SEND information
Sir James Knott Nursery School and the Nest
Sir James Knott Nursery School and the Nest
Sir James Knott Nursery School and the Nest
Sir James Knott Nursery School and the Nest are committed to providing an inclusive, supportive and high-quality early years education for all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Our SEND Ethos
We believe that every child is unique and has the right to access a rich, meaningful curriculum that supports their development, well-being and independence. Inclusion is at the heart of our practice, and we work in close partnership with families to ensure that children with SEND are supported to achieve, belong and thrive.
Identifying SEND
Sir James Knott Nursery School and the Nest
Sir James Knott Nursery School and the Nest
Children’s needs are identified early through:
- careful observation and assessment,
- ongoing professional dialogue between staff,
- and close communication with parents and carers.
Where concerns are identified, we follow a graduated approach in line with the SEND Code of Practice (Assess, Plan, Do, Review), ensuring support is tailored to each child’s needs.
Supporting Children with SEND
Sir James Knott Nursery School and the Nest
Supporting Children with SEND
Support for children with SEND includes:
- high-quality, inclusive universal provision for all children,
- targeted strategies and reasonable adjustments,
- individual support plans where appropriate,
- a strong focus on communication, emotional regulation and well-being,
- and access to specialist advice and support when needed.
Children with SEND are supported to take part fully in all aspects of nursery life, with high expectations for progress and development.
SENDCo and Staff Expertise
Working with Parents and Carers
Supporting Children with SEND
The school has the Headteacher who is undertaking his NPQ SENCO qualification who oversees SEND provision across both the Nursery School and The Nest.
The SENDCo works closely with staff, families and external professionals to coordinate support and ensure consistency.
we also have a Deputy SENDCo who works in conjunction with the SENDCo.
All staff receive regular professional development to strengthen inclusive practice, adaptive teaching and understanding of SEND, including support for babies and toddlers.
Working with Parents and Carers
Working with Parents and Carers
Working with Parents and Carers
We value parents and carers as key partners in supporting children with SEND. We ensure regular communication through meetings, reviews and informal discussions, and we actively involve families in decision-making about their child’s support.
External Agencies and Services
Working with Parents and Carers
Working with Parents and Carers
Where appropriate, we work closely with a range of external professionals, including:
- Health visitors,
- Speech and language therapists,
- Early years advisory services,
- and other relevant specialists.
This collaborative approach ensures children receive timely, coordinated support.
SEND information
Supporting Children in the Nest (Birth to Two)
Supporting Children in the Nest (Birth to Two)
Supporting Children in the Nest (Birth to Two)
In The Nest, SEND support focuses on:
- early identification of developmental needs,
- secure attachments and consistent key-person relationships,
- communication, sensory development and emotional well-being,
- and strong partnership working with families and health professionals.
Support is embedded within everyday care and routines to ensure babies and toddlers feel safe, valued and supported.
Reviewing Progress and Transitions
Supporting Children in the Nest (Birth to Two)
Supporting Children in the Nest (Birth to Two)
Children’s progress is reviewed regularly to ensure support remains effective and responsive. Transitions, including moving within the setting or onto the next stage of education, are carefully planned to ensure continuity and reassurance for children and families.
Complaints and Further Support
Supporting Children in the Nest (Birth to Two)
Complaints and Further Support
If parents or carers have concerns about SEND provision, they are encouraged to speak to their child’s key person or the SENDCo in the first instance. Further information and support are also available through the local authority’s SEND services.
special educational needs and disabilities Birth to Two
At The Nest, our birth-to-two provision, SEND support focuses on early identification, attachment, communication and emotional security.
We recognise that in the first two years of life, children’s development is rapid and highly individual. Our approach for babies and toddlers includes:
- close observation of early communication, movement, sensory responses and social interaction,
- a strong emphasis on secure attachments and consistent key-person relationships,
- developmentally appropriate routines that support regulation, predictability and emotional well-being,
- responsive, play-based interactions that support early communication and sensory development,
- early partnership working with parents and health professionals to ensure concerns are identified and addressed promptly,
- and careful transition planning as children move within the Nest or into the Nursery School.
