Little Acorns Pre-school provides children with opportunities to learn through play in a caring and secure environment, which fosters confidence, independence and self esteem.
This setting has signed up to offer Tax Free Childcare.
Little Acorns Pre-School
Who to contact
- Contact Name
- Mrs Jane Gill
- Telephone
-
023 8063 6572
07986 716 503 - little.acorns@btinternet.com
- Website
- Little Acorns Pre-School
Where to go
- Address
-
Highfield Church Centre
Highfield Lane
Highfield
Southampton
- Postcode
- SO17 1RL
- Children's Centre Areas
- Portswood Bevois
Other Details
Costs
- Table of costs
-
Table of costs Amount Cost Type £14.25 Per Session - Details
- We charge £25 per year for a healthy snack.
Availability
- Age Ranges
- From 2 years 9 months to 5 years 0 months
Inclusion Information
Special Needs
- Has Provision
- Yes
- Experience with
-
Asthma
Severe dietary needs
Challenging Behaviour
Epi pen trained
Serious allergy
Visual impairment
Cerebral palsy
Speech and Language delay
Autistic spectrum disorder
Special Educational Needs
Childcare Information
Vacancies
- Immediate vacancies
- No
- Date updated
- 18/08/2020
Funded Places
- 3 & 4 year old funding
- Yes
- 2 year old funding
- No
30 Hours Extended Entitlement
- Intending to provide 30 hours entitlement
- Yes
- Registered to provide 30 hours entitlement
- Yes
Opening Times
- Opening Times
-
Opening Times Day Opening Time Closing Time Monday 09:15 12.15 Tuesday 09:15 12.15 Wednesday 09:15 12.15 Thursday 09:15 12.15 Friday 09:15 12.15
Vacancies
- Maximum number of Vacancies
- 3
- Vacancy Age Ranges
-
Vacancy Age Ranges Age Range Vacancies 2-4 3
School Pickups
- Offers pickups
- No
Ofsted Information
- Ofsted URN
- EY359829
- Link to latest ofsted inspection report
Local Offer
- Description
If you are considering whether your child should join the setting you can contact the manager, Carol Romilly on 07986716503 or Jane Gill who handles admissions on 02380636572. We can also be contacted by email.
- Contact Name
- Carol Romilly
- Contact Telephone
- 0798 6716503
- Contact Email
- little.acorns@btinternet.com
- Links
-
Little acorns pre school
Other Education Extended Local Offer details from Little Acorns Pre-School
How does your education setting know if children/young people need extra help and what do I do if I think my child has special educational needs?
If you or your health visitor have had concerns about your child's progress before starting pre-school you should tell us when completing registration forms. You will be invited to visit with your child when applying to the pre-school and again in the term before your child is due to start with us. When you visit you can raise any particular needs or concerns and discuss how we might be able to meet those needs. Your child will have a 2-year check with the Health Visitor which should highlight any difficulties your child is experiencing. When starting at pre-school the progress and development of each child is monitored by their key person and other staff through regular observations and discussions with you. If there are any causes for concern our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) will oversee plans to provide extra support for your child. We can ask our Early Years Advisory teacher (EYAT) to visit to give advice and may be able to refer you to other support agencies e.g. Speech Therapy.
How will the education setting staff support my child / young person?
We have a small staff team (there are 4 of us!) and we work together through frequent discussions to make sure we are all aware of the particular needs of our children and strategies to help them. Each child has one member of staff who is their key person, who gets to know the child, keeps their records of progress up to date, and discusses this with you. One member of staff is our SENCo - she takes responsibility for overseeing support for children with special needs, liaising with outside agencies involved in your child's care etc.
How will the curriculum at your education setting be matched to my child / young person's needs?
The progress of all children at the pre-school is monitored through regular observations and assessment and recorded in their "Learning Stories" book. ‘Next steps’ are set for each child on a termly basis, building on their current stage of development in each area of learning. Activities for each day are planned with these in mind. For children with particular needs an ‘Individual Education Plan’ (IEP) will be completed every half term, setting out small, manageable targets for that child and the resources/activities to be used to help them achieve these. These will be discussed with you and you will be asked to contribute your thoughts and ideas at each stage.
How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support my child / young person's learning?
