How do you communicate with the parent/carer whose child has SEND?
Parents telephone or email us to arrange an appointment to view our setting with the Nursery Manager. If they would like to book a space for their child, parents / carers complete a Registration form, which we provide during the appointment (our Prospectus can be given then, or before). We have appropriate sections on our Registration form where parents / carers inform us of any current support, or any referrals; we also have a conversation with them to discuss any possible support that we need to put in place before the child starts. We arrange a number of settling sessions and send a settles email to parents / carers which contains a lot of information, including how to support your child at home ('Montessori Child at Home').Once booked in and the child is attending, we communicate verbally (face to face at the door, parent evenings / meetings (i.e.private meeting room), telephone and virtual meetings,e.g.Zoom, Skype or Teams;also by email when appropriate. Parents also have access to their child's online Learning Journey ('Tapestry'); they can add comments to this, but can also pass information regarding their child's home learning to staff at the door, by email or telephone, which we then use to inform our planning. We work hard to build up positive relationships with all parents so that they feel comfortable to come to us to discuss any progress, general questions, concerns etc. Meetings are arranged with the Nursery Manager whenever needed.
How do you help children settle into your setting?
Prior to settling, the Nursery Manager and / or Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO) speaks to the parent to discuss how many settles are needed and how they will run. An email is then sent to the parent with important information. The first settle is with a parent / carer, (the Nursery Manager and SENCO having previously decided which Practitioner will lead this). All other settles are with the child only (approximately one hour long, but can be longer, depending on the needs of the child / parent / carer). (We aim to have the same Practitioner carry out all settles for one particular child).If a child has already had a referral or received a diagnosis, all information and copies of any reports are obtained from the parent and our SENCO is involved throughout.Within a month of a child joining, we let the parent / carer know who their child's Key Person is. This may be the Practitioner who led the settles or another Practitioner. (We have a mixed age group in each 'House', so all Early Years Practitioners engage with all children, contributing to each child's learning and development; the Key Person is responsible for maintaining Learning Journeys and they are also a link for parents/carers, (this is the person you would see for an appointment during our Parent Evenings).
What help and support does your setting offer to children with SEND as they move rooms or move on to school?
Discussion between SENCO, Nursery Manager, Key Person,school teacher and parent / carer as to when and how the transition will happen. With in-house transitions, gentle introductions (visits) to the next House (i.e.from Little House to Big House) with one of our Early Years Practitioners. The parent / carer is made aware that visits will start / have started. The SENCO ensures that Early Years Practitioners in the Big House have all relevant information (e.g.use PEIC-D method [Promoting Early Interactive Conversations - Dorset], sign-along, visuals etc). The length of each settle depends on the individual child, but our aim is not to prolong the settling period, so as not to confuse the child, for example, a child may do settles (visits) for one week, then move across the following week.When moving to school, the Nursery Manager attends the BCP (Local Authority) Transition event and passes on relevant information, including completing a transition form; a separate meeting with our SENCO and the school SENCO is arranged, if appropriate. Any relevant documents are also handed over to the school; all of this happens with the parent / carer's knowledge (joint meetings with SENCOs / teachers / Nursery Key Person / Nursery Manager / parent / carer are also arranged if appropriate)
How do youfind out howeach child likes to learn?