Support for children with SEND in The Nest is embedded into everyday care and interactions, ensuring children feel safe, valued and supported while maintaining high expectations for progress.
special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
Our Philosophy
At Sir James Knott Nursery School and the Nest, we are committed to ensuring that all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), are supported to achieve, belong and thrive.
SEND - Intent
Our intent is to provide an inclusive, nurturing and high-quality early years education where every child is valued as an individual and supported to reach their full potential. We aim to identify children’s additional needs early, remove barriers to learning and provide the right support at the right time.
We believe that inclusion is a shared responsibility and that high-quality universal provision benefits all children. Our SEND practice is rooted in strong relationships, high expectations and a deep understanding of child development, ensuring children with SEND are fully included in all aspects of nursery life from birth through to nursery education.
special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
Our Philosophy
SEND - Implementation
We deliver our SEND provision through a graduated, needs-led approach that is embedded across both the Nursery School and the Nest.
This includes:
- high-quality universal provision through a well-sequenced, inclusive curriculum,
- early identification through careful observation, assessment and ongoing dialogue with families,
- targeted support and reasonable adjustments to meet individual needs,
- close collaboration between the SENDCo, teaching staff and key persons,
- partnership working with parents, carers and external professionals, including health and early years services,
- clear individual support plans where required, with regular review and adaptation,
- and a strong focus on communication, emotional well-being and self-regulation.
Staff receive regular professional development to strengthen inclusive practice, adaptive teaching and understanding of SEND, ensuring children are supported consistently and sensitively across both settings.
special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
Our Philosophy
SEND - Impact
As a result of our inclusive approach:
- children with SEND are supported to make strong progress from their individual starting points,
- children feel safe, valued and confident, with a strong sense of belonging,
- families feel listened to, informed and actively involved in their child’s development,
- children are supported to develop communication, independence and emotional resilience,
- and transitions, both within the nursery and beyond, are well planned and supportive.
Our SEND provision is monitored and reviewed regularly by leaders and governors to ensure it remains effective, responsive and aligned with best practice. This enables us to continually improve outcomes for children with SEND and ensure every child is given the best possible start in life.
supporting send learners through an adapted curriculum
Our Philosophy
What This Means for Your Child
How We Adapt the Curriculum
At Sir James Knott Nursery School and the Nest, we believe that every child deserves an inclusive, engaging, and meaningful early years education. For our children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), we adapt the curriculum to ensure that learning is accessible, personalised, and empowering.
We use the Cherry Garden SE
At Sir James Knott Nursery School and the Nest, we believe that every child deserves an inclusive, engaging, and meaningful early years education. For our children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), we adapt the curriculum to ensure that learning is accessible, personalised, and empowering.
We use the Cherry Garden SEND Assessment Framework as a key part of this approach. This framework helps us to understand children’s learning and development in a rich, holistic way - focusing on engagement, cognition, communication, and interaction - not just outcomes. It supports us to see the child first, understand how they learn best, and tailor experiences to meet their unique strengths and needs.
How We Adapt the Curriculum
What This Means for Your Child
How We Adapt the Curriculum
We make adaptations in the following ways:
🔍 1. Individualised Assessment and Planning
We use the Cherry Garden Framework to assess how each child learns: how they engage with people, environments, activities, communication, and play. This supports us to plan experiences that are truly responsive, rather than one-size-fits-all.
🧩 2. Flex
We make adaptations in the following ways:
🔍 1. Individualised Assessment and Planning
We use the Cherry Garden Framework to assess how each child learns: how they engage with people, environments, activities, communication, and play. This supports us to plan experiences that are truly responsive, rather than one-size-fits-all.
🧩 2. Flexible Learning Experiences
Children are offered learning opportunities that match their pace and style of learning. This might include adapted resources, differentiated tasks, or alternative ways of engaging with activities so that each child can participate meaningfully.
💬 3. Communication-Rich Environments
We adapt how we support communication - using visuals, signs, modelling language, and personalised strategies - so that children with differing needs can express themselves, understand others, and participate in routines and interactions.
💚 4. Relationships and Interaction
Strong, attuned relationships with practitioners are at the heart of our practice. By using the Cherry Garden Framework, we deepen our understanding of how each child responds to social interaction and adjust our support accordingly - whether that means more time for processing, enriched parallel play, or tailored adult scaffolding.
