Early Years Local Offer response

Learning and development

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

During the induction process the allocated key person meets the parents and discusses the child’s individual needs and creates a settling in plan tailored to these needs. Where outside agencies are involved we may contact them with parents/carers permission. If they have attended a previous setting, we use their transition information to produce a baseline assessment. If they have not, we produce our own baseline assessment within the first few weeks, depending how well the child settles and how often they are attending (i.e a child attending daily who has settled quickly, will have a baseline assessment within the first week or two, a child who is only attending once a week or is taking longer to settle, will have a baseline assessment produced later on, usually within the first month).  All assessments are recorded on ‘Tapestry’ our online Learning Journal, which parents are given log in information for. Parents can comment on observations and assessments or add their own observations on Tapestry. We use ‘In the Moment Planning’ and the child’s key person will identify some next steps for the child’s focus week. As well as these next steps, staff work with children ‘In the Moment’ to support children and try to include the whole planning cycle when working with the children (initial observation, assessment, teaching and outcome).  From these focus week observations and any wow moments, we produce an EYFS assessment for each child. All new children have an EYFS assessment during the first half term of them attending, then termly or half termly depending on the child’s age and any additional support needed.  Meetings can be arranged at any time to discuss the child’s progress and we also invite parents in to talk to their child’s key person once these assessments have been completed. These assessments are tracked and additional support put into place as needed, or the focus of staff / provision changed to support any ideas that are identified. Where a child is two we complete a two year old development assessment with the family and record this in the child’s learning journal online and ask parents to pass this onto the child’s Health Visitor.

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

We ask parents of children who are new to the setting if they feel they require any support in specific areas and as part of our ongoing observation and assessment of children, we use the regular EYFS assessments to identify those children who need further support. The SENCO and other staff have attended Sensory Processing training and Makaton Training. The Setting was part of the initial stages of Every Child a Talker project. The SENCO attends regular SENCO network meetings and attends any appropriate related courses. Following the staff training in visual aids we use visual timetables, spot timers and traffic lights with all children on a daily basis. A now and next board are used by staff with children when it is appropriate on a one to one basis. When a child has specific targets written by outside professionals the setting follows them. One member of staff is makaton trained and we have some basic makaton signs around the setting. Some training has been done with staff during staff meetings and we have some staff due to go onto more in depth makaton training. We are aiming to use makaton more frequently in our setting and currently use it to support some specific children with communication needs. The setting follows any specific language programmes developed for targeted children.

Links we have to other agencies

Outside professionals we have worked with include Speech and Language Therapy, Senior Locality SENCO, Social Workers/Child In Need team, Educational Psychologists, Child Development team, Portage, Early Years Inclusion Team, Family Support Workers and Physiotherapists.

How we support children transferring to school

We have strong links with our main feeder schools. We are on the site of our primary feeder school – Kea C P School. The transition to school starts a term before (earlier if needed) with regular visits to the class to meet the teacher and familiarise the children with the school grounds. These visits are supported by the staff at the preschool. Staff talk about and prepare the children for the visits – using visual aids where needed. A photo album of the key areas of the school is available and individual support is provided when needed and gradually lessened when appropriate. The setting encourages the teachers from the feeder schools to attend and discuss individual children with their Key person and to meet the children in situ. In these meetings, where permission is given, the learning journeys, final reports and additional information is relayed to the Schools. We also provide a ‘school’ role play area in the lead up to school transition. For children requiring additional support the setting has created social stories and has started visits early to the school. These visits are carefully managed and supported to ensure they help the individual child and meet their needs. We also have had transition meetings involving the parents, school SENCO, class teacher, preschool SENCO and key person to help the school and parents prepare for transition.

Welfare

Specialist skills or training our staff have

• All staff working with children hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least level 3. Four members of staff are qualified to degree level (Qualified Teacher - Primary Education with specialism in English; Early Childhood Studies; Playwork) and two members of staff have achieved Early Years Professional Status. • SENCO induction training • Behaviour management (All staff) • Makaton (4 staff) fed back to other staff • Sensory processing ( Making Sense - 3 staff) • Safeguarding (all staff) • Paediatric First Aid (all staff) • Visual Supports (all staff) • Learning Language and Loving it • Every Child A Talker • Communication Friendly Spaces • Diversity and Inclusion Working with Ethnic Minority Children and Families in Early Years Settings • Eating Well for the under 5’s • Remember Me – Bereavement and critical Incident training (3 Staff) • Healthy Early Years Cluster meetings • E safety in the Early Years • Children in Care – covering completing a Personal Education Plan (PEP) • CAF training • Multi agency Child Protection Introduction – Level 3 (Management) • Early Help Training • Lead Professional Training The setting has worked in the past with many medical agencies to support individual children. This intervention has included physiotherapy exercises, speech and language programs and sensory diets. The setting works alongside the other professions to provide the activities and resources needed to benefit and enhance the child’s development.

