We achieve better outcomes for children with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) by developing and supporting our staff. This results in confident teachers who:
Are equipped to assess and identify children with potential SEND
Use different screening tools to assess children’s progress, such as the WellComm toolkit, Early Years Speech, Language and Communication Monitoring Tool, and the LEYF LPDS
Plan relevant interventions to meet children’s individual needs
Carry out referral processes and access local outreach services for specialist advice, where needed
Signpost parents and carers to relevant services to support individual children’s and family’s needs, such as adult mental health services.
We also train staff to become SENCOs (Special Educational Needs Coordinators) who are:
Skilled and confident in searching and understanding the local SEND services and processes, known as Local Offer
Believe that supporting the needs of children with SEND can be part of mainstream, good quality teaching.
Training programmes
We offer in-house training to support SENCOs’ and teachers’ knowledge and skills:
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Award for Special Educational Needs Coordinators in Early Years Settings
Tailored training programmes to develop specialist teaching skills, to meet the needs of a wide range of children with SEND include:
The importance of visuals in Early Years settings
Attention-Building Strategy
Speech and Language groups in Early Years
Supporting children’s self-regulation and resilience
Working in partnership with parents and other professionals
Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the Early Years
Supporting children with SEND through music sessions
Completion of SENIF/SENDIF and Educational Health Care Plan (EHCNA)
Transition to school or any other setting
Strategies to support children’s individual needs in Early Years settings
How to support children with Down Syndrome
Supporting children with sight impairment
Supporting children with hearing impairment
How to support children with anxiety in the Early Years
Supporting children with Dyspraxia
How to support children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Health Condition and the Equality Act 2010
The use of Educational Technology (EdTech) to Support Children with SEND
How to support gifted and talented children in the Early Years
For more information on SEND requirements, please take a look at the SEND Code of Practice.