City of London Area SENCo

The Early Years Area SENCO works with non-maintained preschools and nurseries in the City of London. She provides support to the staff in those settings, particularly the SENCO, so that they can meet the needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities.

With parents’ consent, she observes children for whom an area of development has been raised as a concern by the key person.

Other times, she reviews how the staff have been implementing strategies she has previously recommended to support the inclusion of individual children. She discusses with staff ‘what’s working’ and ‘what’s not working’ and encourages them to problem solve as much as possible around any barriers that may have arisen. She also checks that they are working closely with parents and putting the child at the heart at what they do.

She gives staff feedback which helps them to acknowledge the child’s achievements but also their own, and for the SENCO to reflect on developing good practice.

The area SENCO supports early years staff in organising meeting between professionals and parents in order to develop the best joint strategies to support the child.

She can also deliver training to early years providers and parents on a range of topics including Autism, Makaton, Speech and Language Development, etc

To get in touch with your Area SENCo for the City of London Corporation contact the Early Years Team on 020 7332 3566 or email Isabelle.Britten-Denniee@cityoflondon.gov.uk