My name is Karen Daggett and I am the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator here at Brougham Street.

Our SENCO is Karen Dagget(kdaggett@broughamstreet.n-yorks.sch.uk) and she works at Brougham Street two days a week.

She supports room leaders and classroom practitioners to plan and deliver the necessary targeted support required to help children with additional needs make progress. She is also responsible for writing EHCARs and EHCPs.

SENCO stands for "Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator". A SENCO is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the school's SEN policy. All mainstream schools must appoint a teacher to be their SENCO.

At Brougham Street Nursery School and Childcare we are very proud of our inclusive practise. We believe that inclusion is everyone's responsibility. All of our staff team follow the 'Total Communication Approach', supporting all children with their language and speech development all of the time. In addition, we have a team of trained 'Champions' who alongside our staff team, support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Intensive Interaction is an approach to help people at early levels of development, people who have autism, people who have severe, profound or complex learning difficulties. Intensive Interaction works on early interaction abilities – how to enjoy being with other people – to relate, interact, know, understand and practice communication routines.

Early Years Based Information Carrying Word Pack
A rich resource of beautiful pictures and interesting activities to promote vocabulary, speaking and listening for a wide range of children, through the principle of Information Carrying Words.

For those unfamiliar with Information Carrying Words, the concept provides a structured framework which helps children increase the amount of information they can remember.

WellComm is a Speech and Language Toolkit for Screening and Intervention in the Early Years that plays a crucial role in identifying children with potential language difficulties and offers a range of customised intervention activities to help support their language development.

Easy to administer and score, the screening tool uses a unique traffic light system to help practitioners understand the child’s current level of speech and language and to provide a pathway for action, ensuring every child gets the support they need.

⬤ Consider referral to a specialist service for further advice/assessment

⬤ Extra support and intervention required

⬤ No intervention currently required

Understanding the nursery’s SEND provision — including how children with additional needs are identified, assessed and supported.

• Working with the SENCO, Karen Daggett (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) to understand priorities, strengths and areas for development.

• Monitoring the quality of SEND provision and asking whether children with SEND are making appropriate progress and being included in nursery life.

• Checking that the nursery meets its legal duties around SEND, including the SEND Code of Practice and equality/disability requirements.

• Ensuring children and parents/carers are listened to, particularly when additional support is being considered or reviewed.

• Monitoring resources and funding to make sure SEND resources and training are being used appropriately.

• Understanding the nursery's SEND policy and information and checking that these remain accurate and accessible.

• Reporting back to the governing body on SEND matters and helping governors understand the impact of decisions on children with SEND.

• Challenging constructively where provision, outcomes or inclusion could be improved.

Here at Brougham Street we use Widgits to:

Encourage learning through play – Children can explore shapes, colours, numbers, sounds, and stories in an enjoyable way.

Support cognitive development – Simple interactive activities can help develop memory, problem-solving, and early mathematical skills.

Make learning visual – Pictures, animations, and sounds can help children understand ideas that may be difficult to explain with words alone.

Develop communication and language – Interactive stories, songs, and vocabulary activities can encourage children to listen, speak, and describe what they see.

Improve participation – Children can actively interact with an activity rather than simply watching or listening.

Support different learning needs – Activities can sometimes be adapted to suit children's different abilities and interests.

Help practitioners – Widgets can provide quick, structured activities that complement hands-on play, stories, outdoor learning, and adult-led activities.

Over time the person learns that the object stands for that person, activity or event.

Objects of Reference are used to help a person understand what is happening in their environment and also be used to help people make choices.