CHIPPING SODBURY PRE-SCHOOL
SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES LOCAL OFFER
The aim of this document is to inform families of the support, and what the setting has to offer for their child at Chipping Sodbury Pre-School. Chipping Sodbury Pre-School is a committee led, charity run setting and works within the framework of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
The Setting
Chipping Sodbury Pre-School is located in The Scout Hall, The Ridings, St John’s Way, Chipping Sodbury BS37 6PQ. The building belongs to 1st Chipping Sodbury Scout Group.
Chipping Sodbury Pre-School is a full day care setting which operates Monday-Friday term time only (South Gloucestershire’s academic term dates). Setting is open from 8.45am-3.45pm for 38 weeks of the year (September-July).
Places are available for children aged between 2-5 years of age.
Parents are offered flexible childcare and are able to choose the sessions and days they wish their child to attend, with or without lunch. Sessions are from 2 ½ hours minimum duration, to all day, 6 hours maximum provision. Each session has maximum attendance of 24-30 children, supervised by 4-6 members of staff, depending on child age ratios.
Children of all ages and abilities in attendance are integrated. This enables children of all ages and abilities to learn and play together. The integrated approach helps children to learn and understand different needs and abilities of all peers, fostering a supportive, caring and nurturing environment
The setting has a nominated safeguarding officer and SENCO.
The setting is a one storey, ground level building, with access for wheelchairs. The playroom is one large, spacious room set out into different zones of play and activities, freely accessible to all children of all ages and abilities.
Accessibility
The building is located on a community site, within a residential area of Chipping Sodbury, within walking distance of the town and local amenities. The site benefits from an ample, spacious, free parking area.
The building is accessed by double doors, with wheelchair access, leading to the lobby area. Facilities are all at ground level and consist of the entrance lobby, toilet areas, kitchen, office, and the main hall (the playroom).
The main room is set up daily with consideration for any mobility and additional needs taken into account.
The main room is large and spacious, and set out in different zones of play activities and experiences. Resources are stored on shelves, storage boxes and in cupboards on floor level which are freely accessible to all children.
There is a small cordoned off quiet area with cushions and soft furnishings for children to access if they are tired and need to relax or sleep whenever they need to.
Children have free-flow access to the outdoor area. The area is at ground level and enclosed and secured by fencing.
1. How will Chipping Sodbury Pre-School know if children need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs or disabilities?
Setting offers pre-start visits to enable parents and their children to familiarise themselves with the setting. Setting requires that parents fill in an ‘All About Me’ form with the child’s Keyperson at a pre-start visit. This form details information about the child’s abilities and development, and any other professionals involved in the child’s care. If a child already has a known need/diagnosis/health condition or delay, or any other relevant information about care and support, then they can be discussed then or during pre-start visits too. This enables setting ensure appropriate support is provided and that all professionals can liaise and work together to support the child. Parental consent to contact and discuss a child with other professionals will be sought by setting, unless the child’s needs are a safeguarding concern, when the best interests of the child are of highest priority.
The setting has an open door policy where parents can come to setting at any time to discuss any concerns or questions they may have about their child’s progress, development or care. Staff are always available to listen, and will accommodate parents as soon as is practicable and appropriate, taking into consideration of availability around safe adult/child ratio.
2. How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?
Every child is considered as unique; therefore plans for development are based on the observations, interests and abilities of the individual child. All children’s progress is monitored continuously during their time at Chipping Sodbury Pre-School. Each child has their own Learning Journey which includes narrative and visual observations of them during their time at Pre-School, along with information from home that parents provide. Through the observations and tracking, information is gathered to track all children’s progress across the Early Year’s Foundation Stage. In addition to observations, assessments are carried out throughout the year, including the 2 Year Progress Check. If children are found to be experiencing difficulties or delays in their development, these findings are shared with the child’s family, and next steps, planning or other actions are discussed. A child may be found to be requiring targeted support in specific area/areas of learning and development that require advice and intervention from professionals within a specific field. Additional support interventions are monitored and reviewed regularly to track progress and ascertain if further additional support is needed, if current support is appropriate, or if support is no longer required.
3. How will you support my child and communicate progress and learning?
Each child has a Keyworker who will oversee and plan next steps for each of their Key children. The Keyworker is generally the parents main point of communication, however the Manager or Deputy Manager are available to also discuss concerns with parents and carers too. Keyworkers work with and support both their children, and other children in setting. The Keyworker spends as much time as is possible with their Key children, and updates the children’s Learning Journeys as and when time allows. The Pre-School staff meets once a week to discuss and share information about all their children which gives opportunity to ensure that all staff are aware of all children’s needs, support and learning targets and are able to provide consistency of support. Staff meeting is also an opportunity to ask other staff and SENCO for ideas and advice to support a specific child that is experiencing difficulties or delay. A strong relationship between the setting and parents is important to the Pre-School. Chipping Sodbury Pre-School has an open door policy and you are welcome to speak to us at any time about your child’s development. Parents have free access to their child’s Learning Journey and their Keyperson will meet with you regularly to discuss your child’s development and next steps.
