BUXTON PLAYGROUP POLICIES.
Reg. Charity Number 1044583
Revised January 2001.
ADMISSIONS
PARENTS ROTA
FEES
HEALTH & SAFETY
RESPONSIBLITIES OF STAFF IN EMERGENCIES
PROMOTING POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR
CHILD PROTECTION PROCEDURES
RECRUITMENT OF STAFF
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
EQUAL OPPORTUNITES POLICY
FESTIVALS
THE CURRICULUM
SPECIAL NEEDS POLICY
We are a committee-run community playgroup. We are a registered charity (No 1044583), members of the Pre-School Learning Alliance and the Norfolk Early Years Support Network, we are registered with Social Services and are OFSTED inspected. We operate from Buxton Village Hall and run 3 sessions per week on Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 9.30 a m to 12 midday. In addition, in the term after Easter, there is a 'Rising 5's' session from 9.15 am. until 11.45 am. each Wednesday, this session is run in close co-operation with Buxton County Primary School.
Children will be admitted at two and a half years of age. We have 26 places available per session.
Children who cannot initially attend every session will be offered further sessions at a later date, provided there are places available. Children should preferably be potty-trained, but will be accepted if still in nappies, provided that a parent stays with them for the session.
A waiting list is kept, children will be allocated a place by date of birth, with priority being given to older children. Every child is special and unique.
Our policy is inclusion for all.Individual plans are made for each child to monitor their progress.
Settling-in parents/carers are expected to stay on the first session or until they feel that their child is settled and happy. This can be discussed with the staff.
A parent’s rota is operated to provide back-up for the playgroup staff. All parents/carers will be asked to help approximately once a month. Pregnant mothers and mothers with children under playgroup age will not be expected to help because of insurance. Whilst helping, all parents are expected to follow the promoting positive behaviour policy
with their own child in the session and respect the confidentiality of each and every child.
There are many ways parents and carers can get involved, for example, joining the management committee, fundraising, looking after equipment. Anyone who has skills which would benefit playgroup, such as music, dancing, cooking, knitting, craft skills etc, who would be willing to share them with the group, please contact either a committee member or a member of staff.
Fees are £3.00 per session for each child and will be reviewed annually. There are no reductions for having more than one child at Playgroup or for attending all sessions. Fees may be paid weekly, fortnightly, monthly or per half-term by arrangement with the treasurer.
Our policy is that fees should not become more than 4 weeks in arrears. Anyone having problems with payment may speak in confidence to the treasurer. If after 4 weeks, no attempt has been made to amend the situation, the parent/carer will be asked not to bring the child to playgroup until the outstanding fees have been paid. The child’s playgroup place will continue to be held for them for a further 4 weeks.
Fees continue to be payable when your child is absent from pre-school - this includes family holidays and sickness.
If you decide to withdraw your child from pre-school you are required to give one month's notice.
We are insured with ALBION INSURANCE COMPANY Ltd. The policy is displayed on the playgroup notice board.
Children are to be kept away from playgroup if there is any indication of infectious disease. Please refer to the N.C.C. guidelines displayed on the notice board for details of the illness exclusion period. This is also applied for children who have suffered from sickness and/or diarrhoea within the previous 24 hours. Any adult or child with an open wound will be expected to cover it with a suitable dressing before attending a playgroup session.
At each session, there will be a member of staff holding a current first aid certificate.
A first aid box is kept in the kitchen cupboard, containing the minimum equipment necessary and is to be updated regularly.
If a child is taken ill during a session, any first aid necessary will be administered by the staff, medical assistance will be sought and the parent/carer will be contacted. If a member of staff or other adult is taken ill during a session, first aid will be administered by the staff, medical assistance will be sought and relevant staff cover will be arranged by the committee.
If children require medication during playgroup sessions, parents/carers must provide written permission and clear instructions for the staff to follow. These will be kept with the child’s notes. All medicines MUST be clearly labelled. Any medication given to a child will be recorded in the medicines book and the parent/carer will be asked to sign beside it. All medicines will be kept in a locked cupboard except inhalers, which will be kept in clear sight but out of reach of the children.
Accidents/incidents will be recorded in the accident book, which parents/carers will be asked to sign. Disposable gloves will be worn when dealing with bodily fluids. Entrances/fire exits will be kept clear of obstructions, all exits are locked by 9.35 a.m. and are not opened again until 12.00 p.m. Fire drills are performed regularly and a record is kept. If any repair work to the Village Hall is in progress, all tools and equipment will be kept out of the children’s reach. All unused electric sockets are covered with safety covers. The hall is cleaned regularly by a cleaner, but staff will also ensure that the hall, kitchen and toilets are clean and hygienic before and after each session. The cleaning of these areas is the responsibility of the person on the parent’s rota at each session. Everyone is expected to maintain a basic level of hygiene within the playgroup, including washing hands after toileting and before preparing food. Disposable paper hand towels should be used for this purpose. All rubbish must be placed in the bins provided, with the exception of soiled nappies and tissues which must be placed in the outside bins. Toys, equipment and furniture will be kept clean and will be inspected regularly. The carpet will be vacuumed frequently. Refreshments are stored in the kitchen cupboards, crockery and cutlery must be washed properly before being replaced in the cupboards after use. The outside play area will be inspected for glass, rubbish and damaged equipment before the children are allowed out. Buxton Playgroup operates a no smoking policy. There is a payphone in the hall, the number is 01603 279807. Children will not be allowed access to the storage area during sessions. All children and any adults who are staying for the session are marked in and out of the hall. Children and adults are expected to wear suitable clothing, for the children this includes soft shoes without buckles, for adults, no high-heeled shoes. Children may only wear stud earrings no hoops or dangling jewellery.If a child is being collected by someone other than the parent/carer, then staff must be informed, either by pre-arrangement where it will be recorded in the home book or by phoning the village hall on the day. If the staff have concerns or if someone else attempts to collect a child without prior warning, the procedure for dealing with abandoned children will be followed. If a child is not collected at the end of a session, 2 members of staff will wait with the child for up 1 hour, during this time, the 3 given contact numbers will be phoned. If nothing has been heard after an hour, the Police will be contacted. If one of the 3 contacts has collected the child, then a note will be left on the village hall door to inform the parent/carer of where the child is and with whom. When playgroup outings are planned, written permission is required for each child attending if their parent/carer will not be accompanying them. For all outings, the ratio of children to adults is 2 to 1. Badges showing the playgroup logo will be provided for each child to wear and the register will be taken before the outing begins.
