We are a fully inclusive and anti-discriminatory setting.
We liaise with parents/carers of all children and provide enhanced learning activities. If necessary, we complete Surrey Support Plans for children with additional needs: we follow the Send Code of Practice.
Observations are taken and progress is monitored and evaluated with parents/carers on a regular basis. For children with Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) the Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinator (Senco) will liaise with the parents and make any necessary referrals to outside professionals. Outside professionals are welcome to the setting to take observations and give additional advice. Should the child require it, the Senco will complete, together with the parent/carer, a Surrey Support Plan document highlighting the child’s needs. Targets on the Plan are evaluated and reviewed with the parent/carer every 6 weeks.
The Senco will apply for additional funding to allow for additional staff for small group work or individual support if required.
Activities are adapted to allow all children to access the curriculum and if necessary, specialist equipment is purchased through funding. We are wheelchair accessible.
We use lots of visual aids and all the children are taught the basic Makaton signs.
The Senco has experience in initiating Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP)
When it is time for a child to move onto their next school, transition meetings and visits are made to the schools to make the transition as smooth as possible; the Surrey Support Plan is transferred with the child’s reports.
Local Offer Responses
The Children and Families Act 2014 introduced the Local Offer requiring the publication of services available for children and young people with SEND aged 0-25.
The intention of this local offer is to improve choice and transparency for families. From the Local Offer parents and carers will know what they can reasonably expect from their local area. It will also be an important resource for professionals in understanding the range of services and provision in the local area.
Local offer 14 Questions you may ask
Questions
- How do you identify children/young people with special educational needs?
- How will I be able to raise any concerns I may have?
- If the setting / school / college is specialist which types of special educational need do you cater for?
Answers
- 2 year progress check
- Early Help Assessment
- Meetings with parents/carers
- Follow Code of Practice
- All about Me booklets
- Learning journeys
- Signpost – Children Centres
- Use professional judgement
- Availability at all times of Key Person and Senco
Questions
- Who will oversee and plan the education program and who will be working with my child/young person and how often?
- What will be their roles?
- Who will explain this to me?
- How are the setting / school / college governors or trustees involved and what are their responsibilities?
- How does the setting / school / college know how effective its arrangements its provision for children and young people with special educational needs are?
Answers
• Planning for children’s individual needs and development
• Regular progress meetings with parents/carers
• Observations, Assessments, Monitoring
• Key Person available on daily basis
• Senco available for any additional needs on daily basis
• SEND support given if required
• Use of outside professionals
• Regular team meetings to monitor progress
• Early Years Childcare Service advisory support
Questions
- What are the setting’s / school’s / college’s approaches to differentiation?
- How will that help my child/young person?
Answers
• Liaise with parents/carers and child
• Provide enhanced activities
• Individual Learning Plans
• Individual Support Plans for children with additional needs
• Advice from outside professionals
Questions
In addition to the normal reporting arrangements what opportunities will there be for me to discuss his or her progress with the staff?
How does the setting / school / college know how well my child/young person is doing?
How will I know what progress my child/young person should be making?
What opportunities will there be for regular contact about things that have happened at early years setting / school / college eg a home school book?
How will you explain to me how his or her learning is planned and how I can help support this outside of the setting / school / college?
How and when will I be involved in planning my child’s/young person’s education?
Do you offer any parent training or learning events?
Answers
• Regular progress meetings with parents/carers
• Individual planning through Individual Learning Plans
• Message to parents/carers note
• Staff available on daily basis for any concerns
• 2 year progress check
• Observations and assessments
• Follow Code of Practice
• Individual Support Plans for children requiring additional support
Questions
- What is the pastoral, medical and social support available in the setting / school / college for children with SEND?
- How does the setting / school / college manage the administration of medicines and providing personal care?
- What support is there for behaviour, avoiding exclusions and increasing attendance?
- How will my child/young person being able to contribute his or her views?
