At Fallodon Playgroup, we recognise every child is unique. Through our high-quality universal provision, we are committed to providing a broad and balanced curriculum for all children. We believe all children have a right to be treated with respect and we encourage all our children to value diversity and difference. We promote full inclusion of children with special educational needs and disability, and we support them to reach their full potential.
We recognise that all children learn at different rates and that there are many factors that can affect a child’s capacity to learn. We recognise that many children, will at some time, experience difficulties which affect their learning and that this may be short or long term. We ensure that additional needs are identified quickly and offer a range a provision to meet the needs of your child.
How will we know if your children need extra help with their learning and what should you do if you think that your child may have special educational needs?
At Fallodon, we pride ourselves on the strong partnerships we make with our families. We hope that you will always feel able to approach us with any worries or concerns, no matter how small you think they are. We work in partnership with you, at all times. We have an open-door policy, and we welcome you to talk with us at any time. Staff are always happy to make an appointment for a longer discussion.
When your child starts at playgroup, we will spend lots of time playing together, getting to know your child, and informally observing them. As a whole staff team, we then come together to share our observations, to consider your child’s interests, strengths and any areas that they may need support. Your child’s key worker will complete a starting point assessment to identify whether they are meeting their milestones in learning linked to six monthly age points. If we have any worries, we will talk to you about them and may then decide to consider some additional support.
How will my child be supported?
If we have concerns about your child’s learning or development, we will talk to you. What you have observed at home is invaluable. We may do more focused observation to find out what your child is finding tricky, or we may suggest a hearing test or a visit to the Speech and Language Team. Once we have a clearer idea about the support your child needs, we will consider ways to support your child. This may be 1:1 time or small group activity. It may be that we make some adjustments to our practice, curriculum or environment to meet the needs of your child. We may begin using visual aids to support routines and transitions. At Fallodon, we have a whole setting approach to SEND. This means that all staff are aware of, and implement, any strategies we are using to support your child. We always come together to consider how any interventions have worked and then we will consider next steps. This is known as the Graduated Approach, where we Assess, Plan, Do, Review, in an ongoing cycle. Sometimes we will consider using an Individual Education Plan for your child with targets and linked strategies. Sometimes we may need guidance from other professionals. Flora (our SENDCO) regularly meets with the Inclusion team for advice and guidance.
How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?
Each child is allocated a key worker. Key workers spend lots of lovely time playing with your child and getting to know their interests, what they are good at, what progress they are making and whether they may need any extra support.
Every Wednesday we come together as a team to consider the needs and interests of all our children. We will then plan activities for the following week which build on what we have learnt about our children through the time we have spent with them. We recognise that each child is unique and aim to provide a fun, interesting curriculum, differentiated, to meet the needs of all our children. If this means we need to make adjustments to our provision or environment, then we happily do so. We have a high adult child ratio which enables us to give more support to help children access and enjoy the curriculum we provide. Additionally, when we are ‘in the moment’ with a child, playing or exploring, we will adjust our planned activity to meet the needs or interests of the child.
How will both you and I know how my child is doing and how will you help me to support my child’s learning?
At Fallodon, we follow the Opal Assessment Strategy, this means that on entry we will check that your child is meeting age expected goals. Each child will then have a ‘spotlight month’ every 6 months where your child’s development is monitored and next steps are planned. When your child is a ‘Spotlight’ child, as a team we spend lots of time observing your child and recording these onto our Interactive Learning Diary. We then check your child’s progress against the Opal milestones. We will then produce a Spotlight sheet and we will arrange a meeting with you and ask for your views.
