Oxclose Nursery School

We offer 30 hours childcare for working parents.

We are a Nursery located in Spennymoor, providing outstanding education for 2 to 4 year olds.

We are open from 7.45am for breakfast club and children can access full day provision until 5.30pm with our after school club.

We employ a Specialist Support Assistant who provides individual and small group speech and language support to children.

To find out more about help with childcare costs please visit www.durham.gov.uk/childcarecosts

When is it on?

Time of day
Morning
Afternoon
Session information
Morning sessions from 8.45am - 11.45am
Afternoon sessions from 12.30pm - 3.30pm
30 Hour sessions from 8.45am - 2.45pm

Who to contact

Contact name
Jayne Phillips
Contact position
Assistant Executive Headteacher
Telephone
01388 814 860
E-mail
oxclosenursery@durhamlearning.net

Where to go

Address
Ox Close Crescent
Spennymoor
County Durham
Postcode
DL16 6RU

Other details

Cost description
Please contact for more details.
Age range
2 - 5 years
Related links
Ofsted reports

Availability

Childcare availability
Before school
Term time
After school
Free 3/4 yr places
Yes
Free 2 yr places
Yes
Will be providing 30 hours
Yes

Special provisions

Wheelchair access
No
Cultural provisions
No
Special diets
No

Vacancy details

Immediate vacancies?
Yes
Other information
We have spaces available - please contact the Federation Office on 01388 814 860 for more information. (Updated 15 July 2023)

Other details

School drop off/collection
Ox Close Primary School
Further drop off/collection details
Children attending our Breakfast club will be taken to Ox Close Primary School at 8.45 am. We will also collect children from Ox Close Primary School at 3.15 pm for the After School Club.

Local Offer

Local Offer description

At Oxclose Nursery School we are committed to the equal inclusion of all pupils in all areas of primary school life. We recognise the diverse and individual needs of all of our pupils and take into account the additional support required by those children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).  

We believe that all children are entitled to high quality education and we ensure that all children receive the help and support they need to reach their full potential. Small group and individual intervention work is provided by a Specialist Support Assistant, working in partnership with other agencies in order to provide a positive educational experience for all our pupils including those with a special educational need or disability.

 

Contact name
Jayne Phillips
Contact telephone
01388 814 860
Contact email
oxclosenursery@durhamlearning.net
Links
Ox Close Federation SEND

How do you identify Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)?

How does the setting/school/college know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child/young person may have special educational needs?

Most children and young people will have their special educational needs met in mainstream schools through good classroom practice. This is called Quality First Teaching. At Oxclose Nursery School, we follow a graduated approach which is called 'Assess, Plan, Do, Review'.

 This means that we will:

Assess a child's special educational need
Plan the provision to meet your child's aspirations and agreed outcomes
Do put the provision in place to meet those outcomes
Review the support and progress.

A special educational need can be a number of different things. For example, a child may be having problems with reading, number work or behaviour, which can be helped by putting extra support in at school and by working in partnership with parents. It may also be due to a disability which makes it harder for a child to use the same educational facilities that the school provides for the majority of children. For some children this may be a temporary difficulty, while others may have a long term need for special help.

Types of special educational needs can include:

  • General Learning Difficulties – children whose learning progresses at a slower pace
  • Speech and Language Difficulties
  • Behavioural Difficulties
  • Dyslexia (difficulties with reading, writing and spelling)
  • Dyspraxia (problems with motor skills, organisation)
  • Autism
  • ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder – ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
  • Downs Syndrome
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Other Physical or Medical Needs

All of our children’s needs are identified and met as early as possible through:

  • observation, assessment, target setting and monitoring arrangements (cycle of assessment, plan, do and review)
  • listening to and following up parental concerns
  • listening to and taking into account the child’s views, wishes and feelings
  • the analysis of data including baseline assessments linked to the EYFS to track individual children’s progress over time
  • reviewing and improving staff understanding of a wide range of needs and effective strategies to meet those needs
  • liaison with schools and other settings on end of year transfer
  • exchanging information from other services across education, health, care and the voluntary sector
  • involving an external agency, and the Educational Psychology Service (EPS) as a minimum, where it is considered that a special educational need may be significant and long term and may require more in-depth and frequently reviewed cycles of assess, plan, do and review.
  • data on progress is stored and analysed. Pupils needs are discussed and decisions are taken as to which intervention is needed.

