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 Policies
It is important that you are made fully aware of all the rules, regulations, policies and procedures of the nursery as it’s activities are run with the help and support of these, to ensure the highest quality of care. It is important that you take the time to read all of our policies and contracts before you sign the registration form and pay your fee.
Staffing and Employment Policy
A high adult child ratio is essential in providing good quality care, in our Nursery. We have at least one member of staff to the following child ratios;
o – 2 year olds one member of staff to every three children
2 – 3 year olds one member of staff to every four children
3 – 5 year olds one member of staff to every eight children.
Our keyworker system ensures each child and family has one Particular staff member who takes a special interest in them.
Regular staff meetings provide opportunities for staff to undertake Curriculum planning and to discuss the children's progress and any difficulties.
We work towards an equal opportunities employment policy, seeking to offer job opportunities equally to both women and men, with and without disabilities, from all religious, social, ethnic and cultural groups.
All our staff will hold the relevant qualifications, Which will consist Of NNEB, NVQ3, NVQ2, CACHE Diploma in Nursery Nursing, BTEC National Diploma in Childhood Studies (Nursery Nursing)
The manager or supervisor will hold an NVQ3 in childcare; NNEB Diploma; BTEC Nursery Nursing or an equivalent qualification.
The assistants will hold an NVQ3 or NVQ2 or city and guilds certificate in nursery nursing.
Assistants will not be left in charge of the nursery.
Regular in-service training is available to all staff, both paid and Volunteer members, through the Pre-school Learning Alliance.
We support the work of our staff by means of regular Monitoring/appraisals.
We are committed to recruiting, appointing and employing staff in accordance with all relevant legislation.
The nursery also has CCTV camera systems for the benefit of the staff, parents and children alike.
Health and Hygiene
Overleigh Nursery promotes a healthy lifestyle and a high standard of hygiene in its day to day work with children and adults. This is achieved in the following ways:
Guidance will be sought from social services before people other than parents agree to administer medicines.
Written information will be obtained from the parent, giving clear instructions about the dosage, administration of the medication and permission for a member of staff to follow the instructions.
All medications will be kept in a lockable cupboard.
A medication book will be available to log in: name of child receiving medication; times that the medication should be administered, together with the signature of the person who has administered each dose.
With regard to the administration of life saving medication such as insulin/adrenaline injections or the use of nebulisers, the position will be clarified by reference to the nursery’s insurance company.
The nursery will ensure that the first aid equipment is kept clean, replenished and replaced as necessary. Sterile items will be kept sealed in their packages until needed.
Food Handling
The nursery will observe current legislation regarding food hygiene, registration and training. In particular, each adult will:
Always wash hands under running water before handling food and after using the toilet.
Not be involved with the preparation of food if suffering from any infectious/contagious illness or skin trouble.
Never smoke in the kitchen or any room storing food.
(Overleigh Nursery operates a NO SMOKING Policy Throughout the Building)
Never cough or sneeze over food.
Use different cleaning cloths for kitchen and toilet areas.
Ensure waste is disposed of properly and out of reach of the children and also to keep a lid on the dustbin and wash hands after using it.
Wash fresh fruit and vegetables before use.
Any food or drink that requires heating will be heated immediately prior to serving and not left standing. No food or drink will be reheated.
Tea towels will be kept scrupulously clean and stored in a dust free place.
Cracked or chipped china will not be used.
Diet Policy and Practice
The sharing of refreshments can play an important part in the social life of the nursery as well as reinforcing children’s understanding of the importance of healthy eating. The Nursery will ensure that:
All meals and snacks provided are nutritious, avoiding large quantities of fat, sugar, salt, additives, preservatives and colourings.
Children’s medical and personal dietary requirements are respected.
Menus are planned in advance and food offered is fresh, wholesome and balanced.
The dietary rules of religious groups and also of vegetarians/vegans are known and met in appropriate ways.
