Introduction
At Ladybird Pre-School Nursery we organise outings and visits to various places and venues. We recognise the value for children in experiencing environments outside of the Nursery premises. We embrace the positive rewards of these outings, as children actively explore the world around them and develop their confidence and independence in an inclusive way. We believe that outings make a positive contribution to children’s holistic development. The Staff team and trustees strive to make these experiences as happy, meaningful and as safe as possible. Staff members support children’s learning by providing opportunities to prepare for, and subsequently build on, the outing experiences.
Procedures
- Suggestions of places to visit are made by children, parents/carers, trustee members and staff members
- Arrangements for outings are planned, discussed and reviewed in staff meetings. This ensures all information is shared and staff members are fully engaged.
- Written details of the outing are distributed to all families along with an outing specific consent form which parents/carers are required to complete, sign and return.
- A voluntary donation to cover the costs involved is usually requested.
- All children are included on outings regardless of whether a voluntary donation is made or not by their family.
- A written risk assessment is carried out before an outing takes place; this is taken on the outing and then filed in the outings file stored in the Nursery Office.
- Any risk assessments are made available for parents/carers to see.
- Our adult to child ratio is at least one adult to two children.
- In order to achieve this ratio parents/carers may be requested to accompany and help on the outing.
- Named children are assigned to individual staff members to ensure each child is individually supervised, to ensure no child goes astray, and that there is no unauthorised access to children.
- Parents/carers will usually only look after their own child/children but can be asked to look after other children under the guidance of staff team members.
- The outing leader/s will carry a list of children’s and adult’s names attending and will carry out head counts/ call a register at regular planned intervals throughout the outing.
- The outing leader/s will have emergency contact details for all children and adults attending the outing on their person throughout the outing.
- The Nursery Manager and all Nursery practitioners hold full paediatric first aid certificates.
- A First aid kit is carried by the designated first aider for the outing.
- The designated first aider will be responsible for making sure any specific medication such as inhalers, epi-pens etc are taken on the outing and the adult responsible for that child looks after that medication for the duration of the outing.
- The designated first aider will be responsible for carrying accident forms.
- Staff take fully charged mobile phones, tissues, wipes, spare clothes, nappy changing supplies, sick buckets and towels for the coach. The amount of equipment will vary and be consistent with the venue, number of children as well as how long the outing lasts.
- All adults are provided with clear guidance regarding our expectations, particularly involving supervision levels and the use of cameras. Everyone will be made aware of who the first aider is.
- In the event of a child or children being lost the lost child procedure as written on the individual risk assessment will be followed.
- When transportation is required for an outing then a coach/es will be hired.
- A coach/es that has seatbelts fitted will be requested. When available, seat belts will always be worn.
- Parents/carers will be responsible for fitting child/ booster seats if they are required on the coach.
- The maximum seating for the coach will not be exceeded.
- If parents/carers choose for their child/children not to travel by coach, they accept full responsibility for transportation of their own child/children to and from the outing.