Staff members are available at the beginning and end of each session to answer any questions you may have or for you to share family news or particular things we may need to be aware of. They will also let you know of anything significant that has happened during the session, and can tell you how your child has been getting on. If you need to speak to us for longer about particular issues you can arrange to come in to the pre-school during one of our sessions to speak to your child's key person, the SENCo or our manager. We can also be contacted by email. Progress records are always available for you to see and will be sent home regularly for you to read and contribute to. Your child's key person will explain these to you and answer any questions you have. You will be encouraged to contribute to planning for your child's particular needs and we may give you ideas of things you can be doing at home to help your child make progress.
What support will there be for my child / young person's overall wellbeing?
Staff members have all undergone Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) checks and all have qualifications in childcare. Three out of four of our present staff team are all experienced through working in childcare for many years and from having families of their own. We have policies to cover the administration of any necessary medication.
What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by your education setting?
We do not have any specialist staff working at the setting, but a Speech Therapist, Health Visitor or your child's Physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist may be able to come in to work with your child at the pre-school.
What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEN and Disabilities had or are having?
Three out of four of our staff members have childcare qualifications and have received basic training in disability/SEN awareness and inclusion. We have also attended occasional one day courses on subjects such as speech and communication difficulties. Our SENCo attends the termly meetings provided for all pre-school SENCos. The fourth member of staff is working towards her level 3 qualification.
How will my child / young person be included in activities including trips run by your setting?
We adapt activities wherever possible to make them suitable for all children at the setting. When you visit the setting before starting you can discuss any activities with us which may cause problems for your child and how we can address these issues. We may be able to borrow additional specialist equipment or re-arrange our room to provide a more suitable environment, or make sure an adult supports your child during a particular activity if necessary. We do not run trips. We will monitor activities and make observations, and talk to your child and you to find out what they like doing and whether there are any activities we could do in a different way to make them more accessible.
How accessible is your education setting? ( indoors and outdoors)
We hire a room in the church centre for our pre-school. The building is accessible to wheelchairs, but there is a step from the room we use down to the outdoor play area. The church has researched whether a ramp could be put here, but this has not been possible, so getting out might need to be via a corridor and through the car park. We have access to an adult disabled toilet and changing facilities, and we may be able to borrow equipment such as a toilet frame to provide extra support when using our child-sized toilet. We have a low hand-washing basin with lever taps.
How will the education setting prepare and support my child / young person to join the education setting, transfer to a new setting and or the next education stage and life?
You and your child will be invited to visit the setting when you consider putting your child's name on our waiting list as well as when you are offered a place. If your child has particular needs we would encourage you to visit a few times. You are welcome to stay with your child for the first few sessions with us if you and we feel this would be helpful. You will be asked to complete a "My Unique Child" booklet before your child starts with us to tell us about your child - what they like doing, any favourite toys, pets, your family, how your child communicates etc. We would encourage you to let us know anything that might be useful in helping your child to settle in and be happy with us. If necessary your child can come for shorter sessions to start with. Our Early Years Advisory teacher (EYAT) may come in to meet you and advise us on activities and extra support which we may be able to access. When moving on to school we will contact the SENCo at your child's receiving school to discuss your child's needs, and if necessary arrange meetings between you, the school teacher and SENCo and pre-school SENCo. Your child's "Learning Stories" record and IEPs will be passed on to the school and the reception teacher should visit your child at the pre-school. Schools will also invite you to visit and carry out home visits before your child starts with them.
How are the education setting resources allocated and matched to children and young people's Special Educational Needs and disabilities?
As we are a small pre-school we are unable to keep funds aside for particular needs, if needs be we would find available funds through local funding or by raising them ourselves. We have specialist resources available to us such as equipment and toys through local authorities and health service.
How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child /young person will receive?
We hold staff meetings each half-term when the progress of children is reviewed. If your child has particular needs their IEP will be reviewed at these meetings and new targets, strategies and areas of support decided upon. The SENCo and manager will make decisions if additional support is required or external agencies need to be contacted.
How are parents / young people currently involved in your education setting? How can I be involved?
Parents are encouraged to come in to the setting to help occasionally. This will give you an opportunity to see what goes on and what your child is doing; children are usually very happy to show their parents around. If you have a particular skill/hobby/occupation that may interest the children you could bring in photos or items to show them, or if you have links with another country or culture you may like to teach the children a song in another language or bring in clothing for them to try on. We are always glad to have someone to read stories to the children or help them with crafts etc. You may like to help us by making resources, preparing craft activities or finding out information etc. We always welcome new ideas and suggestions.