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SKIPS Pre-School


We are a small, friendly and succesful independent pre-school situated in the heart of stunning countryside in Oldbury, Ightham near Sevenoaks.  We are open term time only, Monday to Friday between the hours of 08:45 to 15:00 offering morning, afternoon or full day sessions for children to aged 22 months to school age (under 5 years).  

We offer free early years education as follows:

  • Free for 2 for eligible children
  • up to 15 hours universal funding per week for 3 and 4 year olds, 38 weeks per year
  • 3 and 4 year old extended entitlement for those eligible for the 30 Hours Free Childcare, 38 weeks per year

The children are able to enjoy lots of exciting outdoor play opportunities in our own garden together with easy and safe access to Ightham Recreation ground; fields, our own forest school and daily activities in the woodland, together with use of  the local park and climbing area.  

We provide a welcoming and friendly atmosphere, where children will be encouraged to achieve their full potential in all areas of development, and where pre-school life will be a fun, relaxed and positive experience.  At SKIPS we aim to provide an environment that feels like home.  SKIPS is a homely place to be. 

Who to contact

Contact Name
Cath Scorey
Contact Position
Manager
Telephone
01732 882869
E-mail
Sue@skipspreschool.co.uk
Website
www.skipspreschool.co.uk

Where to go

Address
The Old Guide Hut
Oldbury Lane
Ightham
Sevenoaks
Kent
Postcode
TN15 9DE
Notes

Children attending full day or afternoon sessions may bring in a packed lunch or have hot lunch which is provided by SKIPS at midday.  There is an additional charge for lunch. 

Children attending on a Monday afternoon may join our Playball sessions run by sevenoaksplayball.  Payment is made direct for these sessions. 

Tuesday morning you may join our Musical Bumps sessions; qualified leader led Forest School sessions on a Wednesday and Thursday where an additional charge will be applied to your invoice.  

When is it on?

When is childcare available
Term Time Only
Carescheme Age Range:
1 year(s), month(s) to 5 year(s), month(s)
Opening Times
Opening Times
DayOpening TimeClosing Time
Monday 08:45 15:00
Tuesday 08:45 15:00
Wednesday 08:45 15:00
Thursday 08:45 15:00
Friday 08:45 15:00

Other Details

ECD Type
Preschool
Offers pickups
No
Total vacancies
6
Vacancies Details
We currently have a waiting list and bookings are being taken for September 2024 onwards.
Immediate vacancies?
Yes
Contact Provider for Vacancy Details?
Yes
Vacancy range
Vacancy Range
Start AgeEnd AgePlaces
22 months 60 Months 6
Vacancy Information Last updated Date
01/09/2023
Facilities
Swing, Music, Literacy and Numeracy, Computers / It, Messy Play Area, Cookery, Toys/dolls, Dressing Up, Outdoor Activities, Themed Sessions, Environmental Area, Trike, Play House, Parks/playgrounds, Puppets, Water Play, Games / Puzzles, Visits and Outings, Garden, Walks, Sandpit, Arts And Crafts, Reading, Woodwork, Air Conditioned, Refreshments, Languages, Books, Sign Language / Makaton, Internet Connection, See-Saw, Bike, Kitchen, Car Parking, Songs, Sleeping Area, Bushcraft, Slide, Climbing Frame, Stories, Life Skills, Sports
Wheelchair Access
Yes

Ofsted Information

Ofsted URN
127509
Link to latest ofsted inspection report 

30 Hours Extended Entitlement

30 Hours Partner Details (These are details of any other childcare provider(s) that this provider will work with to offer the 30 hours entitlement)

We offer the 30 hours in blocks of 3 hours Monday to Friday 09:00 to 15:00.  Services accessed outside of these hours are charged as private fees.  

Support with Childcare Costs

Free for 2 (families with 2 year olds receiving additional forms of government support)?
Yes
Universal Entitlements
Yes
Working Parents Entitlement
Yes

Service status

Status
Open

Local Offer

Description

We support all children with special educational needs and provide a safe and exciting environment for them to learn and develop in. Where possble we make adjustments so all children have access to the same opportunities and resources. 

