Dingley's Promise - Reading

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BFfC Funded

Dingley's Promise provide a place where children - from birth to five years - with special needs and disabilities come to develop skills through play. More than this, it is a place where their parents and carers are welcome, where they can make friends and share experiences.

Dingley's Promise offer play scheme sessions across the year for children aged 0-5 years with SEND, this service offers much needed respite for parents and carers.

Dingley's Promise introduced a fee structure on 1st April 2017 in response to changes to government funding for services. We are committed to ensuring that no child will miss out on our services because their family cannot pay, and to ensure this is the case we have a range of bursaries available to families in different circumstances.

For further details on dates and costs please contact our individual centres. Waiting list in operation.

This setting has signed up to offer Tax Free Childcare.

 

 

Who to contact

Contact Name
Hannah Goddard
Contact Position
Centre Manager
Telephone
0118 3277424 0118 3277424
E-mail
admin.reading@dingley.org.uk
Website
Dingley's Promise
Scan to visit this website

Where to go

Name
Kennet Walk Community Centre
Address
Kennet Walk
Off Kenavon Drive
READING
Berkshire
Postcode
RG1 3GD
Directions to RG1 3GD
Notes

Parking is available in front of the building with two disabled bays. The building is over two floors and has an accessible lift to access the upper floor.

Costs

Details
Dingley’s Promise introduced a fee structure on 1st April 2017 in response to changes to government funding for services. We are committed to ensuring that no child will miss out on our services because their family cannot pay, and to ensure this is the case we have a range of bursaries available to families in different circumstances.

Availability

Age Ranges
0-5
Wheelchair access
Yes

Inclusion Information

Wheelchair access
Yes
Special Needs provision
Yes
Special Needs Experience
Hydrocephalus
Hyperactivity
Language impairment
Hearing Impairment
Heart conditions
Mobiltiy difficulties
Motor impairment
Learning difficulties
Memory difficulties
Physical impairment
Prader Willie
ADD & Hyperactivity
rare genetic syndrome
ADHD
muscular dystrophy
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Partially sighted
Autism
Sickle Cell Anaemia
Autistic spectrum
Sign Language (BSL)
behavioural problems
Renal failure
Adults with SEN
Aspergers Syndrome
Serious allergy
Cancer
Speech & Language difficulties
Cerebral Palsy
Spinal problems
Stoma care
Challenging Behaviour
Bowel disfunction
Social & Emotional needs
Brain damage
BSL Sign Language
Spastic diplagia
Delayed speech
Wheelchair user
Developmental delay
Williams Syndrome
Diabetes
Toileting Assistance
Visual impairment
Walking disability
Cystic Fibrosis
Dyspraxia
Emotional needs
Endocrine problems
Yes
Dietary needs
Downs syndrome
Dyslexia
General Special Needs
Global Development Delay
Epilepsy
Feeding assistance
Provision for special dietary needs
Yes
Can make special cultural provisions
Yes

Childcare Information

Vacancies

Immediate vacancies
No
Details
As part of out referral pathway we invite families to attend our Stay & Play sessions which are held monthly from 1.10 - 2.30 pm. A session for children and their parents/carers, providing fun opportunities to increase social interaction, creative play, physical skills and communication. It is also an opportunity for parents and carers to form friendships with other parents and share knowledge and experiences, with the support from our Family Support Worker. See leaflet for more details on support from Family Support Worker. Parents can self refer directly with Dingley Promise.
Updated
06/03/2024

Funded Places

Has 3 & 4 year old funding
Yes
Has 2 year old funding
Yes

30 Hours Extended Entitlements

Additional 15 hours of *Free* childcare offered
No
Intending to provide 30 Hours?
No
30 Hours Partner Summary
Dingley's Promise is committed to working with families to find other settings that they can share provision with if they want to access their 30 hour entitlement. Many of our children access split provision as part of their individual pathway, spending time at Dingley's Promise and also time in a mainstream nursery, meaning we can help families to access the full 30 hours in this way if they want to.

Opening Times & Facilities

Opening Times
Opening Times
DayOpening TimeClosing Time
Monday 09:15 14:45
Tuesday 09:15 14:45
Wednesday 09:15 14:45
Thursday 09:15 14:45
Friday 09:15 12:15

School Pickups

Offers school pickups
No

Ofsted Information

Ofsted URN
EY428241Link to latest Ofsted inspection report 
Inspection history
Inspection History
DatetypeOutcome
21/02/2012Inspection (Early Years Register)Outstanding
23/04/2015Inspection (Early Years Register)Outstanding
21/11/2019Inspection (Early Years Register)Good

Local Offer

Description

Our vision

We believe in the best start for every child.

Our Mission

We deliver life changing support to children in the early years with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and their families.We provide specialist learning through play, family support and training; and advise to mainstream settings. We feel it is our duty to reach as many children as possible to ensure they can get the best support for the best start in life.

Our services 

Learning through play sessions and activities for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

Family support:  listening to families in our Centre or at home, support at meetings with other professionals, giving information and signposting to other services.

Family education: Information sessions, stay and play sessions and joint sessions with other professionals to help families learn more about how to support their child's development.

