Accidents can happen anywhere and at any time, but to make our nursery as safe an environment as possible, a variety of measures have been taken to ensure the safety of staff, children and parents, such as staff induction and refresher training, comprehensive risk assessments, audits of accidents and first aid resources, maintenance schedules to name a few.

We aim for all our staff to be paediatric first aid trained as soon as practically possible during their employment at Newpark Childcare.

Five of our nurseries have successfully completed the Millie’s Mark award and two are working towards this. In order to get the Millie’s Mark certification, 100% of staff working directly with the children must be qualified in paediatric first aid. This is a special endorsement to childcare providers that go above and beyond statutory minimum requirements and it provides reassurance that all childcare practitioners know what to do in a paediatric first aid situation. It acknowledged that children’s safety is at the forefront of our minds when we care for children.

First Aid boxes are available throughout the nursery and regularly checked. To further enhance children’s safety, all of our settings are equipped with defibrillators and Newpark has our own training Choking Vest and EpiPen available for staff to practice and refresh their knowledge constantly.

All parents have signed “in loco parentis” consent – this means that we are authorised to administer first aid to children in the nursery, and to take suitable medical actions and make suitable medical decisions in the parents’ absence if we are unable to contact the parents.

When an accident occurs at nursery or on a nursery outing the child will be comforted and first aid will be administered. The accident will be recorded and shared with parents when they come to collect their child. If sufficiently serious, parents will be telephoned to inform them and consult as to the best course of action. When necessary, further medical attention will be sought.

We have adopted numerous forms of communication in order to accommodate different parents’ needs and communication preferences, thus building and maintaining a strong partnership with all parents.

Face to face contact is the belt and braces of our communication with parents daily. In order that we have enough staff available to have a quick chat with parents during drop off and pick up, our staff work 10 hour shifts so that we have the right numbers of staff for our opening hours and to accommodate these important handovers. Our staff therefore work 4 days per week, enjoying a well deserved 'rest day' each week as a result.

Parents often ask why we prefer that handovers are not done in the room, but in the hallway. The answer is simple - we want the children to know that the classroom is their space where they can feel safe and comfortable. Parents entering the room means there is a steady stream of unfamiliar faces for several hours at the beginning and end of each day which can be very unsettling for a child. Handovers in the hallway reduce this impact dramatically, and allow the children to enjoy and benefit from all the time they spend with us, right up until they go home.

If parents prefer to have a handover before greeting their child at pickup time, we are happy to oblige.

Not all parents are able due to work or other circumstances to drop off or collect their child, so are free to use the phone or email to touch base with the nursery.

We also know that whilst handovers at the beginning and end of the day are vital, they are by necessity brief - longer conversations are not possible and sensitive conversations not advisable in our busy hallway! So to discuss something privately or in greater detail parents can book a meeting with the key person or one of the senior team in the office.

Sometimes it can be easier to digest information from the comfort of your own living room when the children are in bed! That's why we have crafted our Complete Guides to afford parents the opportunity to take home these important developmental records to read at their leisure over the weekend. Our blog, and email newsletters are delivered with the same accessibility in mind.

The Complete Guides, blog and email newsletters also allow us to share photos with parents, which can often speak a thousand words! We also are very proud of our team effort to capture key moments in the children's lives on video which we share regularly with parents, giving you the opportunity to be a fly on the wall of the nursery!

In addition we offer parents a developmental meeting either in person or virtually up to twice a year. During this meeting parents have the opportunity to give feedback on how your child is doing at home and ask for advice on anything they may need support with. The child's keyperson and a senior staff member will also share their professional observation on the child's development.

Parent involvement in nursery life is also welcomed, and we have four big events every year which we hope parents will be able to attend - our Summer Outing, our Christmas Nativity and two Parents' Evenings in April and October.

It is of paramount importance that the nursery should run smoothly and that parents and staff work together in a spirit of cooperation in the children’s best interests.