However, this doesn’t mean we only assess your child twice a year, we do this, informally, all the time. Your child’s key worker can raise worries with Flora (our SENDCO), at any time. If your child has additional needs, we will use other assessment tools more regularly to check your child is making progress. We will meet more frequently with you to review your child’s progress and to ensure their needs are still being met as their needs change. We encourage you to contribute to the planning of your child’s individual provision and we may have shared targets to be worked towards at playgroup and at home. If your child has a support plan (non-statutory education, health and care plan) this will be reviewed three times a year. The progress children are making is compared to the targets set out in the plan. The targets are set in partnership with you and your child, by all the people working with your child. If your child is undergoing further assessment, you will be supported to ensure that you understand and are comfortable with the process.
We love to hear what your children have been up to so we can celebrate their achievements and explore their interests. You are welcome to upload photos of activities you have done with your child at home on the Interactive Learning Diary.
What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?
Your child’s key worker and all other staff will help ensure that your child is happy, stimulated and their needs fully met. We have a high adult: child ratio, our staff are all extremely well qualified with lots of experience raising our own children. Through our curriculum and day to day interactions we build self-confidence, self-esteem and self-help skills.
We get to know your children very well, so we know when they are not quite themselves and might need a bit more time or support. We understand that what is happening at home can affect your child so if you feel able to, please let us know when something has happened at home, and we will do our best to support your child and your family. Our flexible approach to planning means that we can provide activities or toys that we know will offer comfort to your child and of course, we always have plenty of cuddles available!
Throughout the day we will ‘check in’ with your child to make sure they are happy and engaged. Each day before snack time we do a ‘mindful minute’ to help us to feel calm and relaxed. Through our curriculum and day to day interactions, we build confidence, self-esteem and self-help skills.
Where possible, your child’s key worker will be responsible for personal care. We consider this a lovely time to chat and strengthen our relationships.
We have a robust Administration of Medication Policy. We will seek any specialist training required to administer medication to individual children when required. Most staff are first aid trained.
What specialist services and expertise are available or accessed by the education setting?
Flora (our SENDCO) has a termly visit from the Early Years Portage and Inclusion team where she can seek advice and support and Flora can also work with you to make referrals to other specialist services including:
Community paediatricians
Health visitors
Speech and language therapists
Educational Psychologists
Occupational therapy
Portage and Inclusion
Children’s Mental Health teams
What training have the staff supporting children with Send had?
Flora, our SENDCo, is a qualified Primary School teacher and has recently gained an NCFE Cache Level 3 Award for Special Educational Needs coordinator in Early years setting. Flora regularly attends local SEND Cluster meetings to consolidate and extend her knowledge and understanding. Four of our staff are qualified teachers with many years of experience of supporting children with additional needs.
Fallodon has a whole setting approach to SEND and as such, all staff members are expected to undertake regular SEND training. Flora also does in house training at staff and inset meetings. We regularly audit our practice and environment and consider whether we need any specific training to meet the needs of our children. Additionally, if a child joins us with specific needs, we will all undertake any training necessary in order to be able to support your child effectively. All staff use basic Makaton, and some have more extensive experience.
How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including trips?
Children go outside to play each morning as part of our routine. Activities and toys are available which are suitable for the full range of abilities and ages. If required, children receive additional support to fully access all activities such as the climbing frames. On local trips, additional adult support is provided to enable all ages and abilities to be included and trips are planned with this in mind. We welcome parents and carers to join us on our trips. A risk assessment is conducted before all trips and adjustments to route or activities will be made so all children can participate. We will meet with parents and carers of children with specific needs to plan how to make adjustments, to ensure their child is able to participate in the trip. Parents and carers accompany children on our annual seaside trip.
How accessible are we?
Fallodon Playgroup is accessible to all including those who use wheelchairs, having no steps, wide doors and a toilet adapted for users with physical disabilities. The scout hut is spacious, children of all ages play in the same room. We have a large outdoor area (a tarmac area at the front of the hut and a large, grassed area to the side). We have lots of flexibility to choose how we arrange our learning environment and resources, depending on need. Our onsite Forest school enables us to be flexible with our planning to include all children.
