Mortimer Pre-School

Our staff work closely with the parents of all the children attending the pre-school to ensure that each child plays and learns at a level appropriate to their age and stage of development.  Parents provide us with valuable information about their child that help us to support them better.

As part of the registration process we ask all parents about any additional needs or SEND their child has that have already been identified, and aim to start working with other professionals supporting their child as soon as possible, preferably before they start with us.

We regularly observe and assess all children attending the pre-school, during adult-led and child-initiated play and activities.  Through this staff assess how each child is developing against typical behavioural and developmental stages as set out in ‘Early Years Outcomes’ (DfE, 2013).  This will also help staff to identify any behaviours or developmental concerns that could indicate that a child requires additional support, or may have with longer term special needs or SEND.  Any concerns are investigated by our experienced SEN Co-ordinator (SENCo), including consulting SEN specialist advisors within the West Berkshire Early Years Services team, and discussed sensitively and at an appropriate time with a child’s parents or carers.  When necessary, our SENCo and the family’s Key Person support and help parents make contact with other professionals who can provide the appropriate support they and their child may need.

We record evidence of each child’s learning over time in a ‘Learning Journey’ and use tracking documents to record and help monitor each child’s development.  These are shared regularly with a child’s parents by the family’s Key Person, and are accessible to parents on request.  With the parents’ permission this information can also be shared with other supporting professionals or advisors.

Parents are consulted regularly about their child’s interests and activities away from the pre-school environment.  We take parents’ concerns about their child’s development or behaviour seriously and aim to help parents use resources, such as specialist drop-in sessions at the local Children’s Centre, to gather more information and get expert advice promptly.

Each child attending the pre-school has a Key Person.  The Key Person’s role is to ensure that each child in their key group can participate in a wide range of activities that will interest and engage them and that are pitched at a level that is appropriate for their age and stage of development.  The Key Person observes and assesses each child in their key group regularly.  They keep each child’s parents and carers informed about their learning and encourage and support learning at home.  

Our pre-school also has a named SEN Co-ordinator (SENCo) who is responsible for supporting, regularly monitoring and reviewing the work of any Key Person who has a child with SEND in their key group.  The SENCo also advises staff or families who have concerns over the development or additional needs of specific children attending the pre-school.

For a child with SEND, the child’s parents or carers, their Key Person, our SENCo and any other agencies involved with the child work together to write an individual Support and Achievement Play Plan (SAPP) for the child, with achievable targets and outcomes.  This forms a common plan that all groups involved can follow.  For the pre-school this would include areas or skills to work on using activities during pre-school sessions, and progress would be monitored regularly and activities adapted to suit the child’s individual interests and preferences for learning.  We give informal feedback to parents regularly on what their child has been doing during sessions.

A child’s SAPP is reviewed formally each term (approximately every 12 weeks) with the parents and all the supporting professionals involved, so that everyone is working together and the lines of communication are kept open as this is important to meet the child’s needs and support their continued development.

Our SENCo or the child’s Key Person is available during pre-school hours to speak with a parent and discuss how their child is being supported.  Parents are also welcome to come to a pre-school session to see the work being done with their child, and to join in.

For a child whose additional needs have been identified before they join our pre-school, the SENCo or Key Person will consult with the child’s parents or carers, and any other professionals involved with the child if appropriate, to find out more about ways in which the pre-school environment would need to be adjusted to make all areas and activities more easily accessible for the child.  This helps to promote independence and build the child’s confidence in the pre-school environment.

We use an on-going observation, assessment, planning and evaluation process to ensure that experiences offered meet the needs of all the children, and the requirements of the EYFS curriculum.  Activities and experiences are planned by the staff team and adapted by each Key Person to meet the individual needs and interests of each child in their key group. 

For a child with SEND, their Key Person, working in conjunction with the child’s parents and our SENCo, is responsible for ensuring that activities are accessible and meet that child’s learning and development needs.  This involves talking regularly with the child’s parents about their current levels of learning in a particular area to establish what level of support is needed to help the child to learn and develop in this area, and reviewing how enjoyable and effective learning activities and experiences have been for the child. 

Working in conjunction with parents and other professionals, staff adapt the room layout and activities so that all children have equal opportunity to access the curriculum fully.

All staff use positive reinforcement and good role modelling skills when working with all the children.

Staff use a variety of strategies and approaches depending on the needs of the child.  We use visual prompts for children with limited communication skills.  These prompts include a visual timetable, a pictorial guide to behaviour (our ‘Pre-School Manners’) and ‘now and then’ boards.  Staff adapt and tailor their use of language according to the children’s individual levels of understanding. For some children we have used of some basic elements of sign language systems such as Makaton.  Wherever possible we seek input from parents about the most effective ways they have to communicate with their child.

We aim to ensure that children with additional needs learn through a balance of targeted 1:1 activities and group activities involving other children where appropriate.

If a child requires specialized equipment we work with parents and other agencies to arrange this, and we also seek training where needed so that any staff involved with the child knows how to use equipment safely and correctly.

We plan and use focused activities, either on a 1:1 basis or in a small group, to support a child’s specific learning needs.  We aim for a child with additional needs or SEND to have intervention time with an experienced member of staff during each pre-school session they attend.  This may be with their Key Person or with a dedicated Learning Support Assistant who works closely with the child, the Key Person and the SENCo supporting the child’s developmental needs.

 A child’s parents, Key Person and our SENCo meet regularly to review progress and discuss what support is required.

