Education Provider Provider: Abbey School Nursery 1. What special education provision is available at our setting? What do we do here to meet your needs? At the Abbey School we recognise that all children are individual, and through observations we take account of their needs as they become apparent. Children are the prime focus of our work. Our graduated approach to SEND recognises that there is a continuum of SEND Where necessary, increasing specialist expertise will be brought to bear on the difficulties that a child may be experiencing. We support parents and children with special educational needs (SEND). We identify the specific needs of children with SEND and meet those needs through a range Of SEND strategies. We work in partnership with parents and other agencies in meeting individual children s needs these include Educational Physiologist, Speech& language Therapists, Portage Workers, Early years Advisory Support, Health Visitors and Social Workers Staff attend relevant training and have a wealth of experience of supporting children with additional needs from Autism, Asperger s, Developmental delay and medical, dietary needs. We have a Speech and language lead in the Early Years foundation Stage, her role is to work with children with speech and language difficulties alongside keyworkers/parents to ensure that every child has the opportunity for an enriched development for their speech and language needs. Parents are kept up to date with their child s progress at all times.
2. What criteria must be satisfied before children and young people can access this provision/service? What sort of needs would you have for us to be able to help you? The Abbey School Early Years foundation Stage values the contribution that every child can make and welcomes the diversity of culture, religion and intellectual style. We are committed to offering an inclusive curriculum to ensure the best possible progress for all of our pupils whatever their needs and abilities. The school seeks to raise the achievement, remove barriers to learning and increase physical and curricular access to all. The Abbey School Early Years Foundation stage does not discriminate against children on grounds of race, gender or ability. We seek to enable all children to have reasonable access to the curriculum. All children with SEND are valued, respected and equal members of the school. We provide care for children from 6months to 5 years in our EYFS. The Head of Nursery is responsible for the admission arrangements. Through this process parents together with the support from outside agencies and the SENCO at Abbey School are able to make the best decision for the child. Establishing the child s needs, staff training and/or resources to make every reasonable effort to enable the child to access our provision. All documentation would need to be in place prior to the child starting with us. 3. How do we identify the particular special educational needs of a child or young person? How do we work out what your needs are and how can we help? At the Abbey School EYFS we follow the guidance set out in the SEND Code of Practice 2014. All information is collated together before the child starts with us. This can be from parents, other settings, or any outside agencies. Once a child has started with us the child is continually assessed/ observed and their progress recorded through the SEND & EYFS and appropriate strategies are put into place. Regular appointments are set up so that parents are involved and supported at every stage. Targets are put into place (ILDPS) and the views are sought for reviews. Any specialist support is accessed so that early identification or concerns are acted on. We value the contribution that parents make and the critical role they play in their Childs Education and welfare.
4. How do we consult with parents and/or children and young people about their needs? How do we find out about what you and your parents think you need help with? Initially parents are invited into our setting to look around and have an appointment with the Head of Nursery. The transition process would start off with collating any transition documents from a previous setting together with development forms. Relevant meetings with other professionals would take place to ensure that all the specific needs for the child are in place. This would ensure continuity of care. A short visit would be arranged with the Keyworker for the child to have a play session. From that initial visit the appropriate transition strategies would continue until the child was settled with us. A daily diary would be written in by the child s keyworker giving feedback on the session. This is also done verbally at the beginning and end of the day. Each individual learning diary is shared with the parents regularly. Parents are encouraged to contribute to these books with photos, antidotes and paintings and pictures from home giving a good reflection of their child s learning and development. Feedback from parents is essential this takes place at parent s evenings and contact time, stay and play sessions and questionnaires. We also have an open door policy. 5. What is our approach to teaching children and young people with special educational needs? How will we teach you?
At the Abbey school we do not discriminate against children on the grounds of race, gender or ability. We seek to enable all children to have reasonable access to the curriculum. Objectives To ensure that the culture, practice, management and deployment of resources are designed to meet the needs of all pupils with SEND. To enable pupils with SEND to maximise their achievements. To ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified, assessed, provided for and regularly reviewed. To ensure that all pupils with SEND are offered full access to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum within the Early Years Foundation Stage as appropriate. To work in partnership with parents to enable them to make an active contribution to the education of their child. To take the views and wishes of the child into account. At the Abbey School we work alongside other professionals and follow their advice in creating an individual Learning and Development Plan (ILDP) for children with additional needs. This enables us to identify specific activities and learning objectives. 6. How can we adapt our curriculum for children and young people with special educational needs? What sort of things will you learn here? With advice and support from SENCO and outside agencies teachers/keyworkers/parents match the learning to the needs and abilities of the children. They use a range of strategies to develop the children s knowledge, understanding and skills. Where appropriate, materials are modified or support is provided to enable children with SEND to access the learning and assessment processes. Using the indoor and outdoor environment keyworkers are able to plan IDLPS with creativity, space and organisation. Our outdoor environment enhances all children s learning opportunities from a sensory area with planting boxes full of herbs, flowers and growing veg to our wildlife area with an abundance of birds and insects. Each Keyworker adapts the EYFS curriculum for a child with special educational needs. 7. How will we ensure we get the services, provision and equipment that children and young people need? How will we make sure that you get all of the help that you need from different people?
