The Setting

• What type of setting is it?

What age group does the setting cater for – 0-4, 2-4 0-4 and before/after school clubs etc?

How many children are you registered to take in which age groups? How are the age groups organised?

Who are the key staff? (room leaders, manager/supervisor, SENCO, person with responsibility for behaviour, PICO, ENCO etc.)

 

What the setting provides

​

Cherry Tree is a PVI setting which takes children from our local area. We are a Registered Charity operating in a Community Centre. We are open Monday - Friday, 08.00 - 16.00, term time only. Places are usually sessional taken over five mornings, but may be taken flexibly within our opening hours.

 

We currently have 20 children on our register, from 2 - 4 years old. The numbers of children in each age group varies according to the cohort at the time. Each child is allocated a key worker who will welcome and build a relationship with the child and the family, and who will work in partnership with parents to make sure their child feels secure and happy here.

 

The staff all work as a team and the children are cared for in general all together, with some targeted activities occasionally undertaken in smaller key groups or 1 to 1 with their key worker. However, the children are not restricted as to where or with whom they play. We do not split the children into separate groups. and each child will work with and get to know all the staff. This is especially important for a child with special educational needs, to avoid the child becoming solely dependent on their key worker, as this could cause distress if the key worker is absent for any reason.

 

Each child is free to play wherever they wish, to interact and play with others, and to form happy and productive friendships with other children. All children are encouraged to access areas of learning independently, and resources are easily accessible. We find that allowing the children to mix with children in other age groups works very well; younger or less able children learn from the older ones, and the older children really enjoy ‘helping’ the younger ones. We aim to promote inclusive practice and, wherever possible, children’s needs will be met within our continuous provision. We may sometimes take individual children into our little story room to do planned activities, in order to help the child to concentrate without being distracted by other children.

 

Our staff are –

Angela Trow: Pre-School Leader, SENCO, ENCO, Nominated Officer for Safeguarding.

Karen Price: Deputy Leader, Health and Safety Officer, Nominated Officer for Safeguarding

Janeane Haigh: Early Years Practitioner.

 

All staff are qualified to level 3. The pre-school leader is also qualified to level 6 and is not office-based, but works hands on with the children. All staff have substantial experience, and all are parents themselves. All regular and supply staff are trained in Safeguarding, Food Hygiene and First Aid. We are a small, friendly nursery and we pride ourselves on our open, supportive relationships with parents and families and our links with local schools and the wider community.

 

 

Accessibility and Inclusion

• How accessible is the setting environment?

Is the building fully wheelchair accessible? Do you have accessible parking spaces? Have there been improvements in the auditory and visual environment? Are there accessible changing/toilet facilities? How do you improve access to the setting?

• How accessible is your information - including displays, policies and procedures etc.

Do you have information available in different font sizes, audio information, Braille, other languages etc. How does the setting communicate with parents and families whose first language is not English? How is information made accessible to parents and families with additional needs?

• How accessible is the provision?

How is the room organised, how can it be changed to meet the needs of children with SEND? How do you make use of resources such as symbols, pictures and sign graphics to support children's access to resources? Do you have furniture such as height adjustable tables or alternative ways of presenting activities so that children can access them?

​

What the setting provides

 

Environment

The designated point of entry to our pre-school allows wheelchair access and our provision is all on one level. Toilets are suitable for disabled access.                                                                                 

Car parking is on-road but very close to the front entrance.

​

Information

Prospective and new parents are provided with a comprehensive information pack, detailing our working practices and policies, and are welcome to come in, by arrangement, with their child to have a look round and a chat with the pre-school leader. We are happy to provide parents with any formal information they may want, such as insurance documents, our most recent Ofsted Inspection Report, our Complaints Procedure, our policies, or other useful information  as required.

 

We currently welcome our parents and carers into the nursery at the end of session each day. This may change if Covid cases rise locally; we will be guided by advice from LCC as to whether this is appropriate and safe. We also admit individual parents for meetings with their key worker, or for other purposes where appropriate.