If a main meal is offered, the following elements are included:
Protein for growth and carbohydrate for energy
Essential minerals and vitamins in raw foods, salads and fruit.
Milk provided for the children is whole and pasteurised.
A multi-cultural snack time is offered to ensure that children from all backgrounds encounter familiar tastes and that all children have the opportunity also to try in familiar foods,
Safety and good practice
The safety of young children is of paramount importance. In order to ensure the safety of both children and adults, the nursery will ensure that:
All children are supervised by adults at all times and will always be in sight of an adult.
Incident/accident books are available each session.
Regular safety monitoring will include checking of the incident and accident records.
All adults are aware of the CCTV systems also the gate and door locks in operation for children’s arrivals and departures and this will be closely monitored in the office.
Children will leave the group only with authorised adults.
Safety checks on premises, both indoors and outdoors, are made before every day/session.
All doors will be locked by the security system and can only be opened by a registered adult or by the release given by the fire alarm system.
Low-level glass will be covered, or replaced by safety glass.
Outdoor space is securely fenced and all entrances/gates will have a trigger alarm and coded system.
Adults do not walk round with hot drinks or place hot drinks within reach of children.
Fire drills are held at least once a month.
A register of both adults and children is completed as people arrive so that a complete record of all those present is available in any emergency.
There is a no smoking policy throughout the whole building.
A correctly stocked first aid box is available at all times.
Fire extinguishers are checked annually and staff know how to use them.
Whenever children are on the premises at least two adults are present.
Large equipment is erected with care and checked regularly.
Activities such as cooking, woodwork and energetic play receive close and constant supervision.
On outings, the adult:child ratio will be at least one to two.
Equipment is checked regularly and any dangerous items are repaired/discarded.
The layout and space ratios allow children and adults to move safely and freely between activities.
Fire doors are never obstructed.
If a small group goes out, there will be sufficient adults to maintain appropriate ratios for staff and children remaining on the premises.
Children who are sleeping are checked regularly.
Fires/heaters/electric points/wires and leads are adequately guarded.
All dangerous materials, including medicines and cleaning materials are stored out of reach of children.
Equipment offered is developmentally appropriate.
Recognising that materials suitable for an older child may pose a risk to younger/less mature children.
Internal safety gates/barriers are used as necessary.
The premises are checked before locking up at the end of the day/session.
Children do not have unsupervised access to kitchens, cookers or any cupboards for storing hazardous materials including matches.
Selecting Equipment/Toys and good practice
The toys and equipment in the nursery provide opportunities for children, with adult help, to develop new skills and concepts in the course of their play and exploration. The equipment we provide:
Is appropriate for the ages and stages of the children.
Offers challenges to developing physical, social, personal and intellectual skills
Features positive images of people, both male and female, from a range of ethnic and cultural groups, with and without disabilities.
This includes a range of raw materials, which can be used in a variety of ways and encourages an open-ended approach to creativity and problem solving.
This will enable children, with adult support, to develop individual potential and move towards required learning outcomes.
Conforms to all relevant safety regulations and is sound and well made.
Overleigh Out of School Club Policies
Equal Opportunities Policy
Our Out of School Club is committed to helping provide equal Opportunities for all children and families. Working in accordance with all relevant legislation, including:
Disabled Persons Acts 1958,1986
Race Relations Act 1976
Sex Discrimination Act 1986 Children Act 1989
We believe that the Club’s activities should be open to all children and families, and to all adults committed to their welfare. We aim to ensure that all that wish to work in, or volunteer to help with, our club have an equal chance to do so. Families joining the nursery are made aware of our equal opportunities policy.
Admissions
The Out of School Club waiting list is operated on a first come, first served basis accepting children in order of date of birth and the availability of spaces within there age group.
Employment
Student Placement Policy
We recognise that the quality and variety of work which goes on in a nursery makes it an ideal place for students on placement from school and college child care courses, Students are welcome into the nursery on the following conditions.
The needs of the children are paramount. Students will not be admitted in numbers, which hinder the essential work of the nursery.
