The following procedures must be followed for all outings:
- Written permission must be obtained from all parents prior to the outing
- Staffing ratios must be maintained at the same level as in force in the nursery but for safety reasons we usually increase this to 1 staff to 3 children for the under 3’s and 1 staff to 4 children with the 3-5’s
- A list of all children’s names and contact numbers for the day must be taken
- Two mobile phones (in case staff are separated in an emergency and to reduce risk of no signal/flat battery) for contact with the nursery must be taken (numbers to be left at nursery)
- The nursery must be informed immediately of any incident that happens (the nursery policy for a lost child will apply when on outings – the policy should be taken on the outing for reference)
- A first aider should be present and the first aid bag taken along with any additional medication needed by individual children
- The children should be equipped with appropriate weather gear
- The children must be counted and marked in the register before setting off and counting must be ongoing at regular intervals throughout the outing. If the group is broken up into sub-groups a designated person in charge must be assigned and that person is responsible for counting the children at regular intervals.
- Toilet facilities must be provided for the children at regular intervals, or nappy changes (having taken appropriate supplies)
- Food and drinks must be provided at similar times to those in the nursery and additional drinks should be offered if the weather is warm or if energetic exercise is part of the day
- Meeting points must be pre-designated and times arranged when all the party should assemble. These must be strictly adhered to.
- Transport must be fully insured and all seats fitted with seat belts
- Spare clothing should be taken in case of emergencies
Following the outing a written review should be made by the person in charge noting the following; any problems with transport, the venue, individual children, the educational benefits of the visit and recommendations for future visits. These will be referred to when planning future visits.
The policy was reviewed in November 2021.