- How will the setting / school / college support my child / young person to do this?
Answers
• Policy and Care plans in place for administering medicines
• Policies and procedures in place for managing children’s behaviour
• Behaviour co-ordinator
• Parent/Carer and child meeting to contribute his/her views
• Large emphasis on positive praise
• Follow Surrey guidance on intimate care and toileting
Questions
- Are there specialist staff working at the setting / school / college and what are their qualifications?
- What other services does the setting / school / college access including health, therapy and social care services.
Answers
• All qualified staff
• Additional qualifications – Epipen, First Aid, Movement and Handling, Makaton, E-help EHA, Safeguarding, Health and Safety, Food and Hygiene.
• Fully trained Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Safeguarding Lead
• Senco has Elklan qualification
• Support from outside agencies
• Support and advice from Surrey Early Years Send Advisor
Questions
- This should include recent and future planned training and disability awareness.
Answers
• Staff trained in Epipen, Movement and Handling, and Makaton.
• Senco has Elklan qualification
• Attends Senco forums and regular SEND courses
• Code of Practice trainings
Questions
- Will he or she be able to access all of the activities of the setting / school / college and how will you assist him or her to do so?
- How do you involve parent carers in planning activities and trips?
Answers
• Risk assessments
• Consultations with parents/carers
• Specialist equipment sourced and provided if required
• 1:1 support if required
Questions
- Is the building fully wheelchair accessible?
- Have there been improvements in the auditory and visual environment?
- Are there disabled changing and toilet facilities?
- How does the setting /school / college communicate with parent carers whose first language is not English?
- How will equipment and facilities to support children and young people with special educational needs be secured?
Answers
• Wheelchair accessible
• Possible funding available for specialised equipment should it be required
• Translation service made available if required
• Lots of visual aids also in home languages
• Books in home languages
• Frequently used words book passing from home to setting
Questions
- What preparation will there be for both the setting / school / college and my child/young person before he or she joins the setting / school / college?
- How will he or she be prepared to move onto the next stage?
- What information will be provided to his or her new setting / school / college?
- How will you support a new setting / school / college to prepare for my child/young person?
Answers
• Transition meetings held with other schools and settings
• Transition progress reports
• Visits to and from other schools and settings
Questions
- How is the setting’s / school’s / college’s special educational needs budget allocated?
Answers
• Additional staff employed by additional funding via Early Intervention Funding to work with children in small groups.
• Feet funding
• Early Intervention Funding for 1:1 support if required
• Education Health Care Plans
Questions
- Describe the decision making process.
- Who will make the decision and on what basis?
- Who else will be involved?
- How will I be involved?
- How does the setting / school / college judge whether the support has had an impact?
Answers
• Observations and assessments
• Meetings held with the parents/carers and outside professionals involved with the child
• Education Health Care Plans
• Evaluation of targets
• Review meetings held every 6 weeks
Questions
- Describe the setting’s / school’s / college’s approach to involving parents in decision making and day to day school life including for their own child or young person.
Answers
• Open door policy
• Parents welcomed and encouraged to volunteer
• Parental involvement in termly consultations
• Suggestion book
• Try this at home activities sent home
• Book reading scheme
• Parents with special skills visit to enhance learning
Questions
- Who would be my first point of contact if I want to discuss something about my child/young person?
- Who else has a role in my child’s/young person education?
- Who can I talk to if I am worried?
- Who should I contact if I am considering whether child/young person should join the setting / school / college?
- Who is the SEN Coordinator and how can I contact them?
- What other support services are there who might help me and provide me with information and advice?
- Where can I find the local authority’s Local Offer?
Answers
• The following can be contacted through the setting:
1. Manager
2. Senco
3. Safeguarding Lead/Deputy Safeguarding Lead
4. Keyperson
• Local Services are available through the Local Authority website.
• Partnership for Parents – website www.pwpsurrey.org