Our Local Offer.

 

                                          Having a local offer is an aspect of the 'SEND Code of Practice 0 -25' (2015)

 

Aim:  

 

At Apple Tree Day Care Nursery we aim to provide families with young children who have Special Educational Needs or a Disability (SEND) with information and support within our Early Years setting. 

 

How does Apple Tree Nursery know if young children need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have Special Educational Needs or a Disability?

 

We identify children's development and needs by allocating every child a key person. The key person is responsible for assessing and recording your child's development. The key person completes observations on your child during their time within our Early Years setting. The key person will also share information with you about your child's development and we encourage you to also share information with the key person about your child's development at home. The information gathered from the observations, assessments and from speaking with you supports the key person in planning for your child's next learning steps and supports their individual development. Through this process if the key person has any concerns about your child's development they will speak with you and the settings Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator. If you have any concerns yourself you can speak with your child's key person or with the Special Educational Needs and disability Coordinator.

 

How will the nursery support my child?

 

Your child's key person will work in partnership with you and with your child. We fully encourage you to share information regularly with the key person. Our SEND Coordinator  will also be on hand to support you and your child. We also as a setting have regular contact with outside agencies. We will involve you fully throughout and invite you to regular meetings and you will have a say in what aims for development are set for your child. Depending on the age, ability and understanding of your child we will also include them in the decision making about their development and needs. As part of our daily practice we use 'Makaton' as a way to communicate with children, we also use other strategies such as 'visual routine boards' which support children if they do not like change of what is going to happen next and allows them time to prepare for the changes. If required, with your permission we can make referrals to other professionals, we can also give you information about speech and Language drop in sessions or any other useful contacts.

 

How will the Early Years curriculum be matched to the needs of my child?

 

Every child is an individual within our setting. The key person through talking with you, your child and other colleagues within the setting and by using observation techniques will get to know what your child's interests are. They will also get to know what your child's favourite activities are and how they prefer to learn. This information supports the key person in adapting any activities needed to support your child accessing the Early Years curriculum. Within our setting we use various strategies to ensure your child is accessing the curriculum appropriately, for example we use 'small trays' for children who prefer their own space. Your child will have access to small group activities in the play room and also in our small mobile, cosy sensory tent.

 

We use lots of visual strategies to with  children such as our 'first and then' boards with pictures of what to do now and what to do next - the second picture is chosen by the child as a reward for completing the first request.

 

How will you and I know how my child is doing and how will you help me to support my child's learning?

 

Your child's key person will speak with you daily and you will have regularly contact with both the SEND Coordinator and the Nursery Manager. At the beginning of each week you will receive an activity sheet which highlights the general activities and topics that will be available within your child's room for that week. This allows parents/carers to develop the topics further at home. Your child's progress is recorded in their 'learning journal' through written comments, observations, pictures and photographs. We also invite input in the 'learning journal' from family and friends such as photos taken at home or on holiday. We can also give you ideas for activities you can do at home with your child and if requested we will even come and visit your child at home.

 

What support is in place for my child's overall well being?

 

We have health and safety policies and procedures which are implemented daily. Copies of these can be found on our website or in a folder in the main entrance of the nursery. We have a behaviour policy and a named behaviour coordinator. We use strategies for supporting behaviour. By using the Mosaic Tools approach we can ensure that all children have a say in what we do; for example, your child could have access to a camera and take photographs of what he/she enjoys. Your child can use smiley and sad faces on pictures to help let us know if they are enjoying an activity or not. We also use social stories to support the children's understanding. We will meet with you to discuss any medical requirements and the appropriate medical and care plans would be completed.

 

What training and experience does the staff have at Apple Tree in supporting children with SEND?

 

We have a team of practitioners with many years experience in working with children and families with SEND. We have one  SEND Coordinator and two SEND buddies all of whom have attended SEND Code of Practice training. We have Early Years practitioners trained in using Makaton. We also have Early years practitioners training in supporting children with Autism, delivering the SEND Code of Practice, Behaviour Management, Safeguarding children and First aid. We also access in house training from local SEND consultant.  Practitioners have also attended training on supporting children with English as an additional language (EAL). 

 

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by Apple Tree Nursery?

