Premises and Equipment
Premises
The Pre-school meets in Groombridge Village Hall. We meet in the main hall where we are self contained with all our own equipment. We ensure that the premises and equipment are clean and well maintained, to enable children to thrive in a healthy and safe environment.
The Village Hall committee organises the frequent and thorough cleaning of all areas used by the Pre-school The building is well maintained, clean and bright with good natural light.
All electrical/gas equipment conforms to safety requirements and is checked regularly.
All equipment is regularly checked for cleanliness and safety and any dangerous items are repaired or discarded.
All floors are checked daily to ensure they are clean and not uneven or damaged.
All food preparation surfaces are clean and non-porous. The correct chopping boards are always used. All our snack time utensils are our own.
There are separate male/female toilets separate from the main hall, and are clean with a high standard of hygiene and easy for the children to use. Children are always accompanied to the toilets.
The main hall is split into different areas during a session to provide clearly defined spaces for large equipment, home corner, book corner, quiet area etc.
The equipment is laid out on different levels, e.g. tables and the floor.
Our outdoor area is maintained and safe, it is checked daily and clear of rubbish. This area provides extra space to allow ‘free flow’ to take place through out the session. Here we have a playhouse and 2 sheds. One to store our ride on toys and prams and the other shed for additional bulky equipment such as easels, sand and water trays, climbing frame etc.
The main door out of the hall has an alarm system that be activated or deactivated very easily.
Windows are out of reach of children.
Children are supervised at all times
A risk assessment is carried out each ½ term to ensure the safety of the children. This includes checking for hazards and risks indoors and outside, deciding which areas need attention and developing an action plan which specifies the action required, the timescales for action, the person responsible for the action.
Selecting Toys and Equipment
The toys and equipment in the Pre-school provide opportunities for children 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 and have an opportunity to do role play.
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.
Will enable children to develop individual potential and move towards the early learning goals of the foundation stage.
Conforms to all relevant safety regulations and is sound and well made.
Is regularly inspected and maintained and any defective items disposed of.
Groombridge Village Hall holds a Public Entertainment Licence and is therefore regularly inspected by Wealden District Council and the Fire Officer.
The Environmental Health Department and the Health Authority regularly pass on information to ensure that we keep up to date with the latest recommendations.
If there were a food hygiene issue we would contact Environmental Health
This policy is known, agreed and implemented by all staff.
This policy is known and made available to all parents.
This policy was reviewed February 2011