Special Educational Needs Policy

Aims

Beehive Day Nursery aims to provide an appropriate and stimulating environment in which children of differing abilities can flourish.  We do this with the provision of a wide range of resources and through ongoing staff training and development.

Beehive Day Nursery will work with other professionals and will utilise their input, advice and support to ensure that we work effectively with children with Special Educational Needs (SEN).  The nursery also works in close partnership with parents/carers in order to support them and their child.

 

The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo)

At Beehive Day Nursery, the SENCo is Kelly Palmer.  The Deputy SENCo is Mary Hickley

The SENCo will have responsibility for:

• ensuring the SEN policy is understood and implemented by staff.
• ensuring liaison with parents/carers and other professionals in respect of children with SEN.
• advising and supporting other staff.
• ensuring that appropriate Individual Educational Plans (IEP’s) and play plans (for under three’s and short term issues) are in place.
• ensuring that relevant information about background information about children with SEN is collected, recorded and updated.

Staff usually responsible for a particular child (i.e. the child’s key person) will remain responsible for that child on a daily basis and for planning and implementing plans, supported by the SENCo.

 

Admissions

As stated in our admissions policy, children are admitted on a “first come, first served” basis, and our waiting list is operated in the same way.  Our admissions policy applies to all families including those with children with SEN.  Before admitting a child with SEN, we will meet with the child’s parents/carers and discuss the child’s needs and how we can best provide for them.  We can then consider whether we need to make any changes or adaptations to the setting, provide further staff training, or endeavour to employ extra staff and how we are able to do this.  Funding may be sought to facilitate admission of a child with SEN.  If applicable, we will also discuss with parents/carers the medical needs of a child to enable us to put a Health Care Plan into place if necessary.

We have a flexible and inclusive settling-in policy, taking into account the needs of children and their families.

 

Facilities and Staffing

Beehive Day Nursery is accommodated in a single storey building.  There are no steps and ramps are in place where needed.  There are disabled toilet facilities.

Beehive Day Nursery will have due regard for the Equalities Act (2010) which incorporates the Disability Discrimination Act and will look into seeking funding to make reasonable adjustments as appropriate.

The SENCo is undertaking accredited SENCo training.  Other staff work with sensitivity and are encouraged to take training to develop their knowledge and understanding of working with children with special needs.  The Deputy SENCo holds a CACHE Professional Development Award in Working with Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and has undertaken SENCo training provided by Suffolk County Council.

 

Resources we provide for children with SEN:

We maintain a high ratio of adults to children, ensuring children who need individual attention will receive it.  We may seek funding for enhanced ratios if it is considered necessary.

We operate a key person system, ensuring children receive continuity of care and parents/carers can build a relationship with their child’s key person based on trust and ongoing communication.

The nursery is set up to make it easy for children to access resources.  We have a wide range of adaptable resources which can be used by children of differing abilities.  We offer a range of tactile and sensory experiences such as sand and water play, playdough, musical instruments, tactile books etc.  We actively promote the inclusion of children with SEN by ensuring all activities are accessible to all children. 

 

Identification Assessment and Review of children with SEN:

Beehive Day Nursery has regard for the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (2014) and has adopted the  Assess, Plan, Do, Review model.  We recognise the importance and impact of the early identification of SEN issues as is shown in the following stages:      

 

Assess

• The Progress Check at Two, carried out between the ages of two and three years enable s us to review children's progress identifying strengths and any areas where a child's progress is slower than expected or gives us, and/or parents/carers cause for concern
• For children whose first language is not English, all aspects of the child's learning and development will be looked at to establish whether any delay is related to learning English as an additional language, or whether it arises from SEN
• Key persons discuss any difficulties with the child's parents/carers and the SENCo
• We discuss with, and involve parents in further planning. This is reviewed regularly, and progress discussed, to ensure support is matched to the need.
• With the permission of parents, further intervention may include specialist assessment from other professionals including Speech and Language Therapists, Portage workers or Educational Psychologists
• Key persons observe, monitor and review the progress and development for all children throughout their time in the setting.

 

Plan

• A plan will be put into place if, in agreement with parents, it is decided that further SEN support should be provided
• Children's SEN is generally thought of in four broad areas of need and support: Communication and interaction, cognition and learning, social, emotional and mental health and sensory and/or physical needs.  This broadly covers the areas that may need to be planned for
• The plan will detail the desired outcomes, the interventions and support needed, the expected impact on the child's progress, development or behaviour and a date for review
• Whenever possible, we involve children in the planning, taking into account their ages and abilities
• Observations carried out by the key person and other adults working with the child will inform the planning and intervention
• Any staff development needs arising from the plan will be identified and addressed
• Parents are always given a copy of the plan

 

Do

• The child's key person remains responsible for working with the child on a day-to-day basis and keeping parents informed
• The SENCo will support and oversee the implementation of the interventions agreed as part of SEN support
• The SENCo will support the key person in assessing the child's response to action taken, in problem-solving and advising on effective strategies

 