 

With consent from you the parent/carer we can access support from outside agencies including a specialist SEND consultant. We work closely with our Early Years professionals such as health visitors. You will always receive a copy of any report written by us or any other professional and be invited to any arranged meetings.

 

How will my child be included in attending outings outside of Apple Tree Nursery?

 

The Manager would meet with you to discuss and complete a risk assessment. You would be informed about outings well in advance. Sometimes children might go to the post office or library, however we would have previously discussed this with you and have a procedure already in place for such short visits. We would put out requests for volunteers and would therefore ask you if you would like to go. We would take any medication with us and this would have been previously discussed at the meeting.  Staff will have previously visited the planned visit site to assess whether it is suitable. Photographs will be taken and made into a book to help prepare children for the visit.

 

How accessible is Apple Tree Nursery?

 

We complete yearly audits to evaluate our accessibility. The setting does not have easy access for wheelchairs but the nursery will adapt it's procedures where possible. We can use different colours of paper to provide information for anyone who has Dyslexia and wherever possible we will offer Newsletters and other paperwork translated into other languages. We use Makaton for communication and visual display boards and routine boards to support children in their daily routine within the nursery. We have story books in different languages for the children who attend our setting.

 

How will Apple tree Nursery prepare and support my child when joining nursery and transferring to a new setting or school?

 

You and your child will attend settling in sessions. You will meet the Manager, SEND Coordinator and your child's key worker. e are very flexible to your needs and the needs of your child during the settling in period. We will also give  you a booklet with photographs of key adults within the setting who will have regular contact with your child, by doing this you will be able to share the booklet at home with your child thus preparing them in advance for nursery. The booklet will also have photographs of the playroom and other key areas within the setting.

 

When your child is moving to another setting or starting school we start the process the term before they are due to leave. The teachers from the local feeder schools are invited into the setting to visit the children who will be leaving to attend their schools. The key person and SEND Coordinator can also visit the school with your child as part of their transition. We read social stories about starting school and we can make booklets about the new school to be used with your child. As with everything we do, you will be involved at every stage along the way.

 

How are the resources allocated and matched to my child at Apple Tree Nursery?

 

We class resources as everything from staff deployment to resources for activities and training. We deploy staff to support the key person to write your child's reports and prepare their learning journals with your child being involved in adding things to their own journal. The key person can use the sensory cosy tent to provide small group or one to one activities for your child. Practitioners who are Makaton trained share their training with other practitioners within the setting.

 

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?

 

The SEND Coordinator will have regular meetings with you alongside any other Early years professionals involved with supporting you and your child. The key person will also meet with you. We use information gathered from observations and assessments we carry out within the setting and by other Early Years professionals and from information shared by you and by your child to help us tailor the support needed to each individual child. The Manager monitors this process and will give support and guidance when required.

 

How can I be involved as a parent within Apple Tree Nursery?

 

We have a strong ethos for involving parents within our setting. We believe that parents know their child best and will encourage you to share information about your child with their key person and with the settings SEND Coordinator and the Manager. We involve parents from the start through discussion about the period and length of their child's settling in period and we continue to involve them right up until their transition to school. We send out yearly questionnaires to our parents to encourage feedback on our, practice, policies and procedures. We use the information gathered to make changes to the setting and policies where applicable. We invite parents to events such as Fetes etc. Parents can also volunteer to help in the nursery and can come in to nursery for example to bake with the child, or play musical instruments. We have an open door policy. We have parents with English as an additional language and have asked them to translate special songs into their home language for example, favourite nursery rhymes. All parents are involved throughout, in any decisions that are made for  their child.

 

Who can I contact for further information?

 

If you would like to discuss your child's needs before making a decision about starting your child at our Early Years setting then please telephone to make an appointment. Please ask for the Manager, Mrs Suzanne Banks. In my absence you will be able to speak with the Deputy Manager who is also the settings SEND Coordinator Ms Debra Young.

 

Telephone: 01376 321858

 

To register your child or to place them on our waiting list please telephone and speak to the Manager Mrs Suzanne Banks or the Deputy Manager Ms Debra Young.

 

Telephone: 01376 321858

 

If you would prefer you can email us at ; suzanne@appletreenursery.co.uk