Ellwood Nursery

Is our building fully wheelchair accessible?

Our setting can present some problems for people using a wheel chair, but we are happy to discuss individual needs. We have a room called the retreat that we can use for children who need a quiet space or have additional needs. We can offer all activities down stair for children with physical need. We have an alternative access which is flat and a grab rail by our back door.

We would be able to support changing and toileting within our setting. We can support children who have EAL through working with the family and accessing support from outside agencies.

Are there disabled changing and toilet facilities?

The adjoining school have toilets that are for disabled people. At present we do not have separate facilities

How does our setting communicate with parent carers whose first language is not English?

We work with parents and can translate communications such as newsletters into their home language

Training with EQIP. New to SENCO, In house training

How do we access training in relation to children with SEN and disability?
Through the training bulletin, individuals fining training themselves. Companies advertising training through emails and flyers

What SEN experience do staff in my setting have?
Trained SENCO all staff working with a range of needs all the time, Staff being involved in My Plans etc and all understanding the graduated response.

What other agencies do we consult with?
A wide range SALT, ED psych Early Years advisory teachers, Paediatricians and other settings including schools.

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by my/our setting?

Are there specialist staff working at our setting and what are their qualifications?

 We have a trained SENCO on site who is available always, as well as all staff are experienced and trained who individually know all children and can recognise early on any additional support children may need, staff will then work as a team with our SENCO. Staff are also trained in filling in and preparing a child’s my plan and working with other outside agencies when appropriate. 

How can parent carers raise any concerns they have with us?
There is a complaints procedure or through talking in the first instance to a member of staff key person

How do we raise any concerns with parents?
We would chat with parents at the earliest opportunity. We would offer times and dates to allow family members to attend a face to face meeting. We would document any meetings.

How do we identify children with special educational needs?
Through observations assessments working with others such as any other setting that the children may attend. If they are already having speech therapy or outside agencies are involved, we would liaise with them too. Also working closely with the family.

How will I / our setting staff support your child?
How do we communicate effectively with all parents?
Who will oversee and plan the next steps in learning for the child?

The key person will observe, assess and plan next steps for each of their key children. They will gather information from colleagues and families too.

Who will be working with your child and how often?

The whole nursery team work together to provide an outstanding learning environment for each child, each child has a key person, which would be their first point of call for parents and carers to talk to regarding learning and development, however we are a small setting and we all know the children and families very well.

What will be their roles?

On site we have a nursery manager and three to four early years educators.  Our role is to create a safe and inspiring learning environment whilst implementing engaging and exceptional activities that are fun and educational. We all work together towards this goal which allows our children to thrive. 

Who will explain this to parent carers?

We have regular formal and informal parent’s evenings and welcome meetings for any new children to our setting. We will send out ‘Home Links’ which we will discuss with parents their children’s next steps at nursery and suggestions of activities that can be done together with nursery, to complete that next step. We have home learning bags for each area of the EYFS that can be taken home at any time.  We also have Stay and Play sessions running throughout the year which allows parents to see how their child learns at nursery and gives them time to ask questions to our early year educators.

How are managers and leaders involved in overseeing this support?

We aim to keep an open two-way discussion with all parents and families. Meaning that we are always available to support parents at any time that is convenient for them; such as informal meetings, at the end of day, being available to discuss more formally at parents evening and during our Stay and Play session or Open Days. We also support our team to have two-way discussion with all parents and families by key people being accessible to parents daily.

How will the teaching and learning be matched to your child’s needs?

How will learning be tailored for your child’s needs?

All children’s teaching and learning will be tailored for each child’s individual needs, through regular observations and assessments. Each child’s key person will provide age appropriate next steps working in partnership with parents and their team effectively. Each team compiles of highly experienced and trained staff who pride themselves on delivering the best childcare, delivering stimulating and educational activities which cater for each child’s individual needs ensuring that learning is fun for everyone.

How will you know how your child is doing and how will we help you to support your child’s learning?

How do we know how well your child is doing?

As a setting we have implemented a well-established planning and assessment cycle. Each key person plans regular observations following their medium term next steps from their key group. We then implement stimulating age appropriate activities daily into the children’s practice. Our observations are assessed against the Early Years Foundation stage, The Characteristics of Effective Learning as well as the Leuven Scale. We also carry out assessments every term, following these assessments we will moderate and identify gaps in our learning and interventions arranged.

