nasen (the National Association for Special Educational Needs) has run its annual Awards Ceremony for six years to recognise and reward settings, schools, individuals and organisations for their outstanding work to ensure that children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and learning differences reach their full potential. One of the 16 categories, ‘Early Years Provision’, sponsored by Nursery World is important now, more than ever before.
With settings currently stretched to their limit due to financial issues, recruitment and retention difficulties and the increase in the number of children being identified with SEN following the pandemic, it is vital that settings are put in the spotlight and recognised for their work. Practitioners across the country are working tirelessly to provide for the needs of all children in their care, ensuring that children with SEND receive an equitable early years experience, which meets their individual needs.
The winners of nasen’s sixth annual Awards were revealed in a glittering celebration at the Grand Hotel in Birmingham. This year there were two joint winners of the Early Years Provision category: the Kids Planet SEND Team and SEND To Learn from Northumberland.
The Kids Planet SEND team is a two-year old trailblazing, dedicated, passionate and supportive team, going above and beyond to improve practice and training, to provide exceptional SEND support to ensure high aspirations for all their children and their families
The group has created a variety of bespoke training sessions and offer practical support with strategies to efficiently narrow the gaps for children, so they make substantial progress. Kids Planet also supports SENCOs to complete EHC (Education, Health and Care) needs assessments in a timely manner, meaning children can access specialist provision, if required, and they can rest assured that they have been set off on the most appropriate educational trajectory.
Furthermore, the SEND Team is encouraging sharing best SEND provision and practice beyond its company. Another example of this commitment to championing children under five with SEND is recently raising £750 for the National Autistic Society to continue its amazing work with families of children with autism.
It caters for children with complex medical needs and learning disabilities alongside children who are following a more expected developmental pathway. It provides individualised care and education which allows all their children to progress and experience a range of activities. It has a unique approach to learning which is built upon the best aspects of special educational needs and early years education and has been judged Outstanding by Ofsted.
In addition, it works in conjunction with the local authority to adapt training for the benefit of, and often provide examples for, other settings on how to adapt activities for children with SEND. During the past two years, it has been recognised for making sustainability accessible to all, co-presenting on the subject at the Northumberland Early Years Conference.
It is easy to see how the independent panel of judges found it impossible to choose a winner from two such worthy candidates for the award and this is why, in the end, they finally came to the decision to award them both.
In nasen’s 30th anniversary year, it feels right to be shining a light on the diligence, dedication and expertise being shown across the sector, and to proudly demonstrate what can be achieved when teams and individuals work together in inclusive ways. We very much hope the stories of our winners will inspire others to share their practice too.
Nasen is the leading membership charity that supports and champions those working with, and for, children and young people with SEND and learning differences. Find out more here