Review

• The effectiveness of support and its impact on the child's progress is reviewed on an agreed date
• The impact and quality of the support is evaluated by the key person and SENCo, involving the child's parents. The views of the child are taken into account when possible
• Any changes to the support for the child will be agreed in light of the child's progress and development
• Parents are involved the next steps and are given a copy of the new plan
• Where a child has not made the expected progress, despite ongoing action to meet their needs, a request for an Education and Health Care Plan may be considered

 

 Education and Health Care Plan (EHC Plan)

• In conjunction with parents/carers and the LEA’s Educational Psychologist/Advisory Team formal assessment and procedures relating to the possibility of the child having an EHC Plan, will be considered.
• Where a child already has an EHC Plan, we will work with all those involved in its implementation and review

 

Record-keeping

Children's plans, records of progress, reviews, reports and information from other professionals are confidential and only available to those who need to access them.

With permission from parents, a child’s records will be shared with other professionals when requested and will be passed on to the child’s school or setting when the time comes.

 

Activities and Learning Experiences

Children access a wide range of activities and experiences, working with the guidelines of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework.  Staff ensure that all children have the opportunity to participate in all activities.  Activities are carefully planned with differentiation to ensure all children benefit from them.  Activity plans clearly show how they can be adapted to take into account the varying abilities of children.  Activities are monitored and evaluated and necessary changes are made to ensure all children have access to and benefit from activities and the continuous and enhanced provision at the nursery.  Staff are flexible when working with the children and adapt their approach to suit individual children and groups.  The emphasis is on responsive planning, taking children’s needs, wishes and interests into account and planning to move children’s learning on.  All children have a Learning Journey in which their key carer records the child’s achievements and milestones in their development.  Learning Journeys are shared regularly with parents/carers who are encouraged to contribute to them.

 

Evaluating our SEN policy

This policy has been shared with, agreed and adopted by the management and staff of Beehive Day Nursery.  We plan to evaluate the policy and our practice annually and in response to changes in legislation, guidance and any changes at the setting.  This will be done by the SENCo in conjunction with the staff.  We will look at all aspects of the policy with particular regard to the following:

• Observation, assessment and the early identification of children with difficulties.
• Record-keeping and monitoring children’s progress.
• Planning and delivering, supported by the Early Years Foundation Stage framework to ensure all children are provided for.
• Our relationship with parents/carers and how effective this has been in relation to children with SEN.
• Staff training and development.
  

 

Complaints

Any complaints about our SEN provision should be made as set out in our Complaints Policy.  Complaints to Ofsted can be made by telephone on 08456 40 40 40 or in writing to  The National Business Unit, Ofsted, The Royal Exchange Buildings, St Ann’s Square, Manchester, M2 7LA.

 

SEN Training

The SENCo and Deputy SENCo have attended or are currently attending Suffolk County Council SENCo accredited training. They also attend relevant training provided by the Early Years and Childcare Training Unit and share relevant issues with staff at team meetings.  The SENCo is responsible for ensuring staff access relevant training when appropriate.  Staff are encouraged to read articles and books on working with children with SEN.

 

Working in partnership with parents/carers

Beehive Day Nursery recognises the vital role parents/carers play in their child’s development and that they have knowledge and experience vital to the shared view of a child’s needs and the best way of supporting them.  All parents/carers will be treated as partners and supported in playing an active role in their children’s care and education. 

• If we have concerns about a child we will approach parents/carers with sensitivity, explaining where our concerns lie and between us deciding on a course of action. We will consider the suitability of a meeting place with regard to confidentiality.

• We value parents’/carers’ knowledge and encourage them to share information with us.

• We will always respect, and are supportive of parents’/carers’ wishes

• We will always gain parents’/carers’ permission before we contact professional outside the setting.

• We will keep parents/carers informed of their child’s progress through informal or formal discussion (whichever is most appropriate) and by sharing written records.

• We will always keep confidential any information about children with SEN. While staff need to be given information about the children, we ensure that sensitive information is shared only with people who need it.

• We inform parents/carers of Parent Partnership Services with a leaflet on our notice board.

 

Links with other settings

We have links with local schools through the transition of children with SEN.

When a child with SEN leaves us to attend another setting or to go to school, we pass on records, transition passports and give any information which will help the child and staff at the new setting.  Whenever possible, we arrange a transition meeting between school and nursery staff and the child’s parents/carers.

 

Links with support services

Parental permission is always sought before we contact outside support for a child.

We are supported by the Early Years Team at Suffolk County Council who are available to deal with concerns we may have with children with SEN.  They support us in setting targets, writing IEP’s and keep us informed of any new policies and procedures we should be following.  They also gives us information on SEN training.

We have contact with the Health Visitor team at our local medical centre.  We are visited occasionally by a Health Visitor and can contact them by telephone if we have concerns or queries about a child with SEN.

We also have contact with Social Care, Educational Psychologists, Social Care, Speech and Language services and the Portage service.

 

This policy will be reviewed annually.

This policy was by Beehive Day Nursery on:  6^th March 2006

Latest review:  October 2018