Concerns

It is understandable, given the delicate and sensitive nature of our work with children and their families, that from time to time parents will have very natural concerns or questions about the operation of the nursery or their child’s experience here. These concerns are best dealt with as informally as possible to help build a positive relationship with parents based on honest and open communication. In these instances, parents should initially speak to their keyperson or a senior staff member or, if they prefer, the nursery manager. We have an open door policy and invite parents to share their concerns as soon as possible. Handovers are an ideal time to have a quick chat; alternatively parents are free to call the nursery or email during the day, and every effort will be made to respond quickly and appropriately, with the aim of leaving the parents reassured and satisfied with the information we have provided.

Complaints

On exceptional occasions, parents may have a more serious issue that warrants a formal complaint to be made. In the event of complaints from either staff or parents every effort will be made to respond quickly and appropriately and the following procedure will be followed:

If a parent or staff member feels that they have cause for complaint they should initially speak to a senior staff member and if still dissatisfied this will be escalated to the nursery manager, then a member of the senior leadership team.

Parents have the right to contact Ofsted and we would hope this would happen after contact with the senior leadership team.

A child’s experiences in their foundation years are critical to their subsequent development. Not only is high quality early years education a crucial step towards ensuring that all children arrive at school ready and eager to learn, but it is the period when fundamental attitudes to life, oneself, others and the wider world are formed. We genuinely believe the first five years of life are the most important developmentally, since there are many areas of development that can only form in this time period.

To plan a suitable curriculum for our children we combine the Early Years Foundation Stage with the Maria Montessori method of education. For more information about the EYFS, please visit www.foundationyears.org.uk.

Children’s learning does not fit neatly into compartments and we therefore consider all areas holistically when devising an individual learning plan for the children in our care. Children also learn at different rates and focus on different areas of development at different times to their peers, so we treat each child as unique. When we plan for our youngest ones we bear in mind that children should feel at home in the nursery. They are not at school yet and activities should be fun and optional. Children learn by doing rather than by being shown and are given appropriate responsibility, allowed to make errors, decisions and choices. Above all we consider the development of independence and freedom of choice to be of paramount importance in building a confident and eager-to-learn child. Both indoor and outdoor activities and spaces are considered and utilised effectively to support the child’s learning and development.

The Early Years Foundation Stage

The EYFS outlines seven Areas of Learning and Development which highlight the inter-relationship between growth, learning, development and the environment in which young children are cared for and educated. Three ‘Prime’ areas are particularly crucial for igniting children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, and for building their capacity to learn, form relationships and thrive. As children grow, these Prime areas help children to develop skills in four “Specific” areas.

The Three Prime Areas are:

Communication and language;

Physical development;

Personal, social & emotional development.

The Four Specific Areas are:

Literacy;

Mathematics;

Understanding the world;

Expressive arts and design.

The Montessori Method

Maria Montessori’s approach has proved highly successful throughout the world and we endeavour to follow the principles set out by her:

Every child is a unique person with creative potential, the drive to learn and the right to be treated as an individual.

As children are profoundly affected by society and their immediate surroundings we strive to prepare an environment in harmony with the child’s natural development.

Children must be given freedom to work and move around within limits that enable them to see themselves as part of a group.

Materials are used to help children to master and explore their environment through a variety of activities which require children to be both active and reflective.

We observe the children on a regular basis both individually and as a group to assist their full development.

Children are encouraged to work at their own pace either individually or in co-operation with others.

We believe that a mixed vertical-age grouping is essential for an optimum classroom environment. Older children gain confidence through helping those younger than themselves, and in turn, the younger children learn through watching the older ones. The mixed age group also helps build social awareness and caring for others in the community.

