SEND/ Inclusion Policy

The emphasis of our policy is on the early identification of any needs a child may have and on offering an appropriate learning environment in which we provide a range of differentiated activities to meet all individual needs. As a setting we recognise that small achievable targets allow children with or without special educational needs to reach their learning potential.

SEND Policy

Introduction

This policy complies with the statutory requirement laid out in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice and has been written with reference to the following guidance and documents:

-Equality Act 2010: advice for settings

-SEND code of Practice

-Early Years Guide to the 0-25 SEND code of practice

-Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage

-Safeguarding Policy

-Access Action Plan

-Provision Mapping

-Behaviour Management Policy

-Local Offer

-Admission Policy

-Medication Policy

-Graduated response

-SALT Road Map

“Extracts taken from Local offer”

“Extracts taken from other policies” (These policies are available on request)

“Extracts taken from the code of practice”

SECTION ONE

SENDCO

Charlotte Goodwin

Toddle In Private Nursery

Brook Street, off North Valley Rd

Colne

Lancashire

BB8 9AG

01282 866100

The named SENDCO part of the management team and is a qualified teacher.

This policy was developed through the use of relevant requirements and through Toddle In’s procedure of SEND. It was developed by Charlotte Goodwin (SENDCO). It is shared with staff on employment and is available for all parents/carers and families on request.

It complies with the Toddle In’s provision mapping.

SECTION TWO: Aims and Objectives

At Toddle In, we believe that all children should have the opportunity to learn and achieve at their own pace and we recognise that all children have different learning styles and require varied support to help them achieve. As a setting we aim to raise the aspirations of and expectations for all children with SEND. We provide focus on outcomes for children and not just hours of provision/support.

“Practitioners are sensitive and knowledgeable about the developmental needs of children in their care. When planning and resourcing activities, practitioners are easily able to differentiate enabling all children to be involved.”

The emphasis of our SEND policy is on the early identification of any needs a child may have, and on offering an appropriate learning environment in which we provide a range of differentiated activities to meet all individual needs. Toddle In recognises that small achievable targets allow children with and without SEND to reach their learning outcomes.

Provision mapping is used to support all practice within the setting and clearly identifies the changes in provision to meet the needs of all children. Practitioners observe and monitor all children’s development and record achievements as appropriate. If a child is placed on the Code of Practice, staff will liaise closely with the SENDCO on mapping provision designed to meet the child’s needs.

“Provision mapping is used to identify ways in which we support all children in the setting. Wave one identifies what we provided for all children, wave 2 identifies what input we use for children that require a small amount of help and wave 3 identifies the input that is required for children with significant needs and that require more intensive intervention.”

We will liaise with other professionals to ensure we are offering effective provision for all children with special educational needs. The named SENDCO will offer advice to practitioners to help overcome any difficulties and to achieve outcomes. The named SENDCO will seek advice from other professionals and complete relevant referrals to ensure that outcomes are appropriate to the child’s needs and are achievable.

“The settings SENDCO will be notified and will guide and advise the key person.”

Toddle In has adopted a graduated response approach to meeting needs with four stages of action: assess, plan, do and review. We also follow the Lancashire Road Map For Early Years Settings. Parents/Carers are fully involved in the graduated response approach.

“A Targeted learning plan may be developed, together with the parents/carers to target areas of concern and to support the child.”

We use a process of self-evaluation to create our own setting provision map which details adjustments we make to meet the needs of all our children.

Section Three: Identifying Special Educational Needs

The EYFS guidance material supports practitioners in implementing the statutory requirements of the EYFS. It allows practitioners to review children’s progress, to consider ways to support and strengthen their learning and development and to identify any areas where the child may be at risk of delay. It is important that practitioners use the EYFS to help identify any difficulties and plan appropriate support to help the child achieve essential outcomes. Our setting also uses the Early Years SEND Toolkit for Assessment Tracking and Target Setting provided by Lancashire Specialist Teacher Support Service to help break down certain milestones in the 3 prime areas. This supports key workers/SENDCO when completing Targeted Learning Plans for specific children. We also refer to the “Top Tips” help sheets provided the Lancashire SEND team to support children with various needs.

The code of practice states that “Special educational provision should be matched to the child’s identified SEND”

Cognition and learning, communication and interaction, physical, sensory and social, mental and emotional health are the four broad areas of need and support. The purpose of identification is to work out what action needs to be taken rather than where a child will fit as individual children will often cut across all these areas and child’s needs change over time.

Toddle In identifies children by considering the needs of the whole child. By using the EYFS we aim to help children achieve in all areas of the EYFS as well as focussing on special educational needs.

