ОUR LOCAL OFFER FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES
The local offer aims to inform parents about the available services for children with special educational needs and provide guidance on how to access them.
HOW DOES PEMBROKE PARK NURSERY KNOW IF CHILDREN NEED EXTRA HELP, AND WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I THINK MY CHILD MAY HAVE SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OR DISABILITIES?
We have a policy in place to support all children, including those with additional needs. Our nursery operates a key-person system where each child has a designated person who regularly observes and assesses the child’s progress to identify any support they may require. We strive to identify children with special educational needs (SEN) as early as possible, and this is done if concerns are raised by parents, the key person or if limited progress is being made. In addition, if there is a change in a child’s behaviour or progress, we take notice. The key person completes a 2-year developmental review and shares the information with parents and management. If a child requires extra support, the key person will discuss this with the parent while taking the child’s views into consideration. Our trained Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) Krisztina Kadarne Mikolay, works closely with all staff to ensure that our nursery has systems in place to plan, implement, monitor, review, and evaluate our special educational needs practice and policy. Parents are always kept informed of any plans or records. If necessary, we may involve other specialists or outside agencies, but we will always consult with the family before doing so.
HOW WILL PEMBROKE PARK NURSERY SUPPORT MY CHILD?
We value every child as an individual and have high expectations for all, regardless of their special needs or disabilities. Our experienced staff team is skilled in monitoring and assessing the abilities of every child and adapting accordingly to benefit them. We regularly review our policies and procedures to ensure that our resources and environment are accessible to all. Our SENCo works closely with key persons to create personalised plans for each child based on their abilities and interests. We also collaborate with other professionals, such as Speech and Language Therapists and Health Visitors, to gain further advice in supporting children with SEND. Our goal is to ensure that every child has access to adequate resources and activities and that targets and strategies are implemented effectively.
HOW WILL THE CURRICULUM BE MATCHED TO MY CHILD’S NEEDS?
Your child’s interests will be the basis for activities planned by their key person and SENCo through ongoing observations and individual learning plans. These plans will be shared with other practitioners in your child’s age group to ensure everyone has the same expectations. Your child’s successes and creative work will be recorded in an online Learning Journal that you can access at any time. The journal reflects the continuous circle of Observation, Assessment, and Planning based on the observations made over the last month. Our nursery team works closely with Early Years Advisors and other professionals from health and specialist fields who can visit the nursery for support and advice.
HOW WILL BOTH YOU AND I KNOW HOW MY CHILD IS DOING AND HOW WILL YOU HELP ME TO SUPPORT MY CHILD’S LEARNING?
At Pembroke Park Nursery, we offer settling-in sessions for new starters so that parents, children, and staff can establish relationships before the child’s planned start date. Our “open door” policy encourages strong relationships between parents, carers, and practitioners to support the child’s learning. We provide daily handovers to update parents on their child’s activities and offer opportunities to read and comment on observations. For children under 2, daily diaries are completed and shared with parents. Parents can also complete “Home Observations” to share their child’s interests with their key person. We send out newsletters to keep parents updated on our topics, upcoming events, and general information. Parents are always welcome to discuss their child’s development and progress, and we can arrange meetings for this purpose.
WHAT SUPPORT WILL THERE BE FOR MY CHILD’S OVERALL WELL-BEING?
At our nursery, we understand the importance of reflective practice in delivering high-quality care to our children and their families. We are committed to providing childcare that caters to the needs of every child. To ensure transparency and accessibility, we have established policies and procedures that are always available to staff and parents. We encourage parents to review these policies and procedures. Our approach to routine and environment is flexible and adaptable, depending on the needs of the children. We provide daily activities and resources that can be modified to ensure that your child can fully engage with the environment. We also use visual aids like pictures, keywords, and flashcards to help children understand our routines.
WHAT TRAINING DOES THE STAFF SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITH SEND HAVE OR ARE HAVING?
At Pembroke Park Nursery, our childcare staff are highly qualified, holding various certifications, including Qualified Teacher Status, Level 3 and Level 2 Early Years Educator. We prioritize our staff’s continuous professional development, ensuring they attend relevant courses to support children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) has a postgraduate certificate in National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination. With the parent’s consent, our SENCo can request Targeted Setting Support from the local authority for additional advice and support.
