starsdance Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I have just been reading the thread whereby a child managed to leave the setting and it has raised a question. Do you get your parents' to sign their child out when they come through the door or when they leave? We do it as they come through the door then we always have one parent who will stand and chat whilst her child is running riot inside and out. This means that we are still having to keep an eye on him to stop him from running out of the gate into the road etc. He will see his mum and take his chance to run out of the building and create havoc outside whilst she is still inside and we feel duty bound to look after him even though she has signed him out. Who is technically in charge at this point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 If she has signed him out then I think she has, but you need to make this clear to your parents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verona Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Signing in?............At our setting, we have a member of staff at the outside door welcoming children and parents in and stopping unknown people in - they also are there to stop children running out. She also ticks the children in on her sheet.There is also another member of staff at a table just inside the room as they come through the door, taking any fees and marking them into the register. Parents come into the hall and settle their child and then leave. We have a formal register time when everyone is in and we count all children. I have noticed that some of you say that the parent signs their child in. How do you cope with that? Do you have a book in the lobby that each parent must sign as they come through or does a member of staff have the book? It might cause a problem as dropping off time is sometimes hectic. V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreveryoung Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 we have a book on a table as they walk through door (drop off is all at one point and collection at another point, odd parent in between these times with up to 42 children coming through the door on one session) the parents que up very well, write child's name and time in sign then on collection put time out and sign. This helps us look for certain things if needed i.e. who collects/drops off and also exact time in/out for funding reasons. we was audited a little while back and the funding team was very happy with this as it could show exact funding claimed especially if they questioned a particular child's attendance. At end of session the table (well its a trolley) is moved to near the door where the children are being held (captive lol) and as each parent ques up again very well indeed the member of staff handing over can call that child to the door to pass to the adult, this helps us stem the flow of parents. another member of staff stands on the outer door, yes as with you starsdance ours are in our care till signed out then child is passed over however i feel i need to highlight this again with our parents, our staff member on the outer door remains in that position until all parents/children have left the premises. If a particular parent is chatting then the staff come off the door but lock it and go do their duties. Thats another thing going on my newsletter this holiday (its going to be pages long lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Hmm.... ours it totally different! I need to keep an eye on this thread to see if everyone else does similar to you. Our register states our session times, and that all children attend these unless otherwise stated. We mark them in once everyone is settled. Children not arriving during the main onslaught are marked in with actual time (by us) Home time - all parent come in and collect at same time, we mark them out once everyone's gone. Again children leaving early or parents are late they are marked with exact time. We have 2 staff on inner door, and 1 on outer. 2 others in circle with children- free play start, seated in circle at end. Our last Ofsted was 3 years ago, and at the time they were happy with this system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 We did same as foreveryoung, collection and drop off were quite a calm and ordered time considering we had some collecting and dropping off all at the same time, we also asked for them to say who was collecting child when dropping off, this gave us a signed reminder for them when another parent was collecting or a friend.. we also did our own register once children were all in and settled with times in and out.. but it did not have to be done as they were arriving/ leaving so all staff were free to deal with children and parents.. So long as a system works for you then that is fine.. there is no right or wrong way or one being better than another, it needs to show attendance, and times in and out.. but how you do it is your decision.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmony1985 Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 As full day care we have children coming in and out at all times of the day, so we keep a register in the rooms to sign them in and out, then whoever has brought them to nursery has to sign them in and out on a sheet near the door before they leave too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barcombeplaygroup Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 We had an Ofsted inspection last week - one of the recommendations was that we should have a signing in and out sheet. We have a register and mark children in when they have all arrived - marking a time if children are late. The inspector said we could still do this but we really should have a signing in and out sheet as it is a safeguarding measure. We shall be starting this after half term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 We have never signed in or out and it's never been questioned at inspection, last one 14 months ago, they are registered as they come in the door, with late arrival or early leaving added. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondie Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 we have signing in and out sheets - this was brought in in June last year - it came after another setting in the county were asked by social services who had picked up/dropped off a child on certain dates (no previous with social services) and they couldn't say definitely who had dropped off and picked off on those days. we were advised that signing in and out were very necessary in being able to advise social services if needed. it is a very simple document it has child's name then column for time in and out, name of person picking up/dropping off , relationship to the child and that persons signature. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 We have never signed in or out and it's never been questioned at inspection, last one 14 months ago, they are registered as they come in the door, with late arrival or early leaving added. We also do this and have had no issues...ofsted have had no problems with it. My parents are a useless lot when it comes to routines...i can't imagine that they would remember everyday which might cause a much bigger issue if a child wasn't signed in at all. