OUR LOCAL OFFER
OFSTED NUMBER: 133056
Our named Special Educational Needs and Disability Officers are Kay Willcox and Fee Tucker.
We aim to meet the unique needs of all children by:
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providing a secure, accessible, well-planned environment and activities where all our children can fulfill their potential. This is inclusive of their individual needs.
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working closely together as a team to ensure we develop trusting, sensitive relationships with all our families, carers and children to enable us to identify each child’s individual needs and respectfully share information.
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working closely with other agencies and professionals to ensure we are able to support children within the setting.
We identify each child’s individual needs by:
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alloting a designated Key Person whose role is to develop a trusting, sensitive relationship with our children and their families.
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asking our families/carers to complete an ‘All about Me’ document on registration this will help us to identify what matters to the children and their families.
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completing a ‘2 year progress check’ with our families/carers to identify children’s development in the 3 prime areas; Comminication and Language, Physical Development and Personal, Social and Emotional Development.
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providing a Learning Journal containing regular observations and assessments, which are linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage – ‘Best Fit Summaries’ for each specific area of learning.
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planning next steps for development and discussing this with our families/carer.
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completing an overview of progress for discussion with our Send Officers to ensure we are providing the relevant and appropriate support.
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writing Individual Education Plans, monitoring progress and reviewing them regularly with parents/carers and other proffessionals to ensure targets are being met.
We promote positive relationships and ensure good, ongoing communication with families by:
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operating an open door policy where all families are welcome to discuss their children’s progress and individual needs in a confidential and respectful manner.
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keeping families up to date with regular newsletters, an informative website and a notice board advertising future family events.
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Arranging for a translator to assist if you are a parent/carer who has English as an additional language.
We inform families of how their children are progressing and how they can access additional support or help at home by:
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having regular progress meetings to discuss children’s developmental next steps. These are linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage – ‘Best Fit Summaries’. Where additional support is needed the staff and Send Officers will advise families/carers on how to access further information.
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planning activities with families/carers to encourage these next steps are achieved both within the setting and at home.
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having 2 parents evenings per year where families can come and see their children’s work, discuss their progress and socialize with staff and other parents.
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displaying the Sure Start ‘what’s on’ in the local area guide and the Banes Parent Partnership services booklet within our setting.
“I also received advice and experienced knowledge for my child’s suspected ADHD” a parent.
“The staff have have really helped me get the help and support my child needed with her speech” a parent.
“Support has been offered to both our child and us as parents, in a professional, non judgmental and encouraging manner” a parent.
We communicate with other providers by:
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regularly meeting to discuss and share children’s assessments, Individual Education Plans and next steps in their development.
We ensure children’s smooth transition to another setting or school by;
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completing a transition form, which will give an overview of the child’s development, likes/dislikes, characteristics of learning and next steps for development.
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working closely with schools and arranging regular visits to school for children to experience their new surroundings and encouraging teaching staff to meet the children at our setting.
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arranging additional visits if extra transitional help is needed.
“The teacher’s visits and the children going to ‘playscape’ really helped” a parent.
“Lunch club, visits and meeting the teachers have prepared my son” a parent.
We provide an enabling environment for all children in our care by:
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having a welcoming, friendly sensitive and positive approach.
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having ramped access to the setting, low level toilets and wash hand basins, clearly labeled resources at children’s eye level and a comfy quiet corner for stories or an occasional nap.
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offering a free flow system where children can make choices of where they play, either inside or outside, how they play and engage in activities/experiences that are of interest to them.
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observing and reflecting on their play to ensure that the activities/resources are supportive to each child’s individual needs and development.
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adapting activities to ensure full benefit and inclusiveness to all children.
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providing a large enclosed grassed area with climbing equipment for physical play. A vegetable and nature garden for explorative and sensory play and covered play area for all weather play.
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creating a visual timetable to ensure children are able to interact fully and understand our daily routine.
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discussing the limitations of the building and making adaptations to existing resources to ensure all children can access them, if possible.
At Noah’s Ark Preschool we employ nine staff that have all attained the appropriate Early Years qualifications. All staff are also Child Protection, Behavior Management and First Aid trained. All staff regularly attend training workshops to ensure they are kept fully up to date. We have caringly supported children with many needs including Diabetes, ADHD, Stoma, Autism, Speech and Language, BESD, Allergies and Hearing difficulties.
“The staff have picked up on things that my child has struggled with and worked on developing those skills. It shows that they know her well. That is important” a parent