Special Needs Support

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

As part of our registration process, we ask you to complete an ‘All About Me’ form which gives us a chance to get to know your child and if they need any support in specific areas. We ask about your child’s interests at home and use this information to inform our planning and help your child settle in to the setting. Soon after your child starts we complete a baseline assessment, where we assess your child’s development, and this will identify any areas that your child needs support in.

The completion of the Progress Check at 2 is a statutory assessment and this may highlight any areas of development that are delayed. If so this will be discussed, and next steps will be identified so that a suitable plan can be made to encourage progress.  This is called a targeted plan and will be written and shared with you throughout. Your child’s key person may target a specific area of development, such as communication. The aim is to provide additional opportunities for your child to gain further experiences in this area.

Our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator or SENCo is Lisa Hutchinson. She ensures that families and key workers have the best support and resources to help with the development of your child and this includes managing behaviour.

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

Our key person policy ensures that you are informed and consulted throughout your child’s experience at SKIPs.  Your child’s key person will help your child settle in to the setting and form a strong relationship with both you and your child. Your child’s key worker will have informal conversations with you at drop off and pick up, so information can be shared. If you wish to have a more formal discussion with your child’s key worker, meetings can be arranged at any point of the year. The key worker is responsible for contributing and evaluating your child’s learning journey on tapestry, so you can see photos and observations of your child. They will assess your child’s development three times a year and meetings will be arranged so you can discuss your child’s development and discuss any areas of concern. If areas of support are identified the key person will liaise with you and the SENCo to prepare detailed and accurate targeted plans.

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

The EYFS is an educational framework which allows key persons to plan for your ‘unique child’. We observe, assess and plan for your child in three prime areas and four specific areas. The three prime areas are personal, social and emotional development, communication and language and physical development. For two-year-old this is the focus before looking at the other four areas; literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts and design. These seven areas are further broken down. For example, communication and language is broken down into speaking, understanding and listening and attention. This enables us to directly identify and target specific areas which need support and make detailed plans.

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

Environment

Our teaching starts with providing a stimulating environment so that children can be inspired to learn and engage in variety of activities and experiences.  The two rooms give us the opportunity to offer free flow, so children can choose which room to play in throughout the day. We use more natural resources and neutral colours to provide a calm environment. Areas can be adapted, and furniture moved, so that children have the opportunity to enjoy a quieter area within the setting. Children know how to access resources and can ask for any resources that are not accessible at a given time. If required, the environment can be adapted to support all the children’s needs as best we can.

Resources

A wide range of resources are required to facilitate effective teaching and learning and support children’s development across the seven areas. If specialist equipment is required, the SENCo will work with key persons and parents and obtain if necessary. Where children are receiving support from outside agencies, it may be possible to claim extra funding to buy additional resources, staff training or support additional staff cover.

Teaching strategies

All our staff are qualified in early years practice and some staff have received training in supporting children with different educational needs. We use the Best Practice Guidance document to support our teaching. This document was written by the Specialist Teaching and Learning Service and outlines a range of teaching strategies which can be used to support children. The book is divided into universal, targeted and personalised levels to enable us to support children in the four broad areas of need. The areas of needs are identified in the SEND code of Practice and comprise: Communication and interaction, cognition and learning, social emotional and mental health and physical/sensory difficulties.

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

Our SEND policy sets out the graduated approach we use to support children. If your child is making insufficient progress through a targeted plan, the SENCo or key person may discuss with you the need to refer to other services, such as speech and language therapy. If your child begins to receive support from outside agencies, the targeted plan would be changed to a personalised plan.

If required, your consent would be obtained to refer to the Specialist Teaching and Learning Service through the Local Inclusion Team Forum (LIFT) meeting which is held six times a year. If the referral is accepted, a specialist teacher would then visit your child to provide additional advice and guidance and may make further referrals to other services, such as health and would support your child’s transition to school. You would be involved throughout the whole process and kept up to date with any changes.

