Our Local Offer

Local Offers are statements of intention and a settings ability to provide children with additional help and support where identified and required.

For further information on the Essex Local Offer please visit  Essex County Council: Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) | Essex Local Offer 

Our Local Offer is as follows:

1. How our setting knows if young children need extra help and support:

We have a range of experienced, professional and knowledgeable staff who are well trained in observing and monitoring children’s development and recognising where children may need additional help and support. Our amazing teamwork has been recognised by Nursery Management Today magazine who awarded us with Team of the Year in 2013. Through the Key Person Approach which is imbedded in practice, children have their learning, development and progress throughout the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum) regularly monitored through individual Education Programmes which are monitored and tracked by the Nursery Manager.

Children's development is tracked on Development Wheels and staff support children through play and activities to help them reach their full potential. Twice a year, children's learning and acheivements are collated into developmental reports which are shared with parents and relevant external professionals, who work together to plan for future aims. Alongside this team, each nursery has their own designated SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) who has personally undergone extensive additional training in all areas of additional needs and who the staff and parents can go to for advice and support.

They will work alongside the Nursery Manager, child, parents and Key Person to access the appropriate support for the child and family and put plans in place to support the child whilst at nursery, for example in the form of One Plans, focusing on outcomes and child centred planning which is regularly reviewed and updated as required.

2. What parents/carers should do if they think their child may have SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities)?

If parents think their child may have SEND, the first thing they should do is speak to their child’s Key Person. They will in turn inform the Nursery Manager and SENCO and a meeting will be arranged to determine the next course of action. This normally occurs in the form of focused observations on a particular area of concern, for example speech development. Agreement will be reached to access additional external support if the initial plans put in place by the nursery fail to show any improvement.

3. How our setting supports young children with SEND and how our setting organises resources to meet the needs of young children with SEND:

Every young child is treated as an individual at Nannas Day Nurseries. Children with SEND will be supported by their Key Person at the setting alongside the Nursery SENCO. They will have targeted support for the area of need and all staff working with the child will be made aware of this. Observations and activities during the day will focus on the development of the specific area, e.g. speech.

Various support methods and resources will be put in place from visual aids, to PECS (Picture Exchange System), to ‘first and then’ boards, dependent upon the individual child. Where appropriate the setting will access additional support from external professionals and experts who can access further help for the child and the family, outside of the nursery. The nursery may also be able to apply for additional grants and funding to support the child whilst in our care, for example by providing specialist resources and equipment, to providing targeted intensive support with a one to one staff member.

The setting will work alongside the family and gain advice and support from their area SENCO where needed. Any additional resources are identified in the long term plans and business plans of the company to ensure that they are used and allocated accordingly.

4. How our setting creates learning and development opportunities for individual children with SEND:

At Nannas Day Nurseries, the learning environment is accessible for all and easily adaptable. Learning is on an individual basis, with individual Education Programmes carried out by the child’s Key Person who personally monitors the child’s development and plans for their next steps accordingly. They are well trained in identifying where children may need additional support and know how and where to access this.

Nannas Day Nurseries believes in creating natural play environments which enable and encourage children to develop and thrive. As a result, natural resources are used throughout – the baby room being entirely of natural materials, and the rest of the nursery incorporating this into their daily play and learning. Sand, water, play-dough and mark making are always available in and out doors in addition to other toys and equipment, providing a sensory rich environment to promote all 7 senses. This is even more crucial for children with additional needs.

With easy access around the nursery via wide doors, slopes, low level storage and accessible toilets, the nursery provides access to development opportunities for all. Additional risk assessments are carried out on all children for all areas within the nursery that they access taking into account their additional need/disability.

5. How our setting works in partnership with parents/carers:

Through the Key Person Approach Nannas Day Nurseries works tirelessly to promote and develop our parent partnerships. Nannas Day Nurseries recognises that parents/carers are a child’s first educator and believes that working in partnership with parents is of major value and importance to the nursery in enabling it to provide a happy, caring and stable environment for them and their children.