🎯 5. Continuous Reflection and Adjustment
Curriculum adaptation is ongoing. We continually observe, reflect, and adjust learning experiences, using the Framework to guide our decisions and track progress over time. We share this information with families and multi-agency partners where appropriate, ensuring a coherent and supportive approach.
What This Means for Your Child
What This Means for Your Child
What This Means for Your Child
- Your child’s learning is centred around their strengths and interests
- Their environment and activities are meaningfully adapted to support access and engagement
- We monitor progress using a rich, play-led, development-centred lens
- We work in partnership with you to set goals and celebrate achievements
Every child’s learning journey is
- Your child’s learning is centred around their strengths and interests
- Their environment and activities are meaningfully adapted to support access and engagement
- We monitor progress using a rich, play-led, development-centred lens
- We work in partnership with you to set goals and celebrate achievements
Every child’s learning journey is unique, and we are committed to providing an inclusive curriculum that enables all children - including those with SEND - to thrive in their early years.
The graduated approach
At Sir James Knott Nursery School and the Nest, we use a graduated approach to ensure that children who may have additional needs are supported in a timely, effective and inclusive way.
The graduated approach is a step-by-step process used in early years settings to identify needs early, put appropriate support in place and review the impact of that support over time. It ensures that help is needs-led, proportionate and responsive, rather than one-size-fits-all.
Assess
Children’s development is monitored through careful observation, assessment and ongoing professional discussion. We work closely with parents and carers to build a full picture of each child’s strengths, interests and any areas of concern. This early identification helps us to understand barriers to learning and plan the right support.
Plan
Where additional support is needed, staff, the SENDCo and families work together to agree clear outcomes and strategies. Support is planned around the child’s individual needs and may include reasonable adjustments, targeted strategies or specific interventions. Parents and carers are fully involved in this process.
Do
Planned support is put into practice by the child’s key person and teaching staff as part of everyday routines and learning. Support is embedded within high-quality inclusive provision, ensuring children remain fully involved in all aspects of nursery life.
Review
Children’s progress is reviewed regularly to evaluate the effectiveness of the support in place. Adjustments are made where needed to ensure the child continues to make progress. Parents and carers are kept informed and involved throughout.
Working Together
The graduated approach emphasises partnership working. Where appropriate, we work with external professionals, such as health visitors, speech and language therapists and early years advisory services, to strengthen support and ensure children receive the right help at the right time.
Our Commitment
By using the graduated approach, we ensure that:
- children’s needs are identified early,
- support is flexible and responsive,
- high expectations are maintained for all children,
- and children feel included, supported and valued.
This approach enables us to support every child to achieve, belong and thrive, while working closely with families to secure the best possible outcomes.
Early years inclusion service in north Tyneside
At Sir James Knott Nursery School and the Nest, we work closely with the Early Years Inclusion Service (EYIS) to ensure that every child in their early years has the best possible start and the opportunity to thrive.
The Early Years Inclusion Service is part of the North Tyneside Early Years Partnership and aims to support children aged birth to 4 (prior to their Reception year) who have, or may have, special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The service works with families, early years settings, and schools to ensure that every child is accepted, included and well supported in their early learning environment.
What the Service Offers
- Support for Settings – EYIS supports early years settings and schools to develop confidence and expertise in meeting diverse needs.
- Inclusion Guidance and Training – A range of training, SEND surgeries, and professional networks are available to help staff better understand and plan for individual children’s learning and wellbeing.
- Partnership Working – The service works closely with parents/carers and professionals to help families understand how their child’s needs are being met, and to support transitions into school when the time comes.
- Early Identification – EYIS contributes to identifying needs early so that children can benefit from the right support at the right time.
By working together with the Early Years Inclusion Service, we ensure that all children accessing early years education in our community are supported, included and able to make positive progress in their learning and development.
For further information, please refer to website:
https://education.northtyneside.gov.uk/education-north-tyneside/early-years-inclusion-service/
parent advice early years inclusion service padlet
North Tyneside Early Years Inclusion Service have produced a parent advice Padlet. Please use this Padlet for gaining support with your child's SEND needs. The Padlet is updated on a regular basis.
https://padlet.com/eyis1/parent-advice-early-years-inclusion-service-5bba4puk22b2nekq