If a child has SEND, parents will have additional meetings to discuss their child’s progress. A child with SEND will likely have a specific learning target and support which should be reviewed every six weeks, parents are always involved in the reviewing process, and when other professionals are involved, setting will organise and facilitate reviews to include them too.
4. If my child requires targeted support, how does this work and how will you help me to support my child?
All children have child progress meetings throughout their time at Chipping Sodbury Pre-School, in addition, all parents have access to their children’s Learning Journey at all times. During child progress meetings, parents and Keyworkers can discuss and share information about the child’s development, learning, progress, interests, abilities and plans for progression. If setting has concerns regarding a child’s development, parents will be invited to attend a meeting with their child’s Keyworker and setting’s SENCO to discuss concerns, and plan, if appropriate, specific support and intervention. A Setting Support Plan will be discussed and specific targets to support and progress the child’s development will be agreed. Targeted planning and support has specific aims which are developed to be challenging, but achievable, taking into consideration the individual child’s play interests, and favoured play themes. Targets are shared with parents so that they can work with their child in partnership with setting which gives consistency of care and support. Progress is regularly shared and reviewed with the child’s family in Setting Support Review meetings. If targets are not being met, and it is agreed that progress is not being made, it may be deemed necessary and appropriate to seek the support of professionals in a specific field, such as physiotherapist, GP, Health Visitor, Speech Therapist. This will be done by setting or parents (as appropriate) through a process of referral to external services. Permission from parents will be sought by setting before any discussion or referral to other professionals by setting takes place. In the instance that the child’s needs are a safeguarding concern, then the best interests of the child must be considered highest priority.
5. If additional external support is required, how is the decision made, and how much support will my child receive?
The decision is made by parents, child’s Keyworker and setting’s SENCO through ongoing reviews of Setting Support Plan monitoring. Advice and support will also be sought by setting’s SENCO from the Early Years Team who will help identify the most appropriate service. Once services are procured, further meetings will be held by setting, with parents, Keyworker, SENCO, and the relevant service provider to discuss needs and implementation of appropriate support package, which will include regular reviews. Parents are always involved in the reviewing process, and when other professionals are involved, setting will organise and facilitate reviews to include them too.
6.What specialist services and expertise are available at, or accessed by Chipping Sodbury Pre-School?
The setting has a nominated SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) The SENCO supports all staff with setting targets, liaising with parents and other professionals as well as seeking any further training if required to support a child and their family, and staff. All staff are trained in Early Years Care and Education, and have at least a level 3 qualification. Setting can refer children and families for external support agencies, eg, speech and language, educational psychologists, paediatricians etc. Setting invites other professionals into setting to observe, assess and work with children in setting who have SEND or additional needs- eg portage workers, physiotherapists, educational psychologists, speech and language therapists etc.
The setting works with South Gloucestershire Early Years Team who provide support through Early Intervention Officers (EIO) and Early Support Workers (ESW). The EIO are mainly setting based, they provide support to enable settings to follow the Graduated Response, and advise settings on referring to other agencies, completing SAFeh, TAC meetings . The ESW support is setting based, provides and role models practical strategies and interventions to enable setting to support children to access provision. The Early Years Team can offer a range of support to settings- early consultation meetings with EIO and Educational Psychologists to problem solve, discuss strategies and next steps for particular children. The Early Years Team can work with settings to offer bespoke packages for settings with high numbers of SEND children, children with social communication difficulties and Autism, and offers training to SENCO and setting staff through the VLE, through training courses and cluster.
7.What training have the staff supporting children with SEND had, or having?
Most of the teaching and training that the setting has, has been though experience of working with children with SEND and their families. The staff have experience of working with children with SEND, including, communication, language, speech, mobility, Cerebral Palsy and Autism.
The SENCO has worked at Chipping Sodbury Pre-School since 2009 and has attended training in co-ordinating additional needs in early years settings, Makaton Level 4, writing setting support plans and setting targets, using visual aids, understanding the process of identifying and working with children who are experiencing difficulties, supporting children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, understanding people on the autism spectrum, SAFah, and conflict resolution. Two members of staff have received training for anaphylaxis.
Each child’s needs vary, and more information and support may be sought to ensure the setting can offer the child the specific and appropriate care, safety, and learning resources necessary to ensure the child can achieve potential, keep safe and be healthy.
8.What happens if my child begins setting with a diagnosis of SEND or other additional need?
Setting requires parents to provide information about their child in an “All About Me” form on entry to setting. This details information about the child and any identified need/diagnosis/health condition or delay and professionals already involved in their care. Setting offers parents pre-start visit or visits before their starting date. If a child already has an identified need/diagnosis/health condition or delay, then it can be discussed during the pre-start visits to ensure that the appropriate support can be provided, and that all professionals already involved with the child’s care can share information on how to best support the child and identify targeted learning needs the child may have. If support is needed by setting from any other professional, such as Early Intervention Officer, Setting Support Officer, GP, Speech and Language Support etc, then consent is sought from parents first. In the instance that the child’s needs are a safeguarding concern, then the best interests of the child must be considered highest priority.