Many others factors may impact on children’s progress and attainment such as

-Disability

-Attendance and Punctuality

-Health and Welfare

-EAL

-Being a looked after child

-Being a child of Serviceman/women

-Being a Traveller

These factors are not SEND. Although when a child is identified as needing intervention that is ‘additional to or different from’ that which is available in wave 1 provision this will be recorded using an SEND support plan.

SECTION FOUR: A Graduated Approach to SEND support

Toddle In operates a graduated approach to SEND support. Practitioners support children through wave 1 provision, providing a wide range of resources and activities to offer quality learning opportunities.

“Each child is allocated a key person who will work closely with your child and family. Each child has a record of achievement which is created by the key person and tracks information about the child’s progress across the early year’s foundation stage”

Practitioners use regular observation and assessment to cater for a child’s current developmental needs following an initial baseline assessment. This enables practitioners to provide learning for individual needs and current interests. All practitioners are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of children in their key groups including where children access support from specialist staff i.e. SENDCO

Provision mapping is used to identify provision in all waves, across all age groups. It demonstrates how practitioners adapt practice to aid all children to meet their full potential. Provision mapping enables the setting to monitor the quality of care across all waves of provision. Practitioners complete relevant training to ensure that high quality provision is offered within all areas.

Children are only identified as having SEND if they do not make adequate progress once they have had all the intervention/adjustments and good quality personalised early years practice.

The code of practice states that “High quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils, is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEND.”

High quality early years care is differentiated for individual children as the first step to responding to possible additional needs. When a practitioner identifies that a child is not making adequate progress in specific areas, small achievable targets should be created to enable the child to make steady progress.

Toddle In offers a ridged assessment process that enables practitioners to identify children’s specific learning needs and to ensure that “gaps” in children’s learning identified and are carefully planned for. Following our assessment process, practitioners can clearly identify when children may need to access wave 2 provision and along with the SENDCO can make suitable targets and arrangements to cater for the child’s individual need.

“The settings SENDCO will be notified and will guide and advise the key person”

On identifying areas of need the allocated key person, the SENDCO and the parents/carers may create a targeted learning plan. This will consist of small achievable steps that enable the child to make steady progress in areas of need. The setting adopts an “assess-plan-do-review” cycle. Assessments are completed in line with wave 1 provision and appropriate learning opportunities are planned for the individual child. This is recorded within the child’s learning story and on short term planning. On identification of specific need TLP’s are created and implemented. TLP’s will be reviewed within a 6-8 week time limit. At this stage it may be appropriate to add the child to the code of practice record.

“The key person will action the TLP with immediate effect and will ensure that it is reviewed within 6 and 8 weeks, to allow identification of the child’s progress.”

Toddle In uses provision mapping to outline the environment, practice and resources used in each wave of provision.

On entry to the setting practitioners observe all children and create a baseline assessment in line with the EYFS. This baseline is not rigid and can be re visited as many times as needed to ensure that it offers a true reflection of the child’s development. Practitioners then gather observations and photos to demonstrate the child’s learning and achievement. Appropriate next steps are used to further the child’s learning and to offer appropriate challenges. Records of achievement are used to evidence the child’s learning and display the child’s progress. At present we use Famly which is an online record of achievement where key workers update each child’s progress and development. Parents access this App and are encouraged to upload their own experiences from home or make comments on the published stories. Development is tracked against an EYFS progress tracker as well as a termly summery which allows areas of need to be identified. The termly summery is shared with parents/carers which ensures that parents/carers can share their views on the child’s development.

The code of practice states “The EYFS framework also requires practitioners to review children’s progress and share a summery with parents”

TLP’s are reviewed between 6-8 weeks and targets are made using the EYFS as well as practitioners and parents/carers knowledge of the child. These targets can be reviewed earlier if needed. Once the TLP is reviewed it may be necessary to involve outside agencies dependent on the child’s progress. This is a decision to be made by the keyworker, the SENDCO and the parents/carers.

“After a TLP is reviewed, the key person will decide whether the child needs continued support or whether the concerns have subsided. Parents/carers will be involved in the reviewing of the targeted learning plan.”

A request for involvement will be made with parent/carer permission to the Specialist Teacher Support Team and a visit will be arranged. An allocated specialist teacher will offer advice and support to the setting and the parents/carers.

A request for involvement can be made to the Portage Team for children who require support 0-3 years. A request for involvement to the Specialist Teacher Support team Early years Panel following a child’s 3rd birthday. This involves gathering information from the TLP’s, the keyworker, the specialist teacher support team and other outside agencies. It other reports as well as parents/carers views and the child’s view. This referral can support the need for an ECHP if needed.

If after a period of time, the child begins to respond well to support put in place and makes appropriate progress, it may no longer be necessary to continue to plan in smaller steps. The child may no longer need to access provision different to wave 1. At this point, with agreement from all involved, including parents, the child may exit the code of practice record.

