The Staff

The staff at St Mary’s Pre-School have a wealth of experience and some have been there for over 10 years. They have a passion for giving every child the best guidance and support for a smooth transition into primary school.

Ofsted (2021) stated “Staff are well qualified and experienced. Their high-quality interactions and inspiring conversations help to develop children’s vocabulary and confidence in speaking very well.”

We have a high ratio of adults to children in our group. This ensures individual attention to the needs and development of each child.

Key Person

We take great care in settling your child into Pre-School, so to help them, we allocate each child a ‘Key Person’. They will build an important relationship with your child so they feel welcome, secure and contented. The ‘Key Person’ will also observe to understand your child’s individual needs and interests. They will share information with you about your child’s development and progress.

“My daughter really grew in confidence and ability at St Mary’s. She was very happy there and we had a great relationship with her ‘Key Person’. I felt she was always listened to and treated as an individual”. (X’s Mummy)

Special Needs

At St Mary’s we have a dedicated Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinator (SENCO) and a Designated Child Protection Officer (DCPO). An Individual Support Plan (ISP) is put in place for all children that require one and they are fully supported through small group activities and, where required, one-to-one staff support.

Ofsted (2021) stated “Support for children with SEND is outstanding. The managers and staff work extensively with professionals to ensure the best outcomes for each child. As such, children with SEND get the help and support they need through timely intervention.”

ELSA – Emotional Literacy Support Assistants

We have two members of staff trained as Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSA). The training provides the ELSA staff with a psychological understanding of the principle needs underpinning healthy emotional development in children to enable them to think beyond the presenting behaviours to the needs those behaviours may be expressing.

Please click here to view a leaflet about our ELSA support.

Local Offer (SEND Support)

The Local Offer documents our responses to Local Offer questions and provides details of how St Mary’s supports children with special educational needs.