How do you communicate with the parent / carer whose child has SEND?
We use a variety of means to communicate with parents/carers including:
- Daily Communication Books
- Learning Journal
- Face-to-face meetings including TAF meetings.
- Our website and Facebook page has a Virtual Tour, with signing.
Also: Telephone, Email, Half-termly Parents Newsletter, Noticeboard, Window displays, Letters, Questionnaires, ‘Our Day Today’ photograph album. We have an ‘open door’ policy and parents can speak to the manager/key person at collection/drop-off or arrange a private discussion at convenient time in our meeting room.
How do you help children settle into your setting?
- New Stater booklet with pictures sent out prior to starting, together with bookbag.
- Virtual tour available, with signing, on website/Facebook page.
- New Stater visits/show arounds, attended by SENCO.
- Key person system, with ‘buddy’ key person system in place.
- ‘All-About-Me’ completed by parent/carer and shared with key person at the first settling in session. This provides key information to help with settling in process, including photographs of family/pets; dietary/medical needs; SEND/referral information; likes/dislikes; favourite toys/activities etc.
- Parents encouraged to stay for 1st session, and then for as many additional sessions as needed, as we recognise some children need longer to settle.
- Shorter sessions times offered as required.
- Comforters/Transition objects welcome.
- Buddying with other children to promote early friendships.
What help and support does your setting offer to children with SEND as they move rooms or move on to school?
Moving rooms: n/a – we only have 1 ‘room’
Transition to school:
- EHCP review process, including parental involvement.
- Liaison with other professionals involved with the child’s care/development.
- Liaison with SENCo/Class teacher, inc. sharing IEPs/Wellcomm Assessments
- Transition forms provided to receiver school.
- Visits from receiver school to our setting.
- Supporting visits to new school, if requested by parent.
- Transition books with pictures, where provided by receiver school.
- Social stories, were appropriate.
- Support ‘buddying’ with children moving to same school.
- Small group work for school-leavers looking at ‘school readiness’.
- Continuous development of independence skills.
- Working on recognising feelings and emotions.
- Celebrating progress/successes with us inc. Leavers Event.
How do you find out how each child likes to learn?
- Our long-standing, experienced and qualified staff spend time supporting ‘learning through play’ with our children. We use:
- Discussions with parents/carers, including ‘Look what I can do already’ flowers for parents to decorate.
- Listening to children’s suggestions/feedback.
- Observations by key person and wider team.
- Reflection on activities.
- Advice from Early Years teacher within the team.
- Advice from professionals such as EP, SALT and OT to promote differentiation of activities.
- Half term activity packs for parents to use with children.
- Ideas for ‘home-learning’ regularly posted on website, and sign-posted via newsletter.
- Parents asked to contribute to Learning Journals.
- ‘What to expect next’ information given to parents.
Inclusive practice / SEND training and expertise within this organisation
- Early Years Teacher Status
- Forest School Leadership Level 3
- Working together to close the gap
- Making sense of Autism (AET Early Years Programme)
- PEIC-D
- Intensive Interactions
- Promoting Emotional Regulation in Autistic Children
- Understanding and Addressing Behaviour
- Understanding Anxiety
- Adverse Childhood Experiences
- Building Bonds with Babies and Infants
- Attachment Awareness
- Selective Mutism
- Effective Communication & Language Environment
- Sign-along
- PECs
- The Power of Play
- Making it better for boys
- SENCO experienced in applying for additional BCP SEND funding and the EHCP process.