Making the right decision re Nursery/pre school

[PrinceRogersNelson]

I have a DD who is 3.6. She certainly has a speech and language delay and most probably an overall developmental delay.
We have had a referral made to a developmental peadiatrcian and she has a hearing test booked next week. She has had no SALT yet. God knows why.

She has been at a lovely pre school since she was 2.6. she loves it there. The ladies who work there are all delightful and I am happy with her going there.

It took a while for them to notice that she was delayed (in fact it really took until I pointed it out and they stopped saying 'oh but she's lovely). There has been a SENCO go in from the local children's centre, but I don't know what is happening with that as I have heard nothing since. I have had no feedback re what they are doing with her to help her.

My DS goes to the local school and I am very happy with it. I met with the headteacher and the head of EYFS to talk about my DD starting there in September.
They were very encouraging and said that within six weeks they would have assessed her against all the EYFS goals and that her progress will be closely monitored and if progress is not made they will be alerted to that etc.

I also want her to do to the school nursery as she is going to be going to that school a year later and I want her to be as school ready as she can be. It is obviously the same team going from Nursery to reception and they will know my DD and be able to carry on helping her as they have been in nursery as opposed to spending the first term assessing her etc.

I have just told pre school that I am going to move her and was made to feel guilty.
I was told that nursery is not the best place. That they won't see her as an individual. That she won't get as much attention and that I need to think about the reasons for this as it is not always the best thing.

The pre school leader has just left an answerphone message telling me that she wants to meet with me as she doesn't think they have conveyed all they are doing for my DD and that they just want the best for her (impying that nursery is not).

Sorry that is really rambling, but does anyone have an experience of this?
My feeling is that school with be more used to kids with SEN and that they will have more recources and experience to help her. Am I deluded?

Thanks.

Go and listen to what the preschool has to say. They will have had a lot of feedback from parents with children with additional needs who have moved their children on from their setting and a good understanding of where is good and not. They will also have knowledge of who walks the walk but who just talks the talk.

'Some' schools are good for SEN but most just pretend to be.

Agree that it would be a good idea to go and consider what the pre school tell you. I would also arrange a visit to the school nursery and ask similar questions. Consider how much 1:1 time your dd will get in each environment and also see how you feel when you meet the nursery teacher. It could be the best thing to move her but I agree with Star that some places seem great on paper but are actually pretty poor. I am also wary of excellence in assessing because in my view a lot of time is spent assessing and not much actually teaching / tackling the child's difficulties. Keep an open mind and then don't let anyone make you feel guilty about your decision.

Yes, ask the nursery what happens after 'being alerted'?

Thanks everyone.
To be honest I know I am making the right decision for my DD. Well as much as one can know I suppose.

I spoke with the SENCO this afternoon who will has been working with my DD at pre school and asked if she had an opinion and she felt that nursery would be the best option.

I was just made to doubt myself which is par for the course with parenting I think.

Hi PRN,

re your comment:-
"My feeling is that school with be more used to kids with SEN and that they will have more recources and experience to help her. Am I deluded?"

No but some schools are far more helpful when it comes to their SEN pupils than others. Resources and such are very scant in any event and a plan like School Action Plus/Early Years action plus can have its support too easily curtailed.

My son's own dx at that age were not very dissimilar to what you are describing now with your DD. In my case I found that the best way to access support that was actually worth something (and in the long term as well) was applying for a Statement of special needs from the LEA. As such a document can take at least 6 months to set up, I would apply for this from the LEA asap.

IPSEA's website www.ipsea.org.uk is very good at the whole statementing issue and is thus well worth a read anyway.