St. Mary's Nursery

We invite you to make an appointment to come and meet us and view the nursery, there is an opportunity for you to meet myself the Manager BA Hons, the SENCO and all other members of staff who welcome any questions you may have. You will have the opportunity to discuss any concerns you may have regarding your child. We will closely monitor your child and have a close partnership with you as the parents. Your key person and SENCO will do observations within the seven areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), also if applicable the two-year-old progress check. and we will use a range of different observations and assessment to gather the information that is required to make a referral if required with your consent. We have experience with working with a variety of outside agencies if your child requires these additional services.

We provide each child with their own Key person and Buddy they will also have their own unique learning journal which parents are able at access either as a hard copy in the nursery or online using your own unique code for your child.  We also encourage parents to add photo's to their child's unique learning journal by supplying a hard copy or by adding it through their childs online journal.

We have daily face to face contact with all our parents at the beginning and end of each session, so if there are any concerns you will be able to discuss anything with your child's key person, Buddy, SENCo or the Manager.  If you prefer to make an appointment to discuss anything this is also available.

If targeted planning or personalised planning are required our SENC0 and your child's keyperson will work very carefully with you as parents/carers to support your child.

Every child is unique and because of this a child may not start at their age band within the Early Years Foundation stage, but it will be taylored to your child's ability, this is to enable your child to achieve to the best outcomes within their learning and progress at their own pace to achieve their goals.

Every child will be monitored using the Leuven screening (well-being and Involvement) this helps staff to look at the environment around the nursery to see what may be needed to change to help the children's well-being and involvement within the nursery. Staff do this monitoring three times a year.

We also work closely together with outside agencies i.e. specialist teaching services, occupational therapist and outreach staff.

At our nursery we us a visual timetable for all the children to see what is going to happen next throughout the day. To support some children, we use a Now and Next Board, or their own visual timetable with real pictures if necessary. All members of staff use Makaton as a communication tool for all.

Within the setting we have two quiet areas for children to access anytime, this includes cushions and soft materials and we do adapt the environment to suit specific identified needs.

Included within our individual planning, we have two types, targeted and individual, we will include smart targets (Specific, Measurable, Accessible, Realistic/Relevant, Time-bound) which are regularly review and shared with the parents. We are able to provide individual and small group activities.

Our SENCo attends regular LIFT meetings, Forums and relevant training for children with additional needs or learning difficulties.  The SENCo liaises with outside agencies regularly for example Speech and Language, Occupational Therapist, Specialist Teaching services, Outreach services and Quality Inclusion.

 All our staff work together to support your child and to work closely with you, if necessary meetings will be made to put in strategies to support your child with your child's key person and SENCo, if it is required the SENCo will monitor the situation and if necessary with your consent the SENCo will refer to other services such as Speech and Language Therapy or refer to the Specialist Teaching and Learning Services through the Local Inclusion Forum Team (LIFT) meeting which is held six times a year. At all stages you will be consulted.

All our staff are passionate about completing relavent training so that they can give the best care and education possible.

Your child's key person and SENCo will gather together observations, Kent Progress Trackers Reports, Leuven Screeening (Well Being and Involvement) to monitor your child's progress.  You will be invited to attend parents evening to discuss your child's progress and for you to to discuss any concerns or progress your child has achieved at home. If you are unable to attend the parents evening an appointment can be made to suit your needs.

We also encourage you as the parents to add to your child's Learning Journals as your child may do activies at home that may not be seen at the Nursery.

All children are included in trips, but what we do express is that we like to have one parent/carer per child to accompany a child for safety and for parents and children to interact with the whole setting. All trips are risk assessed before we go on a trip, this is assessed by two members of staff to get different views. Trips will be informed by newsletter well in advance, so parents are able to book time off work or to find a relative to come along.

All staff are able to access training and disability awareness most of our training is through our Collaboration group and some are accessed through Kent County Council.

We have regular parent evenings where you can make an appointment to see your key person and look at your child's Learning Journal and to look at their progress tracker to see how they are progressing.

At our setting we are on one floor, there is access for a wheelchair/pram to enter the building via a path and entry will be at the first door.  Our toilets are low level and are wheelchair accessible with hand rails. Our sinks are low level and the taps are lever taps for children to easily access them.

At our nursery when we go out on trips we like to have one parent/carer for every child who attends this enable us to ensure that the children are safe. We also like to encourage parents to come into the nursery and read stories or do an activity with the children.

We do not have disabled parking at the nursery, but the school has a disabled parking space in their large car park.

The Manager attended through the collaboration a Transition Day where some Reception teachers from the local area and the Nurserys from the collaboration discussed what School readiness was and what the Reception Teachers would like the children to be able to do.  There was also an opportunity to talk to the Teachers and build relationships.

 We arrange meetings with the parents to discuss their childs progress and the school, we are helping the children to practice their school that may be needed at school i.e. putting their coats on independently and being able to use a knife and fork to eat with.

Once we know which school your child has been allocated we welcome the new school teachers/SENCo to visit us and to discuss your child's abilities.

Our SENCo attends LIFT meeting and SENCo forum to better her knowledge of Special Educational Needs and the knowledge where she can access the support that may be required for a child.

Staff meetings and supervisions to discuss any concerns regarding a child and current practices, review of policies and procedures, annual questionnaires to parents, and regular key person and SENCo meetings.

You should contact the Nursery in the first instance to make an appointment with the Manager to look around the Nursery. On your arrival you will be given a tour around the nursery and meet the staff including the Senco.  You will be given a prospectus and a waiting list form to complete if required. This is also an opportunity to discuss any requirements are need to support your child and also for the Manager or SENCo to be able to access any training the staff my require to support your child at the nursery before your child starts.

In the Cloak Room we have a box where parents can make any suggestions, compliments and complaints.  We do have  complaints procedure within our policies which parents have a copy of when you attend our New Parents meeting before your child starts the Nursery.

We give out Parental questionnaires for suggestions which may benefit our future children and families that will attend our setting.