If you think your child/young person may have special educational needs, please speak with the nursery.

How will you support my child with their special educational needs and disability?

How will early years setting/school/college staff support my child/young person?

We pride ourselves on being a very inclusive school. We understand that children learn and develop in different ways. Teachers and teaching assistants recognise this and use different teaching styles, resources and plan different levels of work in the classroom to cater for the various ways children learn. All children follow the National Curriculum at a level and a pace that is appropriate for their abilities. However, at some time in their school life, some children may need extra help.

Because of this we offer the following support for SEND children:

  • We talk to parents/carers if they think their child has a special educational need and let them know what special help the school is giving.
  • We have a written Special Educational Needs Policy– a copy is made available for parents and is included on the school's website.
  • We endeavour to identify all children that need special consideration to support their needs (whether these are educational, social, physical or emotional) at the earliest opportunity.
  • We make suitable provision for children with SEND to fully develop their abilities, interests and aptitudes and gain maximum access to the curriculum.
  • We promote independence at every opportunity.
  • We promote self worth and enthusiasm to give every child a sense of achievement.

Each child’s key worker will be finding ways to support them such as:

  • Changing the way activities are planned and delivered.
  • Matching activities to the ability / need of each child (differentiation).
  • Adapting learning materials such as equipment and activities to suit each child’s needs.
  • Offer small group support to promote skills identified in the child’s Education Plan.

With the permission of parents we may seek additional advice from outside specialists such as health professionals, specialist teachers or educational psychologists who would:

  • carry out further assessment of the child’s needs
  • provide advice to schools on how to best support the child
  • suggest resources that would help the child make progress

Our teachers/teaching assistants work in partnership with parents and the SENCO to find ways to support each child with their needs, including giving parents ideas on how to help their child at home

Our school staff will set targets for SEND children which will be shared with parents, either during Parents’ Evening or a Review Meeting.

If your child has Special Educational Needs our SENCO will:

  • Ensure the right support is put in place for each child.
  • Advise other teachers and teaching assistants on how to help each child and ensure they have an up to date Special Education Needs Support Plan detailing how their needs will be met in school.
  • Arrange training for staff so they understand each child’s needs.
  • Work closely with parents on a regular basis to talk with them about their child’s needs and listen to any ideas or concerns they might have.
  • Work with other professionals (if necessary) who may be able to help individual children, for example speech and language therapist /medical professional/ educational psychologist.

A Special Education Needs Support Plan / Provision Map details what the school, the class teacher and the SENCO plan to do to help individual children learn. All teachers should be aware that children learn in different ways. Some need to work at a slower pace to ensure they fully understand one thing before they move onto something new.

A Special Education Needs Support Plan will be written especially for any child with SEND. It should include:

  • short term targets for the child which are linked to their needs
  • details of any extra support the child will get
  • who will give the child help
  • how often the child will get help
  • how and when the school will look at the child’s progress again (usually at least twice a year)

We will share copies of Special Education Needs Support Plans with parents / carers.

If a child’s needs are very complex and/or severe we may ask the council to carry out an Education, Health and Care Assessment. This is a very detailed assessment of each child’s needs. Parents or carers, the school and a range of professionals will all be asked to provide written reports.

At the end of the assessment phase the Local Authority will consider these reports to help decide whether or not to issue an Education, Health and Care Plan for the child.
Parents/carers also have the right to ask the council to carry out this assessment although it is usually best if you can do this with the support of the school.
Education, Health and Care Assessment is only appropriate for a small number of children. Your school SENCO or the Parent Partnership Service will be able to advise you about this.

How will you make sure my child's education meet their needs?

How will the curriculum be matched to my child's young person's needs?

The SENCO continuously reviews the qualification needs of staff to ensure they match the needs of the children we have in school and additional training is arranged if required. This ensures that teaching styles and methods are appropriate and up to date, enabling SEND children maximum access to an early years curriculum. In addition, all school staff receive specialist support and training when there is a need, for example strategies to use when supporting a child with a vision impairment. As a team, we continually support each other and share expertise to ensure our teaching styles can be adapted appropriately so that all children reach their full potential.

How will we know my child is progressing?

How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support my child's/young person's learning?

