Our SEND Offer

Overview of our nursery, who we are

We are an inclusive nursery supporting children’s uniqueness to enable them to have the best possible start and make good progress towards their Early learning goals. We offer a broad and balanced curriculum with high quality provision and embed the British Values in all that we do. Through ongoing reviews, we make sure that additional needs are identified early and offer a range of provision to meet individual needs. Sara Perez is our appointed SENCO. Alongside your keyworker, for any concerns about your child’s learning and development Sara is the next point of contact, and you will find Sara based in pre-school as she is also our Pre-school manager. Externally we work with a range of appropriate professionals to make sure that all children receive the support they need to make good progress, and ensure we have high expectations for all of our children.

Access at the nursery

Our setting comprises of two buildings; the Baby Unit and the Pre-school building which are housed either side of our outdoor area. Unfortunately, neither of these buildings nor our garden are currently physically accessible to all in terms of wheelchair access, due to their Listed Building status and history. Should access be required to accommodate a child that is joining the nursery we have an Access plan in place (Appendix A), enabling parts of the setting to be physically accessible for all. This Access plan will include a disabled ramp from the garden path to the Baby Unit which is a one level open plan building and another ramp going alongside the concrete stepped garden entrance. Unfortunately, due to the listed status of the building we are unable to make any additional access changes.

How can I inform the nursery of my child’s needs?

At Becket Hall we pride ourselves on our compassionate staff and open communication with parents. Prior to a child starting at the nursery, where possible a home visit/Zoom call where not possible, will be made by the keyworker and either the nursery manager or nursery SENCo to discuss the transition process and your child’s needs. We will also provide you with a ‘New Starter Pack’ which includes lots of information about the child’s key carer, the room they will be settling into and what is provided at nursery. The pack also contains transition forms which give parents and carers an opportunity to tell nursery as much as they can about their child so that we can provide stimulating, tailored activities from the very beginning, as well as photographs of the staff to share with your child.

We offer two, two hour settling in sessions where the parents are introduced to the staff and the child’s learning environment and daily routines prior to their child’s first full session at nursery. This is a prime opportunity for parents and carers to continue to discuss any concerns or requirements they have regarding their child starting at the nursery with the people who will be caring for them. This would also be an opportunity for the parent or carer to observe their child play and learn and would naturally offer up discussions relating to development and capabilities. We have an open nursery policy and encourage parents to stay and play with their children as long as wish (outside of COVID guidance).

How does the nursery monitor a child’s progress?

Practitioners consistently monitor children’s learning, recording their development through written, photographic, and video observations.  Key carers are responsible for their own planning, which is tailored to the abilities and interests of each individual child. Therefore, strong relationships between the children, their family and the key worker is paramount.

Each child has an online learning diary made up of this information, which are accessible to parents for viewing. The Learning diaries contains the children’s  observations, termly assessments, two-year checks.

Staff have regular supervision meetings with their managers and a weekly SENCo clinics are held by the nursery SENCo at the nursery, where staff can voice any concerns or support, they may have identified for any of their key children and share professional practise from the onset.

How will the nursery feedback information on my child’s development and progress?

The key carer verbally communicates daily with parents, handing over how the children have eaten, slept and what they have been up to that day and ensures all the child’s and family’s needs are met on a daily basis. For any concerns that key workers are unable to deal with, staff will signpost/handover to management staff.

Observations of children’s learning and development are electronically recorded via the Iconnect software, which parents can access through  the ‘ParentZone’ app, which is free to download and access will be granted upon joining the nursery. Parents can see a virtual representation of any observations and assessments that have been completed using this tool. Parents can use ParentZone to comment on observations and communicate with their child’s Key Worker, parents can also upload their own observations from home. Sharing information this way is very valuable in creating a holistic image of a child, their motivation and needs.

Half yearly written reports, 2-year-old checks and quarterly assessments are all shared with parents both online at the time of publication but also during parent’s evenings every twice a year. Additional meetings are offered to support any children receiving SEND support, to ensure their needs are being met as these needs change. These assessments and observations are vital to Key Workers in highlighting and identifying from an early stage if a child needs support in any of the development areas or if there are any other concerns for their wellbeing.

What support/learning interventions are available at the nursery for children with SEND?

Examples of support for all children (Ordinarily Available Provision) include.

• High quality first teaching and learning opportunities. Learning opportunities where staff will have the highest possible expectations for every child.
• Opportunities to build on what the children already know, what they understand, their interests and what they can already do
• Identifying and supporting each child’s preferred learning style
• Differentiated learning to support a range of different learning styles
• Adjustments of the environment if required
• Preparations for change in routine/transitions
• Use of visual cues and multi-sensory strategies such as visual timetables

Strategies of support for children with SEND may include.

• An individualised approach and/or additional support if required for a child who is note making developmental progress alongside their peers.
• Interventions through small group work and/or 1:1 working
• Support for speech and language and communication needs including Visual aids, Makaton and reducing complex language.
• For physical difficulties, support with mobility and independence skills
• Implementation of Education and Health Care Plan

 What support is available at the nursery for Parents and carers of the child?

Arrangements can be made at any time with the SENCO and key person to meet and discuss your child’s progress or any concerns/worries you may have. The SENCO and key worker will also ensure they meet to discuss any new ideas, any individual education plans or any Education and Health Care Plans (EHCP) suggested by outside agencies.

Individual Education plans and Support plans if appropriate will be reviewed together and will include supportive ideas for you at home.

If your child is undergoing further assessments, you will also be supported by the SENCO and nursery manager to ensure that you fully understand and are comfortable with the process.

Who to talk to if I am concerned about my child’s progress?

If parents have any concerns regarding a child’s learning and development then your key worker will in the first instance offer support from or signpost parents to nursery SENCo. A meeting can be requested at any point in order to discuss any concerns that the parents may be having. The SENCo will then undertake further observations directed towards these concerns with the support of the keyworker and will work with the parents and keyworker to put in place supportive strategies. Where possible this will be decided with the child’s voice and input.

 When some evidence has been collected, the nursery Manager and the Nursery SENCo will have a meeting with the family to discuss if any further support is necessary and what is available, sharing any strategies that may help the child and their family. This may include target setting within the setting or seeking assistance from other professionals.

All of the above information is also detailed in our SEN policy and procedures document, which are available at the setting at any time.

How does additional funding work?

We can apply for additional funding if a child requires an enhanced adult to child ratio. The SENCO will make this application using information and evidence from the team around the child and the support plan in place. The Early Years SEN panel will then make a decision as to whether funding will be granted using the Bristol Universal Descriptors (BUDs).

If further support is required in addition to the SEN panel funding and if all those around the child agree then a request for an EHC Needs Assessment can be made. If a child receives a statutory EHCP then a personal budget is allocated and parents have a say in how this is used, and an agreed plan put in place for this.

How will we support the transition when you leave the nursery?

We recognise that ‘moving on’ can be a difficult transition for a child with SEND, as well as the anxieties this can cause families. We therefore take the following steps to ensure any transition is as smooth as possible. Some examples would include, contacting the new setting to arrange a transfer meeting. Setting up a transfer plan including visual prompts and ensuring all records regarding the child are passed on securely, as soon as possible.

Who do we work in partnership with at the nursery?

• Family support team at Redcliffe Children’s centre
• Community Paediatrician referrals
• Speech and Language referrals
• Early Years portage and inclusion team
• Early Help
• Health visitors

The Bristol SEND Local offer can be found via the following link https://www.bristol.gov.uk/web/bristol-local-offer