The information below sets out Roots Federation’s approach to how we provide for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

 

Roots Federation consists of

Heath Lane Nursery School

Muriel Green Nursery School

Oxhey Nursery School

 

At Roots Federation we believe that all teachers are teachers of pupils with SEN

 

1. How does Roots Federation know if children need extra help?

All children:

• will have a key person who will get to know your child very well and develop a close, supportive relationship with them and you as parents/carers.

• will have a home visit/phone call home, will have information sought from their previous setting and be invited to visit the school before they start at Roots Federation. At these visits/during these calls we can discuss with you and previous key persons, strategies for how we can best support your child.

• will spend some ‘tuning in time’ with their key person at the beginning of each term. This is a time when a key person will spend an extended period of time playing 1:1 with each child in their group, following their lead and interacting with them more closely.

• will have their learning and development regularly assessed in all 7 areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage using the Early Years Outcomes age-related bands. This will identify if a child is working within a typical stage of development for their age. Each key person will have a termly meeting with senior staff to monitor the progress of the children in their group.

• will have a ‘WellComm’ speech and language screening. This is used to assess children’s speech and language development and helps us to identify at the earliest opportunity if your child needs any further support in this area and put interventions in place if necessary.

• will be signposted to speech and language services if gaps or a delay in communication are identified. The school will seek and act upon advice from SALT.

 

Some children:

• may already have an identified Special Educational Need or Disability before joining Roots Federation. Our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) Gemma Williamson, will work with you and your child’s key person to ensure that everything is in place before your child joins us. 

• may already be receiving support from other professionals (e.g. health visitors, speech and language therapists, paediatricians). We will work with you to follow their advice within the Nursery. 

 

A few children:

• will be referred to seek advice from Herts Integrated Services for Learning (ISL), which includes Communication and Autism Team, Early Years SEND team, Educational Psychologists, Sensory and Physical Impairment team. 

 

2. How will Roots Federation staff support my child?

 

All children:

• are supported in an inclusive, welcoming and caring environment by qualified, dedicated staff.

• will have access to an inclusive environment and resources that are matched to their needs and interests. 

• will have a folder which includes information from home (including notes on catch up calls) and is a record of their learning

• will have their learning and development regularly assessed in all 7 areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

 

Some children:

• will have their needs assessed in partnership with you using a four stage graduated approach: assess, plan, do, review. We will meet with you to make a ‘SEND support profile/plan’ for your child which identifies; their strengths and interests, what makes them happy, strategies to support them and specific targets we will be working with them on that term. This will be reviewed termly to ensure that it is relevant and continues to reflect their interests and needs.  

• Will be assessed using the ‘Individual Assessment of Early Learning and Development’ (IAELD).

• who are displaying social communication difficulties will have their needs supported using the multi-professional SCERTS approach (Social Communication, Emotional Regulation and Transactional support). 

• may need support from the Family support team to work with you and offer support at home.

 

A few children:

• will be referred to the ISL team to seek advice and engage support from other professionals.

• may receive ‘Early Years Inclusion Funding’ or ‘Local High Needs Funding’ to provide support for specific needs.

• may need an ‘Education Health and Care plan’ assessment.

 

 3.  How will I know how my child is doing?

 

All children:

• will have a record of their development that will be shared regularly, through catch up calls, with parents/carers.

• will have a termly summary report that identified achievements and next steps.  

• will have their achievements, including progress towards their ‘next steps’ and achievements from home, celebrated.

 

The parents of some children:

• will have more regular meetings with our SENCO, Mrs Williamson, to discuss and review your child’s ‘SEND support profile/plan’.

 

The parents of a few children:

• will have visits and additional reports from outside professionals who are working with your child.

• will have ‘Team around the Family’ (TAF) meetings which engage a number of professionals together with you to plan what steps need to be taken to best support your child. 

 

4.       How will the learning and development provision be matched to my child’s needs?

 

All children:

• will be supported by qualified and experienced staff who will differentiate the curriculum to match children’s needs and abilities.

• will have access to a high-quality and stimulating learning environment that reflects the children’s interests and promotes independent learning.

• will have ‘special learning time’ with their key person that is matched to their learning and development needs and is based on observations, assessments and their current interests and fascinations.

• will be supported in a communication friendly environment that includes visual timetables, Makaton symbols and signing, visual/symbol/photo cues and prompts.

 

Some children:

• will have an individual visual timetable and/or ‘now and next’ board.

• will be part of our provision map that identifies specific needs that children may have and strategies/activities to help support and develop these. 

• will be identified on the provision map will take part in to join individual or small group sessions to work on specific areas of their development.

• will take part in individual or small group activities to work on particular areas of need that have been identified on their ‘SEND support profile/plan’. 

• will take part in individual or small group intervention sessions with a SEND EY practitioner, overseen with support from our speech and language therapist (SALT) to work on areas of need.