Supporting providers: Providers advisory support service (PASS). It helps mainstream providers by giving them support when children move to their setting.

 

Why are we special?

  • You can leave your child with us and have a break, knowing they are safe.
  • We have specialist knowledge to help every child achieve their full potential.
  • We support children to try mainstream settings and share preschool hours if possible.

 

How you can access our services?

We can help your family from the birth of your child until the age of five or when they transition to school. 

You do not need a diagnosis to come to Dingley's Promise and most of our services are free.

 

 

Contact Name
Hannah Goddard
Contact Telephone
01183277424
Contact Email
admin.reading@dingley.org.uk
Local Offer Age Bands
Early Years (0-4 years)
Needs Level
High
SEN Provision Type
Specialist
Local Offer Updated
07/03/2024

Early Years Private, Voluntary & Independent Settings

Description

Dingleys Promise provides a place where children - from birth to five - with additional needs and disabilities can receive unique opportunities to engage and develop in a nurturing environment and in a way that suits them.

Children who attend Dingleys Promise may have a diagnosis of Autism, Down Syndrome or Global developmental delay. They may have a visual or hearing impairment or a physical disability and some of our children have complex needs.

Every child who attends is regarded as an individual with the right to take a full and active part in everyday life and Dingleys Promise aims to facilitate their entry into the next stage of education

As a registered Charity we are supported by Reading Borough Council (Brighter Futures for Children) but we also rely on grants and donations to run.

The Reading Centre is based in Kennet Walk in a local authority two story building within walking distance of the Town Centre. We are a term time only centre, however we offer play schemes and engaging child tailored activities in the holidays to provide respite for families, with the support of our specialist staff.

The centre has two playrooms with a capacity of 12 children per session depending on the needs of the children.Rainbow room supports children with a range of needs and has been adapted to accommodate physical needs whilst Butterfly room which is situated upstairs is specifically tailored to support children with an Autism diagnosis or social communication needs. 

We offer sessions from 9:15- 12.15 and 12.45-2:45 Monday- Thursday and 9:15- 12:15 on Fridays where children can attend from one to five sessions per week. We accept funded two, three and four year olds who want to access the 15 hour entitlement. We do not offer the 30 hour entitlement.

We try to be  flexible in the allocation of sessions and liaise with the families on the times and frequency that their child attends, space permitting.

We have a dedicated Family Support Worker for centre children and families in the community.  We offer information, run social activities for families and provide direct support. We can also direct families to other services and resources as needed. Monthly Stay & Play sessions are offered where parents/carers are invited into the centre with their children to take part in activities, such as Messy Play, Sensory Play and more. Along with regular get together's for families such as coffee mornings to help with building peer support between families.

Updated March 2024

1: How does the setting identify children with additional needs or SEND?

Dingley's Promise is a non-profit making organisation that supports children with additional needs from 0-5 years. Children are referred to us by health professionals, social care professionals and educational professionals. Parents/ Carers may also self-refer if they have concerns. 

If a child would not benefit from our services, we can help the family to identify alternative provision.

2: How will I be informed / consulted about the ways in which my child is being supported?

All Dingley Staff members build  good relationships with parents/ carers and find time to up-date them after every session their child attends. We use an online journal system called Tapestry. Tapestry allows us to be able to record a child's individual learning and development, and can be accessed by parents at home. We encourage families to offer their input, suggestions and feedback with regards to their child's learning.

We understand that the person who knows the child best is the parent/carer so the key person allocated to each individual family will liaise with them for their views on the support that is required and we work together to deliver that support.

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and compile regular reports for parents/carers.

3: How will the setting adapt the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum for my child's needs?

Every child who attends Dingley has an individual learning plan to focus on the areas of learning that are important for them and to help them develop new skills. Activities are highly motivating allowing children to become engaged and interested in learning through play.  When planning activities individual children’s needs and interests are taken into account. We encourage parents/carers to be active in the role of planning  for their child's learning.

4: What teaching strategies does the setting use for children with additional needs or learning difficulties?

We use the following teaching strategies depending on needs of the child:

  • Modelling activities/ hand-over-hand approach
  • Giving children enough processing time
  • Using key words in communication and simple instructions
  • Visual prompts (choosing boards, objects of reference)
  • First and then boards/ visual timetable to create routine, understanding and predictability
  • Using each child’s interests to learn and develop new skills
  • Attention Autism and the Curiosity Program 
  • Intensive interaction 

The staff all have, or are working towards, a qualification in children’s education at Level 3. Dingley staff all complete SEND specific induction training then have access to the inclusive online courses  Dingley offers. Dingleys Promise Team members work alongside professionals such as Speech and Language therapists and Occupational therapists to implement there recommendations- all of which have given them the skills to use strategies effectively and with positive results.

5: What additional support does the setting provide for children with additional needs or SEND?

Dingley operates on a high adult-child ratio compared to most early years settings. 1:2 or 1:3 depending on needs, if we feel that the child requires 1:1 support we offer this where possible.