Buxton Village Hall has a fully operational fire alarm.
The supervisor will blow a whistle 3 times in the event of a fire drill or fire. This is kept with the registers on the table. In the event of a fire, the supervisor will blow the whistle at the exit to be used and will have collected the registers and rope. All but one member of staff will evacuate the children to the football hut, while the last member of staff checks the toilets and fetches the first aid kit. Once everyone is at the football hut and on the rope, the registers will be taken and the emergency services will be contacted.
We promote positive behaviour by having clear and simple rules which the children helped to formulate and are reinforced by staff. Positive behaviour is promoted by praising good behaviour, anticipation and elimination of potential problems by redirection, distraction, and early intervention.
Reasons why behaviour is considered unacceptable will be explained in language appropriate to the child's age and stage of development. Our aim is to encourage children to have respect for themselves, others and their environment. Racist and sexist comments and attitudes are unacceptable and will be challenged and discussed.
Buxton Playgroup follows the Child Protection Procedures laid down by Social Services in their yellow leaflet on the subject. A copy will be made available for any parent/carer who wishes to read it. Parents should be aware that playgroup has a duty to report concerns about a child’s welfare to Social Services. All enquiries will be dealt with in the strictest confidence. If staff have concerns regarding a child, for example bruises, marks or changes in the child’s behaviour, they will in the first instance, seek an explanation from the child. However, if the child is uneasy about it or gives an explanation that causes concern, then an explanation will be sought from the child’s parent/carer. If that appears suspicious or unacceptable then Social Services will be contacted. In the event of suspicion of sexual abuse, the case will be referred immediately to Social Services. If staff, or anyone else, feels that the child is in immediate danger, parents/carers do not need to be contacted and the matter will be referred directly to Social Services.
Any staff vacancies should be advertised publicly.
Applicants will be short listed and interviewed by the committee.
We operate a trial period of 3 months at the end of which, a final decision will be made and a contract will be issued.
Wages will be reviewed annually.
Detailed job descriptions and the staff grievance and disciplinary procedures are available on request.
If you have any Concerns about any aspect of Buxton Playgroup, you can make your views known verbally or in writing, to the Playleader or the Chairperson. Our aim will be to resolve the difficulty locally to your satisfaction. If this is not possible, we will involve an independent body such as the Norfolk Early Years Support Network (contactable on 01603 219300) to act as arbitrators.
No action will be taken against any person or child making a complaint.
Buxton Playgroup operates an equal opportunities policy. We believe that the playgroup’s activities should be open to all families regardless of race, colour, gender, culture, religion or ability. We aim to ensure that all who wish to work in, or volunteer to help with our playgroup, should have an equal chance to do so.
We aim to be flexible and approachable regarding any concerns or problems. Our main aim is to show respectful awareness of many of the major events in the lives of the children and families in our playgroup and in our society as a whole, and to welcome the diversity of backgrounds from which they come.
In order to achieve this, we aim to acknowledge many of the festivals which are celebrated in our area and/or by the families involved in the playgroup.
Before introducing a festival which is unfamiliar to the adults, appropriate advice will be sought. Also, families that celebrate festivals will be invited in (if they wish), to share their knowledge with the rest of the group. Children will be encouraged to welcome a range of festivals, together with the stories, celebrations, special foods and clothing they involve as part of the diversity of life.
All children will be respected and their individuality and potential recognised, valued and nurtured. Activities and the use of play equipment offer children opportunities to develop in an environment free from prejudice and discrimination. Children will be encouraged to explore, acknowledge and value both the similarities and differences between themselves and others.
The resources used will be chosen to give a balanced view of the world and to avoid stereotyped pictures or messages about any group of people.
We believe that discriminatory remarks are unacceptable, whether by children or adults and they will always be challenged.
Buxton Playgroup aims to have regard to the DfEE code of practice on the identification and assessment of Special Needs, we aim to provide a warm and welcoming environment for all children and their families. Children with special needs are welcomed at our playgroup, we use observation and record keeping to enable us to monitor children’s individual needs and progress.
If it is felt that a child’s needs cannot be met without support, advice and funding will be sought. We work in liaison with other professionals to meet children’s specific needs.
Our staff attend training on special needs whenever possible, either ‘in-house’ or provided by outside agencies.
A special needs information file is available from staff if you wish to see it.