 

We regularly send letters home to provide parents with information about our activities, and we also post updates each day on our facebook page. We regularly send home resources and suggestions to support parents in furthering their child’s learning at home.

​

Provision

The arrangements of furniture and equipment in the various areas of continuous provision are flexible and are changed as necessary, to reflect the needs and interests of each cohort of children and of the individual children within each cohort. Where applicable, this flexibility allows us to ensure ease of access for children with mobility difficulties.

Furniture and fittings are arranged so as to provide defined areas of provision and clearly defined pathways.

We provide chairs and tables of various heights.

We ensure that the range of resources and equipment offered is suitable and accessible for children with all levels of ability.

 

Picture communication systems are used where required. We have a range of Makaton resources to be used as applicable to support children with speech and language difficulties, if this is advised by the child’s Speech and Language Therapist.

 

 

Identification and Early Intervention

• How does the setting know if a child needs extra help and what should a parent do if they think their child may have special educational needs?

How do you identify children with special educational needs? (Refer to how you monitor children's progress - including the 2-3 year check)

How can a parent raise any concerns they may have?

How do you access additional advice and support?  (Make reference to the setting's SEN/Inclusion policy and how this identifies the graduated response the setting follows).

• How are decisions made about how to support a child?

 

What the setting provides

 

We seek information on our application form about known special educational needs, disability, and medical conditions. This enables us to plan ahead for additional staff training, equipment or resources to meet the needs of each child. We will make reasonable adjustments, where applicable, to enable all children to fully access all aspects of our provision.

All parents are asked to complete a comprehensive ‘All About Me’ document on admission. Where a child joining the nursery has an already identified need, parents should speak directly to the SENCO prior to admission, to ensure that we are able to meet the needs of their child and so that we can prepare in advance if applicable. Parents who have any concerns about any aspect of their child’s development during their time at the nursery should speak promptly to the SENCO, who will work with the parents to identify any concerns and to establish the appropriate support which is needed to meet the child’s needs.

 

A baseline assessment is completed, when each child joins us, to ascertain the child’s level of development, and this focuses mainly on the prime areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage: Physical Development, Personal, Social and Emotional Development, and Communication and Language. An ongoing system of observation, assessment and tracking, including a statutory two year old progress check which is undertaken in consultation with the parents, will identify each child’s strengths, and any areas where the child’s progress is less than expected. If there are significant emerging concerns, or an already identified special educational need or disability, we will work with parents to develop a series of Targeted Learning Plans, to include strategies, resources and criteria for success, to support the child’s future learning and development.

 

As stated in our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Policy, the SENCO and the child’s key worker will work closely with parents to create and maintain a positive partnership, and to keep them fully informed at all stages - through informal updates on a day-to-day basis, and through regular planned review meetings at which the Targeted Learning Plans are evaluated and the next steps identified. As part of a graduated response, and with parental consent, we work in partnership with other agencies to meet individual children's needs and make referrals to the Specialist Teaching Service as appropriate for additional support and guidance. In all cases, we work closely with parents in establishing and implementing how best to support their child.

​

Programmes from professionals such as the Speech and Language Therapist, Physiotherapist, or Occupational Therapist are incorporated into Targeted Learning Plans, and support from Makaton / BSL / Augmentative Communication specialists is sought if applicable.

​

Where children have medical needs requiring specific treatment or interventions, we ensure that relevant staff members undertake training as appropriate in how to deal with any problems which may arise.

​

​

Teaching and Learning Part 1 – Practitioners and Practice

• How is teaching and learning developed in nursery?

Provide a brief overview of the context of the EYFS and the requirements within it – SEN requirements within the EYFS. Organisation of the setting – areas of provision, enhancements to areas of provision etc. 

How is children's progress and development monitored?  (Baseline assessments?, termly reviews?, parent & key person conferences?, 2-3 year development check)

What is the role of the key person for all children.

