This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council's Early Year's SENDCo Advisor, Catherine Woodbridge, for the attention of managers and SENDCo's of all early years providers, school nurseries, PVI's and maintained nursery schools.
Supporting Children with Complex Additional Needs
Arbour Vale School would like to offer other early years’ professionals working within the borough, the opportunity to visit our school and gain knowledge in some of the approaches and strategies used to support children with additional needs.
From recent discussions with a range of professionals working within SEN, it has become very apparent how limited SEN places are for children across the borough. Many mainstream provisions are taking on children with more complex additional needs than they have previously needed to.
Building on the success of our local authority moderation visit in the summer term, we would like to offer our support to education providers through the development of a ‘Hub’ for SEN early years, at Arbour Vale School.
We have two offers:
- Open morning visit:
- Attend an open morning; spending time in different early years’ classes, observing teachers and support staff facilitating good progress, for children with a diverse range of needs.
- Time allocated for discussion about what has been observed and how this may be of benefit for professionals in other settings.
- Possibility of a visit to your setting to support you with carryover of ideas and useful information obtained during the visit.
- Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis and will be limited, as groups need to be kept small in order to ensure the visit does not impact on pupil progress and well-being.
- Proposed dates: 7th and 14th March 9:00 – 12:15.
- Further information will be sent with confirmation of place.
- SEN Early Years moderation meeting:
- Attend an external moderation meeting to moderate a child’s levels using ‘Development matters’ statements, by looking at evidence you have collected and having professional dialogue with our specialist teachers. Arbour Vale School Early Years Team were externally moderated in the summer term 2018 and all judgements were agreed. We have since begun compiling an exemplar file of moderated work to share with other professionals.
- Support with assessment of complex learners, including those who are non-verbal or with limited speech.
- Networking with other practitioners in the field of SEN.
- Play a part in the development of exemplification materials for SEN Early Years.
- Moderation meeting will take place at Arbour Vale School on Thursday 28th March at 2:00 – 4:00
- Further information will be sent with confirmation of place.
Please e-mail Julie.foot@arbourvaleschool.org to request a place.