A PILOT scheme aimed at helping pre-school children with additional needs overcome concerns about going to primary school will run for another year after a successful outcome.

Devon County Council asked education professionals to identify 100 children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who were due to move up from pre-school who would benefit from additional support.

Children from 39 schools who would struggle with the move to primary school were identified, including some at risk of being excluded because of social or emotional needs.

None of the children had previously had an Educational Health and Care Plan (EHCP), which is given to a child after an assessment by the council of any additional support they may need.

Early years consultants conducting the pilot initially visited pre-schools to see what additional support and resources each child needed.

The schools were given also given more support for a period of time following the child’s move. This included education consultants visiting schools, observing children and reviewing the learning environment.

Additional support was provided by educational psychologists, and some schools were also given a small amount of money to pay for additional resources needed to have maximum impact on the children’s inclusion and progress.

The council said children, parents and staff found transitions to new schools were less stressful and a much more positive experience.

Ottery St Mary Primary School’s headteacher Mark Gilronan said the impact  on the children involved had been substantial.

“Having additional support from skilled early years consultants and educational psychologists, as well as the freedom to choose how to use the money, has meant we can meet needs we would have struggled to meet before,” he said.

“For example, we identified restrictive diets being a barrier, so we implemented the TastEd programme – a form of sensory food education, using some of the funding to purchase the fruit and vegetables for each session.

“As a result, children are now more open to trying new foods and diets are slowly improving.”

An Ottery parent said extra funding for the school had been “amazing”.

“The school has benefited from having an educational psychologist to come and help the children, support with their extra needs and understand them through the learning process,” they said.

“It’s been a huge weight off my mind knowing there has been professional support around, with those practitioners able to understand and help my child to progress with his future learning.”

The council says it will be offer transition support again for the next academic year.

Councillor Lois Samuel, cabinet member with responsibility for services that support young people with SEND, said the council is “already consulting with professionals and partners to identify young people who will benefit most.

“This is all about early intervention, and meeting children’s needs at the right time and in the right place through a range of resources which may include some additional adult support,” she said.

“It is very much about building staff knowledge and confidence so that this good practice becomes the norm that all schools can deliver.”