The purpose of the local offer is to improve choice for families by providing information about services available for young children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
All Early Years settings in Essex are expected to identify and support children with special educational needs
to make the best possible progress. Early Years settings are supported to be as inclusive as possible by the
LA so that the needs of young children with SEND are met.
How our setting knows if young children need extra help and what our parents/carers should do if they think their child may have SEND
At Little Ducks we would initially gather information from parents or guardians on our registration form and the “All About Me” form. Parents and children are invited to visit the setting before the child’s first day and they would be introduced to their key person. Throughout the children’s time with us, we follow the EYFS guidelines and would gather information through observations and discussions with parents/guardians. If concerns are raised we would recommend that the parent contact outside agencies such as the child’s GP or health visitor. Our parents box is full of useful information on support groups in the area. If a parent has had concerns and contacted other professionals before a child starts we would confirm their permission to continue to liaise with them.
How our setting supports young children with SEND
Through observing the child we would identify concerns and any areas where a child needs support. The key person would then, alongside the Senco and any other agencies already involved, begin to put strategies into place to help support the child in their development. We would also take into account the views of the child by recognising their likes and dislikes or favourite toys and games. Parents are included at all stages of planning for their child and the area Senco would also be informed. Progress would then be monitored and strategies reviewed regularly.
How our setting creates learning and development opportunities for individual children with SEND.
At Little Ducks we have very good communication with our parents. We would ensure that we are aware of all the children’s needs, how they feel safe and at home. We have a varied and extensive range of toys and a large garden for the children to enjoy. This all helps children to feel safe and secure at preschool. We have high ratio for staff to children. We make sure that all activities are easy for children to access and any child with special needs can be allocated a member of staff to help them to feel included and be able to participate in everything offered. All children with special needs will have a One Page profile so staff are aware of the child’s needs and areas where support is needed so activities can be planned to help children achieve their targets. For example turn taking games for a child with communication and social problems.
How are setting works in partnership with parents/carers
We communicate in numerous ways with our parents. All staff are available before and after sessions. A child’s key person has regular meetings with parents, we hold open days and we provide home diaries. We discuss with parents the strategies we use and can provide resources and training for parents when required. We work in partnership with families and encourage parents to take part in sessions and share their skills and interests with us. We also use questionnaires to seek the views of parents who may not have the opportunity to see staff very often if they are working.
How our setting supports the wellbeing of young children with SEND
We have a high ratio of staff to children. We plan for each individual child’s needs by planning activities that are age and stage appropriate. All children with One Page Profiles (IEP’s) are taken into consideration when the planning is discussed. Activities and staff will be supplied to help each child reach their target so that no child will feel unable to join in. Lots of praise, stickers and a general feeling of belonging is encouraged both by staff and the older children already at Little Ducks.
Staff training and experience in supporting young children with SEND
Our Owner/Manager, Michelle Yarwood is our SENCO and she works closely with other senior staff who have years of experience supporting children with additional needs and providing one to one support. We are fortunate to have had access to lots of training and support from our area SENCO.
Specialist Services and expertise accessed by our setting.
Over the years we have liaised with numerous outside agencies including our Area Senco, Specialised teachers, health visitors, speech and language therapists, SNAP, Social workers, educational psychologists, family support workers and other preschools. Working together as a team has meant we can identify and provide the most effective and targeted support to children who need it.
How our setting includes young children with SEND in community based activities and outings.
Through regular communication with parents and contacts the community we ensure that all the children in the setting enjoy a wide range of experiences. Our ENCO invites visitors from all areas of the community so we can learn about different occupations, hobbies and festivals. We also provide a range of trips to very local venues like the library or local park so that everybody gets a chance to attend. We also have family charity events and an open day for all attending children, families on the waiting list and the wider community. Trips out are planned in conjunction with parents views, children’s interests and special needs so they are open to all children in the pre-school. We discuss all trips at ENCO meeting and provide extra staff when parents cannot attend. A full risk assessment will be carried out by the manager before any trip is planned.
Our Accessible Environment
Our building has wheelchair access. However we do not have a separate toilet for disabled children. We are able to access resources from the Essex Resource Centre via the Area Senco or specialised teachers. We have also been given resources from the physio therapist when needed.
How our setting prepares and supports young children with SEND when joining the setting and when transferring to another setting or school.
We encourage parents to visit Little Ducks with the child that is starting so they can play and feel safe. We arrange a number of introductory sessions where new children and parents can meet others for whom it is a new experience too. We provide books “A Day at Little Ducks” with pictures of the staff and preschool activities that they can take home and share. We offer staggered start time for the first few sessions and gradually increase the time they are left to help the child to settle. We have formed very good relationships with all local schools. They are invited to visit the setting and we arrange visits to school with the children so they can share their learning journey with their new teacher. Together with parents we complete a transition form to pass onto the schools. We encourage schools to visit us and will go with the children to their chosen school. If a child needs extra support with transition the key person may liaise directly with the teacher and may accompany the child on extra visits and discuss strategies that will aid transition.
How our setting organises it resources to meet the needs of young children with SEND
All children’s next steps and One Page Profiles are taken into account in weekly planning. Extra staff are always available to help with activities and to support any child who needs it. All staff are aware of the children who may require help and areas of support and strategies are discussed on a regular basis. The learning environment is arranged with a balance of floor and table top activities and child led and adult led activities. Staff are aware of the need for activities to be varied to meet the needs of all children’s ages and stages of development.
How we decide appropriate support for young children with SEND
We would begin with the information provided by parents and our own observations in the first few weeks. This would help to identify the best strategies to implement to support the child in their learning and to encourage their progress through the EYFS. The Key person will be supported by our SENCO and our Area Senco. If we feel it’s appropriate to involve outside agencies and professionals we will discuss with the parents and seek their permission.
How we involve all parents/carers in our setting.
All parents are welcome to stay and help settle their child and to experience a day at Little Ducks. We have a well established ENCO Group which meets termly to discuss how the pre-school can continue to promote inclusion. Parents are encouraged to share their experiences and hobbies in pre-school – maybe reading a story, playing a musical instrument, cooking, playing outdoor games. Parents have also helped us participate in a variety of festivals and celebrate special times in their families lives. Key person meetings with parents, family events and questionnaires mean that their views are also taken into account .
Who to contact for further information.
Michelle Yarwood (Owner) is the Senco for Little Ducks and parents can also contact Annie Hill (Manager) or your child’s key person.