Special Educational Needs Local Offer
1. What should I do if I think my child has special educational needs?
If you have any concerns about your child before they start nursery you can discuss them with
Mrs Naomi Hopma (our Home Visitor) during the initial home visit.
If your child has already started nursery and you have a concern speak to the class teacher
(Mrs Jackie Griffiths or Mrs Karen Thompson) who will then refer this to the Special Educational
Needs Coordinator (Mrs Diane Ingham).
2. How will the school respond to my concern?
The class teacher will meet with you to discuss the concern, and make observations of the child in
the classroom and during outdoor play. A further meeting will then be arranged with you to
discuss any action.
3. How will the school decide if my child needs extra support?
The class teacher will explain the SEN process. The class teacher and SENco will discuss with you
the action to be taken following their observations of your child. Class-based action will be
implemented if necessary with discussion and input from you. Any action may be included in a
Playplan in the form of targets.
4. What will the school do to support my child?
Class teachers (with support from the SENco) are responsible for deciding on the Playplan targets
for your child’s learning and development. The targets are a series of small steps for your child to
aim towards achieving. The cycle is called: Assessment of Needs: Plan Do, Review. (Plan targets for
the child, carry out the targets and review the targets).
Provision mapping is a way in which your child’s needs can be planned. It highlights what will be
done in the classroom in order to support your child, including individual Playplan targets and when
and how they will be carried out. Monitoring of the targets will be ongoing and a formal review
with you will be arranged termly (or half termly if necessary).
5. Who will support my child in school?
There is a Qualified Teacher and Teaching Assistant in each class.
6. What training and experience do staff have for the additional support my child needs?
All staff have completed ELKLAN training. Mrs Ingham has completed SENco training.
7. Who else might be involved in supporting my child?
A wide range of external support agencies may be involved in supporting your child including the
Sensory Education Support Service, Specialist Teaching Service, Education Psychology Service,
Speech and Language Therapy Service and Social Communication including Autism Outreach Team.
8. What support is there for my child’s emotional and social well-being?
Personal, Social and Emotional Development is a prime area of the Early Years Foundation Stage
and all of the children are fully supported with this.
Our children have the opportunity to receive attendance certificates where we celebrate their
commitment to attending nursery.
When necessary all staff will be involved in specialised training for administering medication, for
example, when children have conditions such as epilepsy or diabetes.
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9. How will my child be involved in the process and be able to contribute their views?
Children are fully involved in their learning. The teachers share the children’s ‘I Can Do’ learning
journals with them to celebrate their achievements and learning.
10. How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards that all Early Years Providers must meet
to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. The EYFS is
differentiated to ensure children are taught according to their needs and age and stage of
development.
11. What opportunities will there be for me to discuss my child’s attainment and achievement?
SEN review meetings are held termly; there are also regular open days and evenings where
children’s achievements are discussed and learning journals shared.
Should you request further dialogue about your child throughout the year nursery staff will be
happy to arrange an appointment with you.
12. How does the school know how well my child is doing?
All children are assessed throughout their time at nursery. Their attainment is measured against
the ages and stages of the EYFS and in all seven areas of learning (Prime areas: Personal, Social,
Emotional Development, Communication and Language Development and Physical Development,
Specific areas: Mathematics, Literacy, Understanding of the World and Expressive Arts and Design).
Children are observed during activities and their progress is tracked over the year. Nursery staff
take photographs and make observations of the children. These contribute to their ‘I Can Do’
learning journals and form a record of their achievements.
13. How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?
Our school is an inclusive learning environment where all children have the opportunity to participate
in planned activities including school trips. When necessary additional adults and parents will be
invited to support us during some activities and outings.
14. How accessible is the school environment? How accessible is the curriculum?
Our school has disabled access into the buildings, it also has disabled toilet facilities. The EYFS is
accessible to all children, and our aim is to create an inclusive learning environment where all barriers
to effective learning are removed.
15. How will the school prepare and support my child to join the school?
You will be offered a home visit prior to your child starting school. Mrs Hopma will arrange a visit to
your home to meet your child and talk to you about nursery. It will also provide you with an opportunity
to ask questions and share any information or concerns.
Your child will have the opportunity to visit his/her new classrooms, meet staff and become familiar with
the routines.
16. How will the school prepare and support my child to transfer to a new setting/school/college?
Your child’s new teachers are invited to visit the children in nursery during their last term with us. They
are also invited to attend SEN review meetings. Your child may also be invited to attend visit days at
his/her new school. Meetings between nursery staff and school staff are arranged to share information
about your child prior to him/her starting at primary school.
17. How can I be involved in supporting my child?
Playplan targets are shared with you along with ideas of how you can support your child. Curriculum
Newsletters include suggestions for activities to support your child’s learning at home. We offer 10week Family Learning courses for you to participate in with your child, for example, Fun with Science.
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Parent Consultation meetings are held termly, and teachers will suggest ‘next steps’ for your child’s
learning.
18. How can I access support for myself and my family?
The Local Authority website provides further information about SEN as well as other useful support
services: www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/SENDlocaloffer
19. Who can I contact for further information?
Headteacher: Ms Fiona Whimster
Class teachers: Mrs Jackie Griffiths, Mrs Karen Thompson
SENco: Mrs Diane Ingham
St Giles Nursery School
Addison Drive
Lincoln
LN2 4LQ
01522 531876
www.st-giles-nur.lincs.sch.uk
Links to useful web pages:
Lincolnshire County Council
www.lincolnshire.gov.uk
Support and Aspirations
01522 782030
http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/parents/support-and-aspiration/
Parent Partnership Service
01522 553351
www.lincolnshireparentpartnership.org.uk
Family action group
01522 69010
lincoln@family-action.org.uk
4all newsletter-parents information
01522 782033
www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/4all
EMC Services Equality for Minority Communities
01427 787190
emc_lincs@lincolnshire.gov.uk
Children’s information service
01522 555531
children_information@lincolnshire.gov.uk
Family Information Service
Customer Service Centre
0800 195 1635
fis@lincolnshire.gov.uk
www.lincolnshirechildren.net
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