The SENCO has close links with Torbay`s Early Years Advisory service and specialists within the area so that appropriate referrals are then made. Expert guidance and specialist equipment is accessed from Torbay when appropriate. There may be times when we may not always have the resources and facilities to meet the specific needs of an individual child. Where this occurs we will make sure every reasonable effort is made to do so. There may be occasions when it is not possible and we cannot meet the child s needs. Parents are advised & supported in finding an alternative setting. 8. How is this provision funded? Who pays for this? The Abbey School is registered to accept the National Education Grant (NEG) for 3-5year olds which is paid via the Local Authority; this entitles parents to 15 funded hours of childcare over 33 weeks a year. We offer if identified that extra additional support is required beyond what we can provide as part of our normal ratios, then we can apply to the Local Authority for additional funding, for example if the child needs 1:1 support. 9. What additional learning support is available for children and young people with special educational needs and how do they access it? What else will we do to help you learn and how will this happen? At the Abbey school if we need additional learning support we access the appropriate professional; Speech & language specialists Health visitors & social workers Action for Children Early Years Advisory Support Portage And we will signpost, encourage and support parents(s)/carer(s) to engage with these services. Within the setting we have a speech and communication lead that supports children and parents. Information is given to parents on relevant groups and activities of support outside nursery.
10. How do we support and improve the emotional and social development of children and young people with special educational needs? How can we help you learn about your feelings and relationships? We are an inclusive setting and all practitioners believe that every Childs needs are met. Every child is valued for their unique qualities. We work very closely with parents making them feel welcomed and valued. All Staff attend relevant training where appropriate so that the very best training is put into practise. Through clear boundaries and strategies a positive approach to Behaviour Management is put into place. 11. How do we support children and young people with special educational needs moving between phases of education and preparing for adulthood? How can we help you to get ready to change to a different place or to leave here? This process is clearly implemented with parents, keyworker, SENCO and any other Professionals for a smooth transition to ensure all needs will be met on entry to a new setting. We provide details on IDLPS to all involved. Facilitating visits to new school/setting supported by familiar staff. Liaising with the SENCOs from school/setting to promote consistent approach. Enabling future teachers to visit the child in our setting. Documents/Assessments are collated and shared with parents and future teachers. We support parents through the whole process keeping them informed at every stage to ensure a smooth transition. 12. What other support is available for children and young people with special educational needs and how can they access it? What other help can we give you or help you to get? We will signpost, encourage and support parents to engage with other support, Providing leaflets Promoting events and services Recommending the Torbay directory for ideas on available support and services.
13. What extra-curricular activities are available for children and young people with special educational needs? What other activities can you do here? We are consistently inclusive and where possible ensuring visits/trips and extra-curricular activities are accessible by children with support from parents. 14. How do we assess and review progress towards agreed outcomes, and how are parents, children and young people involved in this process? How do we know that the help we are giving you is working? How can you and your family tell us what you think? We continually review progress in our setting sharing development progress with parents at every stage of their Learning through parent contact meetings, IDLPS, Transition documents, Summery of learning, learning and development booklets and learning diaries. We also have stay and play sessions so that parents can come into the setting joining in activities with their child. 15. How do we assess the effectiveness of our special needs provision and how are parents, children and young people involved in this assessment? How do we make sure that we are being the best that we can be? How can you and your family tell us what you think? As a setting we are continually reflecting and evaluating our SEND provision using parent feedback, meetings and staff training which allows us to keep upto date with changes, research and new developments.
16. How do we ensure that teaching staff and other staff have the expertise needed to support children and young people with special educational needs? How do we make sure that everyone that works with you has the right skills and can do the right things to help you? All staff attend the relevant training appropriate to the individual Childs needs. For example Epipen, Speech and language and basic signing and Autism. Staff also have a wealth of experience working with children with Autism, ADHD, Asperger s and developmental delay. The SENCO also attends relevant training and forums. 17. How do we keep parents informed where children and young people have special educational provision but do not have an Education Health and Care Plan? How do we make sure that your parents know how we can help them? If a child has a special educational provision but not an Education Health &Care plan parents are kept informed of their development and Childs progress via learning diaries, assessment documents and parent meetings keeping them fully informed at every stage. 18. How can parents, children and young people make a complaint about our provision? What can you do if you are not happy about something that has happened here?
The Abbey School Nursery seeks to find ways of continually improving its educational provision for all children with SEND. We welcome comments, both positive and negative, and view them as valuable information, which can help us to maintain and improve standards. When you feel uncomfortable about your Childs wellbeing, no matter what the concern, please approach the teacher, keyworker and air your concern. Do not delay. We will listen carefully to what you have to say and try to resolve your problem informally and quickly, and where possible within two working days. If you consider your concern has not been resolved then the next step is Head of Nursery together with the SENCO. A note will be taken of your concerns, the matter will be investigated, and you will receive a response to your concerns indicating how we intend to address the issues raised. This process may take up to one school week as The Head of Nursery together with the SENCO will need to gather and verify information. It is the Principles policy to remain separate from the preliminary complaints procedure and deal only with incidents that have been unsuccessfully resolved by other members of staff. If however you consider your concern has not been resolved by this process then The Principle will be pleased to meet you. Where a complaint remains unresolved following our complaints procedure a panel will be appointed to hear the complaint, consisting of three people, one of whom will be independent of the management of the school. 19. How can parents, children and young people get more information about the setting? How can you find out more about us? Information about Abbey School can be obtained from our Website www.abbeyschool.co.uk/ email: mail@ abbey school.co.uk Or Tel/01803 327868