SEND Report to Parents

Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School SEND Report for Parents
(Please refer to our School Offer for further details)

SENDCo: Kirsten Matthews
SEND Governor: Catherine Maguire

Policies
 

The last SEND Policy review took place in December 2025 to ensure that it is in line with the SEND Code of Practice: 0-25 years (2014).  This is reviewed annually.

The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator is Kirsten Matthews who has held the position since 2007.

The Special Education Needs and Disabilities Governor is Catherine Maguire.

Number of pupils with SEND

At Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School we have a Early Years Specialist Provision (Rainbow Room) for children with complex additional needs. There are currently 24 children based in Rainbow Room who receive SEND Support.  

In the mainstream classroom at Sandy Lane (Garden Room), there are six children with identified SEND who receive SEND Support.

The number of pupils who leave Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is high due to us having an EY SEND Provision.

The number of children for whom an education, health and care needs assessment has been requested over the last eight years is as follows:

2019/2020: 14

2020/2021: 15

2021/2022: 14

2022/2023: 20

2023/2024: 19

2024/2025: 17 

2025/2026: 19

2026/2027: 16 to date (September 2026)

Information relating to cohort 2023/2024:

All requests for an Education, Health and Care Plan were granted.  Of the 19 children, 3 children transitioned to a mainstream primary school, 5 pupils transitioned to a designated school provision,11 pupils transitioned to either Fox Wood School or Green Lane School.  

In recent years, the number of children entering nursery requiring communication and language (C&L) interventions has risen annually. 

Information relating to cohort 2024/2025:

All children based in Rainbow Room currently are known to the speech and language therapy team based at the CDC.  56% of these children have a diagnosis of ASD or demonstrate social communication difficulties and are likely to receive a diagnosis of ASD in the future.

Progress of Children with SEND

Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School is committed to ensuring that all children with SEND make meaningful progress from their individual starting points and develop the knowledge, skills, confidence and independence they need for their next stage of learning.

General information regarding the progress of children with SEND and children working within the lowest 20% of attainment

• Children with SEND make good progress from their individual starting points, taking account of their age, developmental stage, identified needs, strengths and individual capabilities.
• Progress is monitored closely through a combination of ongoing assessment, observation and professional review, ensuring that children's progress is considered across all areas of learning and development.
• For children with SEND, progress is evidenced through individual plans, EYFS assessments, developmental tracking, therapy target reviews, observations, work and play-based evidence, and individual Tapestry journals.
• Where children receive specialist support, advice and recommendations from external professionals are incorporated into their individual targets and provision, where appropriate.
• Progress towards individual outcomes and targets is reviewed regularly with staff, parents/carers and relevant professionals. Provision is adapted in response to children's changing needs and progress.
• Children with SEND are supported to develop communication, interaction, independence, engagement, self-regulation and readiness for their next stage of learning, alongside their wider developmental progress.
• Sandy Lane monitors the progress and attainment of vulnerable groups, including children with SEND and children working within the lowest 20% of attainment, to identify any emerging gaps and ensure that appropriate support and intervention are provided.
• Children working within the lowest 20% of attainment are monitored through EYFS assessment and tracking systems, Communication and Language tracking, observations and individual Tapestry journals. Their progress is evaluated in relation to their individual starting points and developmental needs.
• The setting has a strong record of supporting children with SEND to remain included in nursery life. There have been no exclusions of children with SEND, reflecting our commitment to an inclusive, nurturing and supportive approach.
• Assessment information is used alongside professional knowledge of each child to identify next steps, inform planning and ensure that children receive the appropriate level of challenge, support and intervention.
• The progress of children with SEND is considered as part of the setting's ongoing self-evaluation and improvement processes, helping to ensure that provision continues to meet the needs of all children effectively.