 We make use of a range of additional support services available including:

• the West Berkshire Pre-School Teacher Counsellors;
• Burghfield Children’s Centre – drop-in sessions for Educational Psychology, Speech and Language Therapists, parent 2 parent groups, Family Support Workers;
• West Berkshire SEND Funding and specialist staff training provided as part of this. 

Professionals from these service groups provide valuable resources, advice and support for the child, their family and the pre-school staff supporting the child.  The advice given is incorporated into day-to-day activities wherever possible and included in the child’s SAPP.

We also encourage parents to use services such as those offered at the local Children’s Centre for extra support and advice when they have specific concerns about their child’s development.

At preschool staff make regular observations of each child’s learning activities and assess their progress against the developmental stages outlined in ‘Early Years Outcomes’.  This development is recorded and tracked over time by the child’s Key Person, and appropriate ‘next steps’ are drawn up.  Evidence of each child’s learning is collated in their ‘Learning Journey’. 

Each child’s Learning Journey and ‘next steps’ are shared with their parents on a termly basis but can be accessed by their parents at any time on request.  Parents are encouraged to contribute to their child’s Learning Journey and to work with their Key Person to find ways to support their child’s learning and next steps at home.

Parents are also invited to join a pre-school session (normally once a term), see what their child does during a session and have an opportunity to discuss their child’s development and progress with their Key Person.

If a child has a SAPP then progress against this plan is reviewed termly with the child’s parents and other professionals working with the child.  If the child attends another setting their Key Person from that setting is invited to join this SAPP review meeting.  The aim of this meeting is to ensure that all parties have an input into setting achievable targets for the child’s next plan.

We strive to include all children in our activities, through careful planning and our knowledge of each child’s needs and capabilities. 

Activities are adapted where necessary to meet the needs of children with SEND or additional needs, and when required the SENCo undertakes risk assessments for specific situations, activities or children.  We ensure there are enough staff to manage activities and to offer extra support to children in the areas needed and identified in the planning.

For trips parents of children with additional needs are consulted during the planning and preparation stages so that staff can get their advice on how best to include their child.  This information is used in conjunction with the Key Person’s knowledge of the child to plan and make suitable arrangements so that the child can fully participate in the trip with their peers from pre-school.

The pre-school operates in a village hall.  The building is arranged on one level and there is wheelchair access at the front of the building, and wide doors to the outside play area.  The building also has a fully equipped disabled toilet area suitable for use by children.

When a child joins our pre-school, as part of the registration process we ask all parents about any additional needs or SEND their child has that have already been identified, and aim to start working with other professionals supporting their child as soon as possible, preferably before they start with us.  The SENCo and the child’s Key Person will work with the professionals supporting the child to ensure that our pre-school can provide the necessary support required for the child.  The SENCo will also brief the other staff about the child’s needs before they join us.

When a child is moving to another setting or school, their Key Person meets with the parents at the earliest opportunity to discuss the transition and how it will be managed, what the child already knows about the transition and how information will be shared with the new setting.  The Key Person compiles a transition report which gives an overview of the child’s developmental stage in the different learning areas of the EYFS.  This is a summary of information from the child’s Learning Journey, progress trackers and continued observations, and knowledge of the child’s needs, behaviours or habits that will help with getting them settled in their new setting.  The Key Person discusses the contents of the transition report with the child’s parents and gives them the opportunity to add their comments prior to sending the report to the new setting. With the agreement of the parents we also pass on a copy of the child’s latest SAPP to the new setting or school (without recommended next steps and targets).

We also invite staff from the new setting or school to visit our pre-school so that they can meet the child and observe them within our setting.  The Key Person or SENCo discusses whether the child would benefit from additional visits to the new setting or school, and what plans are in place to prepare the child for their move.  When appropriate we work with the new setting to develop and use tools to help the child, such as having a ‘social story’ to help them prepare visually for the transition.  The parents are kept informed about these discussions and their outcomes.

The child’s Key Person or the SENCo can be contacted by the parents or staff at the new setting or school during the transition to give advice on strategies that have been effective for the child whilst at our pre-school.

The SENCo and staff working directly with children with additional needs review the effectiveness of the provision regularly.  Feedback about the SEND provision is actively sought from the parents and carers of these children and any other professionals working with the children and the pre-school staff.  This feedback is used to inform the evaluation of the provision.

All parents registering their child for a place with us should contact our Administrator via admissions@mortimerpreschool.org.uk or go to the Admissions section of our website www.mortimerpreschool.org.uk .

We encourage parents to visit the pre-school to get first-hand experience of the pre-school environment, see how a session runs and to speak to staff about their child’s individual needs.  These visits can be arranged through our Administrator or by calling the pre-school directly on 0118 933 1668 during opening hours (these can be found on the website).

We welcome feedback from parents and carers, and have formal and informal arrangements to handle this.

Formally we send out parent questionnaires several times each academic year.  The responses to this are analysed and a written response and action plan is compiled by the pre-school management committee and senior staff to share feedback and address any areas of concern.  On a day-to-day basis there is a ‘comment box’ available for parents to use.  Comment slips are collected regularly and reviewed and actioned by the management committee.

There is a documented Complaints Policy and procedures that are followed in the event of a complaint being made.

Feedback can be given verbally or in writing to the most appropriate member of the pre-school: a Key Person, the SENCo, the Pre-School Manager, or to the Chairperson of the pre-school’s management committee.

More informally staff are encouraged to develop a professional but friendly relationship with parents so that parents are comfortable sharing information and giving feedback, and know that it will be handled in a timely, sensitive and appropriate manner.  We also offer parents an opportunity to help at a session each term, where they have the chance to talk to staff about their child’s progress and discuss any feedback or concerns they may have.