If you believe your child has a special educational need, we would ask that you inform us of these concerns prior to your child being admitted to the Preschool to ensure the provision is prepared and understands how to meet your child’s needs. As an established Preschool we have a duty to ensure that all opportunities for children are equal, therefore we ensure that all resources and activities are accessible to all children regardless of their ability. We have a number of strategies and processes that we follow to ensure your child is meeting the requirements of the Early Year’s Foundation Sage of development, these include; the Two Year Progress Checks, Observation records, Parental Observations, Assessment on a child’s progress in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and working in partnership with outside agencies from both health and social provisions. If parents have any concerns about their child’s development, they can discuss this in private with their child’s Key person or Bumbles appointed SENCo (Special Education Needs Coordinator) Sue Inwood. If your child’s Key person identifies that they may need extra support, parents will be asked to discuss the matter in private with Bumbles SENCo. The Preschool will work in partnership with parents to plan individual support for your child, ensuring their individual needs are supported. An Individual Educational Plan will be introduced to ensure your child has greater support and their specific learning goals and individual outcomes are closely monitored. With parents’ permission Bumbles SENCo may liaise with the Area SENDCo and other professionals to seek advice and support if necessary.

Bumbles experienced SENCo works closely with the child’s key person, parents and outside professionals to ensure early intervention, ensuring they receive the appropriate level of support. The Preschool will work in partnership with parents to complete an Individual Education Plans (IEP) to help set specific targets and learning outcomes for your child. These interventions include support for play, interaction, social skills, and speech and language. The IEP is closely monitored by the Preschool SENCo and regularly reviewed ensuring your child’s individual needs are met and that the support provided is appropriate in helping them progress in their learning and development.

ll staff, led by the SENCo, track the progress of children with special educational needs through observation, assessment, and planning. The child’s individual targets are reviewed termly, and their progress closely monitored, this information is shared with the child’s parents to ensure we work in partnership to support the child. If parents have any interim concerns, they are welcome to speak in private with the SENCo to discuss their child’s progress and any concerns can be addressed immediately. With parents permission the Preschool can make necessary referrals to support the child and their parents, for example referral to speech and language, audiology, sleep clinic and the under 5’s inclusion service.

Although your child has a designated key person all staff will be aware of how to support your child to ensure they progress and develop. We will ensure that as a Preschool we will put effective provision into place to support your child and remove barriers to their learning and development. This support ensures earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined and revised with a growing understanding of your child’s needs and level of support, ensuring they make good progress and secure good outcomes.

Every child is unique and the level of support for each child will be based on their individual needs. Resources, strategies and suggested support will be put into place to meet the needs of the individual child working in partnership with parents and any agreed outside agencies. With parents approval a referral can be made to The Under 5’s Inclusion Team, the SENDCo (Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator) who will then attend the Preschool to observe the child, meet with the parents and offer support to promote the child’s development across all areas of their learning and development.

At Bumbles our aim is to offer a welcoming, safe and stimulating environment where children are able to enjoy themselves, to grow in confidence and fulfil their potential. We are committed to meeting the learning and development needs of every child. We know children learn best when they are healthy, safe and secure, when their individual needs are met, and have positive relationships with adults caring for them. We provide an environment which is safe and secure for children to play, interact and develop. In conjunction with our Managing Medicines guidelines we can administer on-going medication to your child and cater for their personal care. As well as being trained in first aid, staff continually attend regular training to further their knowledge in all aspects of childcare and education.

The Preschool will seek assistance from a specialist outside agency with your agreement in order to effectively cater for your child’s special educational needs. These services include for example Area Special Educational Needs and Disability Co-ordinators, Educational Psychology, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy.

The Preschool operates from a scouts building, the building is fully accessible and single storey. Toilets are accessed from the main hall and the back entrance leads to a secure grassed garden. If your child requires specialist equipment please advise us, you are welcome to make an appointment to visit the Preschool.

We work together with parents/carers to ensure that children will achieve their potential, whatever their needs. We will always be willing and happy to talk to you about your child, if you have any concerns or worries, please do not hesitate to speak to your child’s key person, the managers or the SENCo who will do their best to resolve any issues. If your child has special educational needs, you will also be invited to meetings with the SENCo and area SEND officer to review and discuss your child’s progress. Parents are kept regularly informed of planned topics and events via newsletters, notices, a secure Facebook page, and there is a notice board at the entrance sharing Bumbles relevant information and daily updates on what the children have been doing at Preschool and snack information. Any comments or suggestions are valued and the Preschool practices are reviewed and monitored to meet the needs of our children and their families.

When your child is moving on to school the SENCo will arrange a transition meeting with the school and make them aware of your child’s abilities, we will share the child’s IEP and learning profile and any other relevant information so that the school are fully prepared for your child and understands their needs, parents are welcome to share their input. If it is necessary the SENCo will work with the area SENDCo and complete an Educational Health and Social Care plan, in these instances parents will be invited to attend a Person Centered Planning Meeting, which involves any specialists involved with your child such as speech therapy, Educational Psychology, etc. If a child is moving to a new Preschool they will be given an ‘all about me ‘booklet which contains information of the child’s likes, dislikes and what they can do. We are happy to share the necessary information with other settings to improve the quality of the children’s learning outcomes.