Pre-schools - Special Educational Needs

If you have a child who has special educational needs, help may be available from Northamptonshire Children and Young People’s Service – Inclusion, Pre-School Teachers / Area SENCos (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators).

What does The Pre school Team offer?

The Pre school Team provides support to parents/carers and early years settings for children with additional learning or development difficulties.

Parents/carers, pre-school providers and other professionals such as health visitors and speech and language therapists can all request help from the service.

If a professional is concerned about your child’s progress, they will discuss it with you and ask you for your written consent before asking for help from the Inclusion service. Then staff from the service will aim to see you and your child within three weeks, whenever possible.

How can the The Pre school Team help?

The Pre-School Teacher / Area SENCo will carry out an assessment of your child’s needs through talking to you and the staff of your child’s setting and often through observation of your child at play

They will help the setting to set learning or developmental objectives and review /monitor these on a regular basis. They may also suggest that your child has further detailed assessment by other professionals.

What happens when my child moves onto school?

The Pre-School Teacher / Area SENCo will work to ensure that the transition on to school is smooth, so that the good work and progress with your child’s educational development can continue. The Pre-School Teacher / Area SENCo will therefore, continue working with your child through the Autumn term in Reception Tear to help them settle into their new school.

On school occasions it may be necessary to consider whether your child would benefit from a statutory assessment. If this is felt to be the case, Pre-School Teacher / Area SENCo and/or other Inclusion service staff will discuss this in detail with you at the time. You will be involved at all times and decisions about your child will be made with you, not for you.

Find out more

You can also contact your local area team using the numbers found below; a member of staff will then be able to direct you to the most appropriate person to assist you.

Related sections:

• Special Education Needs