Do You Allow Open Visits To Prospective Parents?

[amarrian]

We do it by appointment, with no more than three adults at a time to avoid swamping the classroom. The show round takes about 30-45 minutes and all aspects of what we do are explained and the prospective parents can see the children doing it! We discourage parents from bringing their children with them because they normally run riot!

[Alison]

Hi

Well just to let you know this actually happened to my husband this week!!

 

My hubby is a secondary school teacher...was teaching his class as norm when a young boy (about 15, no uniform) can barging into his classroom. Was screaming, swearing at him etc. Hubby basically said there was absolutely nothing he could do unless he was physically attacked himself first. Hubby said he tried to block this lads access to the children but very difficult when on his own. Managed to get lad out of classroom and sent for senior managment. Nobody stopped this lad from entering the school, he was not known by anyone and CCTV was useless. All they can thing is that he came from a travelling family. Very scary stuff. Lots of paperwork filled out but anyhting else done? No! Union has been made aware.

Last week it was an irate parent coming into a classroom of one of my hubbys collagues.

 

 

I think irrate parents is something to consider (touch wood Ive never had one yet) but the probability of attact from an irrate parent/carer is possibly a bigger risk than strangers at the door

 

its a bit like child abuse we protect against strangers but statistics say is its less likely to be a stranger

[Guest]

Hi,

If someone knocks the door at your setting to put their childs name on the waiting list and asks to "have a look around" do you let them in or do you make appointments/check identification etc.

I know the childcare information bureau used to say to parents that settings should have an "open door" policy and that if settings didn't let you in then they were probably hiding something.... but what about security issues for the children in our care..??

 

Di. x

Hello Di

Providing I have enough staff I do allow a prospective parent in any time. I feel this is important because it doesn't look like your trying to hide anything. Obviously, the children in the settings safety is paramount and if I wasn't 100% sure it was ok to show someone round without an appointment I would advise the prospective parent to come back at a more convenient time. I have done this for 7 years now and (touch wood) haven't had a problem yet. Most people who knock on the door have children with them so I feel this is a good indication of the reason for the visit. These visitors or any other for that matter, are not allowed to roam freely around our setting, there is always a member of staff with them. Hope this has helped.

 

Kerry

[Guest]

We have an 'open door' policy so welcome visitors anytime. I do however, when parents ring for information and ask 'can we come and have a look around, do we need to make an appointment' I often say your welcome anytime however probably best to ring before coming to make sure we haven't gone out on a walk or visit the school.

 

We have nothing to hide!

[TCD]

I work in a school based Nursery class, we allow prospective parents in as and when they turn up, it's not always convenient, but I will bend over backwards to make them feel welcome and am honest and say if we're on our way out and that maybe what they see is not necessarily typical, but I want them to come to our Nursery! As a parent of Nursery aged children myself I would want to know what Nursery/staff in action looks like.

[Guest marypatricia52]

Hi, hope this is helpful.

 

 

We treat 'drop in' enquirers the same as telephone enquirers. We take personal details, i.e. name, address, child's DOB, etc., and log this in our Enquiry Book. We tell them that an information sheet will be forwarded to them. There is a form at the end of this information sheet which serious enquirers return to request a viewing of the nursery, if they wish to proceed. Upon receipt of this form we contact the enquirer to make a mutually convenient date and time to view.

 

It is not a case of not wanting people to look around or having something to hide. We are just being practical, otherwise you waste a lot of time showing people around who may not necessarily want to take up a place at your nursery. This way, you are in control of the amount of precious time you spend showing people around and you have a detailed record to refer back to.

 

After they have viewed and have been offered a place, we send them away with a registration form which they return together with a registration fee when they have made a final decision to accept. Obviously, we do not take a registratin fee from prospective parents whose children are eligible to claim the NEG.

 

Good luck

Previa 52