All staff are committed to early identification of special educational needs. Every child in our setting has a Learning Journal from the start of their pre-school journey. This is a shared document between key person and parent/carer where we record information about their child. Observations, photographs and next steps are recorded on our online system (Class Dojo) and this information provides us with an overview of the child’s developmental progress. Parents are provided with log in details so that they are able to access the journal whenever they wish. If you have a concern about your child’s progress or believe they have a special educational need, this can be discussed with the Pre-school Manager or child’s key person. Additional assessment or support can then be discussed with the SENCO (Rea Hewlett).

All staff attend training to maintain and enhance their continuous professional development and our specifically trained staff for the SENCo role, both attend relevant and up to date training enabling them to work together and with the wider staff team to support concerns about any child. With parental permission, we are able to contact the Early Support team or Area SENCO should we need additional support to meet your child’s needs. If you or your child’s key worker feels it is appropriate your child will be included in speech or social communication development activities.

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage guidelines set by the Government in addition to planning and implementing activities that meet individual child’s interests and needs. We ensure that we incorporate the seven areas of learning for each child and provide a wide range of resources and opportunities both indoors and out.

Our staff team continuously communicate with all parents/carers about their child’s learning and interests every day. In addition to this, twice a year the child’s key person will discuss your child’s next steps with the parent/carer and this provides an opportunity to share how you both wish for your child to move forward with their development/progress. We encourage you to view and add relevant information to your child’s Learning Journal at any time. Parents are welcome to make an appointment with any member of staff should they wish to discuss anything in more detail.

As written in our vision, Little Wombatz is committed to meeting the individual needs of all children. We provide experiences to support their physical, social, emotional and intellectual development in a warm, caring, secure environment. Adequate sleep and rest requirements are met daily. The pre-school maintains a high standard of care at all times. Daily checks are carried out to ensure all equipment and areas of play are clean and well maintained and Risk Assessments are regularly updated. The pre-school requires the completion of our registration documentation upon starting with us during a home visit, which provides us with your child’s dietary, health and developmental needs and enables us to meet you and your child in secure and familiar surroundings.  We ensure all details are kept safe and secure in accordance with our confidentiality policy. There is always a trained first aider on site and all our staff have undertaken training on Child Protection. Medication can be administered on signed authorisation from the parent.

Within the pre-school setting we have a named Behaviour Management Practitioner and a Managing Behaviour Policy (incorporating Social and Emotional Development). Our SENCO attends regular meetings with Cambridgeshire County Council and cascades relevant information to the staff team. We regularly meet with workers from the Children’s Centre and have links with all the local primary schools and library. We have ongoing support and guidance from our Early Years Support Co-ordinator and we are able to use the expertise of the Early Years Specialist Teaching team, Portage and Home Start with parental permission, who can support us, the child and the family with any additional needs.

All staff attend Early Years Foundation Stage training and additional training recommended to us by outside agencies/or relevant to current individual needs (e.g. Epi pen training) and are required to share relevant information to their colleagues. We welcome any professional into our setting who can advise and give additional support to the staff.

All children with consent from parent/carer will be included in any activity/outing taking place outside our setting with appropriate consideration to enable every child to experience the activity to the full. We are fortunate to be able to take part in various activities throughout each term in addition to outings such as the shops, the park and the library.

Little Wombatz is a large single floor level venue and there is a wide pathway to our main entrance. We have a disabled toilet facility. We are able to make reasonable adaptions to allow any child to experience all activities on offer.

All children are offered flexible settling in visits prior to starting at the pre-school. We visit each family at home to enable us to get to know the child and their needs and fill in our necessary paperwork.  We liaise closely with additional settings that the child may attend and with parental consent, share relevant information. We also have close links to the local primary schools and welcome visits from new teachers who wish to visit children who will be starting school. All Learning Journals are sent to the child’s school for the Reception Teacher.

All areas of the pre-school are well-resourced and equipment is age appropriate. Staff plan activities and equipment around the children’s interests and developmental abilities to ensure all children’s experiences are full of learning through a play based environment.

The SENCO will work closely with the family and outside agencies to ensure your child is receiving all the additional support required.

We have an open door policy at the pre-school and welcome parents to be involved. We send out parent questionnaires annually and address any issues/concerns that are raised from these. We invite parents to regular meetings in connection with their child and to attend social events such as parent’s meetings and end of term celebrations.

If you wish to register your child at pre-school, please contact the pre-school manager who will be happy to assist you and answer any questions you may have. Our SENCO/INCO is also available if you wish to discuss any concerns or development needs for your child.