Special Needs Policy

Policy Statement

We believe that Moulton Pre-school welcomes all children as part of our community. We promote inclusion by endeavoring to meet all individual needs, presenting difference and individuality in a positive way, having regard for the DfES Code of Practice. We aim to provide an appropriate environment to meet all the children’s physical needs, including an understanding that additional facilities or equipment may need to be provided to enable children to access the curriculum. We remain committed to working closely with parents and other relevant professionals.

Admission Criteria

After consultation with parents, staff, committee and other professionals where appropriate, children will be admitted to the Pre-school following an equal and inclusive criteria. Children with additional support requirements can be admitted on flexible basis to allow ‘settling in’ time.

All children will be treated equally regardless of special needs or disability.

Special Educational Needs

Our special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) is Kim Murphy. Kim has responsibility for:

  1. Identifying any areas of difficulty a child may have.
  2. Helping to formulate Individual Education Plans (IEP) and Individual Behaviour Plans (IBP) ensuring that appropriate strategies are used.
  3. Keeping staff informed about good Special Educational Needs (SEN) practice and any new developments.
  4. Working with parents, key workers and other professionals as part of a multi-agency team around the child.
  5. Advising staff on health and safety issues such as lifting.
  6. Checking that the relevant insurance indemnity is in place.
  7. Ensuring that appropriate equipment is available for use.

Staff and Training

  1. Staff will attend relevant training courses, including training in special educational needs. .
  2. All staff are trained in deaf awareness.
  3. All staff are trained to observe and listen to the children and act upon this information.

Identification of Special Educational Needs and Taking Action

All children are encouraged to participate in and access the curriculum to the best of their ability. Staff will identify the children’s strengths and areas of development by recording them in a file which is the property of the parents.

  1. Following the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) document children will be observed, assessed and records of their progress kept in individual profiles.
  2. Children having additional or different needs will be identified by the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) in consultation with parents, other staff and professionals where applicable.

Graduated Response

If concerns are raised about a child the SENCO will , working with parents, follow the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DfES) Code of Practice guidelines for the graduated response by following the 3 wave system:-

  1. Accessing where the problem lies.
  2. Utilising small group work to try to make progress.
  3. Moving on to the early years action.

At Early Years Action:

  1. Provide opportunities for assessment.
  2. Plan steps for support.
  3. Write short term targets, IEP’s /IBP’s.
  4. Monitor the children’s progress and behavior.
  5. Keep additional records of the children’s progress and behavior.
  6. Agree a time for further review.
  7. Involve parents at all the above.
  8. Present different learning opportunities or use alternative approaches to learning.


At Early Years Action Plus:

  1. Seek advice from other professionals if insufficient progress is being made.
  2. Make arrangements to work closely with any other professionals following advice given [multi-agency working].
  3. Make any information kept about the child available to the parents.
  4. Make regular progress reports to the parents.
  5. Update other staff regularly.
  6. Encourage the child to participate in the review of their progress.
  7. Involve the parents or Carers at each stage of the child’s progress.

Arrangements for Links with Outside Agencies

Outside agencies work with Moulton Pre-school by:

  1. Giving training to staff.
  2. Providing information on documentation and procedures.
  3. Assess and contribute to IEP’s and statements when required.
  4. Advise on good practice, health and safety issues.
  5. Pass records between relevant settings.
  6. Help with the formulation of further action plans.
  7. Enable appropriate equipment to be available for use within the setting.

These other agencies include for example:

  1. Area Early Years Pedagogue (Children and Families Cheshire).
  2. Sensory Impairment Service.
  3. Educational Psychology Service.
  4. Consultant Audiologist.
  5. GPs
  6. Health Visitor.
  7. Moulton School SENCO.
  8. Child Development Centre, Winsford (S.T.E.P.S).

[Other agencies will be included as and when appropriate]

Planning Support for Children with Additional Needs

Support is available within Moulton Pre-school to ensure the progress of all children.

This is done by:

  1. Appropriate planning.
  2. Access to further help and support when necessary.
  3. Procedures such as special needs file in place, outlining the SENCO’s area of responsibility.
  4. Trained staff, aware of the different stages in the Code of Practice.
  5. The seeking of funding for a support worker if required.
  6. All policies are inclusive.
  7. The support from the area Early Years Pedagogue.
  8. Maintaining excellent resources and environment.
  9. Adapting teaching to the learning styles of each child.
  10. Differentiating the curriculum for individual children when necessary.
  11. Providing access to a broad and balanced curriculum using the EYFS document.

Arrangements for Reviewing, Monitoring and Evaluating SEN Provision

The effectiveness of the SEN provision will be assessed using the Quality First Monitoring and Evaluation Document as a guide. This will enable us to assess the levels of inclusion for both individual children and the group as a whole. We will check that:

  1. All policies are up to date.
  2. All policies are implemented.
  3. All children with additional needs are having those needs identified as early as possible and those needs met.

Monitoring of SEN Policy
The SEN policy will be reviewed on an annual basis and will involve all staff.
The next review will be on 01/01/09.

The policy is always available for parents/carers to read in the foyer and any amendments made following its annual review, will be made available to parents to read and sign.
The parents/carers will be asked how well the SEN policy is being met in Moulton Pre-School.

Arrangements for Transition

Progress reports, plans etc will be made available to the primary placement in the summer term prior to the September intake.
Copies will be made available for parents if this is requested.
The local primary school sends its SENCO to the Pre-School on a regular basis to aid transition and familiarise the school with any children requiring special or additional requirements.
Liaison takes place between the SENCO, parents and next setting and visits are arranged to allows for smooth ‘settling in’ at the next setting.

Complaints Procedure

Our complaints procedure for SEN provision is in line with our general complaints procedure. There is provision for a ‘report back’ timescale and a next line of contact if the matter remains unresolved