Pyrford Preschool

Inclusion and Special Educational Needs and DisabilityPolicy

At Pyrford Preschool we aim to include every child regardless of any special needs they may have, provided we as a setting believe we can meet their needs within the bounds of ‘reasonable adjustments’ as stated by the Equality Act 2010.  Every child and their family is given equal encouragement and respect.

We value the contributions of all children and where possible, we expect to remove any barriers to learning that we are aware of. As a staff we place great importance on identifying barriers to learning whether that is a disability or simply that the child has had a bad night’s sleep.

In order to ensure that each child has a positive experience in our setting, we seek to gain as clear an understanding of his/her needs as possible. Initially we invite parents to describe any needs they may be aware of, at the point of choosing to register with us. They may do this using our Famly app and face to face conversation. In this way we can discuss what support may be required and take steps to secure reasonable adjustments before the child starts with us. Thereafter, we continue to talk with parents and with other support agencies (we would seek parental permission to do this). We welcome every bit of detail such as routines, likes and dislikes as well as more significant information.

Preschool Community

Beginning with our staff, we model an ethos of acknowledging individuality and preserving good self esteem. We ensure that they are kept informed of any issues that may affect their work with the child. We do this using a communication record and summaries of specific children’s needs, in addition to briefing at the start and end of Preschool sessions and in half termly staff meetings. We also involve them in preparation of support materials/documentation.

The manager is responsible for making sure that this policy is implemented and that its effectiveness is monitored. Each member of staff has a responsibility to act as a positive role model to the children. For example, by displaying and promoting tolerant and respectful behaviour, language and attitudes, and challenging any discriminatory incident.

All job descriptions include a commitment to equality and diversity as part of their specifications. In order to continuously improve our understanding and knowledge of equality and diversity, we welcome any opportunities to share best practice by networking with other settings. We also attend training programmes provided by Surrey EYCS as part of our programme of continuous professional development.

We expect the families in our Preschool community to act with the same respect for equality and diversity and do not tolerate unacceptable behaviour/language from children, parents, carers and visitors.

Preschool environment

We operate in a village hall which has been adjusted for wheelchair access, enabling use of toilets, fire exits and outdoor play area.  Where possible we provide appropriate equipment with EYCS support and recommendations from specialists. Since we are a ‘pack-away setting’, the room layout is quite flexible. We make reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of all the children. This adjustment includes all aspects of our activities. Any adjustments we make are included on our health and safety Risk Assessment as appropriate.

The development and progress of all children attending the Preschool is monitored using a system of observing and reporting that we complete in the child’s ‘Journey’ section on the Famly app. We conduct a ‘Progress Check for children aged two and we track all the children’s development against EYFS framework. In addition we of course use parents’ input and the experience of our staff. Any concerns regarding a child’s development will be discussed with parents, their key worker and the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO), Cat Fisher.

If it is felt that a child needs either a referral as a result of our assessment, with parental permission, we seek advice from Surrey Early Years and Childcare Service team who have regular contact with our setting. They can provide guidance with further assessment, the involvement of other agencies and in implementing a graduated response detailed in the SEND Code of Practice. They will also be involved in our seeking financial support that may be available to support children with special needs. Where possible, we deploy staff and/or adapt adult to child ratios to meet the needs of individual children. When in receipt of funding we are able to have additional staff with the specific role of support for an individual child or small groups. A child may have an Education, Health and Care Plan as part of the SEND Code of Practice. This document highlights strengths and areas of concern, then sets simple targets which can be integrated into the weekly planning and routines. The child’s parents and all staff read and discuss these with us in the context of the setting to ensure consistency and continuity of care.

Best Practice

The SENCO should keep up to date with training and new legislation by reading bulletins from SCC and attending network meetings.

We observe a practice of confidentiality where we respect parent’s wishes of sharing information. All of this is overseen by the SENCO who ensures joint working within the team. We monitor the effectiveness of our inclusive practices through children’s records; liaison with families; annual review of policy and procedures; audit of the environment; planning; reflective practice based on training and evaluation; OFSTED Self Evaluation Form; SEND Code of Practice.  

Statutory guidance for organisations which work with and support children and young people who have special educational needs or disabilities can be viewed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/398815/SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf
Date policy written:         Aug 2011Last review Nov 2022