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Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provision at Dorking Nursery School

Dorking Nursery School and Family Centre

We have the skills and expertise to educate children with a variety of complex needs. We will work closely with each family to ascertain the best way to do this in order to meet need.

Some children can have their needs fully met in our mainstream class with a variety of support packages, however, some children need a more calm and quieter space in order to succeed. 

We have up to 12 places in each session for children with identified complex needs, which may include autism, developmental delay, Downs Syndrome, hearing impairment.

The lead practitioner runs this group with a team of early years practitioners supported by a Speech and Language Therapist one session per week.

The specialist class has its own dedicated space so that individual needs can be met in a quieter environment with a higher adult:child ratio, as well as a free flow outside space which children can access during their session.  Due to the nature of our school, we have the benefit of the mainstream classroom, so that children in the specialist class can spend time in the mainstream environment as appropriate for their needs and development.

The children’s individual needs are identified and we work closely with parents and a range of other professionals to develop strategies to help each child reach his/her potential. These vary from child to child but may include: pictorial timetables, Makaton*, PECS*, Intensive Interaction and Attention Autism.  We also provide daily opportunities for the children to access our soft play area which develops their social and interaction skills.

*Makaton is a sign language which is always used with spoken language. Research indicates that using signs/ gestures promotes and stimulates speech development. This is an approach that we use throughout the Centre with all the children.
*PECS – Picture Exchange Communication System – this is to encourage and develop communication and language through exchanging pictures for an object or activity.


Places in the specialist class are fully funded and children will attend for a 15 or a 30 hour session depending on their eligibility.  See Admissions Policy.

Sessions times are:-
• Morning session 9am – 12pm
• Afternoon session 12pm – 3pm
• 30 hour session 9am – 3pm


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