The nursery aims to form good relationships with parents/carers and ensure that they are active participants in the organisation of each nursery. We believe the better our relationships with parents/carers, the easier information regarding their children (developmental, social or health related) can be exchanged comfortably between them and the nursery staff. We will strive to achieve a strong and equal working partnership with parents by:

  • Ensuring that Key Persons are available for regular discussions about children’s development and progress, in the form of parent evenings and Key Person appointments.
  • Making every effort to ensure that information for parents/carers is made accessible to them.
  • Ensuring that parents/carers have the opportunity to participate in the EYFS and their child’s individual learning and development through their Education Programmes and home links (recorded in their Child Profiles).
  • Ensuring that parents/carers permission is gained and they are worked with to complete a SFA (Shared Family Assessment) form on their child, should they require additional support.
  • We believe that the child’s named Key Person is central to every exchange of information. Parents are welcomed into the nursery to discuss their child’s progress and welfare with the Key Person and are urged to share any relevant information about changes to their child’s normal routine or family life.
  • We encourage parents to first discuss any concerns or issues about their child with their Key Person.

6. How our setting decides on appropriate support for young children with SEND and how the setting supports the wellbeing of young children with SEND:

We provide an environment in which all children and adults are supported to reach their full potential. We have regard for the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice and include all children in our provision. We have a designated member of staff at each site as the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) and this person is identified on the staff board. Our SENCO ensures we work closely with relevant external agencies and families to support each and every child according to their individual needs.

We provide practitioners with training and advice to support parents and children with Special Educational Needs (SEND)/disabilities. We identify the specific needs of children with SEND/disabilities and meet those needs through a range of strategies such as: children’s individual Education Programmes, observations and Care Plans. We work in partnership with parents, other agencies and settings in meeting individual children’s needs by raising a SFA (Shared Family Assessment) form on individual children with their families to enable additional support from external agencies to be accessed. We monitor and review our practice and provision and if necessary, make adjustments.

We ensure that parents are informed at all stages of the assessment, planning, provision and review of their children’s education and encourage them to play an active role in this. We ensure that we keep up to date with relevant law/legislation and training, with particular regard to the IDP (Inclusion Development Program) and ECAL (Every Child a Learner), cascading this information to the staff and passing on information to the parents, for example speech and language strategies to use with children and the referral process. We liaise with other professionals involved with children with SEND/disabilities and their families, including transfer arrangements to other settings and schools.

We use a system of planning, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reviewing individual educational plans (One Plan’s) for children with SEND/disabilities. We use a system for keeping records of the assessment, planning, provision and review for children with SEND/disabilities. We use any SEND premium or other funding allocated to children with SEND/disability in the appropriate manner for that specific child and their needs e.g. a one to one support worker or additional resources/equipment and record this appropriately. We ensure that the environment is accessible to all and have flexibility within the equipment, budget and facilities to make adjustments as required. It is the aim of Nannas to ensure all children feel welcome into our nurseries and are included and integrated into the setting.

7. Training and experience we provide for our staff in supporting young children with SEND:

Nannas Day Nurseries highly values its staff – its most valuable resource. It is in the interests of the nursery, the children, their families, and the individual, that each staff member is given the opportunity to develop their skills to their maximum and to broaden their knowledge and skills in caring for children. Personal and professional development is essential for maintaining the delivery of high-quality care and learning for children in their early years. It underpins all aspects of positive interactions and activities planned for children. At Nannas Day Nurseries we ensure that at least 50% of staff are qualified to Level 3 (or equivalent) or above in childcare and education.

Other staff working at the nursery will either be qualified to Level 2 or undertaking training. We strongly promote continuous professional development and all staff have individual training records and training plans to enhance their skills and expertise. We have a training budget which is set annually and reviewed to ensure that the team gain external support and training where needed. Nannas Day Nurseries accesses and provides additional external training on areas needed on the request of the individual or for the setting as a whole and can also gain training through our area SENCO for individual children. We coach, lead and offer staff encouragement and support to achieve a high level of morale and motivation on a day to day basis. We evaluate all training events and use these to evaluate the training against the aims set to enable the development of future training programmes to improve effectiveness and staff learning.

8. Specialist services and expertise accessed by our setting:

At Nannas we are committed to the inclusion of all children and we will do everything in our power to accommodate them and reach every child’s individual needs. To help develop every child’s full potential we may need help, guidance and support from outside agencies. Outside agencies therefore can vary from Specialist Teachers to Speech Therapists and Health Visitors. Where needed, a SFA form may be raised to access some of these external professionals for their support with a child with particular additional needs. Below are some of the agencies and professionals that we may come across in the nursery whether they are frequently visiting or rarely.

SEND Inclusion Partner – will come into the nursery to observe any children (with parental consent), whom ourselves or parents may have concerns with and work with us, advising us of the appropriate and effective action to take if necessary. The nursery SENCo and Nursery Manager will work very closely with the area SENCo so any concerns will be passed to her through the nursery SENCo.