All our staff are regularly encouraged to complete training across a variety of areas including SEND. In the past, where we have received children with a condition we are unfamiliar with, our SENCo has researched suitable courses to expand our knowledge. This will be shared with all staff. If necessary health professionals may visit the setting to offer us advice and give an overview of the condition.

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

Our key person policy ensures that we monitor your child’s progress throughout their time at pre-school. The key person is responsible for planning, monitoring and supporting the physical and emotional development of your child. This enables us to identify children with special or additional educational needs and monitor progress throughout their plans.

You will be able to see your child’s learning journey on tapestry, our online learning journey software. Termly meetings will be held to discuss your child’s progress, and this gives you an opportunity to discuss any concerns you have. If you would like to have a conversation with your child’s key worker, meetings can be arranged at any point of the year.

Three times a year we make an overall assessment of your child’s progress and this is shared with you. There are two statutory assessments; the Progress Check at Two and the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile. Most children will have started school before the EYFS profile is required but the Progress Check at Two is a vital assessment. This check should be completed alongside the health visitor’s development check at the age of two. If your child is delayed in any area of development, we will discuss this with you and you can also share this information with the health visitor.

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

We value diversity and promote equality, so that all children can be included in all parts of the setting. Activities will be planned based on your child’s interests, needs and next steps. These will be adapted to meet your child’s needs. We make sure that all children can participate in all activities and make the necessary changes to facilite this. This could include a member of staff supporting a child one to one in a group activity, so they can remain focussed or selecting a small group of children to participate, so it is a quieter environment.

We leave the setting daily to spend time in the woods, recreation ground and play park as well as trips to farmland. This is risk assessed and we would consider specific children’s needs if required. We carry our first aid kit and have a mobile phone with emergency contact details. If any specialist equipment or resources are required these would be brought with us. We would make sure all children can access the outdoor area we choose to visit that day, and if necessary we will adapt it to incorporate all children.

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

The setting is at the top of a hill which can be accessed by a car park a short walk away. As the steps are long and wide a wheelchair user could access the setting but would need support up the hill. The setting itself is wheelchair friendly and a child with mobility difficulties would be able to access all areas. Wherever possible we will make any reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of the children, parents or staff.

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

The transition process to a new setting or school is an important process. We will complete a transition report which will include our developmental assessment of your child across all the areas. It will also include a brief paragraph about your child’s development in each of the seven areas. With permission from parents this will be shared with the school along with any other assessments such as the progress check at two. We have very strong links with our neighbouring school, Ightham primary and there will be a meeting between the manager and reception teacher to discuss the new children joining. In the last half of the summer term we visit the reception class on a weekly basis with a group of children from the setting and a member of staff. This gives the children the opportunity to explore the new environment with a familiar person. For children going to other settings or schools we will have a conversation with the new teacher. This maybe over the phone or they may visit your child in the setting. We also make our own social story which include pictures of their new school and the people there, so they have an idea of what to expect when they join.

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

We review our policies and procedures annually so if parts of the SEN provision and process are not working we can adapt these to make us more effective. At staff meetings the SENCo has the opportunity to discuss the children with additional needs and how as a team we are supporting this child and how we can improve. Being in regular contact with parents enables us to monitor how well everyone thinks the process is going and if progress is being made. If issues arise we can discuss these and think of ways to improve your child’s experience. After training events staff are asked to evaluate and think about how it affects us as a setting. This brings us new ideas and information and helps improve our SEN provision. Our SENCo also attends regular SENCo forum meetings so they are up to date with the latest SEN information.

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

Please contact Cath Scorey, the manger, who will be able to answer any questions you may have.  

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

We send parent questionnaires out in order to gain feedback from parents and carers. We have a complaint procedure which we follow and all parts of this process would be recorded.  We also use a partnership with parents App called 'Famly' where we actively encourage parents to share information and comments regarding their child.  

Any complaints or compliments should be directed to the Manager of the Setting (Catherine Scorey) 

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