What Support Is Provided?
Our ethos centres around early identification: understanding where every child’s starting point is. Throughout their time at nursery, ongoing observations will be completed to build a picture of a child’s development and whether any extra support is needed. This could be supporting developing speech, playing with other children or supporting a child’s specific needs due to a diagnosis.
When a need for support is identified, the SENCO works with the nursery team to build activities and interventions which help children to make progress in particular areas. This could be by developing greater listening and attention skills or working on particular speech and language targets. These could be done in a number of ways, through specific 1:1 activities, small group or whole group teaching.
Throughout this process, we consistently observe and review each child and can make referrals to appropriate services. This can involve referrals to the Speech and Language Service, Physio or for ongoing more comprehensive support as part of an Educational Health Care Plan.
These interventions may include:
High Attention Box – to support developing listening and attention skills.
Intensive Interaction – where adults tune in and copy what a child is doing, developing opportunities to share attention over something that a child is themselves interested in doing.
Makaton – to support developing speech and communication.
PECS – Picture Exchange Communication System which is initiated by the Speech and Language Service and used to enable some children to communicate their wants and needs.