SECTION FIVE: Supporting children and families

For more information about our setting and our inclusion procedure please see our Local offer at www.lancashire.gov.uk/SEND or on our nursery website http://www.toddleinprivatenursery.com/sen/our-local-offer-3/local-offer-2/ .

Toddle In maintains excellent links with outside agencies such as Specialist Teachers, Speech Therapists, local children’s centre, paediatricians, educational psychologists and health visitors. The

Practitioners seek advice from these agencies to ensure support, advice and recommendations are suitable to the child and family’s needs.

On entry to the setting information about the child is collected through admissions forms and initial meetings with parents/carers. From these additional arrangements may need to be discussed e.g. number of sessions, staff ratios, access and physical environment. We welcome all children into the setting and aim to respond appropriately to each child’s background and individual needs. We ask parents/carers to give as much notice and information as possible if a child is disabled or has special educational needs and disabilities. This allows the setting to ensure all measures can be put into place and ensures that we can provide the most effective care possible.

If a child attends more than one setting or is leaving our setting to go to school, arrangements are made to ensure all appropriate information is passed on and that the new setting is fully aware of the child’s needs, progress so far and current targets and approaches. Information is passed on through a SEND support plan or in some cases Educational Healthcare Plan (EHCP). Alongside this additional meetings can be made in addition to the CAF/TAF process. As a setting we acknowledge the importance of information sharing and ensure that parents/carers agree to information sharing.

The code of practice states “To support the transition, information should be shared by the current setting with the receiving setting or school. The current setting should agree with the parents the information to be shared as part of this planning process”

SECTION SIX: Supporting children at the setting with medical conditions

Medical needs can present a significant barrier to participation and achievement therefore our setting is committed to identifying and addressing these barriers thereby contributing to the inclusion and well-being of children and young people.

The extract below is taken from our inclusion policy of supporting children with medical needs.

“This policy provides general guidance regarding the administration of medicines and the implementation of medical care within settings. The policy is supplemented by general information about the following medical conditions:

  • Epilepsy
  • MRSA
  • ADHD
  • Anaphylaxis
  • Asthma
  • Diabetes
  • Brittle bones
  • Perthes disease
  • ME
  • Soiling
  • HIV/Aids
  • Tube feeding
  • Communicable diseases

This is not an exhaustive list and children with other medical conditions may also require an Individual Health Care Plan in nursery to manage their condition. If a child enters nursery with a condition not on this list your first point of contact should be your Health Visitor

who can advise on procedures.”

Any child with medical needs will require an individual health care plan. We recognise our responsibility of safety and that each practitioner should be fully aware of the child’s medical needs and what is expected of them. Toddle In will work closely with other professionals and parents in order to help provide a suitable environment for children with medical needs.

SECTION SEVEN: Monitoring and evaluation of SEND

Toddle In is committed to offering outstanding practice in all areas of the setting. We use many ways to evaluate all systems within the setting and to ensure that improvements are made where necessary. Practitioners hold regular room meetings to address any issues and to offer suggestions to improve their practice within a set age bracket. Along with this we hold regular staff meetings to discuss more general issues about the setting. All rooms’ complete development plans which evidence the changes and improvements that are made. Our setting provides parents/carer meetings, questionnaires and suggestions boxes and welcome any opinions or suggestions offered by parents/carers.

All policies are reviewed annually by Jessica Webber (Nursery Proprietor)

SECTION EIGHT: Training and resources

Toddle In is committed to providing staff with training sufficient to ensure that they will be able to successfully undertake their duties. Where staff may need specialist training to aid a child with SEND, our setting would ensure that all appropriate staff received the training.

Staff are deployed fairly around the setting on a ratio basis and we ensure that level 3 qualified practitioners are distributed evenly.

Practitioners ensure that resources are suitable and that any equipment or resources meets the needs of all individual children. Where necessary practitioners will talk with parents and professionals about any need for additional equipment.

The SENDCO has received adequate training in speech and language development and autism.

SECTION NINE: Roles and responsibilities

Named Officers

SENDCO – Charlotte Goodwin

Safeguarding Officers –

Leanne Birtwistle

Charlotte Goodwin

Kaela Hollins-Wilkinson

Looked after Children Co-ordinator – Charlotte Goodwin

Officer for Medical Needs Pupils – Leanne Birtwistle

(All Staff)

Behaviour Management Officer- Lindsey Bibby

Equalities named co-ordinator – Leanne Birtwistle

Parental Involvement Co-ordinator- Leanne Birtwistle

First Aid Officer – Kaela Hollins-Wilkinson

The role of the SENDCO is to ensure all practitioners understand their responsibilities to children with SEND and to ensure that practitioners fully understand the settings approach to identifying and meeting SEND. The SENDCO offers support and advice to practitioners and ensures that parents/carers are closely involved and supported throughout. The SENDCO ensures that parents/carers are supported in giving an input into actions set and that their insights inform actions taken by the setting. The role of the SENDCO is to liaise with professionals or agencies outside of the setting ensuring that advice and recommendations are used within the setting. The SENDCO ensures that the SEND policy is reviewed and shared with all the practitioners.

