Special Educational Needs & Disabilities
Every child should be given the best chance to succeed in life. Department for Education, April 2014
Play Days welcomes every child into our community. Our practice places the child at the centre of everything we do, & we believe — deeply, that children with special educational needs & disabilities thrive in early years settings that see them first as children: curious, capable, full of potential, & entitled to the same warm, joyful start as every other child.
We view behaviour as an outward sign or indicator of another need that a young child may not yet be able to verbalise or understand.
Early identification, early intervention, & high aspirations together unlock outcomes that
come too late if we wait.
Imelda Rylatt, Company Director & SENDCO — Play Days Nursery & Academy
Our Aims and Objectives
Play Days is committed to the inclusion, enablement & flourishing of every child with special educational needs & disabilities (SEND). We have full regard to the SEND Code of Practice 0–25 (2015), the Children and Families Act 2014, the Equality Act 2010, & the EYFS Statutory Framework 2026.
Aims
• Provide the highest quality early years’ service so that every child fulfils their potential.
• Combine high aspirations with high-quality early years practice, focused on early identification & early intervention to improve long-term outcomes.
• Ensure that knowledgeable Key People, SENDCOs & managers form strong relationships with children & their families, so judgements are madeby those who know the child best.
• Put the thoughts, feelings & wishes of children & their families at the forefront of every decision.
• Build strong multi-disciplinary partnerships across Education, Health, Social Care & Safeguarding so that every child has equal opportunity to engage in the EYFS curriculum.
• Operate within the SEND Code of Practice 2015 & the local authority Core Offer (Leicester City & Leicestershire).
Objectives
• Provide a broad, balanced, statutory EYFS curriculum accessible to the individual needs of every child.
• Identify & assess needs early, & provide appropriate, evidence-based support through high-quality targeted teaching, applied consistently across the setting.
• Build cultures, policies and practices into our planning that include all children — not by treating all children the same, but by responding to learners in ways that take account of their varied life experiences & needs.
• Engender a sense of community & belonging, & to offer new opportunities to children who may have experienced previous difficulties.
• Maintain a setting-wide commitment to inclusion: equal opportunities for all children, whatever their age, gender, ethnicity, special educational needs,
impairment, attainment & background.
Persons with Responsibility
Academy SENDCO, (Special Educational Needs & Disability Coordinators). Imelda Rylatt & Anna Lewis.
Nursery Early Language Lead Practitioners; (Elklan / ELLP); Imelda Rylatt (0–5)
Academy Early Language Lead Practitioner
(ELLO)- Imelda Rylatt., Anna Herbert
Leicester City Area SENDCO Allocated by the Early Years Support Team. We work closely with our named Area SENDCO and
refer through the team office on 0116 454 4750.
Leicestershire County Area SENDCO Our Early Years Improvement Advisor doubles as our Area SENDCO. The Family Information
Service signposts on 0116 305 6545; the Early Years SEND Inclusion Team is contacted via the
Professional Services Portal.
What is a Special Educational Need?
A child has special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty or disability that calls for special educational provision to be made for them.
A child has a learning difficulty if they continue to make inadequate progress, despite high-quality teaching targeted at the areas of learning & development that they find most challenging.
The four broad areas of need identified in the SEND Code of Practice are:
1. Communication & interaction – Children with speech, language & communication difficulties which make it harder for them to make sense of language or to communicate effectively & appropriately with others — including children on the autism spectrum.
2. Cognition & learning – Children who learn at a slower pace than others their age, who have difficulty understanding parts of the curriculum, who struggle with organisation or memory skills, or who have a specific difficulty affecting one particular area of learning.
3. Social, emotional & mental health (SEMH) – Children who experience difficulty in managing their relationships with other people, who are withdrawn, or who behave in ways that may hinder their own or other children’s learning, or impact on health & wellbeing.
4. Sensory & /or physical needs – Children with visual or hearing impairments, or a physical need that requires additional ongoing support & equipment. Some children have needs spanning more than one of these areas.
How We Support Children with SEND at Play Days
Targeted provision available within our settings includes:
• Fun Time small-group communication sessions.
• Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS).
• Structured teaching methods including “First and Next” & “Now / Then” boards.
• Visual timetables & real objects of reference.
• A qualified Early Language Lead Practitioners (ELKLAN) supporting speech, language & communication needs across the setting.
