Policy statement
This policy has been written for Roots and Wings Community Preschool to ensure that all resources and equipment used are kept to a high standard of repair. This will ensure the safety and enjoyment of the children whilst at the setting. It is the responsibility of every member of the Preschool Team to check and maintain resources and equipment throughout each day.
At Roots and Wings Community Preschool we understand the importance of having a wide variety of resources and equipment for the children to use. All equipment will meet the children’s individual needs and promote diversity, understanding and development, as well as true agency in influencing their own play environment.
Children will be able to access all resources and equipment throughout the day, ensuring that they are engaged in their play.
Procedures
At Roots and Wings Community Preschool we commit to the following procedures to ensure children remain safe, engaged, and stimulated during their time in setting:
- All resources and equipment we provide will be age and stage appropriate for the children in our setting
- All equipment, including outdoor equipment, is largely movable to allow and encourage agency for all children in the setup of their learning environment
- All the resources and equipment will meet the needs of every individual child. This includes ensuring that the setting has enough equipment and resources to meet the need of every child on a daily basis
- All equipment used in the setting will reflect a variety of cultures, beliefs and ways of life to open the pathway to children truly celebrating the rainbow that is their cohort and rejoice in each other’s similarities and differences. It is our strong belief that by immersing children in relevant and vibrant experiences, they will be more open-minded to and accepting in general in the future. Furthermore, the setting will have a wide array of resources that promote all aspects of humanity in a positive light; this includes all nine of the protected characteristics which we feel children need to be made aware of
- Equipment will be provided to help educate the children about the seasons, nature, and the world around us
- When we receive new equipment, the Preschool Team will do a risk assessment to ensure the new resource is safe for children and follows the BSEN Safety Standards, or Toy (Safety) Regulations (1995)
- All members of the Preschool Team will be required to monitor the equipment and check it every day to ensure it is still safe for the children to use. Any resources that are not safe to use will be discarded appropriately
- A daily risk assessment will be carried out, both inside the Preschool and in the Preschool garden, before children arrive to ensure everything is safe for them
- All equipment and resources will be stored around the setting and kept at a child’s height. This ensures that the children can freely access the resources that they find most enjoyable at any given time. In addition to this, further resources may be purchased if members of the Preschool Team believe that they would benefit or scaffold any child’s learning
- If accidents occur when using a piece of equipment, an accident form needs to be completed and the equipment will need to be risk assessed before play commences