Our staff members have attended various training sessions, including positive behaviour promotion, equality, diversity and inclusion, communication and language, and specific needs training. They are also trained in Paediatric First Aid, Safeguarding and Child Protection, Health and Safety, and Food Hygiene. This training equips our staff with the necessary knowledge and skills to care for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
HOW WILL MY CHILD BE INCLUDED IN ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE PEMBROKE PARK NURSERY, INCLUDING TRIPS?
We plan activities based on each child’s unique needs and abilities. Our team conducts risk assessments for all areas of the nursery and outing routes to detect and resolve any potential hazards promptly. This ensures that all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, can engage in and appreciate every activity.
HOW ACCESSIBLE IS PEMBROKE PARK NURSERY’S ENVIRONMENT? (INDOORS AND OUTDOORS)
Our nursery areas are located on the ground floor and are easily accessible for children with mobility issues via our disabled ramp. In addition, we have bilingual staff available to support children who speak English as an additional language. Our selection of visual aids helps children identify available resources, and we offer multi-sensory activities to enhance their learning experience. Our environment is inclusive and accessible to all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.
HOW WILL PEMBROKE PARK NURSERY PREPARE AND SUPPORT MY CHILD TO JOIN THE EARLY YEARS SETTING AND TRANSFER TO A NEW SETTING/SCHOOL?
When you enrol your child at Pembroke Park Nursery, we will schedule settling-in sessions to assist with your child’s transition to the nursery. During these sessions, the key person and parents will have the opportunity to discuss the child’s interests, likes, dislikes, and other relevant information. This is also a chance for parents and the key person to get to know each other and build a relationship based on trust and support. Additionally, parents will need to complete registration and consent forms, which will help practitioners identify the child’s needs and interests and determine if any agencies are involved in their development. All paperwork is then shared with the management team for review and to offer any additional support before the child begins. If a child transitions to a new school or setting, the key person will complete a transition report, which will be done by the end of June for children transitioning into school. Our staff will also work with the child’s new school, and the key person/SENCo will be available to attend meetings and share targets on Individual Learning Plans (ILP). When a child leaves for a new setting/school, their Learning Journal will be sent home to share with their parents/carers and the new setting/school.
HOW ARE PEMBROKE PARK NURSERY’S RESOURCES ALLOCATED AND MATCHED TO CHILDREN’S SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS?
At our nursery, we regularly assess our environments to ensure they cater to the unique needs and learning styles of every child. We also monitor and evaluate our inclusivity efforts and use nursery budgets to provide extra or adapted resources as necessary. Additionally, we utilise inclusion funding and two-year-old funding to support all children, including those with special educational needs, so they can access the resources and support they need to thrive.
HOW IS THE DECISION MADE ABOUT WHAT TYPE AND HOW MUCH SUPPORT MY CHILD WILL RECEIVE?
If a practitioner has concerns about a child, they will discuss them with the nursery’s SENCo and management. The child’s key person will then observe them at least twice and discuss the observations with the management team and SENCo. If the child needs extra support, the parents will be invited to a meeting to discuss the concerns. If the parents agree, they can request Targeted Support Setting (TSS). The parent, key person, and SENCo will work together to create an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) for the child. The key person will ensure that the ILP is followed and reviewed regularly and shared with the parents or caregivers. The SENCo will monitor this process and ensure that the ILPs are completed, followed, and reviewed. If necessary, progress and outcomes will be shared with outside agencies with the parent’s consent.
HOW ARE PARENTS INVOLVED IN PEMBROKE PARK NURSERY? HOW CAN I BE INVOLVED?
At Pembroke Park Nursery, we strongly believe that parents play a critical role as their children’s first and most important educators. We understand that when parents and practitioners collaborate in an early years environment, it can significantly enhance children’s growth and learning. Right from the initial enquiry stage to their final day with us, we encourage parents to get involved in their child’s development at Pembroke Park Nursery. We welcome parents to share any information, formally or informally, about their child’s interests, needs, and progress. We also offer opportunities for parents to complete “Home Observations,” which are shared with their child’s key person. Our practitioners and parents spend time daily exchanging information and finding out about the child’s progress.
WHO CAN I CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION?
If you have any concerns or want to talk about your child, your first point of contact is the key person assigned to your child. In case the key person is absent, the manager, who is also the nursery SENCo, will be the next person to contact. You can reach us on 01293 385886 or info@pembrokechildcare.co.uk. We want to assure you that we will help and support you and your child if you decide to join us at Pembroke Park Nursery. We understand that choosing an early years setting is a crucial decision, and we are here to answer any further questions or concerns you may have. We are excited to have you and your child at Pembroke Park Nursery and support them in their learning and development.
