SEN (Local Offer)

1. How does the Early Years Setting know if children need extra help? What should I do if I think my child may have educational needs or disabilities?
   There are four broad areas of Special Education Need within the SEND Code of Practice:
   • Cognition and learning
   • Communication and interaction
   • Sensory and/or physical needs
   • Social, emotional and/or mental health difficulties.

   Any behaviour related concerns now come under the area of Social, Emotional, Mental Health.

• If a parent has any concerns about their child’s development before they join our setting, this can be discussed with the preschool supervisor, the SENCO and their child’s key person. This will enable us to identify the child’s specific needs before they join us.
• All the preschool staff have knowledge and experience of children’s expected development, and our system of observations enables us to monitor and identify a child’s individual needs.
• Any concerns we have or identify would be discussed with the parents, who have access to their child’s development at all times through their online Tapestry learning journal.
• Parents are also advised to speak to their child’s GP and health visitor if they have concerns.

2. How will Early Years setting staff support my child?

• If specific needs are identified, these will be discussed with the child’s parents. The child’s keyworker will liaise with the preschool setting’s SENCO, and plans will be put into place to best support the child’s development. This is called a child centred plan.
• This will follow the asses-plan-do-review cycle.
• A plan will be agreed for the child with specific, measurable and achievable outcomes for the setting and parents to work towards with the child. If necessary and with the parents’ consent, outside agencies may be contacted. These may be the Early Childhood Team who provide Targeted Setting Support (TSS), or Speech and Language (SaL).
• The keyworker will liaise with parents and the SENCO on a regular basis to monitor the child’s progress on the child centred plan. Parents will be involved with all discussions and will be invited to share information from home.
• All the preschool staff in the setting will be aware of the plan and how to best support the child, and if necessary, receive additional training.

3. How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?

• All the preschool staff have knowledge and experience of expected age/stage development, and the Early Year’s Foundation Stages (EYFS).
• Listen to the child’s voice, by observation, assessment, strong key person relationships and parent partnership.
• The child’s Next Steps and their child centred plan will enable the child to develop and progress at a level appropriate to them.
• All the preschool staff in the setting will be aware of the child centred plan, and how we are working to support the child.
• Any adaption will be made to the setting provisions to support the child.
• Other therapy may be arranged for the child outside of the setting. For example, Speech and Language (SaL). SaL will provide ideas for the preschool staff to use within the setting, and parents to use at home.

4. How will everyone know how my child is doing? How will you help me to support my child’s learning?

• We will be able to see how the child is developing by monitoring the child centred plan, Tapestry online journal, and discussions with the outside agencies involved with the child.
• We will discuss how the parents feel the child is developing.
• They will contribute to their child’s Tapestry journal, ideas will be planned together, and these will discussed at termly parent’s evening and regular reviews of their child’s plan.
• Parents are invited to attend all meetings with outside agencies to discuss their child. 

 

5. What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?

• All children at our setting will receive the same pastoral, medical and social support from our preschool staff.
• All preschool staff are first aid trained.
• Social development policy– to ensure a child’s individual needs are considered and dealt with the same continuity at the setting and at home.
• Medicine policy– to follow correct procedure if we need to administer medicine. Specific training attended for certain medicine. E.g. Epi Pen.
• A health care plan to be filled in and signed by their GP, if necessary.
• Risk Assessments of child’s needs carried out so we can adapt setting as necessary, and to ensure we are accessible and able to meet their needs.

6. What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the early years setting?

•  Sen Coordinator (SENCO) will liaise with outside agencies, and ensure we get your child the support they need.
  For example:

  * SEND Under 5 Pathway
  * Sensory Support Team
  * Portage
  * Targeted Setting Support team (TSS)
  * Speech and Language (SaL)
  * Physiotherapist
  * Educational Psychologist
  * Sign language training
  * Health visitor termly visits
  * Child Development Centre (CDC)
  We can also apply for additional funding to enable us to best support the child.

  

7. What training are the preschool supporting children with SEND, have or having?

All the preschool staff continually attend training sessions which include:

• ‘Let’s Get Talking’, ‘Supporting Positive Behaviour’, Child Protection (safeguarding), and ‘Including All Children’.
• The Sen Coordinator (SENCO) attends INCO/SENCO meetings.
• Sign language training.

8. How will my child be included in activities outside the Early Years setting, including trips?

• All our trips are local that we can walk to, with a risk assessment carried out.
• Walkodiles used, with a ratio of 6:1 for over 3 year olds. Ratio 1:2 for under3s. Permission sought to use these.
• Discussion with parents to find out additional support their child may have. For example: accessibility, if more staff are needed.
• Signed permission gained from parent.

9. How accessible is the Early Years setting? (Inside and outside).

• Equipment and toys put on a level that is accessible to all.
• All toys, equipment and activities are age and stage appropriate
• Ramps to outside area, fully enclosed garden.
• Toilet area accessible to all.
• Provide newsletter in language of parent.
• Find out key words that child uses for toilet, drink etc at home.
• Visual timetable, prompt cards.
• Basic sign language used by staff. For example, please, thank you.
• Provide a range of books in child’s first language, invite parent to read them.
   

10. How will you support and prepare my child with transitions to a new school or setting?

• We hold a transition meeting where all outside agencies, parents, the key person, SENCO, new teachers would be invited to attend. This allows input from everyone who knows and has worked with the child to explain what works best to support them, and to make the transition easier for them.
• We visit the new setting with the child; the new teachers will visit with us and the child to see how they are in our preschool setting.
• We will make a book with pictures of the new setting and staff in it to share with the child.

11. How are Early Years settings resources allocated and matched to children’s special education needs?

• We can apply for funding to employ an extra member of staff but we will provide extra staff even if we don’t receive funding to ensure a child’s needs are met.
• We can also purchase additional equipment if needed.
• Sensory toy library visits.

12. How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?

• Assessments will take place. Involving listening to the child’s voice.
• Parents, keyworker, Targeted Setting Support (TSS) and other outside agencies will all be involved in these decisions.
• The setting will monitor the impact of the support by observations; child centred plans and the EYFS Next Steps.
• All of the above will be discussed with parents at each review.
   

13. How are parents involved in the early years setting? How can I be involved?

• Parents contribute to their child’s Tapestry journal by uploading photos from home, or by commenting or ‘liking’ observations made by preschool staff. They can also review the Next Steps each term.
• Parent’s evening
• Attending review meetings with all involved.
• Parent helpers- come in and read, play with all the children; help out at Christmas plays, outings.
• Committee run playgroup/fundraising.

14. Who can I contact for further information?

• The Supervisor of the preschool setting (Chantael Brookshaw)
• Your Health Visitor.
• The Children and Family Centre
• West Sussex County Council.
• The OFSTED website.
• The Local Offer

If your child is already at the setting and you have concerns, your first point of contact is your child’s Key person.