9. What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?
Chipping Sodbury Pre-School has detailed policies and procedures that ensure the well being of children in their care, specifically policies on inclusion, supporting children with additional needs, administration of medication, and working in partnership with other agencies which can be found in the entrance hall.
Children’s personal, social and emotional development is one of the EYFS’ prime areas of learning and development. Developing confidence, inclusion, curiosity, independence, and resilience, helps lay a strong foundation for a thirst for knowledge and an enthusiasm to learn and develop. It is therefore, settings first priority to focus on a child’s personal, social and emotional development as they enter setting. This is done by collecting as much information about a child before they start, and establishing a relationship between the child, parents, and Keyworker. Setting offers pre-start visits which help children and families familiarise themselves with the setting, and a meeting with the child’s Keyperson to fill in an’ All About Me’ when parents are invited to discuss care routines and procedures. If the child requires regular medication as part of their care needs, the medication must be prescribed by a doctor for setting to administer it. Administration of medication will be recorded by administrating staff (see setting’s administration of medication policy for more details). Additional training may be required for specific medications or care for health conditions; in this instance, a parent may be required to advise, or a community nurse may be requested to train staff in setting.
For more complex needs, advice will be sought from the South Gloucestershire’s Early Years Team to enable and establish the right resources and environment within the Pre-School, enabling the setting to provide adequate, consistent, appropriate and inclusive care that will ensure the child’s health, safety, learning and development.
10.How will my child be included in activities in setting and outside of the setting including trips?
Chipping Sodbury Pre-School is an inclusive setting, all children are welcomed, enabled and encouraged to participate in all activities. The setting benefits from a spacious room that can be easily arranged and adapted to allow access, mobility and participation of all children.
Risk assessments are made before making any trip, and parents are invited to accompany should ratios or care require, ensuring their child can participate. Parents are informed about plans for a trip in advance, and are asked for consent for their child to accompany. Staff members leading a trip, are required to take the necessary equipment to treat and administer emergency first aid, a mobile phone, and parent’s contact details should a parent need to be contacted during the trip
11. How will Chipping Sodbury Pre-School prepare and support my child to join the setting and transfer to a new setting/school?
Before any child begins at Chipping Sodbury Pre-School, parents and their child are invited to attend the setting for a tour and information session. Once parents have accepted a place, they are required to attend setting with their child, for a pre-start visit. The visit should last for approximately one hour, and is provided in order for the parents and their child to familiarise themselves with the environment, the staff, their child’s Keyworker and the setting’s routine. Parents are also required to meet with their child’s Keyworker and fill in an All About Me form at the pre-start visit. The information gathered from the All About Me form, is used by the Keyworker to determine a baseline assessment of the child’s age and developmental stage, learn the Keychild’s abilities, interests, care routines, preferences and skills in order to provide appropriate care, and support the child to settle as easily as possible into setting. During the settling in period, the child is closely monitored and assessed by their Keyworker through play, care routines and interactions. Staff are all extremely mindful that every child is different, and will react differently to be being left in setting’s care. The settling in process is unique to every child. If a child is anxious or upset, then their Keyworker will work very closely with parents to develop strategies to support them and their child, and keep parents informed of progress and developments.
The observations, assessments and Learning Journeys the setting carry out and complete, are made available to their next setting with parental consent. During July term, Chipping Sodbury Pre-School provides as part of the curriculum, a range of activities and resources to prepare children and their families for the transition to school. Setting also invites teachers from children’s receiving school to visit, the child within session and communicates with the receiving schools to ensure smooth transitions. During July term, staff attend a meeting with teachers of all the schools that the children will be moving on to where Learning Journeys are passed to the year reception teachers, and Keyworkers share information about the child, and strategies that have worked to help and support the child during their developmental stages. If a child has SEND, is subject to a Setting Support Plan, or Individual Behaviour Plan, then extra meetings will be held with parents, Keyworker, SENCO, other professionals involved in support and teachers to discuss the child’s care, support and additional needs. If an EHCP has been initiated or completed, this information is shared with teachers or new settings too.
12.How are parents involved in Chipping Sodbury Pre-School?
Parental involvement is crucial in helping to learn and achieve, and setting welcomes and values any parental participation. Chipping Sodbury Pre-School is a committee run Pre-School, and offers all parents the opportunity to help with the running of the setting or with fundraising as a committee member. Setting has an open door policy, parents are welcome to stay and play, to run or participate in Circle Time activities, read stories at Circle Time, attend Circle Time Show and Tell, share experiences or cultural celebrations, lead a craft or cooking session, help out on outings, or when visitors come to setting or when setting holds parties and celebrations. Parents are encouraged to be as involved as much as they possibly can in all aspects of their children’s Pre-School life.
13.Who can I contact for further information?
If you require further information, or would like to visit Chipping Sodbury Pre-School with a view to registering your child, please contact setting on 01454 327328, or e-mail chippingsodburypreschool@btinternet.com
14.Where will I find Pre-Schools policies?
Copies of settings policies are located in the entrance hall.