Supervision Of Outdoor Area

[molly b]

Hi,

we have just had a new fenced off small outdoor play area built just outside our classroom. We have doors that lead out onto the area. We have a rota for staff to be out with the children during the day, however there are some times in the week where it's not possible to put staff out for sessions. Can we still use the area to have a few children play e.g. in the sand if we can stay near the door and see the children intermittently? and how do we stand legally with supervision?

[Guest]

Hi Molly,

Lucky you having a fenced off area finally!

i would have thought that if the children were in sight and were engaged on more stationary activities and could be seen easily that it might be appropriate for short sessions.

but maybe if staff feel they are wasting their time on outdoor activities when there is "so much to do inside" we should be looking at the quality of outdoor experience on offer, not reducing the outdoor input

[Marion]

We endeavour to have an adult outside all the time but there are times when for example a child has fallen and scrapped a knee and the adult brings them indoor when children are outside without an adult. As the area is secure this isnt a huge problem but as Annie says the outdoors needs to be seen as an extension of the indoors and used as a teaching area in a meaningful way.

[Guest]

I agree with what has been said before that the outdoors is still just part of your classroom... and sometimes, it doesn't always have to be a specific 'outdoors' activity, but just have some of the indoors activities outdoors... it's always surprising how differently the children access different activities outdoors and in.

 

We have a fenced in outdoors area, and we alwaysa make sure the doors are open and the blinds are up and that an adult is out there (not always a teacher) but a responsible adult, as supervision and to extend their play. If there is something more focused outside that we want to get more out of, then we'll plan for the teacher to be outside that session/week so they yknow to bring warm clothes to school

[hali]

heres a link to a post i put on earlier

 

http://www.foundation-stage.info/forums/in...&hl=outside

[Deb]

I feel uncomfortable in our settng when during lunch club, the supervisor will take some of the children who have finished lunch outside. Great for them of course. However, with 1 adult to say 12 outside and 1 adult to say 4 children inside, is that safe? Inside, staff might have to answer a phone, maybe help a child that's come in from outside with a grazed knee and supervise remaining children eating, and clean lunch tables and sweep up debris in between.

 

Incidents do happen, I answered the phone once (parents ring to say they have been delayed) and a child rocked backwards on his chair narrowly missing his head on the sand table. Outside, a child could be hurt and brought back in leaving children outside unsupervised. We have our own portable building with a secure fenced area. We can see the playarea through a window if we you are near it. During my NVQ training, I was told there should be 2 members of staff with children at all times to protect children and staff against allegations. One of our reception returners can be physical and challenging, staff could be open to false allegations.

 

I know I can be too cautious but I also know the supervisor can be too casual.

[Rea]

Some of the settings I've been to have an alarm that staff take outside with them, I think it's linked to the office. That would help if two staff had to be in different places. How about walkie talkies? Use it in your ICT too!

[Guest]

We have an outside area also which we use all the time. Staff always take out the correct ratio of children but if one person only is going outside they take a walkie talkie. Someone inside is responsable for carrying around the other walkie talkie and is always on hand to call if a problem arrises or if one of the children need to be brought in for the loo etc.

 

We have always been lead to believe one adult - who is police checked - can be left alone provided they have the correct ratio of children and are in calling distance of asistance. Obviously this is diffrent on outings, but as the playground counts as part of the premises this is within regulations.

 

Hope this helps.

[Marion]

Im afraid as we opperate free flow (children can move between areas and activities as they choose including the outdoors )we don't work to ratios in this way. We opperate on the theory that as we are a FSU the ratio is 1-13 therefore at any one time there are 4 adults and 52 children rather than there are 13 children allowed outdoors with one adult and 13 allowed in one area with another etc. We dont bring children in to go to the loo either.

[Guest]

That's how we work too Marion... and the teachers inside can always 'see' outside and vice versa, so we try not to get bogged down with exact ratios here-and-there.

 

Just one question though... what do you mean about not bringing them inside for the toilet? you have a toilet outside?

[Marion]

The doors are always open so the children come in go to the toilet wash their hands and return outdoors

I suppose what I really mean is we don't accompany children to the toilet so the person outside isn't in and out every few minutes for children's toilet needs.

Edited November 25, 2006 by Marion

[Guest]

ah ha... that makes more sense... and too is what we do

[Guest]

Yes it's the same for us in the unit, otherwise you'd be spending all your time escorting!!!

It works well!

[Guest]

I feel uncomfortable in our settng when during lunch club, the supervisor will take some of the children who have finished lunch outside. Great for them of course. However, with 1 adult to say 12 outside and 1 adult to say 4 children inside, is that safe? Inside, staff might have to answer a phone, maybe help a child that's come in from outside with a grazed knee and supervise remaining children eating, and clean lunch tables and sweep up debris in between.

 

Incidents do happen, I answered the phone once (parents ring to say they have been delayed) and a child rocked backwards on his chair narrowly missing his head on the sand table. Outside, a child could be hurt and brought back in leaving children outside unsupervised. We have our own portable building with a secure fenced area. We can see the playarea through a window if we you are near it. During my NVQ training, I was told there should be 2 members of staff with children at all times to protect children and staff against allegations. One of our reception returners can be physical and challenging, staff could be open to false allegations.

 

I know I can be too cautious but I also know the supervisor can be too casual.

 

 

Spending a few minutes doing a risk assessment can help when deciding the best deployment of staff, the risk assessment will vary depending on what children you have in each session.

Not outdoors but as an example my risk assessment shows that on every day but Thursday it is safe to enable free access to scissors in my setting, however on thursday I have a new girl who is currently 'exploring her new environment' and gets scissors and walks around unsafely with them, she's not actually interested in their use yet, just 'transporting' anything and everything. So, on her day the scissors are kept out of reach when they can't be supervised. In time, when she settles and shows interest in their actual use then the risk assessment will be amended.

Ask if you can complete risk assessments as a team exercise at staff meetings, this will help all staff ( including supervisor) be more fully understanding and aware of them.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

We have just had fencing erected so that we can have freeflow play and I am following this topic with interest as I too have been concerned about the best way to staff the area. When I brought this up at a recent committee meeting someone suggested walkie talkies so that contact can be maintained at all times. Then, blow me!, the very same week one of the committee arrived at Nursery with a fab set of walkie talkies as a Christmas Present for the group. Our group are so blessed to have such an enlightened and involved committee - I know its not the same for everyone, but the walkie talkie idea might help someone out there.