Inclusion
At Birchwood, we believe that every child is unique, valued and deserves the opportunity to thrive. We are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment where every child feels safe, respected, understood and able to be themselves.
We work closely in partnership with families because we recognise that parents and carers know their children best. Through open communication, regular discussions and shared observations, we work together to identify each child's individual strengths, interests and areas of need. This allows us to put the right support in place and ensure that every child has the opportunity to make progress and achieve their potential.
Our staff have experience supporting children with social communication needs. We take a child-centred approach, adapting our environment, activities, routines and communication to meet individual needs and help every child to engage, learn and flourish.
Little Acorns
As part of our commitment to inclusive practice, we have developed our Little Acorns adapted provision. Little Acorns provides children who require additional support with a calm, nurturing environment at the beginning of their nursery session, where they can settle, build confidence and work towards their own personalised targets.
Children begin their morning in Little Acorns with experienced staff who know and understand their individual needs. This is led by one of our SENco Annie Hunt. Through carefully planned, engaging activities and focused support, we work on specific targets that are meaningful to each child and support their development.
Importantly, Little Acorns is not separate from our wider nursery provision. Following their focused morning session, children are fully integrated into the nursery environment alongside their peers. They have the opportunity to take part in activities, play and learn with the other children and enjoy our free-flow provision, moving freely between our indoor and outdoor learning environments.
This approach allows children to benefit from individualised support while also developing friendships, independence, communication and a strong sense of belonging within the wider nursery community.
We also work closely with families and, where appropriate, other professionals and support services to ensure that children's needs are understood and that the support we provide is consistent and responsive.
Above all, we want every child to know that they belong, they matter and they are capable of achieving great things. We celebrate every child's progress, however big or small, and strive to give each child the confidence, independence and skills they need to flourish.
Little Acorns
