Our working relationship: 'Based on a shared passion for SEND'

Amanda Harvey: ‘I value every member of our team and we all look after each other’ 

What does your role involve?

Being an early bird, I arrive early most mornings, starting my day by going through my emails and checking my to-do list, before setting up the day’s activities and organising any staffing changes. Early years staff are used to cover primary too, so there can be a bit of juggling as long as it doesn’t affect our staff ratios. Our children’s day starts at nine o’clock, so I’ll be greeting children as they arrive and settling everyone in; after that, my day involves a lot of intensive interaction with children through all our activities.

We have two early years classes which we run as a free-flow space, with children free to play inside or out and choosing their own activities. Our day ends at three thirty, and this is when I meet with parents to offer support and tell them how their children have spent their day. A lot of our parents are new, and being early years, this is often their child’s first provision, so lots of support and reassurance, and of course we have lots to talk about – referrals, speech therapy, free nappies, etc. Transport is also available, but that starts from five years, so as this is early years, lots are coming in with their parents.

My role is a real mix of ‘shop floor’ and managing the team, with plenty of admin mixed in. We have 18 children, all non-verbal, and with an array of needs but predominantly on the autistic spectrum. Although our nursery takes children from three to five years, at the moment all our children are Reception age, apart from one Year 1 child who is still with us as there are no places in primary at the moment.

What challenges have you faced?

Working in large teams can be difficult, with big age ranges and lots of different views and opinions to take on board. But, at the end of the day, it’s the enthusiasm for SEN and genuine affection for our children that makes all the difference and creates a strong team.

Our whole team really are like a big family, in that if one of us is having a bad day, we’re always there to listen.

Why it works…

My work with Mica is a real collaboration. I feel communication and a positive attitude based on trust, honesty and a shared passion for SEN is key to our successful working relationship. We share the workload, and our minds work the same way – it might sound like a cliché, but we do almost finish each other’s sentences; we’re both completely on the same page. When you’re working with children you really do have to have a good team behind you, especially when the children have extra needs, and I really do. I value every member of our team and we all look after each other, being ready to step in with any job that needs taking care of.

Personally, I do feel a bit of guilt when I’m out of class, balancing management and classroom responsibilities, but I’m always just outside the room and always available. Organisation is key in our nursery; if I have a distressed parent to deal with, I do need to talk to them about their problems, so a bit of coming and going is inevitable; this is why it’s so important to have complete trust in my team. I’m a bit of a perfectionist and have always liked to do things myself, but over the years I’ve learnt to delegate. We all talk about everything together – teaching assistants, teachers, and early years practitioners are all valued equally. I have been in situations early on in my career where there has definitely been an attitude of “as nursery nurse, you do the paint pots – I’m the teacher”, but I know everyone’s experience is valuable and we all muck in.

Mica Benjamin: ‘This is more than a job; it’s doing your best to help children and their parents’ 

What does your role involve?

I started here at Whitefield at the same time as Amanda and no two days are the same. We always have a bit of a chat first thing in the morning, a bit of a catch up – what’s working well, what’s not working so well, what changes we can make, what our next steps should be. As soon as I started working here, I could tell there was a great team spirit, and I was made to feel welcome from the off. We all help each other, no-one says that’s not my job – you simply can’t be like that in a SEN environment. Everyone chips in here, with everyone’s thoughts and ideas being taken on board – if a member of staff is not seeing a situation in the same way as someone else, that’s good to pick up on and together we’ll find the best way forward.

Our nursery is very child-led, which is especially important in a SEN nursery, as by consistent observation and experience, you get good at picking up on the small clues to work out a child’s individual likes and dislikes – their schemas, little eye movements, etc. Once you get to know them, you can help them much more, but it’s a long process, maybe months and months of looking for signs of self-soothing – their coping mechanisms, etc., and when a parent lets you know their child has surprised them by doing something new they couldn’t do before, it’s amazing – especially when you can link it to a strategy you have put in place, and especially when this happens without using any input.

What challenges have you faced?

There can be a lot of anxiety in having a child with SEN, and especially in nursery when they are just starting their education, often being away from their parents for the first time. It’s all puzzle pieces – you need to fit all the little pieces together, their achievements, etc., to reach their personal goals. We have children with ASD, ADHD and lots of speech and language needs. Some are not diagnosed yet, which can be frustrating for parents as once you have a diagnosis, you feel you can take steps forward.

Why it works…

I think the secret to my successful working relationship with Amanda comes down to clear communication and friendship. I’m more than happy for Amanda to point out something she thinks should be done differently, and Amanda’s the same. There is no hierarchy here and I genuinely feel I can voice what’s on my mind. Keeping that communication consistent is what’s so important as no two children are ever the same, each having their own personal goals they’re working towards. Sharing information is what’s so important. Everything has to be shared so that nothing is missed – some steps forward can be very small, but very important; this does not work without a high level of collaborative involvement. And, of course, we love a bit of a chat, finding out what each other has been up to. We’re friends at the end of the day.

I worked in mainstream for six years and although I really enjoyed my time there, I find my role here is more rewarding. This is more than a job; it’s doing your best to help children and their parents. These children thrive on a positive attitude and I’m very happy at Whitefield. I actually look forward to coming to work every morning – not everyone can say that!