Additional Learning Needs Policy

At Bijou Nursery & Creche we are committed to the inclusion of all children. All children have the right to be cared for and educated to develop to their full potential alongside each other through positive experiences, to enable them to share opportunities and experiences and develop and learn from each other. We provide a positive and welcoming environment where children are supported according to their individual needs and we work hard to ensure no children are discriminated against or put at a disadvantage as a consequence of their needs.

 

We believe that all children have a right to experience and develop alongside their peers no matter what their individual needs. Each child’s needs are unique, therefore any attempt to categorise children is inappropriate.

 

We are committed to working alongside parents in the provision for their child’s individual needs to enable us to help the child to develop to their full potential. We are committed to working with any child who has a specific need and/or disability and making reasonable adjustments to enable every child to make full use of the nursery’s facilities. All children have a right to a broad and well-balanced early learning environment.

 

Where we believe a child may have additional needs that have previously been unacknowledged, we will work closely with the child’s parents/carers and any relevant professionals to establish if any additional action is required.

 

Where a child has additional needs, we feel it is paramount to find out as much as possible about those needs, any way that this may affect his/her early learning or care needs and any additional help he/she may need by:

• Liaising with the child’s parents and, where appropriate, the child

• Liaising with any professional agencies

• Reading any reports that have been prepared

• Attending any review meetings with the local authority/professionals 

• Observing each child’s development and monitoring such observations regularly.

 

All children will be given a full settling in period when joining the nursery according to their individual needs.

 

Aims

We will: 

• Recognise each child’s individual needs and ensure all staff are aware of, and have regard for, the Additonal Learning Needs Code for Wales 2021 on the identification and assessment of any needs not being met by the universal service provided by the nursery

• Include all children and their families in our provision

• Provide well informed and suitably trained practitioners to help support parents and children with special educational difficulties and/or disabilities

• Develop and maintain a core team of staff who are experienced in the care of children with additional needs and identify a Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator (ALNCO)  who is experienced in the care and assessment of children with additional needs. Staff will be provided with specific training relating to Additional Learning Needs (ALN), the Additional learning needs (ALN) transformation programme 

• Identify the specific needs of children with additional learning needs and/or disabilities and meet those needs through a range of strategies

• Ensure that children who learn quicker, e.g. more able and talented children are also supported 

• Share any statutory and other assessments made by the nursery with parents and support parents in seeking any help they or the child may need

• Work in partnership with parents and other agencies in order to meet individual children's needs, , and seek advice, support and training where required

• Monitor and review our practice and provision and, if necessary, make adjustments, and seek specialist equipment and services if needed

• Ensure that all children are treated as individuals/equals and are encouraged to take part in every aspect of the nursery day according to their individual needs and abilities

• Encourage children to value and respect others 

• Challenge inappropriate attitudes and practices 

• Promote positive images and role models during play experiences of those with additional needs wherever possible

• Celebrate diversity in all aspects of play and learning.

 

 

The role of the ALNCO  is to take the lead in further assessment of the child’s particular strengths and weaknesses, in planning future support for the child in discussion with colleagues, and in monitoring and subsequently reviewing the action taken. The ALNCO should also ensure that appropriate records are kept. The practitioner usually responsible for the child should remain responsible for working with the child on a daily basis and for planning and delivering an individualised programme. Parents should always be consulted and kept informed of the action taken to help the child, and of the outcome of this action.

 

She/he works closely with all staff to make sure there are systems in place to plan, implement, monitor, review and evaluate the special educational needs / additional learning needs practice and policy of the nursery, always making sure plans and records are shared with parents.

 

Methods

We will:

• Identify a member of staff to be  Additional Learning Needs Coordinator (ALNCO)  and share his/her name with parents

• Ensure that the provision for children with ALN is the responsibility of all members of staff in the nursery

• Ensure that our inclusive admissions practice includes equality of access and opportunity

• Ensure that our physical environment is as far as possible suitable for children and adults with disabilities

• Work closely with parents to create and maintain a positive partnership which supports their child(ren)

• Ensure that parents are informed at all stages of the assessment, planning, provision and review of their child's care and education 

• Provide parents with information on sources of independent advice and support

• Liaise with other professionals involved with children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and their families, including transfer arrangements to other settings and schools. We work closely with the next school or care setting and meet with them to discuss the child’s needs to ensure information exchange and continuity of care 

• Provide a broad and balanced early learning environment for all children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities 

• Provide differentiated activities to meet all individual needs and abilities

• Use a system of planning, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reviewing Individual Educational Plans (IEPs)/ Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and discuss these with parents

• Review IEPs/IDPs  regularly every 6 weeks or when necessary and hold review meetings with parents at this time

• Ensure that children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and their parents are consulted at all stages of the graduated response, taking into account their levels of ability

• Use a system for keeping records of the assessment, planning, provision and review for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities 

• Provide resources (human and financial) to implement our ALN policy

• Ensure the privacy of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities when intimate care is being provided

• Provide in-service training for practitioners and volunteers

• Raise awareness of any specialism the setting has to offer, e.g. Makaton trained staff

• Ensure the effectiveness of our ALN provision by collecting information from a range of sources e.g. IEP/IDP reviews, staff and management meetings, parental and external agencies’ views, inspections and complaints. This information is collated, evaluated and reviewed annually

• Monitor and review our policy annually.

 

 

 

Early Years Action 

Where a practitioner or ALNCO  identifies a child with special educational needs, the nursery will assess and record those needs and provide a number of key actions to help the child. As part of this process the nursery will consult with parents and seek any additional information from professionals. The targets for the child, any teaching strategies or changes to provision are set out in an Individual Education Plan (IEP). The plan will be continually under review in consultation with the child and his/her parent(s).

 

Early Years Action Plus 

This is where a practitioner or ALNCO, in consultation with the child’s parents, decide external support services are required, usually following a review of the IEP. The nursery will share its records on the child with those services so that they can advise on any IEP targets and appropriate strategies to help the child.

 

 

Statutory assessment

If the help given through Early Years Action Plus is not sufficient to enable the child to progress satisfactorily, it may be necessary for the nursery, in consultation with the parents and any external agencies already involved to request a statutory assessment by the local authority. This may lead to the child receiving a statement of special educational needs.