At Cornerstones Pre-School all children are assigned a key person who are responsible for assessing, observing and planning for their children. During this process if a child is showing they are not age and stage appropriate in any of the seven areas of learning and development they will speak to the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) expressing their concerns and additional focus observations will be carried out. Rosanna Nigro and Julia Evans are our SENCo’s.

 

If you have any concerns regarding your child, you can speak to your child’s key person, the manager or one of our SENCo’s. Your child’s key person will work with one of the SENCos to continually monitor and review your child’s development and progress in the setting through the Early Years Foundation Stage (EFYS) framework. We will work in partnership with you throughout this progress and will have regular meetings and update sessions.

 

We work in partnership with other professionals such as, speech and language therapists, our local Children’s Centre and other healthcare professionals to ensure that your child is given support throughout their time at Cornerstones Pre-School. These professional can  visit our setting and liaise with the SENCo to support and give activities and strategies in order to support children. These activities and strategies are then cascaded to the staff team so all staff can support children. We will follow advice from other professionals on how to support your child’s particular needs and the SENCo will ensure that all staff are supported and trained if required, to support your child’s learning.

 

Your child’s key person, along with our SENCo’s will work together to create an Action Plan. This will be shared with all the staff and put into our Action Plan Summary for them all to access. All staff will contribute to monitoring these and ensuring their targets are being focused upon. Your child’s key person and our SENCo’s will work closely with you and ensure you are involved at all stages. SENCo will liaise with a wide range of professionals when required to support your child at Cornerstones Pre-School.

 

Before your child starts at Cornerstones Pre-School, you will be invited in to meet the staff and especially your child’s key person. Together with your child’s key person you will complete an ‘All About Me’ sheet so we can gain as much information about your child and their needs/requirements, before they start. Your child’s key person will also carry out a home visit, along with another member of staff before they start and begin to build a relationship with your child. This relationship will continue to develop when they start.

 

Your child’s key person will follow a cycle of assessing, observing and planning for their learning and development as outlined in the EYFS. If any concerns are highlighted in their learning and development, showing your child is not age and stage appropriate, your child’s key person will liaise with SENCo to ensure adequate support is put in place.  

 

We have comprehensive paperwork for all children currently taking medication which are regularly checked and updated with yourselves. If your child requires immediate medication, such as Ventolin Inhaler, Epipen, they are kept in a labelled basket in an area where all staff can access it quickly, but out of reach of the children. If your child requires medication, such as an Epipen, training is sought for all staff by a medical professional. Most staff have an up to date Paediatric First Aid certificate and a level 2 Hygiene certificate. If your child has an allergy, this is recorded on their paperwork and in their folders and all staff are informed. We have a designated First Aider, Rosanna Nigro, who regularly checks First Aid boxes, medical consent forms and keeps these up to date.

 

Our SENCos have undertaken SENCo training and attend regular cluster meetings to ensure they are kept up to date with current legislations and requirements. This information is then cascaded back to the staff team. They support key persons with completing children’s actions plans and IEALDs and liaises between staff/manager/parents as well as outside agencies. They provide in-house training when needed and give advice and strategies to support staff.

 

At Cornerstones Pre-School we use Makaton signs to support children in communicating and these are displayed around the setting. We have various books and DVD’s of Makaton signs, symbols and nursery rhymes which we use to look up words to support individual children.

 

Our building is very accessible to all our children and their families. We have double doors, allowing easy access for wheelchair users and double buggies. There are no stairs in our building and we are on level ground. All our toys and resources are at a child’s level and easy accessible. Our outside area is one level.

 

If your child attends another setting, we will liaise with them by sharing a communication book that will be transported between us and them.

 

When your child is ready to leave us to start nursery school or reception, we will contact the new setting and invite them to visit your child at Cornerstones Pre-School. During this visit, your child’s key person will discuss your child’s learning and development and any concerns they may have. If your child has any additional needs and an action plan was put in place, this will also be discussed with your child’s new setting.

 

All our toys and resources are accessible for all children and are age and stage appropriate. SENCo’s are given resources by speech and language therapists to support children who have speech and language difficulties. These resources are to support individual speech sounds, children’s sound awareness and listening strategies. We have a range of other resources and strategies in place to support children with a range of needs. We have a visual timetable, which uses the children’s pictures and a small description and have Makaton signs and symbols displayed around our setting on displays and posters.

 

If you require further information, please contact Mrs Rosanna Nigro  at Cornerstones Pre-School on: 01992462818 or email: cornerstonespreschool@hotmail.co.uk.