What opportunities – additional to normal reporting arrangements – will we offer to discuss your child’s progress?

We make ourselves available at any time to discuss children’s progress and development. We have our formal parents evening and meetings. These coincide with our assessment periods. On request parents can also ask for a meeting which we will then accommodate at a convenient time available. Parents can also contact us daily via handovers, emails or telephone. Regarding children who have my plan, regular review meetings will be held with all multi agency professionals involved. 

How will we inform you about the progress your child should be making?

Generally, a child’s progress would be discussed during a parent’s consultation, a child’s progress could also be discussed briefly during a handover, focusing upon the main learning and teaching opportunities that have been offered throughout the day and what that child has achieved, or a new experience that child has had during the day.

What opportunities will be available to have regular contact about things that have happened during your child’s day?

As a setting we pride ourselves on partnership with parents, therefore each child will have a daily handover both on drop off and collection this is to allow effective two-way communication. These handovers will focus upon the main learning and teaching opportunities that have been offered throughout the day and what that child has achieved, or a new experience that child has had during the day. 

How we will explain to you how your child’s learning is planned and how they can help support this (what strategies do we put in place to enable you to support your child’s learning?)

We use an online tool called Tapestry which builds up a picture of each individual child from their first day at nursery to their last day. On here a collection of observations would be conducted, as well as formal regular assessments carried out every term. Following on from these assessments we will moderate our assessments and identify key gaps in our learning. We can also track children’s learning for a range of groups such as SEN children, Pupil Premium children as well as children who get Two-Year-old funding. Parents can also upload pictures of their child at home which allows key person to like, comment and then use for future activities at nursery. We also send out each child’s individual next step out to parents, these are called home links. On the home link the parent can see the child’s next step and how we can achieve this together both at home and nursery. 

What support will my/ our setting provide for your child’s overall wellbeing?

What emotional, personal and social support is available in our setting for children with SEND?

Staff understanding PSE and how to access help. Intervention groups. Books and circle times based on PSE

How does our setting manage the administration of medicines and providing personal care?

When providing personal care, all staff wear personal protective equipment (PPE), such as wearing disposable gloves and aprons. The Key person is responsible for the correct administration of medication to children. This includes ensuring that parent consent forms have been completed, that medicines are stored correctly and that records are kept according to procedures.

How will our setting enable your child to share their views?

Through circle time, making choices displays. The FBV are well established in our nursery.

How will our setting support your child to do this?

Ensure that children are listened to and views followed up. Adults scribe children’s comments and these can be used for displays. Ensure there are quite times and spaces for children to share their experiences away from others

How will my/our early years setting prepare and support your child to join the setting or to transfer to school or another setting?

What preparation will there be for both our setting and your child before he or she joins the setting. 

Before a child starts with us they will be assigned a key person. Using our online tool called Tapestry; parents will fill in an All about me form which the child’s key person will read before they start. A child will also have two 1-hour taster sessions where the parent would be welcome to stay.  

How will he or she be prepared by us to move onto the next stage?

A child will be prepared for school by highly trained experienced staff, who through regular observations and assessments will be able to plan age appropriate activities following the EYFS. We would ensure that all children are happy and confident in different social situations. School teachers would also come out to speak to the children as well as their current key person where information can be shared so the child is fully prepared for the next stage and their new teacher knows all the relevant information. 

What information will be provided by us to his or her new school? 

The transition record will be prepared and sent to the receiving school. Meetings are set up between nursery and school and teachers invited out to visit us.

How will we support a new school to prepare for your child?

Inviting teachers in to see us. Meeting with teachers and moderating the children’s transfer records.

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

Who will make the decision at our setting and on what basis?

Senco, Key person, management team and involvement with parents and outside agencies

Who else will be involved?

It could involve liaising with outside agencies other settings if dual settings re attended and where appropriate the child

How will you as the parent carer be involved?

You will be involved every step of the way. You will be invited to attend meetings with Key person SENCO and anyone other agencies involved.

How do we as the early years setting judge whether the support has had an impact?

Regular assessments, observations using our professional knowledge, speaking to parents and reviews of my plans