels admissions forms when your child starts Squirrels. Parents and carers are invited to attend if they wish. Depending on their needs, children will have a one to one support worker outside the preschool. This will be their Key Person. Visual timetables and picture exchange are used to prepare your child and explain what is going to happen on the outing, allowing them to feel comfortable at all times when out of the preschool.
9. How accessible is the early years setting environment? (Indoors and outdoors)
Is the building fully wheelchair accessible? Have there been improvements in the auditory and visual environment? Are
there disabled changing and toilet facilities? How does the early years setting communicate with parent carers whose
first language is not English? How will equipment and facilities to support children with special educational needs be
secured?
Squirrels is fully wheelchair accessible. Located around the preschool there are routine time lines demonstrating through photos, symbols and signs the structure and routine of each sessions, visual flash cards (symbols, signs and photos are used to support your child with ‘what happens next’, flash cards can be used to encourage your child in taking part in activities) . Each member of staff supports their key group, and is there to support your child when needed. Throughout the preschool along with signs, language boards, and flash cards children will find dual language books and stories in their own language. Squirrel’s outside environment is spacious. Our back garden has many resources and experiences to offer. We have a wooded area which contains a digging area and a construction area to encourage building role play. We also have a mud kitchen and a water wall. Squirrel’s garden provides challenging activities for children to take part in, with in our wooded area we have big tractor tyres to climb on and scaffold boards creating wooden planks along with milk crates and guttering to create structures.
10. How will the early years setting prepare and support my child to join the early years setting, transfer to a new setting / school?
What preparation will there be for both the early years setting / school and my child before he or she joins the early
years setting / school. How will he or she be prepared to move onto the next stage? What information will be provided
to his or her new early years setting / school? How will you support a new early years setting / school to prepare for
my child?
Squirrels invite new children and families to attend trial sessions before they start to support the child’s settling in to preschool. Trial sessions allow an opportunity for parents to meet their child’s key person and create a bond with their family, which in time will settle the child when the parents decide to leave them. For children attending infant school, transitions are supported in the same way. Infant school teachers come and visit your child at the preschool. Each child will get the opportunity to visit their school on more than one occasion. Squirrels preschool have school transition books for the schools in our local area. These are photo albums of each school and, we have a school uniform box for the school leavers to dress up in their new uniform.
11. How are the early years setting’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?
How is the early years setting’s special educational needs funding allocated?
Special Education Needs (SEN) funding is allocated to your child where appropriate. The majority of the time in the early stages of the funding it would usually support your child with one to one time with their key person through the week.
12. How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?
Describe the decision making process. Who will make the decision and on what basis? Who else will be involved?
How will I be involved? How does the early years setting judge whether the support has had an impact?
Your child’s key person will observe on whether your child will benefit from additional support. The key person will discuss this with the preschool’s SENCO and supervisor. The extra support is promptly put into place and supported by all team members. A One Plan is written for the child with parental input. This is reviewed over a term to learn what impact the support has had on your child, and what should be put in to place next.
13. How are parents involved in the early years setting? How can I be involved?
Describe the early years setting’s approach to involving parents in decision making and day to day school life including
for their own child.
Parents and the key person work together on their child learning and development. Parents’ meetings are held termly, and it’s here that the planning for the individual child takes place. This planning is for home and for Squirrels. Both parties review their child progress throughout the term and discuss through the child’s daily diary or face to face contact. Squirrel’s operates a parent rota and bring daddy or Grandad to school day, to involve parents and carers in their child’s learning.
14. Who can I contact for further information?
Who would be my first point of contact if I want to discuss something about my child? Who else has a role in my
child’s education? Who can I talk to if I am worried? Who should I contact if I am considering whether child should join
the early years setting? Who is the SEN Coordinator and how can I contact them? What other support services are
there who might help me and provide me with information and advice? Where can I find the local authority’s Local
Offer?
