Orchard Nursery School

Including Everyone

Oval Callout: Policy rewritten to included Multicultural, Equal Opportunities, Disability Awareness and Special educational NeedsA policy for Inclusion

 

 

 

Inclusion is meant in the widest sense. It incorporates children and young people as well as the rights of parents/carers, students and all staff. It includes individuals with special educational needs and/or a disability, as well as those from minority ethnic groups; Travellers; and any other diverse cultural groups.

It also includes those with English as an additional language and Children in Public Care (Looked after Children). Those with specific medical needs; suffering from low self- esteem; or experiencing mental health difficulties are also included. It also incorporates the rights of the child and equal opportunities, as well as any other groups at risk of exclusion or social exclusion.

Aims

To meet the individual needs of all children in our setting.

To ensure that Inclusion and Equal Opportunities are put into practice.

To provide guidance for staff and parents

To cover legal requirements and continue with a negotiated curriculum including ALL children.

Objectives

All children have a right of full access to Early Years Education through the Foundation Stage Curriculum and Birth to Three Matters (To be revised to Early Years Foundation stage 2008)

All children have a right to expect to learn in a caring and considerate environment where the staff and the children are all valued for their contribution to Nursery life.

The Nursery is committed to the identification of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and to adopting clear and open procedures which are outlined in this policy.

The Nursery is committed to working closely with parents who are fully involved in all decisions that affect their children’s education.

The Nursery will provide, within available resources, the highest possible quality support and inclusive education for children with SEN.

The Nursery follows a ‘Reggio Emilia’, negotiated curriculum that enables all children to access resources easily and to follow their interests.  In the light of our philosophy children are not expected to conform to whole group learning therefore ethnic diversity, gender, disability, culture and children who need environmental changes to learn (SEN) are catered for easily and naturally.

The Nursery will provide access:-

·          To the full curriculum, in appropriate ways reflecting images that show respect to all children’s background.

·          To and within buildings.

·          To information (for example, in Braille, on tape, or in straightforward language - both English and a range of community languages including British Sign Language) that reflects children’s backgrounds.

·          To appropriate training where available.

·          To positive images of disabilities, other cultures, gender and ethnic diversity.

Admission Arrangements

Admissions Policy

 

The Nursery school will follow the following Admissions policy. When the Nursery is oversubscribed the order of admission will be:-

 

·         Children with siblings attending Nursery already.

·         Children related to staff members.

·         Followed by children on the waiting list.

·          

Parents may enrol their child by filling in an admissions form. 

Pre-admission visits are encouraged.

 

No child will be discriminated against in the light of their race, gender, ability, disability or family background.

Waiting List

Parents can put their child’s name on the waiting list from birth. Parents are asked to complete a registration form and the details are then transferred to the waiting list.

In the term before a child is due to start Nursery, the Nursery will offer the child and parents the opportunity to visit and start an induction plan as well as a home visit

When a child starts

When a child starts at Nursery we encourage the parents to stay old. All parents must read and agree to adhere to the Pre-school’s policies when their child starts. Parents are asked to complete admission form and permission slips.

A member of staff will welcome and help settle the child in to pre-school. Through discussion with the parent and the staff it will be decided when it is best for a child to be left on their own.

 

Extract taken from Admissions policy

 

 

Special Needs

The role of our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator:

Since September 2001 it has been a requirement for all settings, who are registered for the Nursery Education Grant, to appoint a named setting based Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO)

Our Special Needs Coordinator is Melanie Binning

Our setting based SENCO:

Partnership with Parents and Carers

Parents are consulted at every level of intervention. Parents have a right to be involved in discussions about their child. Procedures should be explained to parents in order to develop a close working relationship and so parents can be made aware of the targets being set for their child. Parents should be offered advice about how they can work with their child at home if they so wish. The effectiveness of any intervention will depend upon the level of involvement of parents. Consultation with parents is made informally on a daily basis as well as at Parents’ Evening. Additional consultation is made at either the parents or the Nursery’s request at a mutually convenient time. Meetings for parents of children at Early Years Action Plus will be organised termly to review and write IEPs.

Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs:

Definition of SEN (From the SEN Code of Practice)

A child has SEN if she or he has a learning difficulty that calls for special educational provision to be made for her or him.

A child has a learning difficulty if she or he:

A child must not be regarded as having a learning difficulty solely because the language or form of language of the home is different from the language in which she or he will be taught.

Identification, assessment and provision

The need for early identification is paramount. It is made either by the staff or from information received from previous pre-schools, nursery provision or from other external sources. Parental concern is also taken into consideration. The Nursery follows the Stages set out in the revised Code of Practice. This identifies the stage the child is at, and clarifies who is responsible for the additional provision that is needed to support the child’s progress.

Our system of observation and record keeping, which operates in conjunction with parents, enables us to monitor children’s needs and progress on an individual basis.

Children with other needs are provided for through individual education plans. There is a high level of adults to children enabling us to provide all children with adult time and attention.  

If it is felt that a child’s needs cannot be met through Nursery without additional support then advice will be sought to from either the Area SENCO to seek extended funding.

The Staged Model of Special Educational Needs

Early Years Action: The staff in consultation with the SENCO needs to gather information to assess the child’s learning difficulties. An Individual Education Programme (IEP) is written and put into place. Provision for extra support is made within the resources of the pre-school.

Early Years Action Plus: As at Early Years Action with additional support from specialists from outside the pre-school.

Request for Statutory Assessment: The child is considered for Statutory Assessment and the staff in consultation with the SENCO, parents and outside specialists. The LEA considers the need for a statutory assessment and, if appropriate, makes a multi-disciplinary assessment.

Statement of Special Educational Needs: If the LEA decides that there is sufficient need for statutory assessment further evidence will need to be collected by the Nursery. The SENCO in consultation with the staff, parents and outside specialists will write a full assessment. The LEA considers the need for a statement of special educational needs and if appropriate, make a statement and arrange, monitor and review provision.

Links with support services and other agencies

The pre-school recognises that to provide a fully inclusive and supportive environment there is a need when considering SEN to work closely with the full range of support services and external agencies. Agencies are called upon when support is required for a specific need. The Nursery also works closely with agencies when information is requested to support a child.

Agencies that can be accessed by the Nursery:

Facilities, Staffing and Training:

Staffing:

The Nursery fully complies with the Ofsted requirements in terms of staffing and generally have a greater ratio of staff to children than the minimum require. If there is a need for an increase in staff due to issues surrounding inclusion resources will be met initially within the Nursery’s budget and then depending on need additional funding will be sought.

Training:

The Nursery provides SEN In-Service training in line with the Nursery’s own NIP and staff appraisal. The SENCO will participate in the training on inclusion provided by the Gloucestershire Early Years as well as other training needed to provide a high quality of provision for the Nursery. The SENCO will attend the training provided by the Area SENCO team and will keep up-to-date in changes in legislation.

Transition into school:

The Nursery has a close working relationship with Tibberton Primary School. Meetings are arranged throughout the term as well as when children transfer. The Reception class teacher regularly visits the Nursery and a programme of visits is organised prior to transfer to school. Where a child has been identified as needing additional visits these are arranged in consultation with the parents and the primary school.

Written May 2006

Review May 2008

My Documents/Amanda’s Files/2005 to 2006/General Files/Policies/Including Everyone