anita.kennedy Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Hope some one out here has a good plan for deploying staff to the outdoor rota. We have a really good enclosed and secure outdoor area which can be accessed all day the problem I am having is how to rota it in our everyday curriculum to be used all day. I have staff who do not like being out doors and I need some kind of plan to ensure that every member of staff takes their turn. Can anyone who is able to use outdoor activity all day give me some idea has to how you plan or rota it. Any help will be appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 Hope some one out here has a good plan for deploying staff to the outdoor rota.We have a really good enclosed and secure outdoor area which can be accessed all day the problem I am having is how to rota it in our everyday curriculum to be used all day. I have staff who do not like being out doors and I need some kind of plan to ensure that every member of staff takes their turn. Can anyone who is able to use outdoor activity all day give me some idea has to how you plan or rota it. Any help will be appreciated Hi I don't think I can help as there are three of us and we take it in turns, although at the end of the session we are all outside. We also go out to the school playground 4 days a week, this is not negotiable due to ratio's. Maybe you could have an extra warm large jacket that you could all use when it is your turn! From experience I find alot of staff don't come prepared for being outdoors for more than 5 minutes at a time! There are many very experienced and knowledgable members who will be along shortly to help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 At this time of year especially that is always the problem. You either seem to have staff who do not want to go out or not enough staff to feel you able to do so and use the area properly. I did some supply in a nursery where the staff swopped regularly every half hour in all areas of the nursery. There was a rota on the wall detailing exactly who was where and when. I found that quite restrictive and felt as if I was always clock watching without any time to get involved with the children. In another nursery the last person out was detailed and the others swopped in and out at regular intervals depending on the number of children accessing the outside. Both these nurseries were well staffed as they were quite big and there was always more than person outside. (One from each group). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorna Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 We have two reception classes and four members of staff. We have one person from each class doing a guided activity or playing a game or specific guided play- so thats 2 of us. We then have one person outside and one person facilitating play, finding resources etc inside... We have a rota that stays the same each week.... there was alittle resistance at first about being outside.... but since our TAs have been on an EY course that can see the benifit and now usually come dressed appropriately.... however I do have a large cardi and will always lend my coat if I am not outside..... so far it is working well.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 Sorry - I am going to be hard here. It should be part of everyone's normal duties to be outside for some of the time. Staff cannot pick and choose what they like to do. We all know that continual access to the outdoor facilities is vital. No member of staff would be able to say that they will not do toileting so how can anyone say they will not be outside. A rota would ensure everyone takes their turn. I would also add that in cold or hot weather staff should swop so that they are not out for an extended length of time. I feel that an attitude of reluctance to outside play is not encouraging and valueing the fantastic play opportunities for the children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 There are four staff in our unit and we all take turns outdoors for a session at a time unless it is really cold when we swap after half a session to thaw out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 In my nursery we had 3 people and you were outside for the whole week otherwise we felt it got too disjointed. the outside person know what was going on and could plan accordingly over the week. As a concession they went on early dinner break!! (We were tough!!) Oh and we all wore warm clothes. Cx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 Sorry - I am going to be hard here. It should be part of everyone's normal duties to be outside for some of the time. Staff cannot pick and choose what they like to do. We all know that continual access to the outdoor facilities is vital. No member of staff would be able to say that they will not do toileting so how can anyone say they will not be outside. A rota would ensure everyone takes their turn. I would also add that in cold or hot weather staff should swop so that they are not out for an extended length of time. I feel that an attitude of reluctance to outside play is not encouraging and valueing the fantastic play opportunities for the children. I have to agree chill, maybe the staff could be supplied with a fleece if a budget is good. But it should be in everybody job description to carry out every day routine as planned and suggested via rota. However you always get those that don't want to do it! Be strong and persistent maybe they realise that they can't give in they will get the message. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 another thought. make the rota short so that it does not give them much chance to get too cold! Although weather at the moment is ot as cold as it should normally be! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 We have 4 or 5 staff in everyday......morning session 2 x staff indoors, 2 x staff outdoors and 1 floating. This swaps in the afternoon so everyone gets there share of outdoor play. We are a good team and quite flexible so if a member of staff would like to swap this around I don't really mind as long as it doesn't happen all the time!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I don't think that we can look at the outdoor staffing in isolation. It has to link to what is happening inside too. If your children have free access to the outdoors then the staffs response will have to be flexible.. .....If all of the children choose to be outside that's where the staff will be? Perhaps the way forward is for everyone to consider why children have free access and what the role of your staff is outside and inside. I agree with Susan that rotas can become restrictive, but I don't have any staff who would be willing to be outside for a week at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 hi Lingardl and welcome. Thank you for making your first post and so swiftly after joining!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dublinbay Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Hello and welcome from me too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katekit Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Have been looking through the forums for help. This year we have two staff in the nursery building and two teachers in a shared double classroom in school with two class groups totalling 32 children, the only extra adults will be volunteer parents. the 'classroom' opens onto the playground where we have just had permanent markings - a road, alphabet spiral, number rocket, numbered parking bays and a line of small circles showing the boundary for the bikes and the balls! at the side of nursery (away from school) we have a covered area where there is sand, water, dressing up clothes, small world etc and at the back of nursery (out of sight of the school is the 'garden', climbing frame, digging, decking etc. I feel that we have got good provision of resources, (natural and manufactured ones), we can cover the areas of development, and in nursery we have free flow and a member of staff moves in and out as the children choose where to play. We usually say though if there are only the two of us that they have to play under the shelter as we can cover for any eventuallity eg spilt paint, accidents etc. The reception children have free access to all the equipment at 'playtimes' and 'lunch time' alongwith the nursery children. any ideas how THEY can use the equipment at 'class time'? we have thought about calling 'playtime' 'OUTSIDE ACTIVITY TIME', or having small mixed groups of nursery/ recep with one member of staff. I have also read the forum about ditching playtime as such. We are pretty relaxed about the time we go out and we sometimes don't go out for playtime, this is also for the reception classes. I have read loads of info (internet and books) but can't find anything that takes into account the small number of staff - any help please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Hope some one out here has a good plan for deploying staff to the outdoor rota.We have a really good enclosed and secure outdoor area which can be accessed all day the problem I am having is how to rota it in our everyday curriculum to be used all day. I have staff who do not like being out doors and I need some kind of plan to ensure that every member of staff takes their turn. Can anyone who is able to use outdoor activity all day give me some idea has to how you plan or rota it. Any help will be appreciated Things often dont work if staff aren't 'on side.' There are lots of underlying issues around this ie the cold weather, being out of comfort zone preferring table top activities. Would training help if not use staff where they like to be, does anyone really like being outside. Think about suitable clothing & footwear for staff & ways to motivate them after all it is in the best interests of children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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