A parent’s first point of contact is their child’s key person. Squirrels has an open door policy and parents and carers are welcome to come in at any time to discuss their child’s progress, face to face. The preschool can also be contacted by telephone 01206 853111. The preschool has a website www.Squirrels-preschool.com which has an email system for parents to contact the staff: Squirrels2@ Hotmail.co.uk
(SEND) LOCAL OFFER
EARLY YEARS EDUCATION PROVIDER NAME: SQUIRRELS PRESCHOOL
OFSTED UNIQUE REFERENCE NUMBER: 203962
CONFIRMATION THAT ‘CO-PRODUCTION’ HAS TAKEN PLACE WITH PARENTS, CARERS, STAKEHOLDERS: YES
LOCAL OFFER SUBMITTED BY: Name ANITA HEARSUM/FIONA LUCK Date 20.08.2014
Signature Anita Hearsum/Fiona Luck
Questions for Educational Settings (From the parent carer’s point of view):
1. How does the early years setting know if children need extra help and what
should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs or disabilities?
How do you identify children with special educational needs? How will I be able to raise
concerns I may have? If the early years setting is specialist which types of special educational
need do you cater for?
All children attending the preschool are observed on their learning and development. These assessments will identify if your child needs additional support. Your child will be monitored and supported by the preschool and outside agencies with parental consent. Each child has a key person, the child’s main care giver at preschool. Discussions with you and your child will take place with their key person. Squirrels Preschool cater for children with special educational needs such as autism, speech and language difficulties, behavioural problems, English as an Additional Language, disabilities and social communications difficulties.
The preschool includes all families in parent sessions, home school books and the completion of an ‘All About Me’ on admission.
2. How will early years setting staff support my child?
Who will oversee and plan the education programme and who will be working with my child
and how often? What will be their roles? Who will explain this to me? How are the early
years setting governors or trustees involved and what are their responsibilities? How does
the early years setting know how effective it's arrangements it's provision for children with
special educational needs are?
Squirrels staff are widely trained in a lot of areas which includes speech and language, autism training and behaviour management. Squirrel’s key person approach involves each key person to plan around their children’s individual needs. Each key person tracks their child’s development and reviews their progress termly at parents meetings. The home link diary supports communication between parents and key persons. A key person will plan what the child is working
on each term and what activity their parents can carry out with the child at home to support their learning. On induction each child receives an ‘All About Me’ form which focuses on their strengths, areas for development, home life, interests and language. Observation, assessment and planning along with the routine of the preschool is explained on induction. Each year Squirrel’s send a Parents’ Questionnaire to each family to gather opinions on the service and support we provide to children and their families. The results are used to inform preschool developments.
The preschool’s 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
establishes and maintain positive relationships with our parents; informing of any progress, ensuing the preschool staff are familiar with the SEN policy and that it is reviewed annually. Our SENCO supports staff with SEN children. The preschool SENCO liaises with the Area SENCO and other professionals; attends the professional’s SEN support group and coordinates transitions to school. The SENCO when in need of support from other professionals regarding your child would undertake a process of referral. A form ‘child of concern’ would be completed and a meeting arrange for them to attend the nursery to observe your child.
3. How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?
What are the early years setting’s approaches to differentiation? How will that help my child?
Every child is different. We take into consideration your child’s progress and plan and support the child at their own pace. We use the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum as a guide for a child’s development .The preschool’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) and Behaviour Coordinator (BeCO) helps children who need extra support. They will provide each child’s key person with support and activities for your child to learn within the area of need. Progress will be evidenced in your child’s learning journeys and One Plans will be written to support learning in the preschool and in the home. One Plan’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.
4. How will both you and I know how my child is doing and how will you help me support my child's learning?
In addition to the normal reporting arrangements what opportunities will there be for me to discuss his or her progress
with the staff? How does the early years setting know how well my child is doing? How will I know what progress my
child should be making? What opportunities will there be for regular contact about things that have happened at early
years setting e.g. a home / school book? How will you explain to me how his or her learning is planned and how I can
help support this outside of the setting? How and when will I be involved in planning my child’s education? Do you
offer any parent training or learning events?