• Staff trained to support the learning & development of children on the autism spectrum, including reasonable adjustments & one-page profiles.
• Tracking of learning & development for children with SEND using local authority frameworks (Next Steps, Ordinarily Available Provision) alongside
our EYFS tracker.
Facilities for Children and Families with SEND
Wheelchair access Wheelchair access to , all outdoor areas, and all group rooms at the Nursery.
Please note the Toddler lounge at the Academy is upstairs.
Accessible toilets Accessible toilets.
Changing facilities
Quiet space We can arrange a low-stimulus space for children who need a sensory break, in agreement with the family.
Specialist equipment We will source & accommodate specialist equipment as advised by Health professionals, in advance of a child starting.
Roles and Responsibilities
The SENDCO is responsible for:
• Overseeing the day-to-day operation of the SEND policy & the setting’s SEND Information Report.
• Co-ordinating provision for children with SEND across the setting.
• Working alongside Key People so that learning for all children is given equal parity.
• Advising on the graduated approach to SEND support — Assess, Plan, Do, Review.
• Liaising with, advising & contributing to the in-service & external training of staff.
• Ensuring records for children with SEND, & those experiencing barriers to learning who may not have SEND, are kept current & secure.
• Working in partnership with parents & carers.
• Acting as a key point of contact for external agencies, Health, Social Care & the local authority.
• Liaising with the SENDCO of a child’s next setting or school to ensure a smooth transition.
• Ensuring Play Days meets its responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 — making reasonable adjustments & access arrangements.
• Ensuring the setting can track & record support plans and decisions for every child with SEND.
The Room Senior & Key Person are responsible for:
• Monitoring children’s progress & outcomes — dated, written observations & records are kept.
• Supporting & guiding Level 2 & Level 3 Early Years Educators, regularly informing the SENDCO of progress & any concerns.
• Liaising with parents & carers to discuss progress at every opportunity.
• Establishing individual records for children with SEND and those experiencing barriers to learning.
• Reviewing progress & writing children’s support plans in partnership with the SENDCO & parents — “Child Learning Passport” (Leicester City) or “SEND Support Plan” (Leicestershire).
• Sharing information about each child with SEND with the whole staff at termly SEND review meetings.
• Liaising with outside agencies as directed by the SENDCO.
• Seeking support from the Area SENDCO & the relevant local authority Early Years team, who will liaise with the setting and family and provide additional general or targeted support.
Admission Arrangements for Children with SEND
Equality Act 2010. It is unlawful to discriminate against disabled children in respect of admissions for a reason related to their disability. Children with special educational needs & disabilities are considered for admission to Play Days on exactly the same basis as children without SEND.
Prior to starting, parents & carers of children with an Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP) — or an EHCP pending — are invited to meet with the SENDCO to discuss the provision needed to meet the child’s identified needs. We will arrange enhanced settling visits & put any required adjustments in
place in advance.
Identifying and Assessing SEND
Information about any SEND is gathered by the senior team at the initial meeting with parents when they apply for a place.
A home visit is offered for each child by the Key Person prior to starting.
Information about the child — including any SEND or medical condition — is discussed in detail.
Information from Children’s Centres or the Early Years Support Team is passed to us prior to the child starting where possible.
If a child is receiving support from an outside agency, we make contact to gain additional information, & we tell the family about any additional support that is available to them.
A SEND file is opened. Professionals may be invited to advise the setting in advance of the child starting — for example, training on a specific need or on the use of specialist equipment such as a feeding tube.
Integrated two-year Education, Health and Care review
Early identification & assessment of children with SEND is pivotal to securing positive future outcomes. Play Days has embedded the principles of the EYFS —
Unique Child, Positive Relationships, Enabling Environments, Learning & Development — into all of our identification & assessment work.
We work with parents to produce a Two-Year Development Check for every child, in preparation for the statutory Integrated Education & Health Review (Health visiting team) which we endeavour to attend alongside the Health Visitor where permissible (typically held at 2 years 3 months).
The Graduated Approach — Assess, Plan, Do, Review
Where a child needs SEND support beyond universal provision, we use the four-part graduated approach set out in the SEND Code of Practice.
This is a continuous cycle, not a one-off intervention.
