Lunch Time Cover

[Guest]

I need some advise

 

Our lunches start at 11.45 and don't usually finish until 2.45pm. We are a 35 place nursery.

 

All the other settings I hear about manage to do their lunches in around two hours rather than the three hours it takes us. I feel the children loose out during this extra hour we take to do lunch.

 

A lot of it is because the Manager is ensuring that we are having correct ratios in the rooms, even during lunch and when the children are asleep. I see the importance of this, but how do we do this and still ensure staff have lunch.

 

How do you manage?

[hali]

blimy ... sorry cannot help but 3 hrs!!!!!

[Guest]

I know, three hours is just too long isn't it. The manager is so set in her ways, she won't listen to anybody, not even the owner of the nursery, who she frequently belittles and shows up, even though she is qualified and is doing her EYP status.

 

I really want some ideas to put forward.

[Sue R]

We have 45 mins for lunch.

 

We are done by 2.00 pm, from 11.45. there are never issues, unless people are 'out' for training etc - we are 50 place

[Guest]

Thanks for your reply Sue. How do you manage it? How many staff do you leave in your room?

[Guest]

Hi

 

we have been having issues with our lunch cover,mainly down to the children seeming to wake early.

 

we are a 53 place nursery, we start lunches at 11:30 and are finished by two. it works for us because some staff take thirty minute lunches rather than an hour. (they then gat paid for the xtra 30 mins that they would have has on their lunch.

 

All our sleeping children sleep in one room (except babies), so may be 20 children sleeping. several staff help to pat children to sleep then one member in room whilst they are sleeping. Manager available to help if needed (in fact i normally always go in rooms over lunch to help out). the staff who do thirty minute lunch stay in so will come back of lunch if needed (which isn't ideal, but helps).

 

we also start lunch at 11:20 for the children so all children are normally down and asleep by twelve (on a good day anyway!)

 

I gather that lunchtime is always an issue in nursery. i worry that at times we are clearly under ratio (even tho children are sleeping) but as of yet haven't found the answer.

 

Dawn

[Lucy P]

We are a 90 place nursery and start lunches at 11.30 and are done by 2. I do employ two lunchtime assistants from 11-2. The assistants are great and are also available to cover other hours at short notice if needed.

[Sue R]

Thanks for your reply Sue. How do you manage it? How many staff do you leave in your room?

 

Well, usually 3, of varying levels of qualification - at points there may be 2, but always a level 3 - does that make sense??

 

Sue

(I've just been to a gig, always makes me a bit giddy!)

[Guest]

Thanks for your replies

[hali]

we have 20 children for lunch club so have a level 3, level 2 qualified and 3 volunteers to help out