We provide a safe, nurturing, and inspiring space where children can explore, play, and learn at their own pace

We operate a key person system in our preschool, where each child has a member of staff assigned to them who will support the child’s emotional needs, comfort and oversee their educational progress in all areas of the EYFS. The key person observes their key child regularly and completes assessments, which helps to identify any support that the child may need. We try to identify children with SEN as early as possible. We know when children need help if:

• Concerns are raised by parents
• Concerns are raised by the key person
• Limited progress is being made
• There is a change in the child’s behaviour or progress

When a child starts at our preschool, we offer settling in sessions where parents and the child’s key person have an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the child’s individual needs, interests, and abilities.

The key person is responsible for observing, assessing and planning the child’s learning to meet his/her individual needs. They will also make a judgment about whether a child is showing a typical progress for their age, may be at risk of delay or is ahead for their age.

Where a child appears to be behind expected levels or where a child’s progress gives cause for concern, the key person will discuss this with the parent(s) and together they can plan how best to support the child. The parent’s and child’s views are acknowledged as part of this process. The SENDCo will be asked for advice on how to support the key person and the child.

Our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator will work closely with all staff to make sure there are systems in place to implement the Graduated Approach of Assess, Plan, Do Review, always making sure plans and records are shared with parents.

Where a practitioner or SENDCo identifies a child with special educational needs, the preschool will assess and record those needs and provide several key actions/targets to help the child. As part of this process the preschool will consult with parents and may seek additional information from external professionals. We track the progress of our SEN children using the Cornwall Council Together for Families Development Journal and the ECAT (Every Child a Talker) assessment tool. The targets for the child, any teaching strategies or changes to provision are set out in an Individual Learning Plan (ILP). The plan will be continually under review, in consultation with the parent(s). This stage will involve a cycles of assessment, planning, doing and reviewing in to identify the best ways of securing and maintaining progress.

Following a review of the ILP the manager, key worker and SENDCo, in consultation with the child’s parents, may decide that insufficient progress has been made and external support services are required for advice. An outside professional will visit preschool and talk to the parents, the preschool will share its records on the child with those professionals, so that preschool can be advised on new ILP targets and appropriate strategies to help the child move forward.

At Barbican Preschool we treat every child as an individual. We have high expectations of children regardless of additional needs or disability. We have a highly qualified and experienced staff team who are confident in monitoring and assessing the ability of all children. We will adapt practice where we feel it is necessary and where we feel it will benefit the child, for example working in smaller groups or use of enhanced ratios. We have policies and procedures in place which are reviewed regularly to ensure that our resources and environment are suitable and accessible for all.

Our manager and SENDCo can liaise with other professionals, with parent’s permission. These services include, Specialist Nursery Workers, the Area SENDCo, Speech and Language Therapists, Health Visitors, and Inclusion Workers to gain further advice in supporting children with SEND. This advice might involve meetings and reports to enable the SENDCo and key person to plan for the individual needs of the child. Our SENCO and key persons work collaboratively to ensure that targets and strategies from outside professionals are implemented.

Parental involvement is highly valued and at heart of our setting. The key persons work together with the parents to ensure that every child’s learning is supported. Parents are given an ‘All About Me’ form when their child starts at the preschool so that the key person can familiarise themselves with the child’s routine, likes and interests.

We make sure our parents are involved with every aspect of our setting. All our policies and procedures are available for parents at any time. We ensure that the key person and SENCO can talk to parents on a regular basis and our management team are always available if needed. All parents are informed and consulted at every stage of the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle and we hold regular ILP review meetings with parents. The views of parents are vital in informing targets and practice for our children.

We use the online portal Tapestry to exchange observations and information between preschool and home.

Parents are always offered the opportunity to have a face-to-face discussion with their child’s key worker, SENDCo and the manager about their child’s care at the preschool. We ask the parents to give us feedback on their child’s progress at home. We share ideas with parents on activities they could do at home to support their child’s learning and development.

If your child is moving to school, your child will be given opportunities to visit the school at different times during the school day and there will be an opportunity to meet their new class teacher.  You will be invited in for a meeting, which may also be attended by the SENCo and reception teacher of the school to draw up an Early Support Plan to ensure the smooth transition between the setting and school.

If your child has a special educational need, we will take action to remove barriers to learning and put effective provision in place that include all children in outside activities and trips. We will undertake an individual risk assessment, in consultation with parents to ensure the safety of the child.