klc106 Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 (edited) Our playgroup is based in a village hall and has double doors leading to what we use as the cloakroom area and the toilets. The children love to play out there and in the toilet and spend ages washing their hands. We do discourage them playing in the toilet- would you do the same? but we thought it was ok for them to play in the cloakroom (its quite a large space) as there is lots of language and role play that happens out there, especially for the quieter children who think we can't hear/see them! Our improvement advisor said we should not let them out into the cloakroom and should block of the double doors somehow? as ofsted wouldn't like it! We did have ofsted in november who didn't mention this area (can't remember if the children went out there while she was there). What would you do? We did think of making area of the cloakroom into a cosy corner as it has lower ceilings and is a nice cosy space already and has 2 large beanbags that the children love! and we having a child starting in september who is partially deaf so this may also help her? Do you think if we can justify why we let them out there ofsted would be ok? Sorry for the long post Thanks Edited June 30, 2012 by klc106 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 ours do too, but it usually ends up wedging soap down the overflow or paper towels, and causing floods. scientific exploration i could say...... !!!! but as it's a health and safety issue, we try to keep an eye on things - it's in a room that has no adult when outside is open.... i would make use of the space, especially if you haven't got much space inside. observe who is using that area too. we found it was a girl and her cousin using our tiny cloakroom, and it was to hoard toys and not have to share them!! it would be nice for quieter children, and those who don't like the hustle and bustle inside. also, it would be a quiet place to rest, which could be a great explanation for ofsted, as we are supposed to provide places to be quiet/rest, esp with knew framework x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Personally, I like your idea............................. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted June 30, 2012 Share Posted June 30, 2012 Is the area registered as a place they can be , or is it an entry point /room not registered as part of your provision.. not sure if it is still the same but we had a hall, where only part of it was registered as areas we could use and other half where the parents came and went and coat stored not included ..they could be there waiting with parents but we could not use it as part of the provision until I had the registration changed to include it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klc106 Posted June 30, 2012 Author Share Posted June 30, 2012 Is the area registered as a place they can be , or is it an entry point /room not registered as part of your provision.. not sure if it is still the same but we had a hall, where only part of it was registered as areas we could use and other half where the parents came and went and coat stored not included ..they could be there waiting with parents but we could not use it as part of the provision until I had the registration changed to include it. I'm not sure to be honest. We never got told it wasn't included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 My registration doesn't specify particular areas; it is for the whole building. If yours doesn't specify any areas, I'd just go for it and explain that as a reflective practitioner, you utilise all areas especially those in direct response to children's needs. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klc106 Posted July 1, 2012 Author Share Posted July 1, 2012 Ours doesn't specify any areas. She asked at registration if we have access to the whole building so I am guessing the cloakroom is registered Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 i guess what you need to keep in mind is that the children have to be in sight and hearing or in sight or hearing.....in other words supervised. We have got baby monitors which we use in the toilets so that we can keep an ear on what's going on (i've had a few issues this term with one particular boy!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 but if the double doors are open, then they will be supervised? and yes, you could put baby monitors in the cloakroom too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klc106 Posted July 1, 2012 Author Share Posted July 1, 2012 We can hear and see them from the main room as the double doors can stay open as can the disabled toilet door which we use for the children. Thanks for your advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 OfSTED would probably say its a case of risk assessment if you can justify that the area is safe and adequately supervised then I would of thought OfSTED would be ok, Our children love to play in our store cupboard and in the entrance walk way they love any space out of the main hall it's quieter and more cosy I think it's benifitial for children to have these places to escape to 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 our stairs run up out of the washroom area and I have made the understairs area into a 'quiet place' with seating, a mobile, net curtains and a little arched doorway in which adults can't get through (although they can see through the netting over the top). My children use this when things get a bit hectic in the playroom, to sit and reflect, to cuddle a teddy or to read a book. They know that they can go to it whenever they like and many children get distracted by the area on their way to create mischief in the washroom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachelllps Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 The only toilet area that our children seem to play in happens to be the gents which is in the entrance hall, but I suppose the furthest away from our main room (we are in a Church hall.) They often play hide and seek or just chat, we can hear them if we just take a step out of the main room. The only problem that we had was some years ago when some of the children decided that washing their hands in the automatic self cleaning urinals was a good idea. We shut the door for a while 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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