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The Mead School - Nursery Unit


The Mead School is a co-educational prep school for circa 245 pupils, situated in the heart of Tunbridge Wells, approximately 400 metres from the historic Pantiles.

The school is a true community; sited in a large Victorian villa which has undergone vast physical changes and additions to accommodate the numbers and the requirements needed to provide a first class education for the twenty first century. It is run as a large family living under one roof. A child who is happy and secure in school is one who is going to learn, thrive and aspire. School must be an exciting, fulfilling and safe place where every day, whether you are aged three or eleven, is a new adventure and positively anticipated.

The Mead School offers the Kent County Council Free Early Education Funding for 3 and 4 year olds.  We are able to provide access up to 15 hours per week for 33/34 weeks a year (495 hours out of a possible 570 hours). The remaining entitlement of 75 hours cannot be claimed at another setting. Please enquire from the Registrar for further details.

Who to contact

Contact Name
Miss Elizabeth Winter
Contact Position
Registrar
Telephone
01892 525837
E-mail
office@themeadschool.co.uk
Website
www.themeadschool.co.uk/

Where to go

Address
The Mead School
16 Frant Road
Tunbridge Wells
Kent
Postcode
TN2 5SN

When is it on?

When is childcare available
Term Time Only
Carescheme Age Range:
3 year(s), month(s) to 11 year(s), month(s)
Opening Times
Opening Times
DayOpening TimeClosing Time
Monday 7.45 17.30
Tuesday 7.45 17.30
Wednesday 7.45 17.30
Thursday 7.45 17.30
Friday 7.45 17.30

Other Details

Table of costs
Table of costs
AmountCost Type
32.85 Per session am
18.25 Per session pm
5.00 Per lunch
3.00 Before School
10.50 After School
ECD Type
Nursery Unit of Independent School
Offers pickups
No
Cost(s)
Cost details
Contact provider for details - fees are displayed on our website www.themeadschool.co.uk or can be emailed to you. Also posted with prospectus pack.
Total vacancies
0
Immediate vacancies?
No
Contact Provider for Vacancy Details?
Yes
Vacancy Information Last updated Date
06/01/2022
Facilities
Music, Table Tennis, Literacy and Numeracy, Computers / It, Messy Play Area, Swimming, Cookery, Drama, Dressing Up, Dance, Nursery, Parent and Toddler Group, Trampoline, Parks/playgrounds, Gym, Games / Puzzles, Visits and Outings, Garden, Walks, Arts And Crafts, Reading, Sewing, Kitchen, Songs, Bushcraft, Camping, Climbing Frame, Stories, Climbing Ropes, Life Skills, Sports
Other facilities information
The Early Years enjoy Forest School twice a term as well as PE, Music and French with specialist teachers.
Wheelchair Access
No

Support with Childcare Costs

Universal Entitlements
Yes

Service status

Status
Open

Local Offer

Description

We have a SEN policy - please see attached document and answers to the questions below.

Links
The Mead School website

Special Needs Support

How does the setting identify children with additional needs or SEND? 

Here at The Mead, we will request on admission that you complete an ‘All About me’ passport of information which gives us an idea of your child’s interests, strengths or areas where they may require extra support.  When your child first starts school, we assess their starting points in line with Development matters and then continue to track their development.

Prior to admission we also request a copy of the Progress check at Age 2 which is a statutory assessment and may be a time where any delay in development is identified and this can be monitored and appropriate next steps put in place. If necessary, your child’s key worker (class teacher) may then be able to target a specific area of development to plan additional opportunities for your child to gain further experience in this area of learning.  Any ongoing concerns will be shared with you through a meeting.

We value our experienced team of EYFS teachers to also use their intuition as practitioners to identify areas of need and to support the children in these areas of development within the EYFS framework. They would then speak to SENCo (Mrs Hannah Jaques) for support and ensure families have the best support and resources to help with their child’s development (this includes managing behaviour.)

How will I be informed / consulted about the ways in which my child is being supported? 

We have a key person approach which is a cornerstone of the EYFS of our practice. Your child’s key person will be their class teacher. They will be involved from the transition sessions through to their day to day learning and through this approach they form strong and positive relationships both with families and the children.  There are lots of ways you will feel involved in how your child is being supported.

  • Daily informal contact
  • Opportunities for meetings at your request throughout the year
  • Your child will have a week per term as the focus child and following this week there will be a parent meeting to share all the wonderful learning that is being achieved.
  • To complement this are detailed learning plans and pictures to record and demonstrate this.
  • There are two written reports sent home each year. There will be a settling in report in December and a full written report in July

How will the setting adapt the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum for my child's needs? 

The EYFS framework allows the key worker to plan for the ‘unique child’. Each child is observed, assessed and planned for in three prime areas (Communication and Language, Personal Social and Emotional, Physical Development) and four specific areas (Literacy, Numeracy, Expressive Arts and Design, Understanding the World). In each area we can adapt the learning to every child’s needs. For example;

Communication and Language

  • Providing a language rich environment taking into account the current cohort
  • Working in small targeted groups
  • Using language interventions such as Black Sheep
  • Providing ideas and support for parents to do at home
  • Screening for language support using WELLCOMM
  • Working in line with Speech and Language therapist advice

Personal, Social and Emotional

  • Whole class environment which promotes well-being, compassion, resilience, curiosity and ambition.
  • Working in small targeted groups
  • Providing adult listeners who can do talk time
  • Linking with local specialist support advisers and health professionals

 

Physical

  • Offering an accessible environment and layout to meet families current needs
  • Showing awareness of environment factors such as lighting, colour, noise having an impact on children’s sensory
  • Free flow environment giving access to outdoor spaces
  • Providing for a range of dietary requirements
  • The SENCo giving advice on specific activities which could be introduced to support different needs (e.g Fizzy, Fine motor, Gross motor, core strengthening)
  • Having links with Occupational Therapists (Starjumpz, Clever Kids)

What teaching strategies does the setting use for children with additional needs or learning difficulties? 

