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Our Ethos Explained
Our Ethos
What is Hopscotch all about? THE UNIQUE CHILD: We intend to promote children’s:
Independence through offering children freedom of choice and giving them responsibilities as we feel this will increase their self-confidence and also give them a sense of belonging as they feel a part of Hopscotch.
Confidence by making children feel a part of Hopscotch, allowing them to lead and acknowledge their say counts, it will help them gain a sense of achievement and increase their willingness to ‘have a go’ in life. Also, through furthering their knowledge, offering opportunities to embed their learning, we hope to help them reach a higher level of academic achievement.
Positive Relationships by encouraging children to create and maintain relationships and teaching them to listen to and respect others views and opinions, thus building on the social behavioural expectations in life. Through teaching them kindness and equality amongst their peers, it will increase their social interactions in life and teach them to be inclusive and respectful of others.
‘We aim to promote children’s unique identities by focusing on their independence & confidence, encouraging them to gain a voice in society.’
Most importantly we provide a home from home environment which is caring, nurturing and safe. Enabling children to play, learn and grow happily and securely. Our environment allows the children to make choices, explore things of interest, be imaginative, creative and learn actively.
We encourage every child's learning by providing a well-balanced and stimulating range of adult led and child led activities across the areas defined in the Early Years Foundation Stage practice guidance (for learning and development). These are all planned around the children’s interests. These experiences allow individuals to progress at their own pace and reach their full potential whilst having fun in a comfortable environment.
We believe particular attention should be paid to the child's personal, social and emotional skills. Self-confidence is encouraged, enabling the children to form positive relationships with their peers, make choices and explore the environment.
We respect parents and carers as the child's first educator. We ensure they are involved in Nursery life as much as possible through a range of techniques. Practitioners build trusting and secure relationships with their key families.We give all practitioners the opportunity to gain further appropriate qualifications that will benefit themselves and the whole group. Practitioners are encouraged to reflect on practice and work as a team to constantly improve the setting.
The core belief of the team is honesty, we are always honest with each other, the children, the parents and any other associates that we work with.
Local Offer
Hopscotch has sole use of a large room, on one level. Currently, the room is split into a baby area, a toddler area and a preschool area. When coming inside Hopscotch, you enter through glass bi-fold doors into a large room. The room is separated by dividers to ensure the children can have time within their own age groups but still enjoy some time together at certain times of the day. All children have set times for using the garden, this ensures that the area doesn't become too busy and ratios are maintained at all times.
Our garden is well laid out and has many resources available for the children to use: there is a space for racing or riding the trikes; an adventure climbing bank to encourage children to take risks and practice honing their physical skills; and two covered areas at either end of the garden for children to explore a shop, softplay, babies, buggies and construction toys, or to have quieter activities with an adult during session times. There is also a raised platform with a slide and look out post for the children to explore. The garden has two large gazebos set up to shield the children from the elements.
At the rear of Hopscotch, we have created a small Forest School area. This has a mud kitchen, utensils for making potions etc, a water butt and a digging tyre. There are planters for the children to grow herbs, vegetables and flowers both in the Forest school area, and outside at the front of Hopscotch. The children enjoy growing their own vegetables and tending the plants throughout the year. We also have a new area for wood working. The children are encouraged to learn to use child sized tools, such as hammers, drills and saws safely and appropriately and to create using wood and a range of materials. We use the Forest school area daily, in small groups.
The majority of the team hold a full and relevant paediatric first aid certificate. Our designated Safeguarding lead is Mathilda Norris. She is supported by Tigi Moore, Beth Albury, Isabel Plenderleith, Kimberly Tustin and Dena Moore; all of whom have completed their Level 3 Designated Safeguarding Lead training.
Three members of the team have a BA(Hons) in Early Years studies. Three members of the team have a level 3 qualification in early years, one a level 2. We have a small team of ten.
Special Educational Needs and Disability contact in Hopscotch:
Mathilda Norris, (the owner and Manager of Hopscotch) and Dena Moore (current joint Manager) are the SENCos in Hopscotch. Mathilda is an experienced Senco and has held the role in Hopscotch for 9 years.
Dena is also an experienced Senco, previously, working as the Senco for Widcombe Acorns for fifteen years. She also worked for Banes as an Area Senco advisory assistant for five years.
Tigi Moore (Manager-in-training) is presently working towards a level 3 Senco qualification. Once she has completed the training, she will take over the Senco role.
Inclusive approach:
Our Hopscotch team all have a positive attitude to inclusion. Mathilda and Dena are well supported by the rest of the team. The team have regular staff meetings to discuss the children in our care, this ensures that the children are at the heart of everything we do. The team use Makaton signing daily and encourage the children to use signing also. We use a visual timetable at transitions to ensure that the children understand our routines and structure. We use emotion coaching and back chaining as standard practice. This ensures that our children are hearing positive language throughout the day and quickly learn that they are safe and secure.