Learning journeys hold each child’s observations and assessments, the child’s creative work, along with a photo album telling the story of the child’s progress. One Plans will also be generated which explain what area of learning your child needs support in and how the key person and parent can support this at home and at the preschool. Squirrels preschool assesses each child’s development through 2 and 3 year old progress checks, this is how Squirrels monitor and adapt targets to maintain and challenge a child’s development progress. Parents are their child’s first educator; Squirrels preschool involves their parents in their child’s learning and development.
Parents are encouraged to be involved in supporting their child’s learning at home. Squirrels have an open door policy. Parents are welcome to come in at any time. Key persons will discuss daily with you, how your child is doing and any progress made. Termly parent’s meetings are focused on the child development. Squirrels newsletters are posted on our website www.squirrelspreschool.com, half termly. Our newsletters contain dates for coffee mornings, parents meetings and activities taking place. Newsletters can be printed for parents who have not got internet access.
5. What support will there be for my child’s overall well being?
What is the pastoral, medical and social support available in the setting for children with SEND? How does the early
years setting l manage the administration of medicines and providing personal care? What support is there for
behaviour, avoiding exclusions and increasing attendance? How safe is my child in your early years setting? How will
my child being able to contribute his or her views? How will the early years setting support my child / to do this?
Squirrels staff can administer medicines with parental consent. A child with behaviour difficulties will be supported by each member of staff. The preschool Behaviour Officer will ensure each child has a One Plan in place to
support their needs. Squirrels have a policy in place to support behaviour, Special educational needs and disabilities and inclusion. The child and their family along with the Area SENCO and possibly other agencies devoted to supporting children and families with behaviour difficulties will work together with the preschool to ensure the child receives the amount of support needed. Every child has a choice and a voice. Children are invited and supported to play, learn and develop; however Squirrels staff respect that this is on your child’s terms. The preschool has a sensory area to encourage calm down time. Choice boards are available around the preschool to encourage different types of play. Emotions and feelings are discussed. Small language groups are held throughout the session to encourage positive language and social skills and to build self-confidence.
6. What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the early years setting?
Are there specialist staff working at the early years setting and what are their qualifications?
What other services does the early years setting access including health, therapy and social care services?
Each staff member is fully qualified in National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 3 or above in child care. They are all first aid trained, and have attended advanced safeguarding training. The nursery’s SENCo has attended course such as SENCo Induction training, training for autistic children and attends termly SENCo network meetings which contain important changes, legalisation or new ideas and resources to support children with SEN.
The preschool has had basic Makaton training. Squirrels use Makaton signing through songs and rhymes, and through general play, and snack time etc. Sign and symbols are displayed around the setting in the appropriate areas to support our children’s communication skills. A number of staff have also had introduction to PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System).
Squirrel’s has policies and procedures in place to support the running of the preschool and the safety and wellbeing of the children and staff. Squirrels work together with outside agencies to support children with behaviour troubles. We have had strong support from our children’s centres, Specialist Teacher Advisors with help in developing the preschool into a calm sanctuary for children to learn, play and feel safe in.
7. What training have the staff supporting children with SEND had or are having?
This should include recent and future planned training and disability awareness.
Squirrels have nine members of staff; 7 with a full and relevant level 3, 1 currently in their final year of an Early years degree and 1 about to commence level 3 training. One of Squirrels committee members is an EYP with a degree in Counselling /studies and a Diploma in Person Centred Counselling. One of the preschool’s SENCos is also a Manager.
Each member of staff has attended speech and language training. The preschool’s BeCo, and SENCo have attended Behaviour management training. Squirrels staff have attended basic training in Makaton. Each member of our team are qualified in First aid and have attended safeguarding training.
8. How will my child be included in activities outside the early years setting including trips?
Will he or she be able to access all of the activities of the early years setting and how will you assist him or her to do
so? How do you involve parent carers in planning activities and trips?
Trips and outings are advertised through our newsletter. Parents give consent to outing on Squirrels admissions forms when your child starts Squirrels. Parents and carers are invited to attend if they wish. Depending on their needs, children will have a one to one support worker outside the preschool. This will be their Key Person. Visual timetables and picture exchange are used to prepare your child and explain what is going to happen on the outing, allowing them to feel comfortable at all times when out of the preschool.