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

A child’s personal, social and emotional development is monitored continuously and supported daily through a range of activities and resources, including access at all times to books. All the staff are active listeners and the child’s voice is always heard. All the staff have attended safeguarding training recently and Michelle Wathen, manager, is the designated person. Any concerns regarding a child’s PSED is recorded and monitored more frequently, concerns are discussed first within the setting and, where appropriate with the family. Any support needed by the family is provided by the setting where possible, drawing on outside agencies when needed. The setting has used the Early Years Inclusion team and regularly attends Team Around the Child (TAC) meetings implementing and following Individual Education Plans, Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC’s) and any other specific needs of the child and family. We have dealt in the past with Penhaligon’s Friends (a bereavement service). The Key Person works closely with the families and are available to them regularly for both formal and informal “catch ups”. When a two year old joins the setting the Key person arranges a time to complete our two year old assessment with the parents. The key person and the parents discuss any concerns or achievements and record this in their child’s online learning journey (Tapestry). In areas such as personal hygiene and toileting, the staff offer all children support and encouragement in the form of verbal praise, sticker charts, visual prompts and other strategies when needed or specified. Activities and areas of the setting are available to explore feelings, all staff are sensitive to children’s individual needs. We run an open door policy for parents and carers to access their Key Person to share any circumstances that may be occurring at home. Any information regarding individual family circumstances are shared where needed and with empathy.

Ways we inform parents about how their child is being supported

We have an open door policy and parents are welcome to talk to their child’s key person, or a member of management at any time. We also hold regular times for parents meetings, usually offering times over the space of a week where parents can book to see their child’s key person.  Parents are also welcome to talk to their key person daily, book a specific meeting or even ring or email their child’s key person. For some parents who do not collect or drop of their children regularly we have introduced a “home to Pre School” book for both to fill in when needed. The Learning Journals are online, so parents can access them at any time and can also add their own observations and comments. Our policies and procedures are currently in the process of being added to the preschool website, so parents can access these at any time. All parents meet their child’s Key person and are encouraged to share information directly to them about their child. The key person completes a summative assessment of their key children regularly and this is uploaded onto Tapestry. Parents are offered time to come and talk to their key person about this. The setting attends TAC meetings for children that require them and share the relevant details, such as IEP progress, general progress and next steps. This is then fed back to the other members of staff in the setting to support the child and family fully.

Our complaints policy

Most complaints are resolved amicably and informally. If not, the complaint is then put into writing. The full procedure is available at the preschool or on the website. Our setting believes that children and parents are entitled to expect courtesy and prompt, careful attention to their needs and wishes. We welcome suggestions on how to improve our setting and will give prompt and serious attention to any concerns about the running of the setting. We anticipate that most concerns will be resolved quickly by an informal approach to the appropriate member of staff. If this does not achieve the desired result, we have a set of procedures for dealing with concerns. We aim to bring all concerns about the running of our setting to a satisfactory conclusion for all of the parties involved. We keep a summary log of complaints and have a complaints procedure which is available to parents. The procedure has 5 stages, the first of which is -any parent who has a concern about an aspect of the setting's provision talks over, first of all, his/her concerns with the setting leader.

Access

Alterations we have made to make our building accessible

We have ramp access to the setting and have an accessible disabled toilet. All areas of the setting are accessible. Our setting has a discreet changing area and we have visual supports to label the environment such as fire exit signs and “stop” signs on restricted areas.

 

 

Facilities we have for personal care

We have 3 small low level toilets and a larger full size toilet for children to use. We also have a nappy change, with 3 steps up to it, although the changing mat can be moved from this if required. Toileting routines are managed through visual and verbal support wherever possible. Key persons are the primary adult for their key children when it comes to personal hygiene care but all adults are responsible for changing children in a sensitive and discreet way. All staff are DBS checked before working with the children in this way.

Specialist resources we have

None at this time

How we include all children in activities, such as trips

We don't currently offer offsite trips, although we do use the school facilities and site to go for walks and explore. Children are given support as needed to enable them to access the activities.