Brighstone Pre-school

At Brighstone Preschool, on the initial visit we get to know the child and the parents. We request an "all about me" form, finding out information about the child’s likes and dislikes.

On the registration form we make a note of any complications at birth and allergies etc. We also record any concerns that you as a parent may have.

We then start the preschool sessions with the child, doing observations and monitoring. The staff will be using the EYFS assessments. We produce a Learning Journey and use Intent, Implementation, and Impact forms, so we can measure a child’s progress. These are monitored closely for all children. Any child who is discussed at staff or parent meetings that appears to be not reaching their potential or level in the Early Years Foundation Stage will be planned for, observed, and monitored again. This decision will be made with the Manager, SENCO, keyperson and discussed with the parents when required to. The SENCO would then put in for support referral to the EY support team who would visit the child in the setting.

Brighstone Preschool staff allocate a key worker to support every child.

Key persons are responsible for the well-being and development of groups of children. The Key worker is responsible for the paperwork and development of children. If your child has or is suspected of having additional needs, the key worker will be your point of communication.

The key worker will liaise with other staff, parents, and other professionals. They provide the extra support your child requires.

We can apply for extra support if allocated after discussion with the SENCO, Manager and Key person. Advice is given by the Early Years SEN advisors. Individual development plans are put into place showing small achievable targets to help children progress. Staff are allocated extra training if it is required.

At Brighstone Preschool we have, visuals schedules around the rooms, object of reference, staff using Makaton/British sign language signs and symbols.

Now and next questions and photo’s help children with communication. We run bucket sessions and identi play. Small group sessions encourage and develop focus and attention. We also support children with physical needs, any extra toileting arrangements, physio requirements daily and eating arrangements. We work with outside professionals to make sure the child’s needs are fully met and we have the correct equipment to support them.

For children with SEN and/or disabilities, their curriculum is individualised to meet all their needs. We communicate via tapestry to parents following the SEN curriculum and early intervention stages. We look at stage 1, stage 2 up to the Early Learning goals ready for transition.

Both you and I will know how your child is doing through the use of Tapestry, we provide a 2-way communication system that allows you to monitor your child’s time at preschool. You can comment on what you see and add your own photographs and stories from home. Sharing WOW moments and communication with your child’s keyworker.

We have an open-door policy, which welcomes you to communicate with staff. We believe communication is key. Parents are welcome to come into the setting and discuss strategies with the Manager, SENCO and Keyperson. We have extensive information leaflets that may be helpful. If you require a private appointment, you can request a time convenient to both parents, and the setting staff.

We will also apply for extra support if allocated after discussion with the SENCO, Manager and Keyperson. Advice is taken from the Early Years SEN advisors. Individual Development plans showing small achievable targets help children to move on. We can access a service called ‘Portage’ that do block sessions in the home to work with your child to if needed.

By communicating regularly, we should be able to support you at home by sharing ideas of activities to do at home. We can also show you any activities that have been provided by outside agencies on tapestry too.

Your child’s overall wellbeing will be monitored and observed every preschool day. Communication is held between staff at staff meetings. Every child is discussed individually.

All children who have been highlighted as having an emotional, social need or mental health need will be supported with the area discussed through the setting. If any extra services are required, referrals can be made to outside agencies. e.g., Health Visitor, Barnardo's children's centres.

We work alongside a wide range of professionals.

• Health visitors,
• Speech and language,
• Early years advisory,
• Barnardo’s,
• Physiotherapy,
• Home start,
• Early help,
• Occupational health.

We have built up a good relationship with our school which supports transition. We work closely with our reception class teacher.

Staff have a level 2 or 3 in childcare or above, with paediatric first aid training, safeguarding, FGM and Prevent. All staff are trained in SEND, with in house training in specific areas of SEND. We have a full-time SENCO in place. We are signed up to, training and development services from the Local Authority who offer all aspects of SEND that staff can access. All staff have attended training on working alongside parents with SEN, Autism. All staff use signing, which we encourage all the children also in the setting to do.

Staff have undergone training in:

• Level 3 Award in speech and language support 0-3 years (RQF) Elkan.
• Level 2 Understanding behaviours that challenges
• Level 2 Equality and Diversity
• Level 2 Understanding Autism
• Level 2 Care management of diabetes.

Specific support staff have previously worked with children with – Cerebral Palsy, Diabetes, Autism, Speech, and Language difficulties. All staff have undergone Bucket training working alongside the Early Years SEN.

Activities will be differentiated depending on the needs of your child and where they ‘best fit’ in the EYFS.

If specialist resources or equipment are required for your child, the preschool will purchase them or seek funding from outside agencies to assist in this purchase. The continuous provision will be matched to your child’s needs. The day’s activities will be differentiated to make them suitably inclusive for all children.

Staff will advise you of any outings or trips in advance. We look at options on how we would do this to have your child’s interest first. Talking to yourselves to discuss your personal feelings and how you at home would do any outings. We also give a now and next for children to prepare and support them with the change on any specific day in order to support the transition.

Brighstone Preschool has a large spacious indoor environment with lots of room available. There are ramps on each door and wider doorways to every room. The changing facilities can be up on a higher changing mat with steps to climb or can be on the floor with a changing mat, this would depend on the child’s preference or need. The toilets are accessible, for children and adults with disabilities. The garden is all one level with a woodland area accessible to everyone.

Brighstone Preschool have robust transition policies and programmes in place. This is with all schools that children who leave us attend. Including mainstream primaries and Medina House school. Brighstone Preschool prepares your child to join school or the next stage of their education. They organise and communicate with the next stage. Parents are welcome to come into the setting and discuss strategies with the Manager, SENCO and Keyperson.

For children with Special Education Needs or Disabilities we put in place a Transition pack with extra information. Photos, visuals, and signs explain the transition to them. Brighstone Primary also provide us with a settling session. These start around February for the intake in September. The reception teacher provides the preschool with a video of the school environment to watch while in our setting.

As a preschool setting, we have resources and staffing appropriate to support all children with a wide range of educational needs.

If we do not have the resources, we then would purchase them. We work alongside the Isle of Wight Council Early Years support teams, Speech and Language therapist, Occupational therapist, and Health Visitor. We gain advice in order to have access to more equipment.