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreveryoung Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Same as Blondie for our reasons for doing so are safeguarding for exact same reasons and also funding team, Ofsted have never questioned or asked x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 we have signing in and out sheets - this was brought in in June last year - it came after another setting in the county were asked by social services who had picked up/dropped off a child on certain dates (no previous with social services) and they couldn't say definitely who had dropped off and picked off on those days. I wonder how many schools would be able to tell you that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondie Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I wonder how many schools would be able to tell you that? probably none but will say parents have taken to this really well and no complaints from them(must be a first lol) ;0) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKeyteach Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 We don't sign in or out either but have a ticklist when children arrive only because register may take a little time to get around to doing. We should have our registers on tablet next half term (if it all works)! I had been told about the signing and did mention this to Ofsted last year and explained that we had not found it necessary. They seemed happy with our system. I take the pint you may need to know who dropped off on some circumstances but I am sure that should it become an issue a log can start to be kept for that child. My concern with signing in and out is the time it takes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 would it take longer to tick a register than a list ? I only record who has dropped off if a cp plan in place, I don't really see it's my business who brings them, other than if I had a safeguard concern ie they smelt of alcohol, anymore than once they're handed over they are then that persons responsibility Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumperrabbit Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I trialled 'signing in' a couple of years ago and it was a disaster for us Parents signing against the wrong name or just not bothering because they "were in a rush, could you do it" I put the exact time of entry into the playroom in our register as the child enters and do the same on the way out; I have a note book by the side of me to jot down anything a parent may tell me, eg change in person collecting, or if child not feeling well etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 ours didnt have pre printed names on them, the carer wrote the name in when dropping off, it didn't take very long and they were all happy to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foreveryoung Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Ours is literally a cheap lines paper a4pad in which we write date-day at top, quickly draw columns with titles takes all of one minuet. As Inge says parents full rest in, from reading above I feel really lucky to have my parents they que up fantastically and it really helps stem the flow of incoming traffic and at Passover. I can see it being a bit of a pain at places where parents come and go at various times whereas at ours you could be talking 50 adults coming through the door on collection all at same time so it helps us enormously (slightly proud of how they line up now ha ha ha ha ha ha - no training required). I might add extra columns on to slow It down further I might be able to talk to more parents then lol xx 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredbear Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Hi we have our normal paper register folder which we tick children in and out for each session. In the front of this is an exercise book which parents fill in if their child comes in later or leaves earlier within our preschool session times. It works well for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harmony1985 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Ours is just a quick made up table in word. Child's name, time in and signature then time out and signature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humptydumpty Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 We had our inspection end last year. It was said by the inspector that it was not good enough for us just ticking children in and out of the setting, we must state the time for each child. We a number of different drop off and collection times but on the daily register it states what times the child session is from and to. Apparently we still nedd to put the precise time that the child arrives and leaves i.e 903, 4.04 etc I would suggest to back yourself up put the times (exact). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKeyteach Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Sorry not sure what went wrong with font on my last post. Very difficult to read. Our new electronic register will register time! I'm so excited to get it going now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Very interested in this post. We have a circle time within the first ten minutes where we call the register and mark children present or absent. Any children arriving after this time are marked as late. I understand why it would be better to record exact times from a safeguarding view, but from a practical view I would find this difficult to do. Most children arrive at the same time and I think this would be a distraction for the staff member on the door to have to do this. I cannot see this being done by parents!! I think that the other staff are best used in settling and engaging the children in activities. We had an Ofsted in November and this was never questioned. I am keen to do the right thing and make sure we are covering ourselves properly so will be watching this with interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumperrabbit Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Either the manager or deputy enters the exact time of entry / departure into the register whilst the other staff settle & supervise the children. At morning circle time manager/deputy re-checks the register to double check everything. this is also when the note book with messages gets passed around to all staff so everyone is 'in the know' 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubblejack Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 We have the register on the wall. Parents line up and sign their children in/out with the correct time . I am standing by the door so I can see if they need reminding. Our parents are all very well behaved Each child is welcomed in, they then go over to the table to find their name. Off they then go to play until most arrive. I lock the door then we all sit down for a quick circle time. The children count how many children present then we count register and name cards so everything adds up. We do have staggered times I do let parents in if they are a few minutes early and I know that they will be first in the queue to collect. All staff arrive early anyway as some working parents drop off at 8.30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 (edited) Our parents did put in correct time of arrival, we had a clock on the table for them to use.. this served as a double check for opening times as it was a radio controlled one so always accurate, we had the same in the setting.. got so fed up of complaints we were opening late even by 2 mins sometimes when it was their watch that was wrong.. Edited February 19, 2015 by Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 our fire alarms went off the other day just at leaving time.....we sign the children in and out with exact times so knew which were still in the building and under our control. It worked really well ...not sure my parents would be as thorough or precise so might have caused an issue! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stargrower Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 We have been told, we must put the time children arrive and leave and we must do it straight away, not leave it until 'registration time' or 'circle time'. We don't ask parents to sign in and out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I only record time if late in and that is only so I can target the parent if recurring to make more effort to turn up on time because it's annoying that you have to open up again ( all ours arrive at same time and registered as they come in main door, with self registration as they go into playroom) but I don't really see how recording arrival time affects anything, if they hadn't arrived they wouldn't be in register if you needed to evacuate for any reason, and we mark out any early leavers as they go, I can imagine a few disgruntled parents if we made them queue up to sign in, so what is the reason given for having to record the exact minute every child comes in ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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