The Graduated Approach

At Norcot, we use a graduated approach to identify and support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This means we provide the right level of support at the right time, based on each child's individual needs.

When we identify a child as requiring additional provision because of their Special Educational Needs, we need to follow the Graduated Approach as detailed in the SEND Code of Practice which includes as Assess, Plan, Do and Review continuous cycle. This is completed in partnership with parents.

We identify and support children across four broad areas:

Communication and interaction - including speech and language difficulties and autism
Cognition and learning - including learning difficulties and specific learning difficulties
Social, emotional and mental health - including anxiety, attachment difficulties and behavioural needs
Sensory and/or physical needs - including visual or hearing needs, physical disabilities and sensory processing difficulties

Early identification is crucial. We identify children's needs through:

Initial assessments when children start nursery
Ongoing observations of children's learning and development
Progress tracking against early learning goals
Information from parents/carers - you know your child best
Information from other professionals (e.g., health visitors, speech and language therapists)
Regular reviews of children's progress

Before providing SEN support, we first ensure all children benefit from high-quality teaching and inclusive practice. This includes differentiated teaching, visual supports, and adaptations to meet different learning needs.

The Graduated Approach: Assess, Plan, Do, Review

If we have concerns about a child's progress, we follow a continuous cycle of planning, actions and review. This has four parts:

🔍 Assess

We identify the child's needs through observation and assessment, gather views from parents/carers and other professionals, and identify what the child can do and what they find difficult.

📋 Plan

We agree on the support and interventions needed, set clear outcomes we want to achieve, and decide who will provide the support and when.

We will work with you to create an Individual Support Plan (ISP) that sets out:

The adjustments and support we'll put in place
The expected impact on your child's progress and development
A date for review

Working together, we agree on the support we'll provide and what we're aiming to achieve. This is recorded on a Personalised Education Plan (PEP) with clear, achievable steps.

✨ Do

We put the planned support in place. Your child's key person remains responsible for working with your child on a daily basis, even when they receive additional support or interventions. They work closely with our Inclusion Lead Teacher and any specialist staff to ensure support is effective and linked to everyday learning.

We keep you informed about what we're doing and how your child is responding.

Your child's key person puts the plan into action every day. We'll share strategies with you so you can support learning at home too.

🔄 Review

We evaluate the impact of any support or interventions on your child's progress and development, and consider your views and your child's views.

We meet with you at least three times a year (usually termly) to discuss progress and decide whether to make any changes to your child's support.

Working in Partnership

We revisit, refine and revise our approach to develop our understanding of your child's needs, and what measures help them to make progress.

Your involvement is essential at every stage. We value your knowledge of your child and work closely with you to ensure the support we provide meets their needs.

If you have concerns about your child's development, please speak to your child's key person or contact our SENDCo.

🏫 Universal Provision/Ordinarily Available Provision

At Norcot Early Years Centre, every child receives high-quality, inclusive teaching that's carefully adapted to meet their individual needs. This is the foundation of everything we do, ensuring all children can access learning and reach their full potential. Our skilled practitioners plan learning experiences that are accessible to all, using a range of teaching strategies and resources to ensure every child can participate fully and make progress from their individual starting points. We work in close partnership with families at every stage to make sure your child receives exactly the support they need to thrive.

🤝 SEN Support Using Nursery Resources

When a child needs additional or different support beyond our universal provision, we use our graduated approach – a continuous cycle of Assess, Plan, Do, and Review. At this stage, we provide targeted interventions using our nursery's own resources and expertise. This might include small group work, adapted activities, or specific strategies tailored to your child's needs. We work closely with you to agree on the support we'll provide, set clear outcomes, and regularly review your child's progress to ensure the provision is making a difference.

👥 Specialist Support with External Professionals

For some children, we may need to invite external specialists to assess and plan more targeted support. This could involve professionals such as speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, or occupational therapists who work alongside our team to gain a deeper understanding of your child's needs. These specialists help us develop more specific strategies and interventions, ensuring your child gets the right support at the right time. We continue to work in partnership with you throughout this process, keeping you fully informed and involved in all decisions about your child's provision.

📋 Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans

For children with significant and complex needs that cannot be met through SEN support alone, we work closely with families and the local authority to request an EHC needs assessment. If an EHC plan is issued, we'll work collaboratively with you and external professionals to make sure the specialist provision your child needs is in place and making a real difference to their learning and development. We remain committed to working in partnership with you throughout this process to achieve the best possible outcomes for your child.