Safeguarding and Welfare Requirement: Staff: Child ratios

Staffing arrangements must meet the needs of all children and ensure their safety

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BCC – The Ark Preschool and Daycare

 

STAFF: CHILD RATIOS

 

5.1 Staffing

 

Policy statement

 

We provide a staffing ratio in line with the Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage to ensure that children have sufficient individual attention and to guarantee care and education of a high quality. Our staff are appropriately qualified and we carry out checks for criminal and other records through the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) in accordance with statutory requirements.

 

Procedures

 

To meet this aim we use the following ratios of adult to children:

• Children aged two years: 1 adult : 5 children:

  • at least one member of staff holds a full and relevant level 3 qualification; and

  • at least half of all other staff hold a full and relevant level 2 qualification.

• Children aged three years and over: 1 adult : 8 children:

• at least one member of staff holds a full and relevant level 3 qualification; and

• at least half of all other staff hold a full and relevant level 2 qualification.

• We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements where a Qualified Teacher, Early Years Professional or other suitable level 6 qualified person is working directly with children aged three and over between the hours of 8am and 4pm as follows:

• there is at least one member of staff for every 13 children; and

• at least one other member of staff holds a full and relevant level 3 qualification.

• A minimum of two staff/adults are on duty at any one time.

• Each child is assigned a key person to help the child become familiar with the setting from the outset and to ensure that each child has a named member of staff with whom to form a relationship. The key person plans with parents for the child's well-being and development in the setting. The key person meets with the family for discussion and consultation on their child's progress and offers support in guiding their development at home.

• We hold regular staff meetings & supervision meetings to undertake curriculum planning and to discuss children's progress, their achievements and any difficulties that may arise from time to time.

 

This policy was adopted at a meeting of BCC – The Ark Preschool & Daycare

Held on April 2024

Date to be reviewed:  March 2025

 

Signed on behalf of the provider

Name of signatory:          Arzu Subasi

Role of signatory (e.g. chair, director or owner):  Manager

 

Other useful Pre-school Learning Alliance publications

 

• The New Early Years Employee Handbook (2016)

• Recruiting and Managing Employees (2016)