 

A few children:

• will need a highly differentiated curriculum, based on the advice of outside professionals, and/or an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP). 

• will have specific aids provided or recommended by outside professionals.

 

 5. What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?

 

All children:

• will be supported by dedicated practitioners who are welcoming and friendly and take pride in providing a caring, positive and inclusive environment.

• have access to a safe environment where there are quiet, cosy areas to relax and have some quiet time.

• will receive positive praise.

• are supported by practitioners who are skilled in listening to children and provide good role-models for positive behaviour.

• are encouraged to attend regularly. Good attendance is celebrated and is viewed as a good indicator of well-being.

• will have any dietary requirements catered for. 

• can access our flexible wrap-around care service that is open during term time from 8am–5.30pm.

 

Some children:

• require personal care such as help with toilet training. 

• may require support at home from the family support services team that we work wih.

 

A few children:

• may need a ‘Risk management plan’ that highlights the strategies to be used during parts of the day/routine that a child is struggling to cope with and is focused on prevention and de-escalation at the earliest possible stage. 

• will have a designated person to support their learning funded by local high needs funding.

• may require specific support to help manage medical or specialised care needs.

 

6. What specialist services and expertise are available at, or accessed by, Roots Federation?

 

All children:

• are taught by well qualified staff who are experienced in working with children in the Early Years. 

• Have access to family support services, outreach support, parenting courses/training.

 

Some children:

• will require a referral to access support from other professional services such as a speech and language therapist or a health visitor or an early year’s specialist advisory teacher.

 

A few children:

• will have ‘Team around the Family’ (TAF) meetings which engage a number of professionals together with you to plan what steps need to be taken to best support your child. 

• will be referred to the ISL team to seek advice and engage support from other professionals.

• may receive Local High Needs Funding to provide support for specific needs.

• may need an ‘Education Health and Care plan’ assessment.

 

7. What training and/or experience do the staff, supporting children with SEND, have?

 

All children:

• are taught by staff that hold relevant Early Years qualifications. In addition, we have qualified teachers.

• are supported by Mrs Williamson, (SENCO). 

• are supported by staff who are experienced in supporting children with wide a range of needs and disabilities including; Speech, Language and Communication Difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Physical disabilities, Hearing Impairments and Emotional and Attachment difficulties.

• are supported by staff who attend a weekly planning meeting, 5 INSET sessions a year and external training linked to SEND and to their own professional development. 

• are supported by staff who have had training in; ‘Supporting children with complex needs’, ‘Supporting children with Speech and language difficulties’, ‘WellComm screening training’ ‘Hertfordshire Steps approach to supporting positive behaviour management in schools’ and ‘Supporting children with Hearing Impairments’

• are supported by staff that have had training in, and use Makaton signing as part of their daily interactions with all children. 

 

Some children:

• will benefit from our SENCO attending termly network meetings to keep up to date with the latest information and news.

 

A few children:

• will be working with outside professionals who guide staff on the next steps and strategies to use to support individual children. 

 

8. How will Roots Federation help me to support my child’s learning and development?

 

All parents:

• have regular conversations regarding their child’s learning record and are encouraged to contribute achievements and learning that happens at home. 

• will be regularly contacted to share ideas for how you can support learning at home. 

• receive a weekly newsletter with information about what is happening at Nursery.

• Receive half termly ZIPs (zoom information presentations) where staff share with you what learning takes place at school and activities for you to support learning at home.   

 

Some parents:

• will have more frequent meetings each term with their child’s key person or Mrs Williamson, to discuss ‘SEND support profiles/plans’ or strategies that are being used through the provision map to support their child.  

 

A few parents:

• will be involved in ‘Team Around the Family’ meetings.

• will be involved in applications made for Local High Needs Funding.

• will be involved in applications made for an ‘Education Health and Care plan’ assessment.

 

9.       How will my child be included in activities outside the setting?

 

All children:

• are invited and welcome to attend events and activities outside of the Nursery setting.

 

Some children:

• may require additional planning to ensure that they are safe and are able to participate in the visit/activity.

• may require special support aids or visual support aids that they use at Nursery to be available during the visit/activity.

• may need prior warning and visual prompts before the visit/activity to prepare them for a change in the routine. 

• may require medicines to be administered whilst on a visit.

 

A few children:

• may require an individual risk assessment to be made prior to the visit. 

 

10. How accessible is the Nursery building/environment?

 

All children:

• are taught and cared for in a safe and secure building which is mainly on one-level.

• have access to an extensive outdoor area.

• have access to resources that are stored and displayed at child height to promote independence and easy access.

 

Some children:

• may need access to our nappy changing facilities.

• may need individual resources to target a specific need

 

A few children:

• may need adaptations to existing resources/environment to ensure they can access them appropriately and safely.

