Chair of Governors: Dr J Redman
SEND Governor: Mrs S Hughes
Co-Head Teacher: Mrs L Jenkins
Co-Head Teacher / SENDCo: Mrs S Staines
Aclet Close Nursery School
SEND Information Report
What is the Local Authority Offer?
From September 2014, Local Authorities are required to publish and keep under review information about services they expect to be available for children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) aged 0 – 25 years. This is called the ‘Local Offer’.
The intention of the Local Offer is to improve choice for families and will also be an important resource for parents in understanding the range of services and provision in the local area.
The current link to the LA Local Offer website can be found at:
www.countydurhamfamilies.info/localoffer
General information
Welcome to our SEND information page – we hope you will find everything you need.
At Aclet Close Nursery School we recognise that all pupils are entitled to a quality of provision that will enable them to achieve their potential. We believe in positive intervention, removing barriers to learning, raising expectations and levels of achievement and working in partnership with other agencies in order to provide a positive educational experience for all of our pupils, including those with a special educational need or disability.
At Aclet Close Nursery School we ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress.
What kinds of SEN are provided for?
At Aclet Close Nursery School we have the capacity and expertise to cater for the four broad areas of SEND. These are:
- Communication and Interaction
This area of need includes children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and those with Speech, Language and Communication Needs. We work with children in small groups or 1:1 to deliver programmes, as advised by professionals.
- Cognition and Learning
This includes children with Specific and Moderate Learning Difficulties. We have access to a variety of programmes and receive support and advice from Educational Psychologists.
- Social, Emotional and Health Difficulties
This includes pupils who have an emotional, social or mental health need that is impacting on their ability to learn. We follow advice from professionals.
- Sensory and/or Physical Difficulties
This area includes children with hearing impairment, visual impairment, multi-sensory impairment and physical difficulties. We receive support from a variety of professionals.
Looked After Children
Our school recognises there are particular groups of pupils whose circumstances require additional consideration by those who work with them, to support their SEN. At Aclet Close Nursery School we have a Designated Teacher for Looked After Children who works closely with the SENDCo to ensure all staff understand the implications for those children who are looked after and have SEN.
To ensure a supportive and sympathetic induction or Looked After Children admitted to our school, the following arrangements are in place:
- Children and their carers will be invited in to school to meet with the Co-Head Teachers and will be shown around school and introduced to staff, prospective Key Worker and peers.
- Shorter transition visits will be encouraged before children attend for their full session. The carer or known adult will be fully involved in this process for as long as necessary to ensure the child feels safe and secure.
- The Co-Head Teachers/Designated Teacher will meet with all carers and professional involved with the child before entry to the school.
- If the child has already been attending an Early Years setting, the Co-Head Teachers will liaise with the Head Teacher/Manager of the setting.
- An individual plan for transition will be developed by the Co-Head Teachers/Designated Teacher, professionals and carers to ensure a smooth transition.
Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Children
Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils have exactly the same entitlement as all other pupils on roll, to a curriculum that is appropriate to their age, ability and aptitude and to have their individual needs met.
When a child starts at Aclet Close Nursery School, parents are asked to complete a form about their ethnic background. It is important for parents to choose the category that best describes their cultures and values, so that:
- Staff can link a child’s home experience to their work in school
- Staff in our school can learn about their culture
- School and the Department for Education can check that the child is being treated fairly
- School can take extra care if we think the child may be at higher risk of being teased or provoked
For Gypsy, Roma or Traveller children, as well as all of our children, we believe accurate assessment is vital to enable us to set challenging outcomes and to inform our planning. Again, as with all pupils, we have high expectations for rates of progress.
We encourage parents to give notice of their intentions to travel and expected date of return.
At Aclet Close Nursery School, we ensure that all pupils, regardless of their specific needs, make the best possible progress.
School Admissions
We are committed to meeting the needs of all children including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. We would ask parents to discuss the identified needs with the school prior to starting so that appropriate intervention and support can be planned and implemented. Advice from LA or other agencies may be requested to ensure the school can meet needs appropriately.
We adhere to Durham County Council admissions processes which can be found on our website at:
http://www.acletclose.durham.sch.uk/about-us/nursery-admissions/
Applying for a place if your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan
Children and young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (or Statement of Special Education Needs) follow a different admission and transfer process for a new school. Please continue to complete Durham County Council’s parental preference form, as part of the admission process to a new school. You continue to have a right to request a particular school and this will be considered alongside the information that we have about your child’s special educational needs. The information would have been provided as part of the Education, Health and Care assessment or following the review meeting.
If you would like to discuss your SEND requirements in detail please contact the school to arrange an appointment.
Key Policies
All of our school policies can be found on our website but the most important ones for parents of children with SEND are listed below:
- Supporting children with SEND Policy
- Equality Policy, Statement and Objectives
- Accessibility Plan
- Behaviour Policy
- Nappy Changing Policy
Contacts
The following are the main contacts for Special Educational Needs and Disability at Aclet Close Nursery School:
Mrs Lisa Jenkins is the Co-Head Teacher.