There follows a brief explanation of the five areas of the Montessori classroom:

Practical Life

Children are attracted to Practical Life exercises because they desire the skills to function independently in the world which these activities provide. Children learn how to take care of themselves and their environment, how to develop grace and courtesy in their social relations, and how to perfect control over their bodily movements. The activities include many of the tasks children see as part of the daily life in their home: washing, polishing, preparing food, arranging flowers, buttoning shirts, tying shoe-laces, etc. Through these familiar tasks children learn to work at and complete a task from beginning to end, and develop their will, their self-discipline and their capacity for concentration.

Sensorial Materials

These beautiful, natural materials excite, train, and refine sensory perception and isolate individual qualities such as colour, size, shape, weight, taste, sound, smell and texture, which enable children to explore the world around them, to clarify, classify and comprehend the world and heighten their sense of order, powers of observation, and analysis. This gives a strong base of reality needed for the child to understand the abstract.

Language

Care is taken to provide many opportunities for developing the children’s ability to express themselves. Emphasis is given to the development of a rich and extensive vocabulary based on real experiences and the early preparation, including phonics, required for reading and writing. The advanced activities take the child well beyond the basics to reading and writing for interpretation, creativity and pleasure.

Mathematics

The Montessori Mathematics materials enable even a very young child to achieve through his/her own efforts a quite natural appreciation of basic mathematical concepts. The specially designed materials enable the child to gain very concrete ideas and sensory experiences of numbers, their quantities and mathematical operations. This bedrock of comprehension on which abstract concepts are built will stay with the child throughout their life, making mathematics a joy.

Culture

Our aim is to develop the child’s knowledge and understanding of the world, of other people and cultures (geography), animals (zoology), plants (botany) and science by experimenting with natural materials, cookery etc. Music is an important part of every day and includes singing as well as an introduction to rhythm and pitch with the use of simple instruments. A wide range of art materials and techniques are used including cutting, sewing, collage, paper folding, printing and clay modelling as well as drawing and painting.

The role of the Key Person in an early years setting is much more than just a title. A Key Person's responsibilities stretch beyond meeting the basic needs of your child and exchanging information with you; they are your insight into your child's world whilst they are away from you because of the knowledge they gain about your child whilst at nursery. The concept behind the Key Person is that of promoting consistency of high-quality care for each child and creating a strong, professional partnership with each parent. Every Key Person develops a trusting relationship with the child which is essential for their emotional well-being. The Key Person will not only build that trusted bond with your child but also will be able to identify and respond to your child’s individual needs, interests and development, helping them feel safe and secure within our care and to thrive. Parents are always encouraged to share information about what your child enjoys doing at home and any new skills they have mastered. The information that you share is vital to help the Key Person see the full picture of your child's interests and abilities. The Key Person is also a useful resource for parents - feel free to ask them for advice or support!

Attachment theory underpins the role of the Key Person and it is this close relationship between a child and their Key Person that affords every child a familiar reassuring adult - their “secure base” - from which they can then explore the environment and its activities with confidence and go on to form relationships with other adults and children at nursery. This is particularly crucial during the settling in period.

However a common understandable misconception of the Key Person system is that they are the only adult who the child has formed a bond with, and that therefore any change in Key Person due to staff moving on or getting promoted is a concern. However this is not the case: the Key Person is responsible for ensuring that their Key Child feels secure and confident enough at nursery to bond with a number of other adults as this is an important part of their social and emotional development. A first step towards this is the role of the secondary/back up Key Person who works together with the main Key Person to ensure that the child has someone with whom they are familiar at all times, and to ensure the child’s records are looked after when the Key Person is not around such as during rest days, sickness and holidays.

Whilst the Key Person is responsible for keeping ongoing developmental records about the child, it is however the responsibility of every teacher in our environment to observe and be aware of the needs of all the children. This is why you may often see different handwriting in the observations in your child’s Complete Guide. This way the overall body of observations remains objective and the child benefits from many different viewpoints. Every teacher including the nursery manager and senior staff all spend a significant amount of time in the classrooms working directly with the children and as a result they have detailed knowledge of all the children’s needs and can share their considerable experience hands-on with the team.