The setting has a strong link with the Inclusion Disability Support Service Learner Support Team.

The setting will seek advice and guidance from area SENDCO’s where needed to ensure the setting is offering the correct support to SEND children and families.

SECTION TEN: Storing and managing information

Our policy on managing confidential information states that “Documents which contain personal data should be treated as confidential. This means that access to them should be restricted to certain named individuals (e.g. the designated person for child protection; key workers etc.) who must understand their obligation to handle such information in a responsible manner. “

Toddle In identifies that we have a legal duty to keep personal information confidential. However the law permits the sharing of confidential information where necessary to safeguard a child or young person.

In some cases information needs to be shared with outside agencies and/or other settings i.e. school. Toddle In will ensure that parents/carers agree to this information being shared and that it is only shared with relevant people.

Children’s records will be kept for 25 years unless special intervention has been required in which case the time will be extended to 45 years.

SECTION ELEVEN: Reviewing the policy

This policy will be reviewed annually by the SENDCO.

SECTION TWELVE: Accessibility

The Equality Act 2010, places a duty on all settings to ensure they make reasonable adjustments and do not treat disabled individuals less favourably.

It is responsibility of the proprietor to make any relevant changes to ensure accessibility to the setting.

Toddle In has an access action plan available on request that is reviewed annually unless it is necessary to amend before this time.

SECTION THIRTEEN: Dealing with complaints

The designated person for dealing with complaints is Leanne Birtwistle (Setting Manager).

The extract below is taken from the settings complaints policy.

“Making a complaint

Stage 1

  • Any parent who has a concern about an aspect of the setting’s provision talks over, first of all, his/her concerns with the manager.
  • Most complaints should be resolved amicably and informally at this stage.

Stage 2

  • If this does not have a satisfactory outcome, or if the problem recurs, the parent moves to this stage of the procedure by putting the concerns or complaint in writing to the setting manager and the owner.
  • The setting stores written complaints from parents in complaints file.
  • When the investigation into the complaint is completed, the setting manager meets with the parent to discuss the outcome.
  • When the complaint is resolved at this stage, the summative points are logged in the Complaints log.

Stage 3

  • If the parent is not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation, he or she requests a meeting with the setting manager and the owner. The parent should have a friend or partner present if required and the manager should have the support of the proprietor/other senior manager, present.
  • An agreed written record of the discussion is made as well as any decision or action to take as a result. All of the parties present at the meeting sign the record and receive a copy of it.
  • This signed record signifies that the procedure has concluded. When the complaint is resolved at this stage, the summative points are logged in the Complaints log.

Stage 4

  • If at the stage three meeting the parent and setting cannot reach agreement, an external mediator is invited to help to settle the complaint. This person should be acceptable to both parties, listen to both sides and offer advice. A mediator has no legal powers but can help to define the problem, review the action so far and suggest further ways in which it might be resolved.
  • Staff or volunteers within the Pre-school Learning Alliance, Teacher Team or NDNA are appropriate persons to be invited to act as mediators.
  • The mediator keeps all discussions confidential. S/he can hold separate meetings with the setting personnel and the parent, if this is decided to be helpful. The mediator keeps an agreed written record of any meetings that are held and of any advice s/he gives.

Stage 5

  • When the mediator has concluded her/his investigations, a final meeting between them, the parent and the setting staff is held. The purpose of this meeting is to reach a decision on the action to be taken to deal with the complaint. The mediator’s advice is used to reach this conclusion. The mediator is present at the meeting if all parties think this will help a decision to be reached.
  • A record of this meeting, including the decision on the action to be taken, is made. Everyone present at the meeting signs the record and receives a copy of it. This signed record signifies that the procedure has concluded.

The role of the Office for Standards in Education, Early Years Directorate (Ofsted) and the Local Safeguarding Children Board

  • Parents may approach Ofsted directly at any stage of this complaints procedure. In addition, where there seems to be a possible breach of the setting’s registration requirements, it is essential to involve Ofsted as the registering and inspection body with a duty to ensure the Welfare Requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are adhered to.
  • The address/ number for Ofsted with regard to a complaint is:

Ofsted Early Years,

Royal Exchange buildings,

St Annes Square,

Manchester,

M2 7LA

Telephone: 0845 40 40 40

  • These details are displayed on our setting’s notice board.
  • If a child appears to be at risk, our setting follows the procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children Board in our local authority.”

Records of complaints and outcomes are recorded in the complaints log and are available to parents and Ofsted on request.