Mrs S Hughes is our designated SEN Governor.
Mrs Suzanne Staines is our Co-Head Teacher / Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator.
It is the SENDCo’s job to:
- Oversee the day to day operation of the school’s SEND policy
- Liaise with the relevant Designated Teacher where a looked after pupil has SEN
- Advise key workers on using a graduated approach to providing SEN support
- Liaise with parents/carers of children with SEN
- Liaise with and be a key point of contact for external agencies
- Ensure that records of all children with SEN are kept up to date
- Work with the Co-Head Teacher and school Governors to ensure that the school meets its responsibilities with regard to reasonable adjustments and access arrangements
Pastoral, medical and social support
- We keep close lines of communication between families and school and operate an ‘open door’ policy should parents need to talk to staff
- We work closely with parents, staff and the SENDCo in previous and next settings/schools to enable smooth transitions
- Staff meet regularly with health care professionals to ensure that children are receiving the best care available
- The school has strong links with a wide variety of medical practitioners who can give us advice and support where necessary
- The Co-Head Teachers holds responsibility for dispensation of medicines; care plans are completed with parents/carers
- We share information between schools regarding levels of need, support and intervention
- We have a robust transition process in place
Statement of Intent for Promoting Equality
At Aclet Close Nursery School we are committed to equality. We aim for every pupil to fulfil their potential, no matter what their needs. Our school is committed to anti-discriminatory practice to promote equality of opportunity and valuing diversity for all children and families. We aim to:
- Provide a secure and accessible environment in which all of our children can flourish and in which all contributions are considered and valued
- Include and value the contribution of all families to our understanding of equality and diversity
- Provide positive non-stereotypical information about gender roles, diverse ethnic and cultural groups and disabled people
- Improve our knowledge and understanding of issues of anti-discriminatory practice, promoting equality and valuing diversity
- Make inclusion a thread that runs through all of the activities and opportunities offered to our children and their families
Aclet Close Nursery School prides itself in being very inclusive and endeavours to support every child, regardless of their level of need. All pupils follow the EYFS curriculum at a level and pace that is appropriate to their stage of ability. At times, when it is appropriate, modifications to the curriculum may be implemented.
To successfully match pupil ability to the curriculum, there are some actions we may take to achieve this:
- Ensure that all pupils have access to the school curriculum and all school activities
- Help all pupils achieve to the best of their abilities, despite any difficulty or disability they may have
- Ensure that staff are aware of and are sensitive to the needs of all pupils, teaching pupils in a way that is most appropriate to their needs
- Work in partnership with parents/carers, pupils and relevant external agencies in order to provide for children’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
- Identify at the earliest opportunity, all children that need special consideration to support their needs (whether these are educational, social, physical or emotional)
- Make suitable provision for children with SEND to fully develop their abilities, interests and aptitudes and gain maximum access to the curriculum,
- Ensure that all children with SEND are fully included in all activities in order to promote the highest levels of achievement
- Promote self-worth and enthusiasm by encouraging independence at all age and ability levels
- Regularly review the policy and practice in order to achieve best practice
Types of SEND at the school
At Aclet Close Nursery School, we have experience of supporting children and young people with a wide range of needs from all four areas of Special Educational Needs.
Consultation with children and young people with SEND
Wherever possible, Key Workers and the SENDCo work with children and young people to identify the support needed to meet agreed outcomes. The provision is planned and interventions are allocated to individual needs.
Consultation with parents and carers of children and young people with SEND
We are committed to working with parents and carers to identify their child’s needs and support. Parents and carers will be involved throughout the process. There is a range of ways this can be done, for example:
- Parent/carers’ meetings
- Ongoing discussions with Key worker/Teacher/SENDCo
- An ‘open door’ policy, where parents and carers are welcome to come into school to discuss any concerns they may have
- Through a review of a child’s SEN Support Plan or Annual review of their EHC Plan.
The school engages with parents on a daily basis. All staff are present with parents daily, dealing with any enquiries or concerns that there may be.
Parents are engaged through:
- Open door policy
- Stay and Play sessions and community based events
- Parent consultations
- School website
- School Facebook page
Finance
Aclet Close Nursery School can receive part-funding for staffing to support children with complex Special Educational Needs with the rest being allocated from the school’s annual budget, which is monitored closely by the Governing Body. The school also purchases support programmes, materials and resources.
Some staff training, specific to meeting the needs of young children with SEN, is brokered/provided through the Bishop Auckland Community Of Learning.
Advice from professionals is accessed as and when needed.
Teaching, learning and the curriculum
At Aclet Close Nursery School we believe that inclusive education means providing all pupils with appropriate education and support alongside their peers. The curriculum is all the planned activities that the school organises in order to promote learning, personal growth and development.
It includes not only the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage but also the range of additional opportunities that the school organises in order to enrich the experiences of our children. Our curriculum focuses on the social aspects that are essential for life-long learning.