We offer high quality first inclusive teaching and plan for the unique child.  This involves looking at resources, environment and teaching.

Environment

  • Natural light
  • Neutral colours
  • Natural materials
  • Access to outside space
  • Quiet areas
  • Carpet community areas
  • Messy play and exploratory play areas
  • Movable furniture
  • Storage containers labelled with text/pictures

 

Resources

  • Natural materials where possible
  • Specialist resources obtained via SENCO and Key worker
  • Where recommendations are made by outside agencies, these are implemented with resources we have available and any specialist interventions may need to be funded by the parents as an additional resource.

 

Teaching strategies

  • The areas of identified need are identified in the SEND code of practice as:

Communication and interaction, Cognition and learning, Social Emotional and mental health, physical/sensory difficulties.

  • All staff receive Inset on SEND and specialist speakers come in to talk to staff about specific needs e.g. Autism, ADHD
  • We use the Best Practice Guidance document to support our teaching and planning. This document, written by specialist teaching and learning service, sets out a range of teaching strategies which can be used to support children such as the use of visual resources.

What additional support does the setting provide for children with additional needs or SEND? 

  • Our SEND policy clearly sets out the graduated approach used to support and monitor a child’s progress once an intervention is in place.
  • If insufficient progress is being made through a targeted plan, the SENDCo or Key person may discuss with you the need for a more personalized intervention.
  • After a period of time parents will be invited in to discuss next steps in terms of support and if necessary referral to external services e.g. speech and language, OT, Pediatrician, Educational Psychologist.

How will the setting monitor my child's progress and how will I be involved in this? 

Your child’s key worker will track and monitor their progress and report to you through a focus child week per term and through two written reports per year. If there is a delay in any area of development, we will discuss this with you.

If your child is working through a targeted plan or intervention, this will be reviewed twice per year and communicated with you at a meeting. We may also provide resources or suggestions for ways to support at home and this may become part of the targeted plan.

How do you ensure children with additional needs or SEND can be included in the same activities as other children, including trips? 

We are committed to inclusive practice that enables all children access to the full curriculum. Activities are planned or adapted to meet all children’s needs by the key worker and this is called differentiation.

We regularly take trips to the local woods, to the local swimming pool and on outings annually. We complete risk assessments in order to minimize risks to the children and take into account any specific learning difficulties and disabilities. We review these whenever new children enter the setting or there is a change in weather conditions and always carry a first aid box, emergency contact details, any special equipment (e.g. inhalers, epi-pens) and resources we might need. Your children’s needs will be taken into account when planning a trip or outing.

How accessible is the building for children with mobility difficulties / wheelchair users? 

The EYFS areas both have outdoor area access from the front of school directly into the classrooms. Wherever possible, we will make reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of children, parents and staff. We have closer parking spaces for parents with children in EYFS and there is an accessible toilet in reception and this includes changing facilities. Please let us know if you have difficulty with accessibility.

 

However, it should be noted that we are situated in a Victorian building with no lift to the Year 1 - 6 classrooms.  There are a few steps down to our dining room and music room from our nursery.  The gym is located on the floor below Early Years.

How will you support my child's transition to a new setting or school? 

Prior to the children starting at The Mead, the staff liaise with the previous settings to enable effective communication and transition.

  • If registered to start in our EYFS setting we provide a terms worth of transition sessions (approximately 8 x1 hour sessions) in the summer term.
  • During these sessions, all EYFS classes move to their new teachers and rooms.
  • If joining us throughout the year, we will ensure there are some settling in sessions which are convenient to both parents and staff.
  • Parents complete ‘All About me’ passports for the new key worker.
  • Parents are provided with information about routines, classrooms and key workers to assist their child’s transition.

How does the setting assess the overall effectiveness of its SEN provision and how can parents / carers take part in this evaluation? 

  • We provide regular opportunities for parent teacher and SENDCo meetings
  • Annual parent feedback and questionnaires
  • SENCO whole school INSET and weekly discussion in staff meetings.
  • Regular review of policies and procedures
  • Following Assess, Plan, Do Review approach to support.

Who should I contact if I am considering registering for a place at the setting? 

  • Anyone interested in registering for a place at The Mead should contact our Registrar, Elizabeth Winter. Full details are available on our website.
  • Where possible, we like the children to visit the school prior to starting and there is a process of settling in/transition sessions made for them dependent on the age of the child.
  • Additional settling in visits can be made with parents and SENCO/key person as needed to discuss any reasonable adjustments that will need to be made prior to starting.
  • Arrangements for assessment can be discussed with SENCO.

What arrangements does the setting have for feedback from parents / carers, including compliments and complaints? 

Our SEND policy provides the context for supporting children through recommended graduated approach. Copies of these policies can be found on our website.

Any complaints are taken seriously and the relevant staff or Head are happy to discuss any issues you may have.

 

Parents have the ability to email the staff and Head to give feedback.

 

We hold open forums for parent and Headteacher to receive informal feedback as well as encourage feedback from questionnaires/surveys and forms sent home with reports twice a year.

 

We celebrate effort and achievement and are always pleased when parents take the time to thank the staff for their hard work and recognise the school’s achievements.

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