SEND Report
This SEND Information Report outlines how Happy Bears Early Years supports children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and forms part of the West Sussex Local Offer.
Our Inclusive Ethos
At Happy Bears Early Years, we believe every child is unique and deserves the opportunity to thrive within a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment.
We are committed to early identification of additional needs, removing barriers to learning, supporting children’s emotional wellbeing, and working closely with parents and professionals.
1. How does the setting know if children need extra help?
Children’s development is monitored through ongoing observations, assessment against the EYFS developmental milestones, daily interactions, and discussions with parents.
Where appropriate, staff may use STAR observations to help identify patterns, triggers, communication needs, and areas where other support may be needed.
These observations support staff in understanding children’s emotional regulation, behaviours and individual needs to ensure appropriate strategies and interventions can be implemented.
Where appropriate, the setting will work closely with parents and carers to discuss concerns and, with parental consent, may support families in making referrals to external professionals and services including West Sussex SEND Under 5s services and Speech and Language Therapy.
2. What should I do if I think my child may have SEND?
Parents are encouraged to speak with Sam (SENCO / Nursery Manager), Kayleigh (Deputy Manager), and/or their child’s Key Person.
We believe strong communication between parents and staff is essential in ensuring children receive the appropriate support and care to meet their individual needs.
3. How will staff support my child?
Children with SEND may be supported through differentiated learning opportunities, communication support, sensory resources, visual aids and emotional wellbeing support.
Happy Bears Early Years has a dedicated SEND Support Worker who works alongside children within the setting to support communication, interaction, engagement, and emotional wellbeing.
The SEND Support Worker may provide small group support, individual support, and Bucket Club sessions to support attention, engagement, and shared interaction skills.
Bucket Club sessions are carried out weekly or more frequently where appropriate to meet children’s individual needs.
To further support communication and inclusion throughout the setting, Happy Bears Early Years has introduced Widget symbols and visual communication aids around the environment, home language alongside symbols for children with English as an Additional Language (EAL), and simple Makaton signs during daily interactions and routines.
4. How will the setting support my child’s learning and development?
Where additional support is required, the setting may implement:
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Individual Support Plans (ISP)
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Targeted developmental goals
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Adapted learning activities
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Emotional wellbeing support strategies
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One Page Profiles
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Targeted interventions and communication support strategies
The setting follows the graduated approach outlined in the SEND Code of Practice:
Assess → Plan → Do → Review
Where appropriate, a One Page Profile will also be completed in partnership with parents and professionals to help staff understand and support a child’s individual needs, strengths, interest, and preferred strategies. These will be shared within the room environment to ensure all staff are aware of how best to support the child consistently throughout the day.
Where appropriate, the setting may also use SEND developmental tracking tools within Tapestry observations to help monitor children’s progress, identify emerging needs, and support the planning of targeted next steps, interventions, and support strategies.
Support is regularly reviewed to ensure children are making progress.
5. How will I know how my child is doing?
Parents are kept informed through daily verbal feedback, parent meetings, progress updates, shared observations, and Individual Support Plan reviews.
6. How will you help me support my child’s learning?
We support parents by sharing strategies used within the setting, providing ideas to support learning at home and signposting families to additional support services where appropriate.
7. What support will there be for my child’s emotional wellbeing?
At Happy Bears Early Years, children’s emotional wellbeing is a priority.
We recognise that behaviour is a form of communication and aim to support children through positive, nurturing, and child-centred approaches.
The setting follows an Emotional Wellbeing Policy which focuses on emotional regulation, positive relationships, communication support, co-regulation and supporting children’s wellbeing and sense of belonging.
8. What specialist services and expertise are available?
Where appropriate, we work alongside a range of professionals including Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Health Visitors, Portage services, and the West Sussex Early Years SEND and Inclusion Team.
Parents are always involved in referrals and discussions with external professionals.
Where appropriate, Happy Bears Early Years may also support families through the Early Help process. We recognise that some children and families may benefit from additional multi-agency support and will work collaboratively with parents and relevant professionals to ensure children receive the appropriate help and support at the earliest opportunity.
The SENCO and SEND Support Assistant regularly attend face-to-face West Sussex SEND network meetings and training opportunities to ensure the setting remains up to date with current SEND guidance, inclusive practice, and local support services available to children and families.
9. How will my child be included in activities?
We aim to ensure all children can access the full curriculum and experiences offered within the setting through inclusive teaching approaches, adapted activities, sensory support, and visual communication aids.
10. How accessible is the setting?
Happy Bears Early Years aims to provide an accessible and inclusive environment for all children and families through flexible learning environments, adapted resources, and inclusive teaching approaches.
The setting benefits from:
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Wide entrances and accessible spaces throughout the building
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Disabled toilet facilities
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Flexible room layouts and adapted learning environments where appropriate
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Visual communication support and inclusive resources
Reasonable adjustments will be made wherever possible to support children’s individual needs and ensure all children can access the environment safely and comfortably.
11. How will the setting support transitions?
Transitions are carefully planned through transition meetings, sharing information with schools and settings, transition visits, photographs, and visual support strategies.
12. How are staff trained to support children with SEND?
Staff receive ongoing training, guidance and professional development to ensure they are able to effectively support children with SEND and additional needs within the setting.
Training and professional development focuses on inclusive practice, communication and language development, emotional wellbeing, safeguarding, and supporting children’s individual needs.
The SENCO also provides ongoing guidance and support to staff within the setting.
13. How will the setting evaluate the effectiveness of SEND provision?
The effectiveness of SEND provision is reviewed through monitoring children’s progress, reviewing Individual Support Plans, parent feedback, staff reflection, and liaison with external professionals.
14. How can parents make a complaint?
If parents have concerns regarding SEND provision, they should initially speak with the SENCO/Nursery Manager. Parents may also follow the setting’s formal complaints procedure.
West Sussex SEND Support Services
West Sussex Local Offer: https://westsussex.local-offer.org
West Sussex SENDIAS: https://westsussexsendias.org
West Sussex County Council SEND Support: https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/education-children-and-families/special-educational-needs-and-disability-send/
Review of this Report
This SEND Information Report will be reviewed annually or sooner if changes to provision or legislation occur.
Happy Bears Early Years Ltd
“Where little steps make big smiles.” 💛