9. How accessible is the early years setting environment? (Indoors and outdoors)
Is the building fully wheelchair accessible? Have there been improvements in the auditory and visual environment? Are
there disabled changing and toilet facilities? How does the early years setting communicate with parent carers whose
first language is not English? How will equipment and facilities to support children with special educational needs be
secured?
Squirrels is fully wheelchair accessible. Located around the preschool there are routine time lines demonstrating through photos, symbols and signs the structure and routine of each sessions, visual flash cards (symbols, signs and photos are used to support your child with ‘what happens next’, flash cards can be used to encourage your child in taking part in activities) . Each member of staff supports their key group, and is there to support your child when needed. Throughout the preschool along with signs, language boards, and flash cards children will find dual language books and stories in their own language. Squirrel’s outside environment is spacious. Our back garden has many resources and experiences to offer. We have a wooded area which contains a digging area and a construction area to encourage building role play. We also have a mud kitchen and a water wall. Squirrel’s garden provides challenging activities for children to take part in, with in our wooded area we have big tractor tyres to climb on and scaffold boards creating wooden planks along with milk crates and guttering to create structures.
10. How will the early years setting prepare and support my child to join the early years setting, transfer to a new setting / school?
What preparation will there be for both the early years setting / school and my child before he or she joins the early
years setting / school. How will he or she be prepared to move onto the next stage? What information will be provided
to his or her new early years setting / school? How will you support a new early years setting / school to prepare for
my child?
Squirrels invite new children and families to attend trial sessions before they start to support the child’s settling in to preschool. Trial sessions allow an opportunity for parents to meet their child’s key person and create a bond with their family, which in time will settle the child when the parents decide to leave them. For children attending infant school, transitions are supported in the same way. Infant school teachers come and visit your child at the preschool. Each child will get the opportunity to visit their school on more than one occasion. Squirrels preschool have school transition books for the schools in our local area. These are photo albums of each school and, we have a school uniform box for the school leavers to dress up in their new uniform.
11. How are the early years setting’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?
How is the early years setting’s special educational needs funding allocated?
Special Education Needs (SEN) funding is allocated to your child where appropriate. The majority of the time in the early stages of the funding it would usually support your child with one to one time with their key person through the week.
12. How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?
Describe the decision making process. Who will make the decision and on what basis? Who else will be involved?
How will I be involved? How does the early years setting judge whether the support has had an impact?
Your child’s key person will observe on whether your child will benefit from additional support. The key person will discuss this with the preschool’s SENCO and supervisor. The extra support is promptly put into place and supported by all team members. A One Plan is written for the child with parental input. This is reviewed over a term to learn what impact the support has had on your child, and what should be put in to place next.
13. How are parents involved in the early years setting? How can I be involved?
Describe the early years setting’s approach to involving parents in decision making and day to day school life including
for their own child.
Parents and the key person work together on their child learning and development. Parents’ meetings are held termly, and it’s here that the planning for the individual child takes place. This planning is for home and for Squirrels. Both parties review their child progress throughout the term and discuss through the child’s daily diary or face to face contact. Squirrel’s operates a parent rota and bring daddy or Grandad to school day, to involve parents and carers in their child’s learning.
14. Who can I contact for further information?
Who would be my first point of contact if I want to discuss something about my child? Who else has a role in my
child’s education? Who can I talk to if I am worried? Who should I contact if I am considering whether child should join
the early years setting? Who is the SEN Coordinator and how can I contact them? What other support services are
there who might help me and provide me with information and advice? Where can I find the local authority’s Local
Offer?
A parent’s first point of contact is their child’s key person. Squirrels has an open door policy and parents and carers are welcome to come in at any time to discuss their child’s progress, face to face. The preschool can also be contacted by telephone 01206 853111. The preschool has a website www.Squirrels-preschool.com which has an email system for parents to contact the staff: Squirrels2@ Hotmail.co.uk