How we work – key person approach:
In Hopscotch every child has a key person. This member of the team is there to support their children with settling into Hopscotch, they will liaise with families, gather information about their children and ensure a smooth transition into the setting. Throughout the year the key person is there when needed, ensuring that their children are receiving the best care and that their families feel included in their education. The key person will ensure that any targets set, are carried through in an appropriate manner, promoting success at all times. They will regularly liaise with the team and with parents.
As the setting's SENCOs, Mathilda and Dena support the team to ensure that the children are receiving the highest possible care and attention. They will liaise with any outside specialists and arrange and attend regular Team Around the Child meetings.
Observations, assessments and summaries:
Throughout your child's time in Hopscotch the team will be observing their development, posting videos, photos, short observations and information about what they have been doing each week. They upload this weekly via their online learning journal using Tapestry. We encourage parents to post information from home for us to see and for the children to share with their friends. This is a lovely way of information sharing.
If you’re child turns two whilst in Hopscotch’s care, their keyworker will complete their two-year progress check, to determine they’re on track and outline any concerns we, or the parents may have.
Three times a year we complete our Cohort, assessing each child’s development against the Early Years Foundation stage, using the Birth to Five Matters for guidance. This enables us to see any gaps in the children's learning, to help us identify any support that a child may need.
SEN Support – and the graduated approach to supporting your child:
Once an additional need has been identified, through observation and assessment, we work closely with families to follow a graduated approach to supporting your child.
This could mean setting long term outcomes and strategies for families and the team to use and setting short term targets. This enables us to set short, achievable outcomes for your child over a 6-week period.
To monitor progress, we may write a non-statutory plan. This is called a 'My Plan'. This helps us to focus on the child's interests and needs and the best way to support them.
To best support a child, we may request permission for an Area Senco advisory teacher to visit Hopscotch to observe them. The Area Senco will advise and support with further strategies, information on reasonable adjustments to our practice and will help us to identify any further staff training and development.
We may request permission to complete an Early Help Assessment together. This enables the family and the team to work together to put all of the child's history in one place, and to tell your story. This can then be used when liaising with specialists and school staff to ensure that they have the information to give appropriate support to your child. This could support a request to a specialist, such as an Occupational Therapist, an Educational Psychiatrist, a Speech and Language Therapist or a Paediatrician.
We may request extra support and Inclusion Funding from the Local Authority, and we will work with you to do this. An Early Help Assessment is very helpful in identifying and giving evidence of your child's need to support this application.
Regular 'Team Around the Child' meetings would be held to ensure that everyone is working together to gain the best outcomes for your child. Permission will be sought, and no decisions will be made without input from all of those involved.
Settling in:
The more information we have about your child before they start at the setting, the better we can ensure that we are offering appropriate support to ensure a smooth transition. We offer settling sessions for all children. These are offered approximately one month before the child is due to start with us. These sessions increase in length as the children become more confident. This is a lovely way for the children and key people to meet each other.
If you have any concerns or feel that your child may need extra support, please call Mathilda, Dena or Tigi anytime to discuss this with us to help us to best support your child's transition into Hopscotch.
During your child's settling sessions you will receive a new parent's pack, this has information on settling, helpful hints and the structure of our day. This also includes information on the various activities and experiences that your child will be enjoying throughout their time with us. We ask that you please fill in an 'All about me' before your child starts. Please use this form to let us know all about your child, any foibles that would be helpful for us to know, any comforters, sleep times etc. This helps us to plan for each child and ensure we have everything possible in place to support their transition. We may contact you for further information if necessary.
Forming positive relationships:
We strive to make strong relationships with all of our parents. If your child has an additional need then we will ensure that we have regular Team around the child meetings, involving everybody involved in their care. These are usually every six weeks. All information relevant to their care is shared with appropriate people including: specialists; shared settings; Area Senco advisory teachers, if appropriate; and the staff team. We have an 'open door' policy and welcome parents in to regular meetings to discuss updates. Mathilda, Dena and Tigi are always available to discuss any concerns you may have.
Communication with other providers:
If your child attends another setting we will liaise regularly with them throughout the year, ensuring that we share information about the shared children in our care. With your permission, we will share any assessments and ask them to do the same. We will share interests, progress and struggles, and invite them to all Team around the child meetings.
Transitions to other settings and school:
We have close links with local schools and have developed positive relationships with school staff to ensure a smooth transition. We also work closely with the Local Authority to discuss children’s needs to ensure that, if necessary, a detailed transition plan is in place.
We encourage visits from class teachers, and ensure that any relevant documentation that will support your child in school is shared.
Where it is felt helpful we will work with you to put together a non-statutory Education Health and Care Plan (MY PLAN).
Where you child requires a higher level of support we will work with you in requesting an Educational, Health and Care needs assessment, of which the outcome might be a Statutory Educational, Health Care Plan (EHCP).
Any other questions:
If you have any questions or would like to discuss any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact Mathilda on 01225 448191 or email mathilda@hopscotch-bath.com