 

11.      How will Roots Federation prepare and support my child with transitions between home, settings and school?

 

All children:

• will have a designated key person. 

• will be offered a home visit or home phone call

• will have been invited to a ‘New Parents’ information session.

• Will have any assessments from their previous settings shared with their new key person at Roots Federation.

• will have their assessments and achievements passed onto their next setting. 

 

Some children:

• will follow a flexible settling-in period depending on their needs. 

• will have additional transition visits to their next/previous setting.

• will have staff from receiving settings visit more than once.

• will have visits from the SENCO of their next/previous setting.

 

A few children:

• will have a transition meeting where parents and other professionals meet together to carefully plan an individual transition to their next setting. 

• will be accompanied to their new settings with a key person from Roots Federation.

 

Roots Federation invites all of the settings that children are moving on to, to visit them at Roots Federation prior to starting.

 

12.      How are Roots Federation’s resources used to support children’s special educational needs?

 

All children:

• will receive appropriate adult to child ratio.

• will be supported by a key person who observes the children, makes assessments and plans learning opportunities based on the children’s interests and needs.

• will be supported in their play by adults who engage in high-quality interactions with them.

• will have access to a high quality environment with stimulating, open ended resources that interest and challenge all children. 

• will be supported by staff who receive training on supporting children with SEND through weekly staff meetings and regular professional development.

 

Some children:

• may receive support from our SENCO, Mrs Williamson .

 

A few children:

• will have ‘Team around the Family’ (TAF) meetings which engage a number of professionals together with you to plan what steps need to be taken to best support your child. 

• will be referred to the ISL team to seek advice and engage support from other professionals.

• may receive Local High Needs Funding to provide support for specific needs.

• may need an ‘Education Health and Care plan’ assessment.

 

13.      Who can I contact for further information about the Early Years offer at Roots Federation?

 

• Our SENCO Mrs Williamson .

• We encourage all parents to visit Roots Federation prior to applying for a place at the Nursery where individual needs and concerns can be discussed and a plan can be made for how we can best support your child. 

 

14.      How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?

 

All children:

• will have their learning and development regularly assessed in all 7 areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage using the Early Years Outcomes age-related bands. This will identify if a child is working within a typical stage of development for their age. Each key person will have a termly meeting with the Head teacher to monitor the progress of the children in their group. This is used to assess children’s speech and language development and helps us to identify at the earliest opportunity if your child needs any further support in this area.

• will be supported by staff who have regular staff meetings to ensure all staff know your child’s strengths and needs and how best to support them.

 

Some children:

• in discussion with you, their key person and our SENCO will identify if any extra support is required.

• will have a ‘SEND support profile/plan’ that has been written with you and identifies their strengths, interests and strategies to support their learning and development. 

• will take part in individual or small group sessions to work on specific areas of their development.

• will take part in individual or small group sessions working on targets advised from external professionals

 

A few children:

• have outside professional involved who will meet with you and their key person/our SENCO and will advise on the need for Local High Needs Funding or an assessment for an Education, Health and Care plan.

 

15.      How can I find information about the local authority’s Local Offer of services and provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disability?

 

• Local authorities have a duty to publish a Local Offer, setting out in one place information about provision they expect to be available in their area across education, health and social care for children and young people who have Special Educational Needs (SEN) or are disabled, including those who do not have Education, Health and Care plans. The purpose of the Local Offer is to provide clear, comprehensive, accessible and up-to-date information about available provision and how to access it.

 

• For further information go to www.hertsdirect.org/localoffer

 

Delivering Special Provision Locally (DSPL)

 

• DSPL is a Hertfordshire-wide partnership approach where parents, carers, staff in early years settings and schools, further education colleges, local authority officers and representatives from other agencies, work together as part of an Area Group, to ensure that there are a range of provision and support services available in their local community that:

• Meets the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), aged 0-25, as close to home as possible.

• Improves outcomes for wellbeing and attainment

• Widens choice for children and parents/carers

• removes barriers to learning

• uses resources effectively

 

Contact details: dspl@hertfordshire.gov.uk

DSPL 8:Website: http://dspl8.co.uk/

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Special Educational Needs & Disability Information, Advice and Support Service

 

(SENDIASS) offer a free, impartial and confidential service to parents, carers and/or their children and young people with SEND aged 0-25. We can offer support with preparing for meetings, writing reports and letters, applying for Education, Health and Care assessments, as well as signpost you to relevant professionals, voluntary organisations and parent support groups, we can also offer a range of training to parents and professionals.  Additionally, we can also offer Independent Support for families applying for an Education, Health and care assessment and also families going through the transfer review process.

 

Contact Details: Telephone: 01992 555847

Email: sendiass@hertfordshire.gov.uk

www.hertsdirect.org/sendiass