What are the setting's approaches to differentiation generally and for children with SEND?

• How will the early years setting's provision and staff practice support  a child?

What is the role of the key person where children have additional needs/SEND and senior staff i.e. room leader, the role of the SENCO?

What is the setting's provision map and how is it used to support children learning and development? The use of TLPs to support children at Wave 2/3 of the provision map.

How will you match provision to the learning and development needs of a child with SEND? 

• How will you help parents to support learning?

How do you explain to a parent(s) how learning is planned and how can parent(s) help support this outside of the setting? Which staff have a role in this and what is that role?  i.e. PICO, SENCO, Key person?

Do you offer any parent training or learning events?

How do you find out about events provided by others and how do you let parents know about them?

• How is a child able to express their views?

How are children encouraged to express their views?

What resources or activities do you use that allow children to express their views?

What do you ask children for their views about?

How are children involved in the planning of their own learning and in reviewing their progress?

 

What the setting provides

 

We work within the framework of the Early Years Foundation Stage to provide an enabling environment, which is accessible and suitably differentiated to meet the individual needs of each unique child. Resources from younger or older age ranges are provided as applicable. The highly experienced staff work as a team, and will all work with and get to know all of the children, engaging in the children’s play activities, extending their learning wherever possible and developing sustained shared thinking. All children are supported to access all the areas of provision. We implement each area of learning and development through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity. Individual observations are used to inform the planning within the areas of continuous provision, and to identify where differentiated resources or planning are needed.

​

All children have individual learning journey files that document and celebrate their interests and achievements. The key worker will regularly observe and assess each individual child’s interests and activities, and will use this information to track the child’s progress and to plan the next steps in learning for each child. Parents are informed of their child’s current targets and have the opportunity to request their own choice of target for their child, which will be included in the activities planned for the child.

​

Where children have additional needs, the SENCO will liaise regularly with the parents and keep them fully informed and included in all decision making about their child. The SENCO and the child’s key worker will plan to meet the needs of each child with special educational needs or disabilities by providing and implementing a series of Targeted Learning Plans, to be delivered mainly by the key worker, but also supported by the staff team as a whole. The SENCO will also monitor, review and keep accurate records of the child’s progress, in consultation with the key worker and the child’s parents; and will report such progress to the Inclusion Service, and seek support from the Specialist Teacher as appropriate. The SENCO is also responsible for liaising with professionals from other agencies working with the child and family, completing reports, and arranging meetings as appropriate. We encourage and support children to express their opinions or preferences using a range of strategies and resources, such as targeted picture choice boards. Activities planned for each child will reflect the child’s own interests and preferences, as well as their identified learning needs. Each child will be encouraged to follow their own interests within the continuous provision, and will be supported to do so by all the staff.

 

Parents of all children are encouraged to share their child’s interests and activities at home. Children’s interests, learning and development at nursery are shared with parents, through letters, our facebook page, informal chats at the beginning and end of session, and planned 1-1 meetings between the key worker and the parents, and the SENCO as applicable. Such meetings are usually held once per term for those children who are progressing well, but are held more frequently for those children who have additional needs - as and when appropriate, to review the child’s progress and their Targeted Learning Plans, and to identify the next steps for their learning. All Targeted Learning Plans will include strategies, resources and criteria for success.

​

We send home with each child a selection of resources on a regular basis, to support parents in furthering their child’s progress at home. For children with special educational needs, these resources will be tailored very carefully to address their specific learning targets. We will also lend resources and equipment to parents, where applicable, for use at home.

​

​

Teaching and Learning Part 2 - Provision & Resources

• How are the setting’s resources used to support practitioners to meet children’s special educational needs?

How does the setting determine what resources are available to support them in meeting the needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities?

How is the setting's funding allocated? If resources are required how are they sourced and purchased?

If additional staffing is provided, how is this organised?

How do you work with other professionals e.g. making key staff available to meet with/spend time with other professionals visiting the child?  Provision Mapping

• What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the setting?

