Our Early Years Local Offer
Our Local Offer provides parents and carers of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities with information detailing the support accessible within Pebbles Nursery.
White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School is committed to inclusive practice and has a wealth of experience in supporting children and families with special educational needs and disabilities. Our priority is always the welfare, health, safety, and education of young children. We value every child as an individual and we assess our ability to support your child and meet their needs on an individual basis.
Who should I contact if I am considering registering for a place at the setting?
In the first instance, Parents/Carers will have a tour of Pebbles Nursery class with a member of the Team and complete an application form. Following this an induction meeting and settling in sessions will be arranged.
During this meeting, you will receive information for applying for any funding such as Free Early Education, Free for Two year olds, the Early Years Pupil Premium, and SEN Inclusion Fund (SENIF) which supports children with SEN, and information on applying for the Disability Access fund (DAF), and how we would use this to support your child.
How will Pebbles Nursery adapt the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework for my child’s needs?
The EYFS celebrates the fact that every child is unique. The 3 prime areas are:
Communication and Language
Physical Development
Personal, Social and Communication Development
We plan, observe and assess continually in Pebbles Nursery to ensure the needs of every individual is met. Our Nursery is a language rich environment which encourages independent creativity and learning. We have a wonderful outside area which enriches the experiences of the children through the extensive range of resources on offer.
Targeted Interventions include – Speech and Language, Gross & Fine Motor, Listening & Attention Activities take place in small groups or 1:1 with one of our highly skilled and experienced team promoting wellbeing and resilience.
Pebbles have links with local Specialist Provisions, Nurseries, specialist therapists, advisors and Health Visitors which offer ongoing advice and support.
Parents / Carers are informed every step of the way and are offered ideas and resources to use at home, to reinforce strategies used in Pebbles to facilitate learning and development.
How does Pebbles identify children with additional needs / SEND?
Your child's journey begins once we have received your admission forms. This will enable us to build up a picture of your child.
As a space becomes available, you and your child will be invited to attend a meeting with our Nursery Manager or Deputy Manager. This will give you the opportunity to discuss your child in an informal and confidential way.
Once your child has started in Pebbles Nursery, we will assess them using the Early Years Document ‘Development Matters
2 years olds will also complete the statutory ‘Progress Check at 2’.
If the assessment highlights any areas of delay either the Nursery SENCo or your child’s Keyworker will arrange to meet with and share these findings. Following this meeting it may be necessary to provide your child with additional opportunities. These would be shared with you and discussed, then written in a targeted plan.
What additional support does the setting provide for children with additional needs or SEND?
If your child is not making sufficient progress through the targeted plan, we will discuss with you other avenues such as referrals to other services such as Speech and Language. If your child receives this support, a Personalised Plan would then be put into place.
With your consent, we can refer to the Specialist Teaching & Learning service through the Local Inclusion Forum Team (LIFT) who can visit and offer additional guidance or signpost you child to other agencies. You are consulted every step of the way.
Staff regularly attend training in the interest of the needs of the children and we are constantly updating, reviewing and researching ideas to better our practice. For example, this year staff attended Makaton and Sensory training
What arrangements does the setting have for feedback from Parents/Carers, including compliments and complaints?
We welcome constructive feedback in Pebbles and Parent view is important to us. Copies of all our policies are available on the website and upon request. Feedback from Parents has enabled us to positively review our ‘going home’ procedure and 12.30pm handover, resulting in children feeling more settled within a busy transition time.
How will I be informed about the ways in which my child is supported?
In Pebbles our ethos of ‘Parents as Partners’ is a fundamental part of improving outcomes for children. Your child will have a Key Worker, to help build a strong relationship between yourselves and Pebbles. There are many ways you as family members can feel supported:
Daily Contact with staff, opportunities for meetings at your request throughout the year, detailed Learning Journeys including an instant online journal with detailed observations of your child’s development, Parent Partnership meetings with our Teacher and Nursery Manager 3 times a year and consistent collaboration with any additional interventions or plans put into place.
What teaching strategies does the setting use for children with additional needs or learning?