Supporting Progress for Children with SEND

Children with SEND at Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School are supported to make good progress from their individual starting points through high-quality, inclusive teaching and carefully planned personalised provision. This includes:

• High-quality inclusive teaching and provision, with adaptations made to meet children's individual strengths, needs and developmental levels.
• A strong focus on the EYFS Prime Areas of Learning – Communication and Language, Personal, Social and Emotional Development, and Physical Development – alongside children's individual learning priorities.
• Small-group, individual and targeted support provided according to children's needs.
• High expectations for all children, with appropriate challenge, support and opportunities to develop independence.
• Regular assessment and progress monitoring, including review of children's individual targets and provision, to identify progress and next steps.
• Individualised and appropriately adapted learning experiences, including reasonable adjustments and accessible resources where required.
• Careful consideration of groupings, adult support and learning environments to maximise children's engagement, participation and progress.
• Sharing of expertise between the Rainbow Room Specialist SEND Provision and mainstream Garden Room, supporting consistent inclusive practice across the nursery.
• Effective individual target setting and personalised plans, developed with parents/carers and relevant professionals where appropriate.
• Skilled and experienced teaching assistant support, with adults using appropriate levels of prompting, modelling, questioning and scaffolding to develop children's confidence and independence.
• The use of evidence-informed approaches, interventions and communication strategies matched to individual need. These may include ECaT, Early TalkBoost, WellComm, PECS, Makaton, visual timetables and prompts, objects of reference, REAL, TEACCH, Attention Autism, on-body signing, Intensive Interaction and sensory approaches, including sensory circuits.
• A sensory-informed and accessible curriculum that considers children's individual sensory, physical, communication and regulation needs.
• Access to high-quality, stimulating and accessible resources that encourage exploration, communication, engagement and independence.
• Effective partnerships with parents/carers and external professionals, including Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, physiotherapy, health professionals and other specialist services, where appropriate.
• Regular communication with families to share progress, identify priorities and agree next steps.
• Strong SEND leadership and safeguarding arrangements, with the SENDCo working closely with the Designated Safeguarding Lead to ensure that children's learning, development, wellbeing and safety are considered holistically.
• A commitment to early identification and early intervention, including the use of Early Help and Family Help where appropriate.
• Ongoing staff training, professional learning, coaching and sharing of expertise to strengthen staff confidence and consistency in supporting children with SEND.

Deployment of Staff and Resources

Staffing to Support SEND

Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School has a strong and experienced staff team with a range of skills and expertise to support children with SEND and ensure that appropriate provision is available to meet individual needs.

• A full-time SENDCo is in post and also works as the Lead Teacher within the Rainbow Room Specialist SEND Provision and as Deputy Headteacher, providing strategic leadership for SEND and inclusion across the nursery.
• A full-time Deputy SENCo, who is a qualified and experienced teacher, provides additional leadership and support for SEND identification, assessment, provision and monitoring.
• Within the Rainbow Room Specialist SEND Provision, staffing includes two full-time equivalent teachers and five full-time equivalent teaching assistants, providing a high level of adult support for children with complex and additional needs.
• Within the Garden Room mainstream provision, a designated teaching assistant supports the delivery of Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) programmes, helping to embed communication and language strategies throughout the nursery day.
• Early Help and Family Help support is available where appropriate. Staff work with families and relevant professionals to identify needs early and support families to access appropriate services within the nursery and the wider community.
• Staff have training and experience in supporting children's communication and language development, including Every Child a Talker (ECaT) and Makaton, enabling consistent communication approaches across the setting.
• The nursery has a team of skilled, experienced and committed practitioners who work collaboratively to meet children's individual needs and promote their learning, development, communication, wellbeing and independence.
• Staff work closely with parents/carers and relevant professionals to ensure that provision is child-centred, responsive and appropriately adapted to meet the needs of children with SEND.

Budget allocation 

All funding allocated to Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School is used strategically to support the inclusion, progress, development and wellbeing of children with SEND. Funding is used to provide:

• Experienced and appropriately qualified SEND leadership, including dedicated SENDCo capacity to coordinate provision and support staff.
• Appropriate adult support, matched to children’s individual needs and reviewed regularly to promote participation and increasing independence.
• High-quality professional development and training to develop staff knowledge, skills and confidence in meeting a wide range of SEND needs.
• Specialist and accessible resources and equipment to remove barriers to learning, communication, participation and independence.
• Appropriate assessment and monitoring tools to identify needs, track progress and inform targeted provision.
• Specialist provision and interventions, including support from external professionals where appropriate, to meet children’s individual needs and enable them to access the curriculum and wider nursery experiences.

External Agencies

Children attending the Rainbow Room may receive support from a range of health, education and specialist professionals. Provision is tailored to each child’s individual needs and is coordinated closely with families and relevant professionals.

