The Nursery and Playclub aims to have regard to the DfEE Code of Practice on special educational needs. We aim to provide a welcome, and appropriate learning opportunities, for all children.

• Children with special needs, like all other children, are admitted to the pre-school after consultation between parents, co-ordinators, keyworker, and SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-0rdindator).
• Our aim is to provide for the developmental needs of each child in the group.
• All children in the group, irrespective of their special needs, are encouraged wherever possible and appropriate to participate in all the group’s activities.
• Our system of observation and record-keeping, which operates in conjunction with parents, enables us to monitor children's needs and progress on an individual basis.
• The needs and progress of children who have special educational needs are monitored by our group’s special educational needs co-ordinator.
• Our keyworker system ensures that each adult is responsible for, and close to, just five or six children, so each child receives plenty of adult time and attention.
• We work closely with the parents of all the children in the group to ensure that:
  1. The group draws upon the knowledge and expertise of parents in planning provision for the child.
  2. The child’s progress and achievements are shared and discussed with parents on a regular basis.
  3. Parents know the identity of the group’s special educational needs co-ordinator. *
  4. Parents are aware of the arrangements for the admission and integration of children with special educational needs*
•  If it is felt that a child's needs cannot be met in the pre-school without additional personnel and/or equipment, funding will be sought to ensure that provision is appropriate to the child’s needs.
• We work in liaison with relevant professionals and agencies outside the group to meet children's specific needs.
• Our staff attend whenever possible in-service training on special needs arranged by the Pre-school Learning Alliance and other professional bodies.
• Links between the pre-school and external support services, including the local authority and voluntary organisations.
• Arrangements for reviewing policies and procedures relating to special needs.

* Our SENCO representative is Helen W. Helen has attended courses and workshops run by the Early Years Development Unit Bath & NorthEast Somerset. Arrangements and assessment procedures are based on the pack given out at the time. These are as follows: -

How we Assess Individual Children’s Needs
Observation and development forms are used for all nursery children. If a child is not following the appropriate stage of learning relevant to their age, the individual needs are assessed further parental involvement is also crucial when establishing that a child has SEN.

 Our Record Keeping System (Examples)
Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are drawn up by collaboration between the nursery SENCO, and the child’s keyworker setting short-term and long-term goals.

Special Educational Needs and the Curriculum
Children with SEN should have full access to the relevant curriculum for the foundation stage and the National curriculum.

Resource Allocation
Resources will be made available via the annual budget by submission to the management committee. It may be necessary to make representations to external awarding bodies if a one- to -one ratio is required. Priority is given to children with special needs in the admission criteria when appropriate bodies recommend a child.

Current Links between the Mews and outside support services
We have access to Bath and NorthEast Somerset Head Educational Psychologist (Eileen Stevens), and area SENCO (Melenie Decoste) both who offer advise on individual cases and training.

 Arrangements for Reviewing Policies and Procedures
All policy documents and procedures are presented by either a co-ordinator or a member of the Management Committee to a meeting of that committee. Changes and reviews can be instigated by any member or co-opted member of the committee. Parents can either write in requesting a policy review or ask a parent member of the committee to act on their behalf.

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