Zion

ZION COMMUNITY PRE-SCHOOL – SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITY LOCAL OFFER

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 How do the staff at Zion Community Pre-school know if children need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have a special educational need or a disability?

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• At Zion each child will have a key person who will form a relationship with the child and their family by talking to them and getting to know more about them.

• We talk to parents at their initial visit about the child’s level of development and continue to observe them to plan for the next steps of development and keep records in their Learning Diary.

• We hold regular planning and staff meetings where staff can raise their concerns.

• Regular parents meetings are held to enable parents to raise any concerns and staff are available at the beginning and end of each session to talk to parents.

 

How will Zion Community Pre-school staff support my child and communicate to all staff that my child has special educational needs or a disability and the support he or she will need?

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• Your child’s key person and our SENCO will work closely together to plan and provide the support to meet your child’s individual needs.  All staff will be made aware of your child’s needs and strategies to be used at staff meetings.

• There will be regular meetings between you and your child’s key person to discuss the support  being given and progress being made.  A support plan will show the child’s strengths, an achievable target for your child, how this will be addressed and by whom.

• Communication between your child’s key person, SENCO and any other professionals involved, such as a speech therapist, health visitor, will take place with your consent, to ensure your child’s needs are being fully supported.

 

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How will the Early Years Curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?

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•  At Zion we plan for each individual child starting with the information given by parents when they start pre-school.  We will observe and monitor your child to establish their next steps.  This will also take into account your child’s interests and strengths to encourage them to engage in the activities/experiences provided to meet the curriculum.

• We aim to provide a stimulating environment using natural and open ended materials and resources for the children to explore.  Regular observations and evaluations will help us to ensure this is having an impact on each child’s learning.

 

 

 How will both you and I know how my child is doing and how will you help me to support my child’s learning?  

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• We will hold regular reviews of your child’s progress through summary sheets three times a year,  monthly  reviews of your child’s support plan and regular assessment data.  Progress will be shown in your child’s Learning Diary and through informal discussions with your child’s key person.

• We share information with parents of our ‘story of the month’ and ‘how you can help your child’, and our face book page which will tell you about activities we are doing in the session.

 

What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being?

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• At Zion, caring for your child’s welfare is paramount so they are happy and thrive in the setting.  We hold a meeting before their start date to complete the relevant paperwork which will be carried out by your child’s key person to find out as much as we can about your child.

• When your child starts we work with you to find the best way of settling them in.  We are happy for you to stay until you feel happy and comfortable leaving them.  You can also build up the amount of time they spend at pre-school without you by leaving a little earlier each day.  Your child will also be able to keep a ‘comforter’ at pre-school to use if they become upset.

• A member of staff will be available to help your child with any toileting needs and personal care.  If your child requires medical support, there will always be a member of staff who is first aid trained to administer any medicine they may need.

• At Zion we promote positive behaviour.  All staff support the children in learning right from wrong and managing their own feelings and those of other people.  We help the children to resolve conflict by talking to them about what has happened and how to negotiate.  We also play games which involve turn taking.

 

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by Zion Community Pre-school?

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• Most of our staff members are experienced in working with children with different educational needs and disabilities which include:-

                                                        Behavioural challenges                     Children who are partially sighted                                    

                                                        Speech and language difficulties       Developmental delay

                                                        Physical disabilities                            Autistic Spectrum Condition

                                                        Medical disabilities

• We have previously worked alongside other professionals such as a Speech and Language Therapist, Health Visitor and Educational Psychologist in the setting in order to give the child the expertise required to fully support their needs.

 

What training has the staff supporting children with SEND had or are they having?

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• At Zion, our practitioners have received training in:-

  • The role of the SENCO

  • Every Child a Talker

  • Speech and Language Development

  • The use of visual aids

  • Behaviour Management
     

How will my child be included in activities outside the setting including trips?

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• We aim to make any activities or outings outside the setting inclusive to all children.  We will do this by speaking to parents about the child’s individual needs and carrying out a detailed risk assessment of the environment/facilities and activities we will be taking part in.

• Any outside activities we organise are dependent on voluntary help from parents/carers and the ratios will be increased to give extra support.

 

How accessible is Zion Community Pre-school’s environment?

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• Zion Community Pre-school is held in the Church Hall belonging to Zion Methodist Church.  There are parking facilities on site.  The building is fully wheelchair accessible with access to the garden area from the main hall.  A separate disabled toilet is located in the foyer where nappy changing is also available. 

• The doors are locked and alarmed during the pre-school sessions and the outdoor has new fencing which has made it more secure with the gates being locked when pre-school is open.

• As the building is rented from the Church, we are a pack away pre-school which gives us the opportunity to adapt tables, chairs and rugs to different areas of the room.  We use visual aids and displays around the room and always have sensory resources available. 

• We are lucky enough to have a separate room where we can hold meetings with parents and other professionals.  We can also use it for story times and other activities where the children need a quieter environment.

 

How will Zion Community Pre-school prepare and support my child to join the setting and transfer to a new setting/school  for the next stage of education?

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• You are welcome to come along with your child to have a look round our pre-school.  When accepting a place, you will be asked to come in to complete the relevant paper work and tell us about your child. This will also give your child an opportunity to explore the environment and meet other children in the setting.  You will be given the chance to stay with your child for a while when they start to help them settle in if you wish.

• When it is time for your child to move on to their next stage of education, you will be able to meet with your child’s key person who will have prepared a transition document for their next setting/school.  A supported transition document will also be attached that will share information about your child’s special educational need or disability. Your child’s Learning Diary will also be passed on to the next setting, with your consent. We are happy to attend any transition meetings with the School if this is required. We have reception teachers from local schools visiting us in the summer term to see the children they will have in their class and we organise transition activities such as PE. We also role play school dinners after the children have been to their lunch visit so they can recall the lunchtime routine.

 

How are the setting’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?

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• Through previous experience of having children with special educational needs and disabilities, we have many resources that are suitable for different needs.  If we find there is something in particular we need for an individual child this will be discussed with the treasurer and fundraising committee.

 

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?

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• We will have discussions with staff, parents, and other professionals that may be involved and liaise with any other setting your child may attend as to how much support they may need.  If the support required is more than we can reasonably provide we will apply to the local authority for additional support.

 

How are parents involved at Zion Community Pre-school ? How can I be involved?

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• Zion Community Pre-school is managed by a voluntary parent committee who welcome help from any parents who would like to be involved.  As well as making business decisions, they spend time organising fundraising events to help provide new and up to date resources for the children.

• We have a parent helper rota on the notice board for parents who find they have some spare time and would like to help in the session .

• We have WOW stars in the foyer which you can complete if your child has achieved  something  that you would like to tell us about.  This will be read out to the other children and the WOW star will then be added to your child’s Learning Diary.

• We have our Zion Library which the children can use to borrow books and return them when they have finished.

• We also welcome parents to come and watch the children singing at special times of the year.

 

Who can I contact for further information?

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• Please contact Mrs Vicky Glanville, our Pre-school Leader by telephone on 07715467764 or email to enquiriesforzionpreschool@mail.com if you would like to come and have a look around our pre-school to apply for a place.

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      If your child attends our pre-school, their key person should be the first point of contact if you wish to discuss anything about your child.

      Our Special Educational Needs and disability co-ordinator is Mrs Natalie Halsall.

      Information on South Gloucestershire Council’s Local Offer can be found at www.southglos.gov.uk/localoffer