Grove Pre School Stanway values the achievements and abilities of each child and is totally committed to providing the best learning environment for each child. Our aim is to educate and nurture children in partnership with parents at our community based group. We provide a safe, stimulating and secure environment both inside and out of doors, ensuring equality of opportunity.

We are an inclusive setting able to meet the needs of children with SEND. We provide an environment in which all children, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are supported to participate in a balanced curriculum to reach their full potential.

1. How our setting knows if a child needs extra help and what parents/carers should do if they think their child may have SEN.

Continuous monitoring of a child’s progress is used through the two year development check and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) developmental matters.
We use the graduated response system for identifying, assessing and responding to children’s SEN through the SEND 2013 code of practice.

2. How our setting supports young children with SEND

We have a SEN policy (see main website under policies). All children are allocated a key person who will work with your child and you. They will make ‘next steps’ plans and liaise with the SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator working within the pre-school) who will help produce specific play plans based on your child’s individual needs.

We have an allocated area SENCO (an outside professional who supports a number of early year’s providers within the local area). The area SENCO will support in the identification and co-ordination of needs.

We have a regard for the department of education special educational needs code of practice SEND

We ensure that our provision is inclusive to all children with SEN.

3. How our setting creates learning and development opportunities for individual children with SEND.
   
   Grove Pre School (Stanway) is committed to anti-discriminatory practice to promote equality of opportunity and valuing diversity for families. We have a positive approach to supporting behaviour and links with the local behaviour support team. All staff have undertaken ‘behaviour’ training.

We are working towards the Good Beginnings Early Years Autism Friendly Award.          Mrs Richard, our Senco, is our ‘Autism Lead’ and is supported by Mrs Smith who has taken on the role of ‘Autism Support’.  They have complied a book of information relating to this spectrum condition.  Please telephone them, or make contact via our website, if you need advice or information.   Autism is a condition which affects the way children make sense of the world around them.  Children with autism have a different approach to

• social interaction
• social communication and
• social imagination/flexible thinking

All our staff have undertaking training so that they can have a basic understanding of the complexities of this condition.

Over the years our experienced staff have worked with many children with differing special educational needs.  We identify the learning needs of each individual child and provide the child with an individual learning plan. Action points are put into place. For example, if a child has speech and language delay, especially designed language games or activities will be undertaken each time the child attends pre- school.  The impact of these activities will be recorded and further plans agreed.

4. How our setting works in partnership with parents/carers.We work in close partnership with parents and carers and we liaise with outside agencies when we feel this would be of benefit and in order to access further specialist support for child and parents.

We provide help with the home learning environment, for example we might work with you to undertaking any speech and language exercises that may have been set, or provide visual cue cards for children with limited speech.

5. How our setting supports the well being of children with SEND.

Risk assessments are undertaken for children that come into the setting if they face challenges which might represent a risk. If a child comes into the setting with an allergy for example, a risk assessment form will be completed with the parent. All staff are made aware of the risk and the specific control measures put into place.

If the risk is high, relevant training will be completed immediately. For example, for a child with a severe food allergy epi-pen training will be undertaken.

We have support strategies in place to encourage positive behaviour and staff have undertaken positive behaviour training.

6. Staff training and experience in supporting young children with SEND.

All staff at Grove Pre-school (Stanway) have many years experience, combined over 70 years working within the early years sector. All of our staff are qualified to level 3 standard or higher, one starting her training.

All our staff undertake relevant training such as communication for beginners, early support, basic makaton etc.  We have regular meetings updating staff of any new legislation that is coming into place.

7. Specialist support services and expertise accessed by our setting.

We have close links with a number of external agencies who provide additional help and support to the setting, the staff and to parents and children.

These include:-  speech and language therapist, area SENCO, community consultant paediatrician, behaviour specialist, social worker and our local children’s centre.

8. How our setting includes young children with SEND in community based activities and outings.

For any outing or community based activity parents are firstly sent a letter in order for staff to obtain authority for their child to take part in the particular activity. Any concerns from the parent will be taken very seriously. Risk assessments are undertaken prior to the activity taking place. Where possible we try to make all activities accessible.  Parents/carers are welcome to join us on outings accompanying their own child.   We produce home/school diaries if a parent is unable to attend the setting.

9. Our accessible environment

We have completed an access audit, this can be found within the setting.

We have parking right outside the pre school building.

We have a ramp up into the setting. The outside area has wide steps into the garden, but we could also have access via the outside ramp.

We have makaton signs around the setting as a visual support for children.

We have a visual timetable display to aid children with limited language or English as a foreign language.

We have visual displays for children to communicate their preferred choice of toy.

We offer a balanced play based curriculum enabling children to enjoy and learn through activities of their own choice.

10. How our setting prepares and supports young children with SEND when joining the setting and when transferring to another setting or school.

Parents of new children to the setting are encouraged to visit with their children. Parents are encouraged to read thought the wealth of information provided such as our welcome letter, our prospectus and policies. The child will be allocated a key person who will welcome both child and parent and look after them during their first session. When a child is unsure or nervous in their new surroundings parents are welcome to stay in pre-school until both the child and parents have built up trust in our staff. When the time comes to say goodbye to a parent or main carer the child will be supported through this initial separation.  Over the years we have settled many children into pre-school and have been particularly praised for this aspect of our care.

When the time comes for children to leave us and move onto to school we help them cope with this transition.  We have close links with local schools.  We welcome visits from school’s reception teachers and other staff in order for them to meet children in familiar surroundings.  With your consent we provide a full educational summary to your child’s future school and pass your child’s ‘Learning Journey’ to you to share with the school.  We have a ‘transition box’ filled with items of uniform, PE kit, book bags, photos and books about future schools.  The children enjoy exploring these resources and the items are used as a prompt to aid discussion about future schools and the early experiences they might expect.

11. How our setting organises its’ resources to meet the needs of young children with SEND.

Staff deployment enables one to one support for those children that need extra support.

The key person works closely with the SENCO to provide an individual learning plan for the child. All staff are made aware of this and work together to ensure the set targets are achieved.

12. How we decide on appropriate support for young children with SEND.

By using the key person approach, the child’s development is closely monitored within the setting. Any concerns are raised with both the SENCO and parents. An individual education plan is set up for the child.  A copy is kept in the setting and one given to the parent.

13. How we involve all parents/carers in our setting.

When we refer to ‘parents’ we mean both mothers and fathers, these include both natural or birth parents as well as step-parents and parents who do not live with their child but have contact with them and play a part in their lives.

We consult with parents to find out what means of communication works best for them, email, paper letter, phone call.

We inform parents regularly about the progress of their child and we arrange parent consultation meetings with the key worker.

We operate a friendly informal approach where parents can speak to any member of staff of any concerns. If the parent requires a more formal confidential conversation provision can be made, either by making an appointment or the parent staying on a little while to talk to either the manager or key worker in a private room.

We send out parental questionnaires and parents can respond via online survey or by returning a paper copy (with facilities for responses to remain anonymous).  We action any points raised.

As we are a charity run organisation, we rely heavily on parental involvement within our committee. Many parents find this a great way of making new friends and feeling as though they are making a difference to their child’s time at pre-school.

14. Who to contact for further information.

Managers are Lesley Richard and Sharon Smith. The SENCO is Lesley Richard.

Please refer to website www.grovepreschool.co.uk for further details.  Contact can be made by emailing us with any queries you may have and we can then email a reply, or you are welcome to telephone 07443966478. Please also refer to the Essex County Council website entitled local offer.