The centre has specialist PAL chairs that are height adjustable as are the tables. We endeavor to provide equipment for individual children as recommended by their occupational therapist or physiotherapist, and work closely with them to ensure we have the correct equipment to support a child in our setting.

We are equipped with a ceiling hoist system upstairs and downstairs in the play rooms. For changing, we have specialist changing beds and manual hoists.

We have two sensory rooms which all children can benefit from. The sensory rooms create a stimulating yet calming atmosphere for children to aid regulation and support development from hand eye coordination to communication skills.

6: How will the setting monitor my child's progress and how will I be involved in this?

We monitor the child’s progress on a termly basis using the EYFS framework and record on each individual child's tracker and through Tapestry our developmental Journal. All parents/carers are informed on a regular basis how their child is progressing. Parents/carers are encouraged to look at and contribute to their child’s learning journey to record the child’s achievements both at home and in the centre.

Achievements from home are celebrated and shared in the centre by parents/carers completing a ‘wow moments’ note which records a specific achievement, such as ‘ used the potty for the first time' for example. We also record 'Wow' moments in the Centre to share with families.

Every child has an individual education plan (called SAPPs - Support and Achievement Play Plans), which is written after discussions with the parent/carers and achievable SMART targets are set for both the centre and for home. These plans are reviewed regularly and new targets are then set, again in discussion with the parents/carers. 

7: How do you ensure children with additional needs or SEND can be included in the same activities as other children, including trips?

We make use of a lot of specialist equipment for example appropriate seating and standing frames to make sure that children have equal access to all activities. We use non-verbal aids (PECS, Makaton, objects of reference and choosing boards) to enhance the understanding of verbal communication. This gives every child an opportunity to voice their interests.

All children are made to feel welcome and our trips are always inclusive. We work on a child to adult ratio of 1:1 and encourage parents/carers and siblings to accompany us on trips if they wish to do so. We will hire transport, such as a coach, where possible to enable us to travel together as a group. We have an outings policy and risk assessments are completed before any trip.

 

8: How accessible is the building for children with mobility difficulties / wheelchair users?

We are based in a Local Authority building that has wheelchair access to both the premises and to the outdoor play area. We have a lift to ensure that children in wheelchairs or with restricted mobility are able to access the playroom upstairs. 

9: How will you support my child's transition to a new setting or school?

We support the child to be as independent/prepared as possible to move on to the best placed next setting whether that be mainstream or specialist.

We discuss with the parents/carers the amount of support that their child requires and we work with the parent/carers to ensure there is a smooth transition between Dingley and the next setting.

We have a transition policy and hold transition meetings with the new setting and parents/carers. Our transitions are detailed and we always aim to have visits from the new school to the centre to observe and meet the child , and we support the first three visits to the new setting wherever possible. This ensures that when the child is in a new environment they initially have a familiar person with them.

10: How does the setting assess the overall effectiveness of its SEN provision and how can parents / carers take part in this evaluation?

Observations are kept on children from the day that they start with us which we relate to the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework where individual children’s development is tracked and reported back to parents/carers. The individual learning plans are reviewed regularly and new targets discussed and agreed. All of which help to demonstrate the effectiveness of the SEND provision.

We have a regular parent/carers survey which is available online or as a paper version. All parents are encouraged to complete the survey and the results are shared with the Board of Directors. The results, including actions, are then published and displayed at each centre and on the Dingley website.  www.dingley.org.uk

 

11: Who should I contact if I am considering registering for a place at the setting?

Parents/carers who are self referring can access a referral form from our website: www.dingley.org.uk

Health/education professionals can refer by sending a completed referral form.

We can be contacted by post:

Dingley's Promise

Kennet Walk Community Building

Kenavon Drive

Reading RG1 3GD

By Telephone: 0118 327 7424

Or by Email: admin.reading@dingley.org.uk

12: What arrangements does the setting have for feedback from parents / carers, including compliments and complaints?

We welcome any feedback ,compliments or complaints.The manager will share such with the Chief Executive and the Board of Directors. We will ensure that all complaints are investigated and any completed actions will be reported back to the parents/carers.

Parents/carers also have the opportunity to give feedback in the annual parent survey, on the leavers evaluation form and on a day to day basis with staff teams.

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Disclaimer

This information has been collected from third party providers therefore the Reading Services Guide, Reading Borough Council (RBC) and Brighter Futures for Children (BFfC) cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of this information and recommends that parents, carers, young people, residents and professionals check with providers regarding DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) and OFSTED registrations and CQC registrations. Information collected by Reading Service Guide; is used solely to implement and supply the Family Information Service (FIS), Special Educational Needs & Disabilities - Reading's Local Offer, Adults & Carers Support Group and Reading Youth.

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Last Updated

Last updated:

Contact the Team

Family Information Service

fis@reading.gov.uk 0118 937 3777 OPTION 2 0118 937 3777 OPTION 2

SEND Local Offer

localoffer@reading.gov.uk 0118 937 3777 OPTION 2 0118 937 3777 OPTION 2

Adult & Carers Support

CSAAdvice.Signposting@reading.gov.uk 0118 937 3747 0118 937 3747
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