How we identify and assess children with Special Educational Needs
Most children and young people will have their Special Educational Needs met in mainstream schools through good classroom practice. This is called ‘Quality First Teaching’.
At Aclet Close Nursery School we follow a graduated support approach which is called ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’. This means we will:
- Assess a child’s Special Educational Needs
- Plan the provision to meet your child’s aspirations and agreed outcomes
- Do put the provision in place to meet those outcomes
- Review the support and progress
As part of this approach, we will produce a SEN Support Plan that describes the provision that we will make to meet a child’s Special Educational Needs and agreed outcomes. Parents and carers will be fully involved in this process.
A small percentage of children and young people with significant learning difficulties might need an assessment that could lead to an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Full details can be found on the Local Offer website.
How do we adapt the curriculum?
Support for children with physical needs:
- Quality First Teaching, accessing a broad and balanced curriculum where barriers to inclusion are removed
- Daily gross motor skills interventions
- Weekly fine motor skills interventions
- Support/advice from outside agencies e.g. Occupational Therapy
Support for children with speech, language and communication needs:
- Quality First Teaching, accessing a broad and balanced curriculum where barriers to inclusion are removed
- Daily speech and language interventions
- Support/advice from outside agencies e.g. Speech and Language Therapy
Support for children with social, emotional and mental health difficulties:
- Quality First Teaching, accessing a broad and balanced curriculum where barriers to inclusion are removed
- Support/advice from outside agencies e.g. CAMHS
Support for children with cognition and learning needs:
- Quality First Teaching, accessing a broad and balanced curriculum where barriers to inclusion are removed
- Specific interventions e.g. Maths
- Support/advice from outside agencies e.g. Educational Psychologist
- Specific individual support for children whose learning needs are severe, complex and lifelong
- An innovative and supportive curriculum
- Differentiated materials
Support for children with medical needs:
We ensure that pupils at school with medical conditions are properly supported so that they have full access to education, including school trips. Some children with a medical condition may be disabled; therefore, we comply with duties under the Equality Act 2010.
Support for Looked After Children with SEND:
- Designated LAC Teacher
- Designated LAC Governor
- Personal Education Plan
Support for children with English as an Additional Language
- Local Authority EAL and Equalities Team
Staffing and Specialist Qualification/Expertise
Lisa Jenkins (Head Teacher)
- Support for new SENDCOs (2016)
- E-learning course for Head Teachers and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (2018)
Suzanne Staines (Co-Head Teacher and SENDCo)
- National Award for Special Educational Needs Co-ordination (Masters level) (2018)
Staff undergo training throughout the year and this is systematically fed back to colleagues in staff meetings.
All staff are given opportunities to improve their practice and develop their understanding of SEN issues. Staff training is driven by the needs of our children.
Some training is carried out within school during staff meetings and Professional Development Days and other training is external. Some training is accessed through the Bishop Auckland Community of Learning.
The school SENDCo attends the Local Authority network meetings to keep up to date with local and national updates in SEND.
External Agencies and Partnerships
The school benefits from strong working relationships with a wide range of professionals who provide services to children with SEND and their families, particularly when a child is demonstrating further cause for concern or their learning need is more complex and persistent. The external specialist may:
- act in an advisory capacity
- extend expertise for school staff
- provide additional assessment
- support a child directly
- suggest statutory assessment is advisable
- consult with all parties involved with the child
External Agencies involved in supporting provision and identification include:
- Educational Psychology Service
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Advisory teachers for support/advice regarding specific learning difficulties
- Occupational Therapy
- CAMHS (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services)
- Paediatrician
- Other medical professionals e.g. Health visitor, Doctor
Compliments and Complaints
Compliments are always greatly received and can be passed on either directly to the staff and the SENDCo or formally recorded via our regular questionnaires to parents or in the form of a letter to the Co-Head Teachers. These positive comments may be published on our website or Facebook page.
We hope that complaints about our SEND provision will be rare; however, if there should be a concern, the process outlined in the school’s Complaints Policy should be followed.
Transition arrangements
We recognise that transitions can be difficult for a child with SEND and take steps to ensure that any transition is as smooth as possible. We support children with SEN when they are moving to another school/setting by inviting their practitioners to observe the child in Nursery, sharing information regarding levels of need, support and interventions and arranging additional visits for the child to their new setting, if needed. Enhanced transition forms are also completed by the SENDCo, for those children who would benefit from additional visits to their new setting.
Feedback
We are always seeking to improve on the quality of education we provide for children with SEND and are keen to hear from parents and carers about their child’s experience. We would also like to hear views about the content of our SEND Information Report.
Useful links:
School website: http://www.acletclose.durham.sch.uk/send/
County Durham Families Information Service: http://www.countydurhamfamilies.info/kb5/durham/fsd/localoffer.page?localofferchannel=0
Durham SEND Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS): www.durhamsendiass.info/contact-us
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/rollercoasterparentsupport