Children have the freedom to spend time with any adult who captures their interest and to join them in a fun activity of their choosing. We often see children seek a cuddle from a variety of their teachers, and this is one of the signs we look for to indicate that a child has truly settled into the nursery. Strong communication between our team means that we provide the children with a community in which they feel safe and secure with all adults. This builds their confidence, independence and resilience for the transitions and challenges that are ahead such as moving to Primary School.

Our policy takes into consideration current advice from the Health Protection Agency and NHS, and complies with the statutory requirements of the EYFS.

Medicines will only be accepted into the nursery when essential; that is when it would be detrimental to a child’s health if the medicine were not administered during the nursery day. Medicines will only be administered with the prior written consent of the parents by completion of a Medicine Authorisation Form each day for each child. Medicines must always be provided in the original container, must be within the use-by-date, and must include the instruction for administration in English. Prescribed medicine must also be clearly labelled with the child’s full name. Medicines will be stored in accordance with the product instructions, and in the original container. Medicines must be stored safely out of reach of children, in either the fridge or the nursery office.

Homeopathic medication will only be administered if prescribed by a licensed Homeopath, together with written instructions from the homeopath.

If your child is prescribed antibiotics, they must be excluded from the setting for a period of 24 hours from the commencement of the antibiotics. Your child must also be feeling better to be able to return to nursery after 24 hours. We will continue to administer antibiotics on the child’s return to nursery until the course is finished.

We will not administer medical suppositories or non-prescribed Aspirin.

Should a child have a high temperature (37.5°C or above) during the Nursery day, one dose of children's proprietary fever relief medicine can be administered if not prescribed. If written authorisation cannot be completed prior to administration, then an email is an acceptable form of written consent, but a Medicine Authorisation Form must be completed and signed when the child is collected.

Children’s temperatures will be monitored using a digital thermometer, determined by an average of three readings taken at one minute intervals.

An emergency nursery supply of fever relief (e.g. Calpol sachets) and anti-histamines (Piriton syrup) will be stored on site.

If a parent is telephoned during the course of the day and advised that their child is too sick to attend nursery, the parent must make suitable arrangements to collect the child from the Nursery as soon as practically possible and no later than within two hours. Please be aware that this is in the best interests of other children in the nursery, clients and staff – but most of all, your child.

If a child is sent home unwell, they must remain at home for at least 24 hours (i.e. they must remain at home the following day) to enable full recovery from their illness. A child who appears fully recovered while at home often regresses when exposed to the demands of the Nursery day.

Parents must advise the Nursery if their child has been unwell during the night or has been given medication prior to coming to Nursery.

We provide Sudocrem and Vaseline for nappy changing. If parents wish to provide alternative creams, packaging must be in English, and must be labelled with the child’s full name.

We provide Sun Protection Factor 30 sunscreen for sensitive skin with UVA/UVB protection. If parents wish to supply an alternative sunscreen for their child it must be a minimum Factor 30 protection, renewed annually, the product information on the packaging must be in English, and the bottle must be labelled with the child’s full name.

For all children on long term medication (such as an inhaler or epipen) a Long Term Medical Care Plan will be completed by the nursery manager in consultation with the parent and medical professionals to ensure that the team have sufficient information to meet the child’s individual medical needs.

Immunisation: We only admit children who have commenced their individual programme of immunisations against diseases as recommended by the Department of Health. Parents must bring their child’s red book in to nursery after each vaccination.

Any cases of notifiable diseases will be reported to the local Health Protection Unit and Ofsted as soon as is practically possible.

The Officer-in-Charge is unable to admit onto the premises any child who appears to be suffering any infectious or contagious disease. It is at the Officer-in-Charge’s discretion whether or not to allow a child into nursery if they are showing signs of illness, even if there is no exclusion period or if this is after any recommended exclusion period has passed, or if a doctor has stated that they are not infectious. The Officer-in-Charge will need to take into account the demeanour of the child and whether they are well enough to participate in nursery activities.

