All about us …
Barton-le-Clay Pre-school has been together for over 30 years. The format has changed over time but is a long standing feature within our village. We are run by a voluntary management committee who employ trained and experienced staff to provide a safe and happy learning environment for the children in our care.
We take children from 2 years and 9 months old up to school age. We are a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance and work closely with the Early Years Team at the Central Bedfordshire Council.
Staff and Committee
All of our staff are thoroughly checked through the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and clear to work with children. We work within the staffing ratios set out by Ofsted, which are 1:4 for those under three and 1:8 for the three years and over. Our staff are friendly and well experienced with relevant qualifications, including NVQs, First Aid and SEN.
Our management committee consists of volunteer parents of pre-school children and is voted on at our Annual General Meeting (AGM), which is held in October. This ensures that major decisions are in the hands of the parents who use the group. We always welcome new members and there may also be opportunities for parents to join the committee throughout the year. Each member of our committee is, like the staff, subject to a CRB check and also a suitability check from Ofsted. There are a number of differing roles on the committee and the work that the committee carries out is crucial to the survival of the pre-school.
Sessions
Sessions run Monday to Friday (term time only) as follows :-
Morning session : 9am to 12:00 .
Afternoon session : 12:00 to 3pm.
Please arrive promptly when both dropping off and collecting your child as this helps the session to run smoothly.If the usual parent or carer is not collecting your child at the end of a session each child has a password and we will not allow the child to leave with any one other than the usual parent/carer unless the correct password is supplied.
Personal Keyworker
Each child within pre-school has a key worker which they choose themselves. You may speak to your child’s key worker about any concerns you may have about your child’s development*. Key workers are responsible for completing your child’s personal profile. This is a record of all the milestones your child reaches and experiences they enjoy during their time at pre-school. It includes photos and comments made during activities. Profiles are useful for when a child starts at school and also make a delightful read for parents, giving them an insight into their child’s pre-school experience. You may ask to see your child’s profile at any time and, where possible you will be able to take them home to share with your family.
*This does not have to be exclusive to the child’s keyworker, please feel free to speak with any member of staff should you have concerns about your child.
Health and Safety.
We have in place a fully comprehensive health and safety policy, which governs the way in which we run our sessions. We ensure staff ratios are adhered to and also that our staff have up to date first aid training. Our first aid boxes are fully stocked and regularly checked.
We have a fire drill and emergency evacuation policy, which highlights the procedures we follow in the event of a drill/fire. The staff are fully aware of this policy and are well versed in the evacuation procedure as it is practiced at least once a term with the details logged. As it is a well practised exercise the children too become familiar with what is expected from them. We also display a copy of our fire procedure in the room so that it is always to hand.
We have an accident book in which any accidents are logged and parents/carers are given a copy of any entry which concerns their child.