Students must be confirmed by their tutor as being engaged in a bona fide childcare course, which provides necessary background understanding of children’s development and activities.
Students required to conduct child studies will obtain written permission from the parents of the child to be studied.
Any other information gained by the student about the children, families, or other adults in the nursery must remain confidential.
Out of School Club
The Out of School Club will appoint the best person for each job and will treat fairly all applicants for jobs and all those appointed.
Commitment to implementing the club’s Equal Opportunities Policy will form part of the job description for all workers.
The Out of School’s payment system is one month in advance.
Alternative arrangements may be discussed with the owners.
Arrival / Departure Policy
The nursery staff are responsible for welcoming the children into The nursery. All parents will be asked to sign a book on arrival And departure. The nursery supervisor is responsible for marking the register, which will remain in her possession during the session in case of Emergency.
The child becomes the responsibility of the nursery when they have Been handed over to the nursery by their parent/carer. The children will only be handed over at the end of a session to Parents/carers or somebody previously authorised (in writing and with prior notice). They will also have to sign for the child on departure.
This is particularly important in cases where parents may be separated or divorced and the other parent has right of access to the child. The nursery supervisor should be advised in confidence if this is the case.
If someone not known to the group arrives to collect the child, the child will not be handed over until the child identifies the person and confirmation has been obtained from the main parent/carer.
If a child is persistently dropped off early without prior arrangement and/or collected late the nursery supervisor will approach the carer/parent to resolve the problem.
Holiday Club Admissions Policy
It is our intention to make our club accessible to those who work and live in and around the Chester city centre. To accomplish this we will:
Ensure that the existence of the Club is widely known.
Arrange our waiting list in order of date of birth, and the spaces available in the correct age group.
Describe the Club and its practices in terms which make it clear that it welcomes both father and mothers, other relations and people from all other cultural, ethnic, religious back grounds with or without disabilities
Monitor the gender and ethnic background of children joining the group to ensure that no accidental discrimination is taking place.
Make our equal opportunities policy widely known.
Consult with families about the opening times of the Club to avoid excluding anyone if it is viable
Be flexible about attendance patterns so as to accommodate the needs of individual children and families, if this is financially viable
The nursery waiting list is operated on a first come, first served basis accepting children in order of date of birth and the availability of spaces within their age group.
Confidentiality Policy
The Club work with children and families will sometimes bring us into contact with confidential information. To ensure that all those using and working in the club can do so with confidence, we will respect confidentiality in the following ways:
Parents will have ready access to the files and records of their own children but will not have access to information about any other child.
Staff will not discuss individual children, other than for purposes of curriculum planning/group management, with people other than the parents/carers of that child.
Information given by parents/carers to the club staff member or keyworker will not be passed on to other adults without permission.
Issues to do with the employment of staff, whether paid or unpaid, will remain confidential to the people directly involved with making personnel decisions.
Any anxieties/evidence relating to a child's personal safety will be kept in a confidential file and will not be shared within the group except with the child's keyworker /club staff and the owner.
Students on N V Q or other recognised courses observing in the club will be advised of our confidentiality policy and required to respect it.
All the undertakings above are subject to the paramount commitment of the club is for the safety and wellbeing of the child. Please see also our policy on child protection.
Fire Procedure Policy
Chid protection is the responsibility of all those who work with children and all our Carers and Staff are aware of this responsibility.
Adults will escort the children from the building, closing all windows and doors behind them if possible.
Every Carer, Parent, Child and members of Staff will make their way to the nearest possible exit and Assemble in the playground.
The Officer in charge will collect the register and complete it at the assembly point.
If YOU discover a fire
Sound the Alarm and make your way to an Exit.
Break glass/Alarms are situated in convenient places around the building.
If it is safe to do so, attempt to put the fire out using the appropriate fire extinguisher.
The fire alarms are tested every week and Fire drills are completed every month.
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TEL: 01244 659699