We have many children in our setting who speak English as an additional language. We believe this helps to provide a rich and diverse community here at Fallodon. We always try to greet non- English speakers in their home language and help them to become part of our community. We use google translate when necessary and we are able to access translators. We welcome friends and family to join us to translate. We undertake careful planning to ensure language support is available to children with English as an Additional Language, we use visual aids and build strong communication in whatever way the child prefers. Additionally, once a child is ready, we run a group called Teddy Talk which helps to teach key language that children need in their play and friendships and to aid communication.
How will we prepare and support your child to join the setting, transfer to a new setting or the next stage of education?
We are happy to come and visit you in your home as part of the settling in process. This allows us to spend time getting to know your child in an environment where they are happy and comfortable. However, you may choose not to have a home visit and that’s fine too.
Before your child starts at Fallodon, you will be invited for several settling in visits. This provides an opportunity for your child to meet the staff and become familiar with the layout and routines of playgroup. We have story books about going to a playgroup that you are welcome to borrow. We will ask you to complete a questionnaire about your child, so we have information to help your child settle. You are welcome to stay with your child until they are ready to be left. Children are allowed to bring a special toy with them, which is kept safely during play. Key workers quickly build relationships with their key children. During their induction is a good time for you to let us know if you have any concerns or worries about your child’s learning or development and once your child is happy and settled, we will spend time addressing your concerns.
At Fallodon, we prepare children for school by building independence and confidence about this transition. We have school uniforms for children to dress up in, we read stories about starting school and share photo books of different schools. We also (with parental permission) let families know which other children will also be attending their child’s new school. Our families spend lots of time playing in our local park and building friendships among the children (and parents too!). Transfer information is sent to new settings including schools. School reception staff are invited to visit playgroup to meet the children and our children make several visits to their receiving school.
For children who have special education needs, Flora will arrange a transfer meeting with the receiving school and a transition plan will be made. Additional information is shared to ensure that the transition is as happy as possible. We will share support strategies and aids so these can be continued by the receiving school. We may also decide some shared targets for your child to work towards in the summer term to help your child be ready for the transition. Sometimes this meeting may also involve other professionals. We know that ‘moving on’ can be a difficult transition for children with SEND and worrying for parents too. We aim to make the transition as happy and positive as we can. We hope that the skills we have helped children to develop during their time with us will help them to not just manage but thrive during their transition to school.
How do we allocate and match resources to children’s special educational needs?
Our setting receives universal and extended offer funding where applicable for children, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. We can apply for additional funding if a child has needs that our ‘different from and additional to other children’. Flora will make this application with lots of input from you, and the team around your child, including advice from supporting agencies. The application will be guided by the Bristol Universal Descriptors (BUDS). The Early Years SEN Panel will decide whether funding should be granted and how much will be allocated to your child.
If further support is required and all those supporting your child, are in agreement, a request for an EHC Needs Assessment can be made. If your child receives a statutory EHCP then a personal budget is allocated, and parents are able to contribute their views about how this should be used and an agreed plan put in place for this.
How are parents and carers involved at Fallodon?
We love having parents join us at Fallodon. We welcome parents to come and share their skills and interests, to read stories, to share and celebrate their cultures, help with cooking, accompany us on trips or just spend time playing with children. At the end of each year, we produce a Parent questionnaire. We value your feedback to help us improve our practice.
Who can I contact for further information?
For more information please do contact Wendy or Helen, (our managers) or Flora (our SENDCO) either by email fallodonplaygroup@hotmail.co.uk or by phone on 07456 067055 Please do leave a message if we don’t answer as we may be busy in session.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR SEND POLICY
All councils must produce a local SEND Offer. This tells you what support is available for families of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities. Bristol’s SEND Local Offer website is a single place of information about services and support for children and young people from birth to 25 who have special educational needs or disabilities, and for their families and carers. The SEND Offer website can be found at About – Bristol’s SEND Local Offer – bristol.gov.uk
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