Early Years Local Offer response

Learning and development

Systems and strategies we have in place to identify children that may require additional support

We ensure that we gain comprehensive information about each child and that each family have a full registration procedure which includes a free initial visit to the setting, registration and entry assessment documents completed, a key person is allocated and they have a home visit with the key worker and manager to develop stronger relationships and to help children to transition into the setting.

The manager is available at all times for advice and support to the families.      

How we identify and support children's learning and development needs

Staff members have a good knowledge of child development and the EYFS. Ongoing observations help the staff to monitor their key children development in their learning journey and enables them to track their progress termly, setting next step targets to help them to develop if required. Two year old reviews highlight the development of the prime areas for young children.

Staff liaise regularly with the Senco and each child is discussed at supervision meetings to identify if any additional support or strategies may need to be implemented via an Individual Learning support plan.   

 

Links we have to other agencies

We are able to access support from Speech Language and if other agencies are needed we would liaise with The Family Information Service, Early Years Inclusion Team or Family Services to contact the appropriate agency

How we support children transferring to school

We begin the process the year before the children leave the pre-school by building confidence and independent skills within an Older Learning Group and outdoor learning sessions. The children visit their new school with the preschool manager and the preschool puppet and in return the new teachers are invited into the preschool to meet the children within their environment. While at the school children use a camera to take photographs which they can then watch on the school laptop as a reminder of their visit.    Families are able to borrow 'starting school' reading books to share with their children at home to help prepare children for the transition.  A school uniform is also on the dressing up rail so it is familiar to them.    If a child is identified as needing additional support, the teacher will compile a transition flick book for the child with photos of the puppet in key areas of the new school. 

 A copy of the child's end of year development report is sent onto their new teacher to help them understand the child's developmental stage on starting school.

Welfare

Specialist skills or training our staff have

The Sendco has 30 years of experience    

All staff are paediatric 1st Aid trained and all staff have safeguarding training appropriate to their level of responsibility.   

Most Staff have Makaton knowledge and have attended visual training, they use these skills within the setting and cascade their knowledge to new staff members and it is used regularly throughout the session with all children.

The behaviour expectations and boundaries for children are clear and consistent and ensure a calm, positive environment for them to play and learn.

Support we offer regarding children's health and well-being

We gain full details about the child's individual needs before they start. We promote healthy lifestyles through healthy eating, good hygiene routines and exercise outdoors daily.   We support the children's knowledge of how to stay healthy and promote good oral hygiene.  We discuss the importance of not eating too much sugary food at snack time and talk about why it is important to brush our teeth regularly.   We support any families having difficulty with dental hygiene by rewarding the child with a star for brushing their teeth

We educate the children how to stay safe in the sun, when they are near water, when they are near fire or when they are crossing the road.   We talk about how to hold an adults hand when out walking or shopping 

We build good strong relationships with the children and encourage them to talk freely to staff, knowing they will be listened to.

Ways we inform parents about how their child is being supported

We have an open door policy.  Parents are encouraged to come into the  preschool if they would like for a session each half term to observe how their child has progressed and developed  

Each child has a learning journey which is reviewed with parents formally every term, along with informal discussions half termly if the parents are in for a session. There are daily informal discussions with the parents when they are dropping off or picking up.   Parents now receive a  termly progress report with targets for their child's further development, we encourage the parents to practice the targets at home as well.   There is an opportunity for parents to add comments and return the slip to preschool for it to be added to the child's learning journey folder.

Any parents who have children with SEND are consulted about targets set on an individual support plan and it is reviewed on a given date.     

All families have a weekly update email to inform them the weekly topic and any preschool events.   

Our complaints policy

We inform parents of the complaints procedure within the welcome folder and there is a copy of the policy for parents to view in the Parent policy folder.   The Ofsted complaints poster is displayed on the notice board

Access

Alterations we have made to make our building accessible

The car park has an accessible bay with suitable access to a level floored building with wide doors. We have an equipped accessible toilet. A hearing loop has been installed within the building.

We still ask all people coming into the hall to sanitise their hands on entry and exit.

Facilities we have for personal care

We have adequate number of toilets for the children with steps and seats to aid their use. Children can be changed in a quiet but safe place. There is a separate toilet available for adult use.

Specialist resources we have

We have a box of sensory and tactile toys and use a spot timer to support behaviour.

After consultation with the parents, if we require additional resources we would seek to purchase or borrow it from a specialist agency.

We use Makaton to support communication and have a visual time table on display.   There are step by step visual aids in the washrooms for helping to go to the toilet and for handwashing.   

Our Senco has many years of experience, training and awareness of identifying additional support requirements for children and is confident and able to implement individual support plans.  We would also seek funding for additional 1:1 support

How we include all children in activities, such as trips

We have an inclusive policy and have a high adult ratio of 1:2 children on outings with parent volunteers. We do a pre-visit assessment if required, giving consideration to wheelchairs or pram access and suitable location of the toilets.    The First aid box and medication is taken to the venue with the Manager