Health & Safety

We take health and safety very seriously at St. Paulinus and we are aware it affects every aspect of our practice. Our aim is to ensure we do all we can to comply with best practice as set out by the Health and Safety Executive, Ofsted, the Local Authority, and any other interested parties. We constantly review our practice, and evaluate our findings, seeking advice from professionals if necessary. Our staff and manager attend regular training courses to ensure our knowledge is current.

Hazards & Faulty Equipment

Each morning the designated risk assessor carries out an inspection of the building and garden area, prompted by a daily checklist identifying specific areas of potential risk. Each member of staff is responsible for ensuring any potential hazards are dealt with promptly and effectively. We encourage visitors, parents, and carers to inform us of any hazards they find. We carry out a comprehensive risk assessment of all aspects of our setting annually, in addition to dealing with any issue as it arises. Faulty equipment is removed or repaired upon discovery. When new equipment is purchased, it is assessed for suitability of use based on the age and stage of the child it is intended for. Donated equipment is thoroughly inspected to ensure it is not faulty and suitable for our use. Please refer to the risk assessment policy and procedure.

Hygiene

Children and adults are required to wash their hands, before meals, after using the toilet and after changing nappies. Parents and carers are asked to provide us with a spare set of clothes for their child and nappies if applicable. Any items provided by parents and carers will be on their child ONLY, and we ask that all items of clothing and bags are clearly marked with the child’s name. Protective clothing, gloves and aprons are supplied for use by the staff. Please note it is NOT sufficient to use antibacterial hand gel in place of hand washing. Tables, chairs and toys are washed on a regular basis using hot water and detergent, as recommended by the Allery Awareness charity and disinfected with spray. Staff are required to attend, and pass, a food hygiene course every 3 years.

Sickness

Children should not attend school if they not fit to do so. Children will not be admitted if they have been given Ibuprofen or Paracetamol, unless prescribed by the child’s G.P. for an ongoing illness, as these medications may mask an illness.

In order to prevent the spread of infection we ask parents and carers to adhere to the following:

SICKNESS AND DIARRHOEA – Children must not attend pre-school until 48 hours after the last time they have been sick or had diarrhoea. Children will be sent home after one episode of sickness in pre-school. The government defines diarrhoea as three or more liquid or semi-liquid stools in a 24 hours period.
HIGH TEMPERATURE – If your child has a high temperature, i.e., over 38oC, before they can return to pre-school, they MUST have maintained a normal temperature of 36.5oC for 24 hours, without the use of medication.
INFECTIONS – Children who have been prescribed antibiotics cannot attend pre-school until 24 hours after the first dose.
A child suffering from a childhood infectious illness should not attend until the infectious period has passed, relevant to the illness. Please contact your G.P. a pharmacist, or pre-school for guidance.
The above guidelines also apply to members of staff.
Parents are requested to inform us as soon as possible of the diagnosis of any contagious illness, and to let us know by 9.00 am if their child will not be attending.

Any medication, or nappy rash cream, given to a child will only be done so with the PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT of the parent/carer. Please refer to the medication policy and procedure.

When a child falls ill in our care, we will contact the parent/carer/emergency contact, and we expect the child to be collected as soon as possible.

CHILDREN WITH LONG TERM MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND/OR DISABILITIES

Before children with long term medical conditions or disabilities can start at St. Paulinus Pre-School, there must be a fully completed, clear and comprehensive care plan, and any required training must be completed by the relevant staff. The care plan is to be reviewed at every parent/carer meeting, and it is the responsibility of the parent/carer to inform us of any changes to the care plan.

Staff are required to attend an allergy awareness course every 3 years.

Last Review:- September 2025