How Fluppet’s Montessori knows if young children need extra help and what our parents/carers should do if they think their child may have SEND.

At Fluppet’s our general tracking, observations and assessments are very detailed. Our Director has completed Level 3 SENCO and ENCO training and has worked with SEND learners for many years. We believe that by working with our Local Area SENCO at Essex County Council we can identify and support children with SEND. We speak to parents on a regular basis about the children’s time at Nursery and have an open-door policy for any discussion about a child.

How Fluppet’s Montessori supports young children with SEND.

Children with SEND are supported by a structure at Fluppet’s. Our structure involves the child’s Key Person working closely with our trained SENCO to identify how best to assist a child. The Key Person and the SENCO both work with the Area SENCO from Essex County Council to identify the best plan of action for the child, purchase of resources, and teaching/learning plan. Regular meetings are scheduled between the parents, Key Person and school SENCO to give parents complete transparency and understanding of progress.

How Fluppet’s Montessori creates learning and development opportunities for individual children with SEND.

All of the activities in our Montessori curriculum are differentiated for different abilities and ages, although children of all ages and abilities have the freedom to engage with any activity they so wish to. However, if the SENCO or Area SENCO recommend unique resources to be purchased to scaffold a young person as part of his/her teaching/learning plan, the nursery offers complete support. Individuals with SEND will also be closely observed and supported with 1-1’s with the Key Person and school SENCO.

How Fluppet’s Montessori works in partnership with parents/carers.

Information to be shared will be emailed every Monday to parents and a meeting take place on the following Thursday when parents have had time to read, evaluate and discuss the contents of Monday’s email. We believe that there should be a constant open dialogue for conversation between the parents and nursery staff, either by email or scheduled face to face meetings. If the primary parent/carer doesn’t regularly collect/drop-off, it makes no difference as the email dialogue and meetings will still take place regardless.

Once we have met with the Area SENCO, we will put together a number of different teaching/learning plans, these plans will be discussed with parents and one or a mixture of these plans will be agreed upon as a plan of action between parents and nursery. The parents/carers can use this meeting as an opportunity to influence their child’s learning and development plan. Children with SEND will be tracked, observed and planned for exactly the same as any other learner. Our learner planning is unique for every learner regardless of the presence of SEND.

We will regularly discuss through our open channel of dialogue with parents what is effective and what is not, if parents wish to continue our approach at home then we are more than happy to provide internal training for parents and carers. We will work closely with parents and carers to support the Home Learning Environment.

How Fluppet’s Montessori supports the well being of young children with SEND.

Risk assessments are routinely carried out throughout the day on a daily, weekly and termly basis to ensure children’s safety. Members of staff constantly model and positively reinforce desirable behaviour and providing a favourable environment. Health and Safety Risk Assessments are not carried out with the primary carer routinely, however, if a primary carer express a desire to be included in the risk assessment process then the nursery will accommodate.

At Fluppet’s Montessori we have a Medication Policy, to be followed by ALL members of staff and parents and prescribed/non-prescribed medication forms to be filed by a member of Senior Leadership, witnessed by nursery personnel and countersigned by parents/carers at pickup/drop-off times.

Children with SEND, like all children at Fluppet’s have the opportunity to discuss any concerns or contributions with their Key Person at any time.

Staff training and experience in supporting young children with SEND.

All members of staff will receive all relevant training for their role within the Nursery. If a SEND individual chooses a key person without prior SEND training, then training will be provided. All members of staff will receive internal Safeguarding training and external 12 Hour paediatric First Aid Courses.

Specialist services and expertise accessed by Fluppet’s Montessori.

We will access all the services that we can to support and scaffold for a SEND individual. This will be decided upon by parents/carers, school SENCO and Area SENCO and could include Health Visitors, Speech and Language Therapists and Children’s Centres etc.

How Fluppet’s Montessori includes young children with SEND in community based activities and outings.

At Fluppet’s Montessori we will have a regular dialogue with parents and discuss upcoming activities and trips in order to make sure that equal opportunities are provided to SEND and non-SEND individuals alike. Parents during regular meetings will be asked if there are elements of our risk assessment that have not been considered for their child and appropriate steps taken. Activities and outings will be scouted by members of staff beforehand to ensure SEND access.

Our accessible environment.

The company secretary has completed an Access Audit form and we believe the building is fully wheelchair accessible and there are disabled/changing and toilet facilities. For parents/carers whose first language is not English, firstly we would try to find a friend of the parents/nursery to act as an interpreter, if this is unsuccessful we shall communicate via a tablet with Google Translate face-to-face and use online translating solutions for emails.

Obtaining equipment to support young children with SEND is at the recommendation of the Area SENCO and school SENCO. If the equipment required is a financially viable investment for the nursery then the school SENCO will liaise with the company secretary to purchase the required equipment.

How Fluppet’s Montessori prepares and supports young children with SEND when joining the setting and when transferring to another setting or school.

Our ‘Settling In’ Policy is available on our website; we offer 2 free settling in sessions and every settling in period is discussed and designed between parents/carers and the child’s chosen Key Person to create an induction with the minimal amount of distress and discomfort for the child. When the time comes for the child to progress to Primary School or another nursery; a transition pack will be compiled. A transition pack will include all of the child’s observations, tracking, planning and evaluations up to that point. This will allow another nursery or primary school to understand the progress that the child has made without having to independently assess the child.

How Fluppet’s Montessori organises its resources to meet the needs of young children with SEND.

Staff deploy targeted support for young children with SEND by using proximal curiosity. A child’s Key Person will engage with an activity within close proximity of the targeted child and draw them into the activity. If a child is reluctant to engage the targeted activity, we will try to identify why the child is avoiding that activity and either re-try to engage with the child or change the activity to a more engaging one. Our resources and environment will be adapted for children by the School SENCO after liaising with the Area SENCO.

How we decide on appropriate support for young children with SEND.

Appropriate support for a SEND individual is decided by a meeting between the School SENCO, the child’s Key Person and parents. The decision-making process will be influenced upon by the Area SENCO for West Essex during a meeting with the School SENCO and Company Secretary. The outcomes will be evaluated by the School SENCO and discussed with the Area SENCO.

How we involve all parents/carers at Fluppet’s Montessori.

At Fluppet’s Montessori we regularly reassure parents that we are open to constructive criticism and suggestions, these suggestions are discussed between parents and the director. If the suggestions are deemed to be possible the school will progress to implement these suggestions.

Who to contact for further information.

Our first point of contact, with permission from parents, is the West Essex Area SENCO Joanna Hawkins. The director, Aylin Onsu, is the setting SENCO, and will raise any concerns regarding SEND with the Deputy Manager. The setting SENCO will then organise a meeting with the Area SENCO and act upon all advice given.

For more information please visit – http://www.essexlocaloffer.org.uk