ASSESS – Clear analysis of the child’s needs drawing on the Key Person’s observations, the SENDCO’s expertise, parent insight, & any specialist advice. We use the views of the child where
possible.
PLAN- Outcomes are agreed with the parent & the support to achieve them is planned. This includes the adjustments, interventions & support to be put in place, the expected impact on progress, & a review date.
DO- The Key Person, supported by the SENDCO, implements the plan day-to day. Provision is consistent, evidence based & delivered with high expectations.
REVIEW- Triggers for intervention through the graduated approach: The effectiveness of the support is reviewed against the agreed outcomes, on or before the agreed date, with the family. The cycle then begins again — refined & revised in light of growing understanding of the child.
Triggers for intervention through the graduated approach:
• A child working at levels significantly below those expected for children of a similar age due to cognition & learning difficulties.
• Persistent social, emotional or mental health difficulties affecting wellbeing.
• Sensory or physical needs where the child continues to make little or no progress.
• Communication or interaction difficulties requiring specific individual interventions in order to access learning.
Triggers for seeking help from outside agencies:
Despite a focused individualised programme & concentrated support, where the child:
• Continues to make little or no progress in one or more areas over a long period (typically one term in Leicester City; 6–12 months in Leicestershire).
• Continues working at a stage substantially below that expected of children of a similar age.
• Has social & emotional health difficulties or wellbeing difficulties that substantially & regularly interfere with the child’s learning or that of their peers.
• Has sensory or physical needs requiring additional equipment or regular visits for direct intervention or advice by practitioners from a specialist service.
• Has ongoing communication or interaction difficulties that impede social relationships & cause substantial barriers to learning.
Securing Expertise — Working with Outside Agencies
Play Days is committed to effective collaboration between all agencies working with a child. We actively support a multi-disciplinary approach to meeting children’s SEND.
Specialist support may include:
Speech & Language Therapist
Educational Psychologist
Clinical Psychologist
Physiotherapist
Hearing Impaired Service
Visually Impaired Service
Occupational Therapist
Health Visitor
Consultant Paediatrician
Specialist Nurse / GP
Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
Working with Parents & Carers
Local Authority SEND Inclusion Team
We recognise the vital role of parents & carers in the identification, assessment & response to their child’s needs.
We work in true partnership — valuing your views & contributions, & keeping you fully involved in your child’s education at every stage.
Before initiating any strategy that is in addition to our universal provision, we consult with you.
We also recognise that the views of the child are important & will be sought, in a sensitive, age-appropriate manner, & taken into account.
At termly parents’ meetings, the Key Person discusses progress & reviews the support plan with you. We will offer advice on how you can work with your child at home — the effectiveness of any intervention depends on the partnership between us. Where helpful, we will signpost to outside agencies and the Children’s Centre Outreach Worker.
Supporting Transitions
Joining Play Days
Parents of children with SEND are invited to meet with the SENDCO with their child before starting. Transition arrangements are agreed, risk assessments are produced (where necessary to prioritise the safety of every child), including structured transition visits up to a term in advance.
Outside agencies are contacted for additional information were helpful.
After settling- Following the child’s settling period, the Key Person arranges a meeting with the parent to review the child’s learning & progress.
Between rooms -Internal transitions are planned with the SENDCO & family, with shared visits, familiar objects of reference, & a written handover between Key People.
To primary school or another setting
All children are invited to visit their new setting with their parents in advance. Where needed, further visits are arranged. We prepare a photograph book showing aspects of life in the new setting to help the child.
Documentation transferred
All documentation — individual support plans, Child Learning Passport, SEND Support Plan, EHCP, agency reports — is forwarded to the new setting with a written progress report and (for school transitions) a Transition Report shared with the receiving SENDCO and class teacher. A copy goes to the parent.
SENDCO involvement -Our SENDCO contacts the new class teacher to discuss and forward-plan appropriate support, holds a meeting with parents and new setting staff, and invites the new class teacher to visit the child at Play Days before transition.
Legislative & Regulatory Framework
SEND Code of Practice 0–25 years (2015)
Children & Families Act 2014
Equality Act 2010
EYFS Statutory Framework 2026
Childcare Act 2006 Children Act 1989 and 2004
SEND & Alternative Provision Improvement Plan (March 2023)
National SEND Standards (2025)
Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026
Keeping Children Safe in Education (current edition)
LLR Safeguarding Children Partnership procedures