Many children are supported by health professionals based at the Child Development Centre. Depending on their individual needs, children may be assessed by and receive advice, therapy or intervention from:

• Occupational Therapist
• Physiotherapist
• Speech and Language Therapist
• Consultant Paediatrician

Other professionals may also be involved where appropriate, including:

• Educational Psychologist
• Specialist Teacher for children with visual impairment
• Specialist Teacher for children with hearing impairment
• Health Visitor
• Other specialist services identified through the child’s assessment and support plan

Staff work collaboratively with external professionals to ensure that advice and recommended strategies are incorporated into children’s individualised provision and daily learning experiences. Where appropriate, parents and carers are involved in planning, reviewing and evaluating support.

Staff Development

Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School is committed to ensuring that staff have the knowledge, skills and confidence to meet the diverse and complex needs of children with SEND. Staff working with children with identified SEND receive relevant training and ongoing professional development, which may include:

• ECaT (Every Child a Talker) – supporting children’s communication and language development.
• Makaton – using signs and symbols alongside speech to support communication.
• PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) – supporting functional communication and the development of independent communication.
• Attention Autism and the Curiosity Programme – developing attention, engagement, communication and participation.
• Sensory Integration and Sensory Circuits – supporting sensory regulation, readiness for learning and engagement.
• TEACCH – using structured approaches to promote understanding, independence and engagement, particularly for autistic children.
• Intensive Interaction – supporting early communication, interaction and social connection.
• Sensory Processing – developing understanding of individual sensory needs and appropriate strategies to support regulation and participation.
• PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) – developing staff understanding of demand-avoidant profiles and supportive, flexible approaches where appropriate.
• Attachment and Trauma-Informed Practice – supporting children’s emotional wellbeing, relationships, regulation and sense of security.
• Ongoing SENDCo professional development – ensuring effective leadership, coordination and continuous improvement of SEND provision.

Training and professional development are reviewed in response to the needs of the children attending the setting, advice from external professionals and emerging priorities within the nursery.

Transition Links

We recognise that effective transition is particularly important for children with SEND and children who may require additional support. We work closely with families, feeder settings, receiving schools and other educational settings to ensure that relevant information is shared and that transitions are carefully planned around each child's individual needs.

• Class teachers liaise with receiving primary schools and other educational settings to share relevant information about children's strengths, needs, progress, interests, communication, independence and any additional support required.
• Transition meetings are arranged with receiving schools, where appropriate, to ensure that key information is shared and that appropriate provision and support can be planned before the child starts their new setting.
• The SENDCo and Senior Teacher provide an annual information session for parents and carers of children with SEND, including information about EHCP requests, transition planning and the range of mainstream, specialist and designated provision available.
• Transition planning begins at an appropriate stage and is tailored to the individual child. This may include meetings between professionals, information sharing, additional visits, photographs, social stories, visual supports and opportunities to meet key adults.
• Planned transition visits are arranged for children moving to mainstream schools, designated provision or special schools, with additional support provided where required.
• Where appropriate, children have opportunities to visit their new setting more than once so that they can become familiar with the environment, routines, staff and expectations before they move.
• A series of transition opportunities is planned for children moving from Sandy Lane into our two main local primary schools. These are carefully planned to support continuity and are particularly important for children who may be vulnerable or require additional support.
• Transition arrangements are reviewed with parents, children and receiving settings to ensure that identified needs and effective strategies are communicated and understood.
• Information is shared in accordance with safeguarding, confidentiality and data protection requirements, with the child's best interests at the centre of transition planning.

Complaints Procedure

Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School values positive relationships with parents and carers and aims to resolve concerns promptly and collaboratively. If a parent or carer feels that their child's educational or SEND needs are not being appropriately met, they should:

1. Discuss their concerns with the child's class teacher, who will listen to the concern and work with the family to identify appropriate actions.
2. Speak with the SENDCo if the concern relates to SEND provision or if the concern has not been resolved.
3. Speak with the Headteacher if the concern remains unresolved.
4. Contact the SEND Governor, where appropriate, for concerns relating specifically to SEND provision and leadership oversight.
5. Follow the school's formal Complaints Procedure if the concern cannot be resolved through the above stages.

Parents and carers will be treated fairly and respectfully throughout the process, and concerns will be considered carefully with the aim of achieving the best possible outcome for the child.

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