We use both the Montessori Curriculum and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). By adding information to each child's Learning Journey, we are able to see which areas have been achieved and which areas are the child's 'next steps' for learning. This enables us to see where children may need additional support in any particular area, or where they are exceeding. We work closely with other agencies including BCP Early Years team, and have an Area SENDO, Speech and Language Therapists, Portage workers and Occupational Therapists (plus others) who come into our setting to support and advise us on the next steps and give us specific techniques to use with the child. Recording information for the children's Learning Journeys is important,and also a lovely memory of their time here; but spending time with each child through 1:1 and group activities is our priority and how we really get to know them. We 'plan in the moment' and listen to each child, knowing their interests, likes and dislikes. We are able to be spontaneous, providing them with exciting opportunities every day to bake, care for our vegetable patch, do science experiments, art activities, learn words in other languages, do sports activities, music and movement, learn how to respect others, care for themselves and care for the environment, (and so much more). Our Early Years Practitioners are extremely capable of using appropriate language and non-verbal communication to engage each child's interest.Our Early Years Practitioners who have completed the Montessori Diploma (Level 4) are trained to teach children up to the age of 6 years old. This means that any child who is exceeding their chronological age, we are able to provide additional materials and activities as soon as they are ready (including maths, language and science materials). We also provide 1:1 support for those children who have additional funding from BCP. We find out how each child likes to learn by: speaking to the parent / carer (who also completes an 'All About Me' form during settles); through observation of the child in our setting; recording written observations, photos and videos (adding them to the child's Learning Journey) which inform the 'next steps'; planning, writing and updating Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) (which are available to all of our Early Years Practitioners and copies are given to the parent / carer). Observation includes watching the child (in an unobtrusive way) and listening to the child (being mindful of 'the child's voice').Throughout a child's time here, our SENCO provides the team with updates on IEP targets so all relevant people are aware and involved in the child's progress.
Inclusive practice / SEND training and expertise within this organisation
Staff have completed the following training:Deputy Manager, SENCO & DDSL (Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead):
- ;Signalong(BEY) 5 dates between - 13.01.16 and 10.02.16
- Equalities Named Co-ordinator - ENCO BEY - 22.01.16
- L2 SEN (BEY) - 01.03.16 and 15.03.16
- Understanding and Supporting Children with Attachment Problems (BEY) - 13.11.17
- Early Help Arrangements Modules 1 and 2 (BEH) - 24.04.19 and 08.05.19
- NFCE CACHE Level 3 Award for SENCO in Early Years settings - 10.12.19
- SENCO Inclusion Network - 05.02.2020
- LSCB Level 3 Safeguarding Children Course - 12.02.2020
- AET Tier 2 - Good Autism Practice - Early Years - 02.03.2020
- Sensory Processing Workshop - 05.03.2020
- Foundation Training for Safeguarding Children - 02.03.2020 and 09.03.2020 Early Years Practitioner and SENCO:
- Autism: The Basics - 22.09.17
- Supporting children with EAL in Early Years - 27.09.17
- PEIC-D - 20.10.17 • Bilingual Beginnings - 08.11.17
- Communication Skills for SENCOs - 24.01.18
- Writing IEPs - 24.01.18
- Mental Health in the Under 5s - 02.02.18
- Sensory Processing Workshop - 23.02.18
- Hands on with Autism - 08.03.18
- Distinguishing the Difference: EAL or SEND (BEY) - 22.05.18
- Signalong(BEY) - May/June 2018
- Elklan8 dates between - 22.01.18 and 04.06.18
- Bilingual Beginnings Learning Network - 05.07.18
- EHCP Paperwork Support Session - 11.09.18 Nursery Manager and DSL (Designated Safeguarding Lead):
- LSCB Level 3 Safeguarding Children Update - 26.04.19
- Working Together to Narrow the Gap - 15.11.19
- Effective Safeguarding Recording - 21.01.2020
- Foundation Training for Safeguarding Children 2 - 14.02.2020 Other Early Years Practitioners' training:
- The Wonder of Music - 28.01.2020
- EducareSpeech, Language and Communication Level 2 - 13.05.2020
- Characteristics of Effective Learning - 15.01.2020 All other Practitioners attend training in-house (1:1 meetings and group Staff Meetings) where information including SEN techniques is shared. All staff learn how to sign words such as, 'hello', 'please', 'thank you', 'snack' and have access to visuals (picture cards, visual timetables) to use as appropriate.
The information in this SEND Local Offer was completed on 27/10/2020.