A list of our exclusion times for childhood illnesses is available upon request from the nursery manager.

Newpark Childcare is committed to creating a happy and safe learning environment for all our children. This involves ensuring that all necessary steps are taken to safeguard and promote children’s welfare. We are dedicated to working with staff and parents to promote a protective culture that puts children’s interests first to protect them from maltreatment and prevent impairment of their health or development and we take action to enable all children to have the best outcomes. Our Safeguarding Policy adheres to all the procedures laid down by law, including the Early Years Foundation Stage, Working Together to Safeguarding Children, the Prevent Duty, and by the Local Authority safeguarding services. This is an important subject in which all staff receive induction, formal child protection training, and refresher training every year. The topic of safeguarding also features in every group staff meeting and individual staff supervision meeting to reinforce key messages and keep knowledge and awareness of this important area of our duty at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

All children, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, and religious beliefs have the right to freedom from abuse and harm and the right to grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care. This is a matter of paramount importance and as such is the responsibility and duty of every adult involved in our setting to identify and respond appropriately to the signs of abuse and neglect. Furthermore, The Counter Terrorism and Security Act requires all staff working in Early Years “to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism” (the Prevent duty). We understand that protecting children from the risk of radicalisation is part of our wider safeguarding duties and is similar in nature to protecting children from other aspects of harm, whether these come from within their family or are the product of outside influences. As part of our educational practice, we promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths and beliefs. Promotion of these values can build children’s resilience to radicalisation and enable them to challenge extremist views. We feel it is important to state that these values are not exclusively British - many corners of the world share these values and we know that all our Newpark staff share them too as we see them put them into practice day in day out.

If any of our team have reason to believe that a child is at risk of abuse or neglect, they have a duty to escalate this immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead at the nursery (the nursery manager). If the the statutory threshold has been met, a referral will be made to the local authority. Referrals are discussed with parents before being made unless this would place the child at greater risk of harm.

During the referral process we collaborate with the relevant statutory child protection agencies (children’s social care and/or police) without delay and comply with all aspects of their subsequent investigations where required.

As part of our educational curriculum, children at Newpark learn to understand what unacceptable behaviour toward them is and learn how to explain that they feel upset or worried. In an age-appropriate way, we also teach children about safeguarding risks, including online risks. Hence, we believe that the use of mobile phones and similar devices expose the children in our care to potential risks, distracts staff and other adults from full supervision and interaction, thus reducing learning opportunities and standards of care. Therefore, the use of mobile phones, smartphones or other similar mobile devices is strictly prohibited whilst staff are on duty and/or in any area of the settings occupied or accessible to children. In accordance with the aims and objectives of this policy, we expect and kindly ask parents and visitors to refrain from using their mobile phones whilst in the nursery or when picking up and dropping off children.

At Newpark, we already have a strong focus on supporting children’s personal, social and emotional development. We are committed to doing this in an age appropriate way, by ensuring children learn right from wrong, mix and share with other children and value other’s views, know about similarities and differences between themselves and others and learn to challenge negative attitudes and stereotypes. We encourage our children to recognise and manage risk, to understand and manage difficult situations and to make safer choices through developing positive character traits such as resilience, persistence, self-knowledge, self-esteem and confidence. Furthermore, the Key Person system ensures that every child in the setting can build a safe trusting relationship with a significant adult.

It is our aim to work jointly with parents in the interest of children’s welfare and wellbeing. If you require any further information, please contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), who is the Manager of the setting. In the absence of the DSL, all senior staff members have been trained to be able to deputise for this role.

We carefully select our staff not only by qualification, but also by aptitude for the job. We look for a high calibre of person who is sensitive, intelligent, diligent, kind, compassionate, and who has a genuine enthusiasm and love for children. Effective recruitment should be the start of building lasting professional relationships with staff members which in turn enrich the children’s experience and support their learning and development. Furthermore, safe and effective recruitment is fundamental to making sure that children are safeguarded and protected at all times and that their welfare and wellbeing is paramount.

