End Of The Day

[Guest]

Are any of you from nurseries who open until 6pm, and whose staff have to clean after the children have gone?

 

My staff are paid until 6:15, and cannot get the tasks they need to get done, in this amount of time. It is starting to become quite stressful for them.

 

Before I started, the children were all shoved together (regardless of age) at 5pm or earlier, and generally left with 1 member of staff whilst the others focused on cleaning.

 

When I arrived, we changed it so that we put the children's needs first (funny that!), and did the cleaning after they had gone.

 

I want to gain a balance. I make sure that I put myself on the late shift every week, so I do know how tired people are by that time, and how difficult it is to get it all done; but equally I want the best quality of care for the children - and don't want cleaning as the priority.

 

I have explored the avenue of hiring a cleaner - but the answer is NO.

 

Any advice or ideas would be gratefully received.

[hali]

can you not at 5.30 ish dpending on ratios split staff so that some read children a story and sing songs whilst the others tidy?

[Guest]

In my preschool we set out and clear away into cupboards;

( what we used today - * = wheeled unit/equipment)

 

2 large tables* ( snack bar / art)

2 small tables ( play office / puzzles - games)

2 smaller tables ( snack bar washing up / role play kitchen table - playdough)

18 small chairs

3 draw units*

3 screens

Art unit*

3 boxes of junk modelling

box of play office equipment

small draw unit of play food

play ironing board.

play cooker

Snack bar unit* ( cupboard which holds plates, cups etc)

sofa ( childs)

side table / play TV / lamp

2 adult large Ikea chairs

Sand tray*

Water tray

paint easel

Paint dryer stand

music unit*

4 boxes of construction

reception desk draw unit*

tressel table

slide

trampoline

3 bikes*

2 sit in cars*

large sit on fire engine*

camp bed ( used in role play)

clothes hanger unit

large white board ( 10 ft X 5 ft)

box of cuddly toys

box of cars

box of dinosaurs

basket of puppets

book stand

large lego table ( clover leaf shape)

large book case*

hard brush sweep and roll 4 small and 2 large rugs

Parent notice table ( book stand, large board, whiteboard, information books/leaflets)

Take in notice board and intercom bell from entrance

 

We clear kitchen, clean toilets. ( 3 toilets, 2 urinals & 2 sinks)

 

We take 20 mins to set up in the morning, and 30 mins to clear at end of session.

 

End of day the children help with moving chairs, rolling rugs, putting all toys in the correct draws etc. moving light weight boxes to end of hall. We start this at 3pm ( close at 3-15pm) if everything is tidy then once last child is gone, we have to get everything in the cupboard by 3:30, cleaner comes in but all she does is polish the floor then sweep, her husband washes the toilet and kitchen floors. ( mon, weds fri - we do it tues and thurs)

 

There is just 2 staff who manage this, myself and daughter. If I paid myself £7.50 hr ( I wish) then the cost of setting up and clearing over a 38 wk yr is £2, 660.

Basically it is all part and parcel of the job. It certainly keeps us fit, and we love Thursday afternoons and friday mornings because we don't have to put away and clear up. Mind you by doing this it helps keep things organised and in the place they should be.

 

Sorry, haven't really answered your question except to maybe point out that if everyone works quickly and efficiently then the mundane jobs get done quicker and everyone can go home.

 

Peggy

[hali]

same here peggy two staff and twenty minutes later all done

[Guest]

HI Shelley,

 

we clean on a rota basis between all rooms, saying that our daily cleaning duties (at end of day) are only:

 

Bathroom (4 toilets and sinks) and staff bathroom, clean sinks, mirrors, toilets, refil tissues etc, mop floor

 

Kitchen (member of staff on tea does this at 3:30)

 

Hallway (done as and when, normally 4 ish ) but when someone has a quiet moment

 

room cleaning (ie bins, sinks etc, done as children are having story)

 

sorting washing, goes to any room that has a spare mo..

 

we are fortunate that we begin to drop down in numbers from 4:30 onwards and staffing is now organised that we can manage our jobs

 

its not ideal but basically we do it when we can, everyone helps one another, and we leave at 6 when nursery closes

 

again doesn't answer your question, but another insight into how another nursery does it

 

Dawn

[Guest]

At the nursery where i work, we only have a few children who stay until 6pm. As long as the children are with an adult, another member of staff can begin to clean the toilets and generally tidy up and clean shelves and make sure things are in the right place. However, we are not permitted to hoover or mop until the last child has gone. We are paid until 6pm and the last child is often collected at 6pm or even 6.15. We also carry out a health and safety check each evening. Staff generally get to leave anytime from 6.15-6.40.

 

I know that at the end of a long day, staff find the cleaning very tiring - especially when they are not paid for it.

 

Again, no solutions, just another 'how we do it'.

[Guest]

We have a cleaner

 

We open until 6pm and she starts at 3pm, our numbers begin to go down at 4.30, up until then she does hallway, kitchen toilets, staff room etc. After that one room will move into another maybe while she does one room. It all depends on numbers, if there are lots of babies they tend to stay in their room and its done last. I would like to say we were lucky, but you haven't seen the job she does, (sore subject ).

 

When she is off or on holiday, we have to do the cleaning and we follow the same routine really.