Are there specialist staff working at the setting and what are their qualifications?

What other services does the setting access including education, health, therapy and social care services?

• How is a child included in activities outside the setting including trips?

What adjustment will you make to ensure a child is able to access the activities of the setting and how will you assist him or her to do so?

How do you involve parents/carers in planning activities and trips?

​

What the setting provides

 

We ensure that the range of resources and equipment offered each day is suitable and accessible for children with all levels of ability. Children’s cultural and linguistic backgrounds are reflected in the provision of resources. Resources from younger or older age ranges are provided as appropriate. The nursery’s funding may be used to support additional staffing over and above the usual adult/child ratio, to enable the key worker to work more closely or more frequently with individual children.

 

The nursery’s Provision Mapping is used to identify and monitor appropriate provision for any child with additional needs.

 

When other professionals visit the nursery to work with or assess the child, additional staff cover is provided, to enable the child’s key worker and/or the SENCO, as appropriate, to liaise with and work alongside such professionals without impacting on the usual adult/child ratio.

 

Where trips or outings are planned, children with additional needs will be included; care will be taken to ensure that the trip or outing is appropriate for the child’s needs. The child’s parent will be invited to accompany us; if this is not possible, the child’s key worker will be solely assigned to care for the child in question and will not be expected to care for any other children. The SENCO will discuss the trip in detail with the parent and the key worker beforehand, to ensure that all eventualities are planned for.

 

 

Reviews

• How do parents know how their child is doing? 

In addition to the normal reporting arrangements what opportunities are there be for parents to discuss their child's progress with the staff?

How does the setting know how well a child is doing?

How will parents know what progress their child should be making?

What opportunities are there  for regular contact about things that have happened at in the setting e.g. a home nursery book

• How will parents be involved in discussions about and planning for a child’s education?

How and when will parents be involved in planning a child’s education?

How are parents/carers involved in the setting more widely?

​

What the setting provides

 

Each child’s key worker will regularly observe and assess each individual child’s interests and progress, and will use this information to plan the next steps for each child. Individual observations are used to inform the planning within the areas of continuous provision, and to identify where differentiated resources or planning are needed.

​

All parents are encouraged to keep us informed about their child’s interests and activities at home. If parents have any questions or concerns about any aspect of their child’s activities, progress or behaviour, the SENCO will be available daily at the beginning or end of the session to have a quick chat. If a parent wishes to discuss any issues in greater detail, they are welcome at any time to make an appointment to speak to their key worker and/or the SENCO as appropriate. Parents may ask at any time to see their child’s file or to discuss their child’s progress, and should simply see the pre-school leader to arrange a convenient time.

​

Children’s interests, learning and development at nursery are regularly shared with parents, through letters, informal chats, and planned 1-1 meetings between the key worker and the parents, and which would include the SENCO as applicable. Such meetings are usually held each term for those children who are progressing well, but are held more frequently for those children who have additional needs. The SENCO and the key worker will carefully discuss their concerns with the child’s parents, and will decide with them how best to support their child. Regular review meetings are arranged as and when appropriate to review the child’s progress and their Targeted Learning Plan, and to identify the child’s next steps. Targeted Learning Plans will include strategies, resources and criteria for success. The SENCO will liaise with other agencies and professionals as applicable and will support families in accessing relevant services from such agencies. The SENCO will ensure that families are kept fully informed, are fully included in all decisions concerning their child, and are provided with support as necessary throughout this process.

​

Where children have additional needs, and particularly if speech and language difficulties are involved, we may use a home/nursery diary to ensure that information about the child’s learning or their general welfare are shared on an everyday basis.

.

 

Transitions

• How does the setting prepare and support a child to join the setting, transfer to a new setting or the

      next stage of education and life to ensure his/her well-being?

      What preparation is there for the setting, parents and the child before he/she joins the setting?

      How will a child be prepared to move onto the next stage?