We have systems in place to monitor the progress of all children carefully. To ensure that staff know your child well, each SEND child has their own key person who will get to know them and be proactive in planning for their needs, working closely with parents, and the SENCO. SEND children are observed closely and their achievements are celebrated in their learning journal. This information is then used to tailor the curriculum to meet the interests of each child using methods of delivery that are appropriate to their needs. Through carefully planned support, we ensure that our curriculum is accessible to all. Children with SEND are supported in a variety of ways – through one to one support, group activities or whole key worker tasks. The key worker for each SEND child will decide how everyday activities and experiences within the curriculum can be adjusted to ensure their child is fully involved at the appropriate level.

How will you support my child's overall wellbeing?

What support will there be for my child's/young person's overall wellbeing?

We place great important on promoting and supporting a child’s positive social and emotional wellbeing. We encourage children, parents and carers to speak to key members of staff each day. We are also happy to speak over the telephone to those parents who work during the day. We use Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) alongside this support where necessary. We always provide staff to accompany the children on their visits to our main feeder schools and members of their school staff liaise closely with us throughout the year, particularly during the summer term. We hold regular parents evenings and provide tours of the school.

What specialist services and expertise is available at or accessed by the staff?

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the setting/school/college?

Each year, children with SEND attend our school and we continually strive to cater for their unique needs and ensure they develop a range of skills during their time with us. As a result, we have built relationships with a large network of external agencies to consult with and offer support to children and staff respectively.

A list of agencies we have been involved with can be found on our website.

How are staff trained regarding SEND?

What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND have had or are having?

The SENCO ensures that all staff receive training updates regularly.

What activities outside the classroom will there be?

How will my child/young person be included in activities outside this classroom including school trips?

Our school trips are very much a family affair. Most of our children have a parent or grandparent who comes along with us. However, we have a large number of staff available to support the children who are unaccompanied or need extra support. We will always try to match the children to their key workers for the trips.

 

How will you support my child's needs?

How accessible is the setting/school/college environment?

Our school is built on one floor and has ramp access. We have disabled toilet facilities. There is easy access to the outdoor environment.

What is available to help my child with their education?

How are the setting's/school's/college's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?

If a child’s needs are of such significance that we feel that they need extra support, the nursery can request an Outreach Worker to work in our setting. If a child needs an Education, Health and Care Plan, finances are available to support their needs.

 

What support can I expect for my child?

How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?

When a child starts our nursery, we observe their play and assess their starting point. We discuss children's needs with parents and then decide what the best plan for support will be for each child. Miss Foster will decide the level of support our children need within the nursery. This may be short daily sessions of about ten minutes for speech and language support. Other children may have more complex needs and we would request support from an Outreach Worker. The council will decide how much support will be provided in these cases.

How will I be involved in my child's education?

How are parents involved in the setting/school/college? How can I be involved?

We encourage parents to be very involved in life at Oxclose Nursery. We rely very heavily on parental support for our Leisure Centre visits and trips. Parents are also invited to help within the nursery. We run workshops for parents to attend which are aimed at giving information about ways parents can help to support their children at home to complement what we are doing in nursery.

We never turn down a willing pair of helping hands!

My child is going to be starting or leaving soon, how will you help them?

How will the setting/school/college prepare and support my child/young person to join the setting/school/college or the next stage of education and life?

Transition from nursery to school

In the summer term before children transfer to their new school, we organise transition visits with the schools. This involves a member of staff from the new school visiting the nursery, to introduce themselves to the children. This is then followed up by visit/s to the new school to meet the staff, see the rooms and help them to become familiar with the new environment and the staff.

The organisation of transition for SEND children is an extension of this system. Children with SEND may require additional support when moving to their new school from Oxclose Nursery and we work with staff at the new school to ensure this is as a supportive and seamless move for the child and family. As soon as possible, key workers of SEND children will discuss the options available to parents when choosing a school for their child and it is possible for staff to visit settings alongside parents to give advice and support.

Once a place has been offered, the key workers will contact the school and set up a number of dates to visit with the child, to help familiarise them with the new environment and staff. The number of visits varies from child to child and is negotiated with parents. In addition, we ensure that staff from both schools meet so they can share records and key information about the child’s needs, use of equipment, strategies for teaching, agencies involved and so on. This support can continue early into the Autumn term if necessary and staffing permits.

Disclaimer

Durham County Council's Families Information Service does not promote nor endorse the services advertised on this website. Anyone seeking to use/access such services does so at their own risk and may make all appropriate enquiries about fitness for purpose and suitability to meet their needs.
  • Oxclose Nursery

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Address: Ox Close Crescent  Spennymoor  County Durham

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