Guest Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Under my new job role I have been handed the responsibility of looking after all students who come to our Early Years Centre. There is a very loose system in place which I am looking to restructure, just wondered if anyone has any tips or words of advice before I steam ahead! So far, thinking about: * tour/introduction * location of toilets/staff room etc * fire escapes/drills * dress code * policies Any ideas or information about how you all do this would be great! Jellytots Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 How about what you expect from them and an idea of time scales for their work. We had a girl once who asked for copies of our policies on her last day, though she'd known for ages she needed them. It helps us to prepare too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 guess it depends on which level and how long they are with you for? we give all staff an induction that goes through all emergency procedures and policies which they sign. this would include a tour of the premises so that they know where all fire exits etc are. some of our students are under 18 so also need an extra risk assessment done with them. some stay for work experience so only need basics, others are with us for several months...with these ones i tend to try and sort out a plan of work so that they cover all the areas i want them to and that they need to for their assignments. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katekit Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 If they are school work experience students I explain to them that their report will be used for their reference from school, one of the things I stress is the use of initiative e.g. give them a certain job that they can take contol of e.g. helping to fill the water play in the morning. I feel that this helps them to settle and gives them a bit of responsibility. We also stress that they are not allowed to pick the children up and that they are there as one of the 'adults' so should set a good example, again hopefully helping with self esteem etc. We explain about mobile phone use, whether they are allowed off site at any time. Cath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mundia Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Hi jellytots. This was a role I had when I was working in school. Although most of our students were traineee teachers, the principles are similar. I put together a student information pack, which included some of the things you suggested as well as staff names and roles important phone numbers procedure for reporting absence requirements for tea/coffee etc signing in and out use of photocopier/phones list of policies rtaher than copies of each policy and where they could be found first aid boxes and first aiders on staff expectations for behaviour and conduct Each term I would ask students as they left if there was anything that wished that had been told at the start and I slowly added. Often it was the things like how do I pay for tea/do I have to bring my own mug. This was all separate from discussion we would have about their actual placement and the things I expected them to negotiate with their class teacher, as this would vay with eac student. Hope that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 stress the confidentiality of the job!! i had 2 school work experience students big mistake having 2 at once that i wont repeat!! but they had been told about how important it was then they were caught having a chat about work on FACEBOOK! needless to say it was nipped in the bud straight away but it is now something that i take even more seriously! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trasong Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Hi Jelly tots, We have an outline of the daily routine on the wall to refer to along with a list of daily jobs for setting up and tidying away so that they don't have to always ask what to do next, it also helps the students who don't have much initiative! Having students can sometimes be very time consuming. Explaining our policies and practices and so, in the past we have allocated them a TA to shadow for the first few weeks (If its a long placement). That way they get a real understanding of what the job enttails and what may be expected of them. We have found this to be very successful with less confident students and have seen them blossom. It also means that one person is responsible for passing on information and ensures that you don't overlook vital information. I think everything else has been covered in other posts. Hope this is of some use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 we also would never have more than one at a time... may depend on the size of the setting and what is available, but often found any more would spend a lot of the day chatting or together no matter how much we tried to keep them apart.. also found we needed to spell out some things in simple terms so there was no uncertainty... things like break times, teas etc, lunches etc.. dress code.. this did need stressing to avoid the thongs and bare flesh on view.. who to contact if they were not coming in, with a number and times to ring.. and ours had a warning we would ring the provider if they did not turn up and had not informed us... too many would just not come and assume that it was OK and the college would never know! it was often the simple things that we found they needed to know. most of the other things we did have been covered... we added as we went on, by asking what they would have found useful when they left. and we kept a good relationship with the provider , who were good at giving us an idea of what each student was expected to do while with us.. amazing the number who did nothing until the day they were leaving and then expected to do all in a day! Students were surprised when after a week i could ask how they were planning to do xxx and if they needed help please ask etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 I have recently set up a new folder for Work Experience as part of my role at our playgroup and retyped a Volunteer Induction Programme. I am happy to send a copy to you for your reference if this will help. Included with this we give all work experience copies of the relevant policies and procedures and ask them to sign a document to confirm they have received this information. This then covers the playgroup and the work experience. The local college we use organise the CRB checks and we receive a copy from them. Hope this information helps. Ella Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlettangel Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 I also think if you have a school work experience person a contact number for someone in school is absolutely necessary!! I suppose though this is something you would need to gain when agreeing to the placement in the first place! We have had 2 extremely unpleasant girls (at different times, ad probably a good few years ago now) from school placed with us and found it hard to get hold of anyone to contact in the school who would take responsibility for them and come and remove them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Part of the problem then was that the Head always organised who was and wasnt with us, now the secretary puts most requests through to us directly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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