Specialist Nurse – may come into nursery to give any treatment training i.e. epi pens, tube feeding etc. Speech and Language Therapist (SALT) – will work alongside staff to support any children who may require extra help to develop their speech and vocabulary. They will work between home and nursery to ensure all parties are working together to support the child.

9. How our setting includes young children with SEND in community based activities and outings:

Outings are an important part of the learning and development for children whilst at nursery. It is essential that children go on outings as regularly as possible to enhance their life experiences. Outings will be carefully thought out, planned and prepared for in advance with children’s safety of paramount importance at all times. Adult: child ratios are maintained and where needed (for example if a child has additional needs) are increased. Permission must be gained by the Nursery Manager or Deputy before going on any outings.

Only children who have permission on their contract signed by their parent/carer are allowed to leave the nursery to go on an outing. In the case of a child with additional needs, the parents will also be informed of any outing before this takes place. Risk assessments must be carried out on the intended visiting area, prior to the visit (even if the area has been visited before) to ensure that it is safe and no new hazards have occurred. Additional risk assessments will be carried out for children who have additional needs, taking into account any additional risks or hazards to the particular child. Areas will be assessed for the suitability of all children.

A nominated person (Room Leader/Trainee Room Leader or Nursery Educator) will take responsibility for the outing, carrying a fully working, charged up, credited mobile phone (normally the nursery’s own mobile phone which doesn’t contain a camera) the contact details of which must be left at nursery with the Nursery Manager or Deputy. There will be a qualified First Aider on every outing and a fully stocked first aid bag/box will be taken on all outings. This will include any specialist medication or resources needed for individual children.

10. How our environment is accessible:

We provide an environment in which all children and adults are supported to reach their full potential. Nannas Day Nurseries believes in creating natural play environments which enable and encourage children to develop and thrive. As a result, natural resources are used throughout – the baby room being entirely of natural materials, and the rest of the nursery incorporating this into their daily play and learning. Sand, water, play-dough and mark making are always available in and out doors in addition to other toys and equipment, providing a sensory rich environment. With easy access around the nursery via wide doors, slopes, low level storage and accessible toilets, the nursery provides access to development opportunities for all.

11. How our setting supports young children with SEND when joining the setting and when transferring the children to another setting or school:

All children’s transitions from room to room and room to school are handled as sensitively and carefully as possible with thorough handovers to their future carers/teachers to ensure continuation of care. At Nannas Day Nurseries we have specially trained Transitions Co-ordinators to provide advice and support on transitions for parents, children and staff. This member of staff is acknowledged on the staff boards at each site. At Nannas Day Nurseries we recognise that children must be given time to settle into their new environments for example by having regular visits/settling in sessions. Home visits are also offered when a child is new to the setting to aid transition. Children’s Key Persons are crucial in transition and must visit the child’s new surroundings with them, gradually introducing them to the new staff (particularly their new Key Person), room and children. Children’s Key Persons will work with parents to aid transition by informing them well in advance of any visits and move dates, introducing them to the new staff and child’s Key Person and explaining about the child’s new room. Children’s Key Persons will complete Room to Room Transition forms, passing on all the key knowledge they have gained of their Key Child to their next Key Person. The Key Persons will then work closely together to aid transition and share information. Parents are invited to look at the child’s next room at Parents Evenings, meeting the new staff who will be looking after their child. Children are encouraged to visit/move to their next room in their peer groups so three or four friends at a time may move up together if their birthdays fall within the same time frame. Transitions to school happen in the same way. The nursery’s Travelling Ted is sent to each school to encourage the teachers to photograph him in all areas applicable to the child e.g. coat area, school hall, classroom, bathroom. These photographs are turned into booklets that are shared with each child at nursery, sent home and also put in each book corner. Teachers are also invited to the nursery to visit the child.

For further information on our Local Offer and how we support parents and children of families with additional needs, please contact the following:

Nursery Manager, Turner Road site: Lucy Bethell

Email address: lucybethell@nannas.co.uk

SENCO Turner Road site: Lucy Bethell

 

Nursery Manager, Hazelmere site: Nicola Williamson and Emily Suen

Email address: nurserymanager@nannas.co.uk

SENCO, Hazelmere site: Emily Suen

 

Nursery Manager, Cowper Crescent site: Charlie Stuttle

Email address: charliestuttle@nannas.co.uk

SENCO, Cowper Crescent site: Simone Ogden

 

 

 

For further information on the Essex Local Offer please visit www.essexlocaloffer.org.uk

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