Job Vacancies

When a job vacancy arises, a dialogue involving the nursery management and senior leadership should occur to check that the vacancy is necessary or whether there is already someone within the company who can fill that role as Newpark strongly believes in supporting staff in their career development by trying to promote from within when such roles arise.

All job adverts should state our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and our commitment to equal opportunities.

The interview process

Our Head of Talent reviews all applications received and a shortlist is drawn up appropriately. An initial screening telephone call is made, following which the candidate is invited for interview as appropriate.

Our interview process is four-stage:

- Initial telephone interview

- Full interview

- 3 hour hands-on working interview

- Final interview

Each stage of this process is conducted by a different member of our senior team to ensure objectivity and the fullest level of scrutiny. Progression onto each stage of this process depends on the interviewer in the previous stage recommending progression.

The first interview seeks to establish whether the candidate has the skill, knowledge and expertise for the position. During the first interview the candidate’s ID, right to work documents, previous DBS disclosures and qualification documentation are checked and any gaps in employment are investigated. Questions asked during the interview process are ‘value-based’. Value-based questions allow candidates to give examples of behaviour in their past and current roles that show their values in practice. Value-based questions also relate to safeguarding children, equal opportunities and inclusion best practice.

The hands-on interview takes place in order that a candidate’s practice with the children can be observed and considered as part of the employment decision. This hands-on takes place under the supervision of a senior member of staff or room leader.

The final interview is a shorter interview conducted either the Managing Director or member of Senior Leadership.

All offers of employment are made subject to contract and obtaining satisfactory references and security checks.

Vetting and Security Checks

All new employees of staff must possess a clean, enhanced DBS disclosure . The DBS update service lets applicants keep their DBS certificates up to date online and allows employers to check a certificate online. We require all new employees to join the DBS update service as part of their application for a new enhanced DBS disclosure. This helps us periodically monitor their criminal records status and ongoing suitability to work with and/or be in regular contact with children and to ensure that children are properly safeguarded. We also seek evidence of additional foreign criminal record checks for anyone who has lived or worked abroad.

At least two references are taken, one being the candidate’s most recent employer or their place of study if newly qualified.

During the interviewing process a candidate’s right to work in the UK is checked in order to prevent illegal working.

Additionally a health check is completed, literacy/numeracy is checked to establish an employee’s competency in both areas, and all overseas qualifications are checked for UK compatibility.

During Employment

A rigorous induction programme is undertaken to support staff in their role. This induction links to Newpark’s values, best practice and the requirements of Ofsted registration.

If they have not already done so, all staff should attend external training on First Aid, Food Safety and Safeguarding Children (with the local authority) as soon practically possible.

All staff have regular meetings with the First-in-Charge where they can share concerns and a culture of vigilance is actively promoted. All staff receive periodic and appropriate Safeguarding and Child Protection trainings and updates.

We believe that introducting a child to a new environment should be handled sensitively. Our settling in procedure supports children’s emotional and physical well-being during their first days at the nursery and thereafter. We work to ensure that your child’s settling-in experience at Newpark is a positive one and will lay the foundation for a long and happy relationship with us.

It is important that the settling-in process takes place as close to your child’s start date as possible and that it is not interrupted by holidays or last minute changes to the allocated settling times.

Before your child officially starts you will be offered approximately six settling-in sessions over a one or two week period. As each child is an individual, we will tailor this process to them. Some children settle quickly into nursery, others need more time, therefore the amount of settling sessions is variable and decided during their first few settling days. These settling in sessions are free: fees are only charged from your child’s official start date after the settling in period.