      What information will be provided to a new setting?

How will a new setting be supported to prepare for a child? (Use of access action plans when children have

known needs that may require more significant planning

​

What the setting provides

 

Before their child joins our setting, all parents receive a comprehensive information pack. Attendance at our introductory parent and child sessions, held just before the start of the autumn term, will help each child to feel more secure and comfortable and to get to know their key worker and the other staff, and will provide an opportunity for the parent to discuss any issues or queries they may have. If a child joins us during the school year, we will agree a phased introduction with the parent. Where a child has significant needs, we will work with the parent to provide a suitable settling-in process which will take account of the child’s specific needs - this might include the parent attending alongside their child for a while, if this would help the child to settle. In all cases, the key worker will build a relationship with parent and child, and will work with the parent to help the child to settle.

 

When children leave us to attend primary school or another early years setting, we will provide a comprehensive transition document detailing the child’s stage of development, their strengths and interests, and any additional needs they may have. For children with special educational needs or disabilities, a Transition Meeting will be arranged, to include representatives from the school or setting, and any professionals involved with the child. Wherever possible, we will arrange for the child to visit the school or setting, accompanied if appropriate by their key worker, or for personnel from the school or setting to visit the child in nursery.

 

 

Staff Training

• What training have the staff supporting children with SEND, had or are expected to have?

What number of staff hold what level of qualification?

How many staff are in training to move up to next level?

What level are the manager, SENCO, room leaders trained to?

Do you have any/how many staff with EYPS?

What experience does the staff team have of children with SEND? This should include recent and future planned training and disability awareness. In house and external training and 'on the job' experience including input from external professionals that has resulted in staff being 'skilled up' in particular areas.

Are there any staff (e.g. within chains of nurseries) that are available to support you?  What qualifications/experience do they have?

Do any staff have any specialist qualifications?

Is the setting recognised/accredited as, for example, an 'I Can' nursery or does the setting have other quality assurance recognition related to SEND?

 

What the setting provides

 

The Pre-School Leader/SENCO is qualified to Level 6. All other staff are qualified to Level 3. All staff are very experienced, and we work effectively as a team.

 

The SENCO has 21 years’ experience of the SENCO role and has supported children with a wide range of difficulties. The pre-school has effective links with local services and works closely with other professionals.

 

 

Further Information

• Who can be contacted for further information?

Who should a parent contact to discuss something about their child?

Who else has a role in the education of each child?

Who can parents talk to if they are unhappy?

Does the setting have an open door policy?

What opportunities exist for discussions at drop off/pick up times?

Can appointments be made to see specific staff at specific times?

How can contact be made with specific staff (eg:  Phone, text, email, notes, home-nursery diary etc)

​

What the setting provides

 

We provide a welcoming and caring environment where all children and their families are included and valued. All practitioners adopt a nurturing approach towards the children and a friendly, supportive, and courteous manner towards their parents. The staff work as a team and will all work with, and get to know, all of the children.

​

We pride ourselves on our informal and friendly atmosphere, which promotes good relationships and mutual trust between ourselves and our parents, and which supports parents in voicing any anxieties they may have about their child. Parents can have a quick informal chat at drop off or pick up times; if they wish for a more detailed, or more private, conversation, they can ask at any time to see their child’s records, or discuss any aspect of their child’s care or development, with their key worker, and a mutually convenient time will be arranged.

​

Equally, a parent may ask at any time to speak to the SENCO, and this will be arranged. Parents who have concerns about any aspect of their child’s development should speak initially to the SENCO, who will arrange for a meeting between herself, the parents and the key worker, to identify any causes for concern and to establish what support is needed. We will do our best to be available to speak to parents whenever is convenient for them. Some meetings could be held by telephone if this would be more convenient. Parents can also contact us via our facebook page if they wish.

​

Where we do not see parents on a regular basis - for example, if children are brought and collected by another person - we could provide a home/nursery notebook to ensure that all information is shared in a timely manner.