Guest Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 I've just started in a new school - and one thing we looked at was the health and safety policy, on reading the section on using scissors - there were the usual guidelines regarding teaching children to carry them safely but for Reception it said 'that children could use scissors on request only' - in other words if they wanted them they needed to ask for them and we would fetch them out of the cupboard - ! In the past I've always trusted mine to access them freely and ok there has been the odd haircut but generally they've been pretty sensible - just out of interest what do others do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 I leave mine out to be used. The children are not going to grow in confidence and ability if they don't have constant access to them. We do do a quick cutting ability assessment when they arrive in Reception and give extra practice to those who need it but generally a quiet word to anyone waving them etc is all that is needed. They use sellotape dispensers too and they have a sharp edge that maybe once or twice a year scrapes a set of fingers - is that not allowed either???!!! Sorry but children learn by taking risks and finding their own limits. Liz x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 Scissors are available in my classroom for children to use freely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 I don't work in a school but in every pre-school or nursery I have worked in (with the exception of the baby unit, obviously!) scissors have always been readily available for free access by the children. How else are they supposed to develop their skills, confidence etc? The one thing I have been more worried over, is the sellotape dispensers. I don't know why, but I get really paranoid when I see children using them! I find it quite hard to believe that nurseries/pre-schools will leave scissors out for free use and a school where children are obviously older and 'more capable' (I don't mean that how it sounds, but its late and I can't think of the right wording) expect the children to request use of scissors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliamch Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 I work in a Pre-School also and we have scissors, tape dispensers and hole/shape punches out all the time for the children access. Scissors were also out and available in the nursery and infant school my daughters attended Karrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 We too have have scissors available to children ( in nurseryafter the autumn half term - once we are familiar with all children and they have established boundaries) aliamch - what a very appropriate avitar of this subject! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 One nursery I was in wrote a focused activity for the 2 yr olds to use scissors. The staff then sat shaking their heads and tut tutting at the lack of skills shown. The scissors were put away and I didnt see them again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliamch Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 The avatar represents what my 3 year old did the other day, but to be fair it was after watching the girls having their hair cut. Couldn't get to angry with him because you could he did achieve several stepping stones while doing so! Karrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 ours are available at all times too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 And ours - preschool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 We have scissors freely available in several areas of the classroom (pre school). We also have the tape dispenser and during the whole of last year only one child cut their finger and what a lot of discussion and interest we got out of his cut (never one to waste an oppportunity lol. Megsmum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 (edited) Have to own up we don't have them freely available, my children are 2-3yrs. What do you think? We have lots of scissor sklls opportunities but we bring them out and guard them closely, should I suggest we have them available? if a child were to ask we happily get them out but our children are so small there is a real safety issue, most of our new children still put everything in their mouth?? Scissors are freely available at our other site which is 3-4yrs. Edited September 7, 2006 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 I have done both in my reception classroom depending on the children! I prefer to have the scissors available for free use but it is not always possible. I wouldnt have the scissors freely available for 2-3 yr olds unless they were the plastic variety that really dont cut too well and even then I would be cautious. I have hairdressing incidents, although the last time that happened the child cut her own! And Ive had 7 yr olds cutting one another jumpers although I believe that was more due to mishandling than maliciousness! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 ours are self access and I have children aged from 2 yrs, obviously our staff / child ratio's are much higher than schools to better enable supervision. In fact just yesterday a child was playing in one part of the setting ( office area) , he decided he needed some scissors, went to the art area where they are kept, got a pair of scissors then as he walked with them back to the office area he repeated " must sit down with scissors, must sit down with scissors. he remembered this from summer term, bless. I think risk assessments need to be done regularly and have consideration for the particular children present at each session to decide whether to have free access or not. Whilst we are on the subject of Risk assessment, how do you all feel about the use of staplers in the play office?? I have them in ours, in 20 yrs experience only once has a child who stapled his finger nail (ouch). Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 I think it's like you say Peggy, down to the particular children present. I have worked with some children who I would never give anything sharpe to and others who I would let have free access and not worry. I have used hole punches and staplers but again depending on the children, 1:1 or 1:3/4. I remember a little gorl years ago who actually cried when shown the scissors, mom said she's drummed it into her that they were dangerous. Poor mite was seriously scared. Common sense has to be excerised rather than a blanket ban or free rein. Although I do wish some people would loosen up just a tad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 (edited) we have them available all the time my children are 3 - 31/2 and ive never had a problem we teach them to carry them "like a bunch of flowers" we also have free access to tape dispenser, stapler, hole punch and items such us bulldog clips and split pins i think if children are shown the correct use of such materials and given a level of trust they tend to suprise you with how responsable they can be.they polish with real polish and clean mirrors with windowlene and they understand that they must wash their hands afterwards and why so i dont have a problem with them using it, they are well supervised and i trust them x jojom x Edited September 7, 2006 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 We have scissors freely available. The sellotape dispenser is available at times, and usually if requested. We vary this depending on the children, not so much for safety but more as a resource issue! I have had hole punches and staplers available in the past, but my job-share colleague is not so keen on free stapler access. (I have has a few children wiht stapled finger over the years, but they soon heal, and its never the same child twice!) We have the stapler out from time to time. Looking at this years intake, I think it is more likely that we will have it out. There was a group of children making books today- the sellotape dispenser was out, and some lovely books were made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Thanks everyone for your replies - I've always had scissors out for the children in the past and as I said before never really had an issue - after all they've needed the free access I've felt for the child intiated side. I've used the sellotape cutter and staplers too with few problems. Come to think of it I've even used real hammmers and nails in our building site roleplay area and never had a single problem- apart from a mum who handed me them back one day only for me to return them to the building site role play. The children were little stars with them !! Although I have yet to convince my new Reception team on this one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 8, 2006 Share Posted September 8, 2006 hi all I was just reading these posts and had a chuckle We had two little girls who, unknown to staff , took themselves into the homecorner to pretend to be hairdressers luckily they only had our play dough scissors, phew, so no harm done. At least they were using their own imagination and making the most of the resources on offer and adapting them for their own needs. :wacko: Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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