On the first day of settling in, you should arrange to stay for at least an hour with your child and their key person will help both you and your child become acquainted with the new surroundings and begin to build a relationship with your child which they can use as a springboard to make relationships with other staff and children. On this first visit, the key person will ask you about your child's routine, likes and dislikes, the food they have already tried at home, and other relevant information that will help us care for them. Since the presence of too many adults has an adverse impact on the children, we only allow one parent to be present during each settling-in session, but we welcome different parents or caregivers at each individual session. During this time, you have the opportunity to ask questions about life at nursery. At the end of the session, it is important to leave the nursery promptly even if your child is enjoying themselves; this leaves the child with a positive impression of the nursery on which we can build.

On the second day of settling we will ask you to leave your child for a short period to enable us to assess how they cope with the separation and then plan the rest of the settling-in time according to the child's individual needs. On the third and subsequent days, we will ask you to lengthen your child’s stay according to their needs, but ask you to stay locally and be available at all times. The aim is to build up the length of time that the child spends in the nursery until they are ready for a trial day immediately prior to their start date.

We have an honesty policy at Newpark and will inform you if your child has been upset or distressed and for how long. We feel it is essential for parents to be given an accurate account of their child's reactions. We also encourage parents to be honest about their own reactions and feelings. This ensures that we work in partnership with parents, making the introduction to nursery a positive experience for both parent and child.

At Newpark we are a fully inclusive setting. We provide a positive and welcoming environment where children are supported according to their individual needs. We believe that all children have a right to experience and develop alongside their peers no matter what their individual needs and we recognise that each child’s needs are unique.

We are committed to working alongside parents in the provision for their child’s individual needs to enable us to help the child to develop to their full potential. We are committed to working with any child who has a specific need and/or disability and making reasonable adjustments to enable every child to make full use of the nursery’s facilities. Where we identify that a child may have additional needs that have previously been unacknowledged, we will work closely with the child’s parents and any relevant professionals to establish if any additional action is required.

What is SEND?

SEND stands for Special Educational Needs & Disability. All staff have regard for the SEND Code of Practice 0-25 (2015) on the identification and assessment of any needs not being met by the universal provision of the nursery. This includes children who learn quicker, e.g. gifted and talented children. Our nursery Special Education Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) will take the lead in further assessment of the child’s particular strengths and weaknesses, in planning future support for the child in discussion with colleagues, and in monitoring and subsequently reviewing the action taken. The SENCO should also ensure that appropriate records are kept.

A Graduated Approach – Assess, Plan, Do, Review

Observation, planning and assessment are done by the child’s key person on a regular basis. If during this process a child is identified as having a difficulty with one or more areas of learning & development then the key person will put some simple strategies into place. This differentiated approach supports building the child’s confidence and helps their development. It involves finding other ways to support the child. This could be making the activity easier, breaking the activity into manageable chunks, trying a different activity or introducing some other equipment & resources. If despite the key person putting strategies into place the child is still having a difficulty with an area of learning & development then suitable special education provision will be made through a graduated approach for identifying, assessing and responding to children's special educational needs. This is a continuous cycle of Assess-Plan-Do-Review, to ensure the child makes progress. The key person should involve parents, where possible the child, the SENCO, any outside agencies and any other settings the child attends into this process to ensure that all parties have input into the best way to support the child.

Statutory assessment

We have a statutory duty to complete a progress check for two year olds. This is always shared with parents and a written summary is completed. The progress check will be carried out by the key person of the child. If there are any areas where progress is less than expected, then in partnership with parents we would agree further action.

On some occasions, despite having taken relevant and purposeful action to identify, assess and meet the special educational needs of the child, this graduated approach may not be sufficient to enable the child to progress satisfactorily. It may then be necessary for the nursery, in consultation with the parents and any external agencies already involved, to request a statutory assessment by the local authority: a Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). The SENCO in consultation with the staff, parents and outside specialists will write a full assessment. The local authority will then consider the need for an EHC and if appropriate make an EHC and arrange, monitor and review provision.

Transition

SEN support should include planning and preparing for transition before a child moves into another setting or school. This can also include a review of the SEN support being provided or the EHC plan. To support the transition, information should be shared with the child’s new setting or school.