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LEARNING THROUGH PLAY AND MAKING FRIENDS

Our Policies

The Pre-School 'Operational File' is available to you and contains all our policies and procedures in full. It is located in the reception area of the Pre-School in the 'Parent's Box'.

There are a number of policies that relate directly to you as parents; to your obligations and our expectations of you as parents. These policies also relate to and influence our commitment to providing you and your child with the best possible care and Early Years Education.

At Bratton Fleming Pre-School it is our intention to make our setting accessible to children and families from all sections of the local community through open, fair and clearly communicated procedures.

Having made the decision to join us we will ask you to complete paperwork to ensure that we have all the information necessary to provide the best possible care for your child.

We aim to ensure every child's transition into Pre-School is a positive experience for all. We suggest your child attends when you visit us and once booked into Pre-School lots of positive 'chat' at home to encourage enthusiasm! For example, 'Do you remember the lovely toys that we played with at Pre-School? What was your favourite?'.

We would also encourage your child is left in the care of a member of the family or close friend on a few occasions before starting with us to ensure Pre-School is not his / her first experience of separation from parents.

When you arrive for the first session, you will be greeted by a member of staff who will be happy to answer any queries or questions. We recommend that you stay with your child for a short period of time. For example, whilst they choose an initial activity. We would then encourage you to say 'goodbye' and leave; if your child is initially distressed please be assured that he/ she will be comforted. If this is the case, we will definitely call you to reassure you and help set your mind at rest of how they have settled. We may suggest an early pick up time as your child may find the first few sessions quite tiring. You can be absolutely reassured that we will be very honest with you and work very closely with you to ensure your child's settling in experience is a positive one.

At Bratton Fleming Pre-School the health, safety and well being of children is of paramount importance to us. Children have a right to protection, regardless of gender, race, culture or disability.

All of our Staff will be included in the work of Safeguarding the children in our care. Our Designated Safeguarding Lead, Leanne Wade (Manager) is named as setting representative.

Parents will normally be our first point of contact if a suspicion of abuse is recorded except where guidance does not allow this (this will usually be in the cases where a parent is the alleged abuser). In any case of suspected abuse we are required to follow set procedures.

Please be reassured that all allegations or concerns are treated sensitively and with respect.

Ethos

'Every child deserves the best possible start in life and the support that enables them to fulfil their potential. A secure, safe and happy childhood is important in its own right.' Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

Safeguarding in Bratton Fleming Pre-School is considered everyone's responsibility and our setting aims to create the safest environment within which every child has the opportunity to achieve their full potential. Bratton Fleming Pre-School recognises the contribution it can make in ensuring that all children registered or who use our setting feel that they will be listened to and appropriate action taken. We will do this by working in partnership with other agencies and seeking to establish effective working relationships with parents, carers and other colleagues to develop and provide activities and opportunities that will help to equip our children with the skills they need. This will include materials and learning experiences that will encourage our children to develop essential life skills and protective behaviours. (A full copy of this policy is available within the setting)

A few reminders for parents in relation to safeguarding;

  • Please bear in mind the setting is a mobile phone free zone.
  • Please do not take photos in the setting without the prior permission of staff and of your child only.
  • If you wish to accompany your child to the toilet; please use the disabled toilet.
  • Please inform us if someone other than those nominated by you will be collecting your child.

We believe that children flourish best when their personal, social and emotional needs are met and where there are clear and developmentally appropriate expectations for their behaviour.

Children need to learn to consider the views and feelings, needs and rights, of others and the impact that their behaviour has on people, places and objects. This is a developmental task that requires support, encouragement, teaching and setting the correct example. The principles that underpin how we achieve positive and considerate behaviour exist within the programme for promoting personal, social and emotional development.

We explain and explore the following 'Golden Rules' with the children;

  • Careful hands.
  • Listening ears.
  • Walking feet.
  • Quiet voices.
  • Sharing and taking turns.

Bratton Fleming Pre-School believes the health and safety of children is of paramount importance. We ensure our Pre-School is a safe and healthy place for children, parents, staff and visitors.

We aim to provide suitable premises, environment and equipment in order to safeguard and promote the health and welfare of children.

We aim to make children, parents and staff aware of health and safety issues and promote systems and procedures that ensure hazards and risks are kept to a minimum.

To maintain ratios children must be collected from Pre-School at the agreed time. Although we understand there will be unavoidable times when parents may arrive late to collect their children; in order to cover our staffing costs and discourage late collection a late fee will be charged at £5 every 15 mins until your child is collected. (Subject to Manager's discretion)

We ask you to let us know if you are aware in advance that a child will be collected late. If no such phone call has been received, staff will attempt to contact you or the named emergency contact.

If, after all reasonable attempts to contact you have been made and there is still no contact with you, the staff will apply the Uncollected child procedure and will contact Social Care to arrange care for your child.

We believe that children and parents are entitled to expect courtesy and prompt, careful attention to their needs and wishes. We welcome suggestions on how to improve our setting and will give prompt and serious attention to any concerns about the running of the setting. We anticipate that most concerns will be resolved quickly by an informal approach to the appropriate member of staff. If this does not achieve the desired result, we have a set of procedures for dealing with concerns. We aim to bring all concerns about the running of our setting to a satisfactory conclusion for all of the parties involved.

While it is not the policy of Bratton Fleming Pre-School (BFPS) to care for sick children, who should be at home until they are well enough to return to the setting, we will agree to administer medication as part of maintaining their health and well-being or when they are recovering from an illness.

Only medication prescribed by a doctor (or other medically qualified person) is administered. The medication must be in-date and prescribed for the current condition. Parents must give prior written permission for the administration of medication.

Parents should hand all medication, clearly named, to the Pre-School member of staff in charge, along with instructions on administering, a short/long term medication form will be asked to be completed. The medication will be kept in a marked plastic box in a high level cupboard in the kitchen where children have no access, unless medication needs refrigerating.

We provide care for healthy children and promote health through identifying allergies and through preventing cross infection of viruses and bacterial infections.

If children appear unwell during the day – have a temperature, sickness, diarrhoea or pains, particularly in the head or stomach – the manager calls the parents and asks them to collect the child, or send a known carer to collect on their behalf.

Parents are asked to take their child to the doctor before returning them to nursery; the nursery can refuse admittance to children who have a temperature, sickness and diarrhoea or a contagious infection or disease.

Where children have been prescribed antibiotics, parents are asked to keep them at home for 48 hours before returning to the setting.

After diarrhoea, parents are asked to keep children home for 48 hours or until a formed stool is passed.

After sickness, parents are asked to keep children home for 48 hours after the last episode.

The setting has a list of excludable diseases and current exclusion times. The full list is obtainable from www.hpa.org.uk and includes common childhood illnesses such as measles.