Key people
Each of our children is assigned a key person. The key person works with the family to ensure that the child feels safe and secure. From their initial settling visits, they will invest time in helping them to become familiar with the nursery, the other children and staff, while gaining a picture of the child through discussions with the family.
To aid children’s transition into the nursery we organise settling visits prior to starting. These are made in the mornings between 10 a.m. -11.15 a.m. and are free of charge. We would usually suggest making between three or four settling visits, depending on children’s individual needs and previous experience. We also use a ‘social story’ to support the visits. This is a book containing pictures of the nursery, your key person and the entire staff team, to share with your child at home.
Your child’s key person is responsible for collating information and observations (made by all staff) about their interests and skills. These create ongoing records of their development, an IDM – Individual Development Map and provide a base from which we can plan future experiences to further develop their skills and learning.
The two year old progress check
All children attending a nursery, or a childcare setting will undertake a ‘progress check at age two’ which parents/carers can share with their Health Visitor. This check can take place at any point between the child’s second and third birthday.
The two year old progress check is designed to help us to understand how your child is developing in the three ‘prime areas of learning’;
- Personal, Social and Emotional Development
- Physical Development
- Communication and Language
It identifies where your child is progressing well and where they may need extra help and support. Key people work jointly with the child and family to create a picture of the child, which includes their likes, dislikes, skills, relationships and experiences. This is used as a basis to jointly plan for their progress.
When children move on to ‘big school’ we support this transition by inviting their teachers to visit them in the familiar surroundings of the nursery. Where possible we also take children to visit local schools which they are due to attend. We share children’s progress and interests with their schools (with parental consent) through their IDM and a supporting transition letter, to enable the teacher to plan for their inclusion. We also create social stories where possible using photographs from the school to aid children who may need more support during this transition.