Environment: We plan for the environment to ensure children are able to attend, listen, explore and achieve. Lots of natural lighting and neutral paint ensures a sense of calm to the setting. Soft furnishings, bean bags and rugs minimise noise and promote a sense of wellbeing. Moveable furniture enables areas to be created accordingly.
Resources: Children’s development is supported at all levels through effective teaching and resources. Should a child need extra support, through funding and liasing with outside agencies, this can enhance what we offer the children. For example the use of a Picture Exchange board from the specialist offsite pre-school provision enabled a child to specifically express his needs and wants. We have purchased resources such as talking tubes, emotion cushion and sensory bark, mirrors and pebbles to scaffold communication and language
Teaching strategies: Our highly trained staff have expertise in all areas from Makaton, Occupational Health, Speech and Language and Sensory processing. The Best Practice Guidance supports our Teaching and measures the impact upon the children we support. The SEND code of practice identifies the areas of need as: Cognition and Learning, Communication and Interaction, Physical/Sensory difficulties/ and Social, Emotional and Mental Health. Our SENco will work with you and your child to target these areas at Universal, targeted and (where necessary) personal levels.
How accessible is the building for children with mobility difficulties / wheelchair users?
In April 2018 White Cliffs Primary and Nursery School opened a brand-new purpose-built setting for the Nursery class. The ground floor provision ensures ease of movement and comprises a disabled toilet facility and lift to access other areas of the School or the playing field for Sports day. The access to Pebbles Nursery is sloped with ample Parking, and the Nursery can be reached via the outer gate. Please let a member of the Team know should you or your child have any problems with accessibility.
How do you ensure children with additional needs /SEND can be included in the same activities as other children, including trips?
In Pebbles we are inclusive for all children and are committed to providing our children with hands on, valuable experiences to enrich their learning. We undertake risk assessments for our end of year Trips, which have included The Rare Breeds Centre and Wingham Wildlife Park. Parents and Carers are encouraged to join us on these outings, which have proven to be an enjoyable and profound experience for families.
Our Christmas Nativities incorporate Makaton for all the children, and last year our SEND children took lead roles. Likewise, our sports day was thoroughly supported and enjoyed by our children with SEND where we introduced a sensory water throwing activity for this purpose.
Within the setting, where children require more support for play and learning we use differentiation. For example, small group work and lots of tactile / visual resources or toys of interest to facilitate their language and understanding,
How will you support my child’s transition to a new setting or School?
Children have a robust and efficient transition programme here in Pebbles Nursery. Activities for School starters include stories, playing / dressing up in uniform, Teddy Bears picnics, power point presentations or short films on beginning school and with integrated visits to their new School or setting. New Teachers / Practitioners also visit us in Pebbles Nursery to see your child explore in a familiar learning environment.
The local Children’s Centre also visits, providing invaluable support and activities for the transition to School.
For children transferring to another setting, communication is paramount between the two and any records of learning or transition reports are shared accordingly.
How does the setting assess the overall effectiveness of its SEN provision and how can parents/carers take part in this evaluation?
All staff attend weekly staff meetings to discuss the provision and needs of the child. Any training events are shared within the team to enhance our practice. Policies and procedures are reviewed and updated as necessary.
SENco forums and briefings are attended, forging good SEN links to share outstanding practice amongst settings. LIFT meetings also provide opportunities to assess effectiveness of SEN provision and support available.
Parent voice is invaluable for monitoring our SEN provision, we have opportunities for daily conversation, parent questionnaires are sent out twice a year, along with parents evenings three times a year.
How will the setting monitor my Child’s progress and how will I be involved in this?
Our key person approach is fundamental when monitoring your child, especially if they have additional needs. Your child’s data and progress are shared with you at regularly meetings and on request. Pupil Progress consultations between the class teacher and senior leadership team, monitor the impact closely of any targeted interventions put into place by the SENco.
At Pebbles Nursery we pride ourselves on the amazing relationship we hold with families.
Along with the statutory Progress Check at 2, an overall assessment of your child is made Termly, 6 times a year and measured accordingly under the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum.
Kent Local Offer
For more information about the County Local Offer for SEND children please visit:
