Operational Plan

Guidance

What is it?

The Operational Plan provides an overview of the day to day running of your setting. It may include the allocation of resources, implementation of activities and staff employment, deployment and development. In addition you can include examples of policies, paperwork and documents which signposts the reader to complete versions filed in different locations.

What is Signposting?

Signposting is when you refer the reader to see another document, for example ‘Please see Polices and Procedure folder for full set of policies’. Signposting can reduce duplication of documents and helps to link all aspects of practice to the Revised Early Years Foundation Stage (2012) and all other working documents within the setting.

What does it look like?

An Operational Plan should be designed to suit the individual running of your setting.

However, some settings prefer to use the following format: of a number of relevant current documents that are kept together in an A4 lever arch ring binder that is divided into sections and includes a contents page.

The Operational Plan should be accessible to everyone (including parents), easy to use, current and relevant. Whilst compiling and updating an Operational Plan the Revised Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) (2012) must to be considered.

It used to be advisable to consider the 5 Every Child Matters Outcomes.

However, the ‘Government Green Paper’ has, since its publication in 2004, been archived as it doesn’t reflect current policy or guidance. If your Operational Plan is already organised using these 5 subheadings then it can remain the same if you wish. If you are creating an Operational Plan for the first time then you might like to consider using different subheadings to organise your folder, such as the EYFS (2012) Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements. These are:

  • Child Protection
  • Suitable People
  • Health
  • Managing Behaviour
  • Safety and suitability of premises, environment and equipment.
  • Equal opportunities
  • Information and records

(Please note that there are subheadings under each of these headings that you will need to show consideration to, please refer to your copy of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage)

2013-12-16

Within each section you would signpost to the policies and procedures which support that Welfare Requirement, and include all templates and guidance documents which support the Welfare Requirement. Note: the templates you include should be blank examples only and not contain any information on children or families.

Who is it for?

The Operational Plan provides an essential reference for the setting (committee, staff, students and volunteers) and Ofsted. In addition the plan is to be made available to all parents. Parents should be made aware of the Operational Plan when their child joins the setting, and access to the plan should be given whenever parents request it. Some settings keep their Operational Plan displayed within their provision at all times, others keep it in a safe but accessible location.

What types of things should we include within the operational plan?

The Early Years Foundation Stage (2012) provides guidance on what you need to have documented and what you must make accessible to parents/carers and all visitors to the setting.

The following guidance shows you how you can organise these sections and provides a checklist for you to use.

The checklists are not complete and you may have templates and documents that you use on a regular basis that are not shown here. This is YOUR operational plan and should reflect how YOUR setting works. The Operational Plan is a working document which needs to be regularly updated.

Operational Plan

Contents

Section 1: / Introduction
Section 2: / Policies and Procedures
Section 3: / Child Protection
Section 4: / Suitable People
Section 5: / Health
Section 6: / Managing Behaviour
Section 7: / Safety and Suitability of premises, environment and equipment.
Section 8: / Equal opportunities
Section 9: / Information and records

Section 1:

Introduction

Suggested items to include in this section / 
Background/history of Setting
Setting address and contact details, including opening times
Setting aims and objectives – what you plan to achieve and how you propose to achieve these
Future developments – if any.

Section 2:

Policies and Procedures

In this section you would include a copy of all of your Policies and Procedures. Alternatively, you could list the Policies and Procedures and signpost to a separate Policies folder. See the Ofsted document ‘Records, policies and notification requirements of the Early Years Register’:

EYFS Mandatory Policies:

  • Safeguarding Children policy – including the use of mobile phones and cameras.
  • Equality of Opportunity Policy - includes Special Educational Needs (SEN)*.
  • Medicines policy – including, administration of medicine, illness / injury and sick child policies
  • Risk Assessment Policy
  • Health and Safety policy
  • Behaviour management policy
  • Complaints policy
  • No Smoking Policy
  • Non Collection of Child policy
  • Missing Child policy
  • Emergency evacuation policy
  • Checking the identity of visitors policy
  • Outings policy

*SEN policies

Settings offering grant funded Early Education will be expected to maintain a separate SEN policy, as is required by the SEN code of practice and the SuffolkCounty Council List of Providers

Additional Best Practice Policies:

  • Admissions and Settling In policy*
  • Arrivals, Departures and Securing the Premises policy
  • Confidentiality and Speaking Up policy / whistle-blowing
  • Staffing and Employment policy (including Staff disciplinary procedures)
  • Food and Drink policy
  • Parent Partnership policy
  • Students and Volunteers policy
  • Transitions policy
  • Fees Policy
  • Internet (Social networking) Policy
  • Key Person policy
  • Outings Policy (no longer mandatory)

* An admissions policy is mandatory for inclusion on the List of Providers (LoP).

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The Ofsted Childcare Register (Both Compulsory and Voluntary Part) requires settings to have policies on:

  • Safeguarding Children
  • Health and Safety
  • Supporting Behaviour
  • Additional Needs
  • Equality & Diversity
  • Complaints

Policy checklist: It is suggested you keep this in the front of your Policies Section or Policies folder. Policies and Procedures should be reviewed annually, or as and when the need arises. It is good practice for all policies and procedures to be signed by all staff to show that they have read, understood and will adhere to them.

Policy / Dated / Review Date
Safeguarding Children including the use of mobile phones and cameras
Equality of Opportunity and SEN
Medicines
Risk Assessment Policy
Health and Safety
Managing Behaviour
Complaints
No smoking
Non collection of Child
Missing Child
Emergency evacuation of the premises
Checking the identity of visitors
Outings
Admissions and Settling In
Parental Partnership
Arrivals and Departures
Confidentiality
Food and Drink
Students and volunteers
Staffing and Employment
Transitions
Fees
Internet (Social networking) policy
Nappy changing policy
Key Person policy

Section 3:

Child Protection

In this section you might like to include a copy of your safeguarding policy, including the use of mobile phones and cameras.

Other items that you might like to file here could be:

  • Safeguarding commitment statement
  • Staff Safeguarding Training Certificates
  • What to do if you are worried a child is being abused (2006)
  • The framework for the assessment of children in need and their families (2000)
  • Working together to Safeguard Children (revised 2013)
  • The Common Assessment Framework (2005)
  • Suffolk Safeguarding Children Board Website
  • Suffolk Safeguarding Children Board (SSCB) April 2012 Safeguarding referral flowchart.

Section 4:

Suitable People

You might like to include the following in this section:

  • A list of staff, their titles, roles and responsibilities
  • A list of staff qualifications
  • Copies of certificates from NVQ’s, courses and mandatory training (i.e. safeguarding, food hygiene and first aid)
  • Example copies of job descriptions
  • Example copies of contracts
  • Examples of staff appraisals and supervisions (1-1’s)
  • Staff training plans
  • How you meet adult to child ratios.
  • CRB checklists – including details of when the CRB was obtained and the CRB serial number.
  • A copy of your no smoking policy
  • A copy of your whistle blowing policy
  • A copy of your staff disciplinary policy
  • A copy of your key person policy
  • Example of your staff induction procedure
  • Example interview questions
  • An example of the letter you send out to confirm an applicant has been successful in gaining an interview.
  • An example of the letter you send out to confirm appointment after interview

Section 5:

Health

‘The provider must promote the good health of children attending the setting’ (DoE, 2012).

In this section you might like to consider everything that you do within your setting to ensure you are promoting the good health of children.

In this section you may like to include the following:

  • Medicine Administration policy – (both prescribed and non-prescribed medicines must only be given to a child where written permission for that particular medicine has been obtained from the child’s parent or carer. You must keep a written record each time a medicine is administered to a child, and inform the child’s parents/carer on the same day or as soon as reasonably practicable.
  • Sick child policy – this is not a mandatory policy but it is good practice to implement one should the event of a child being ill arise.
  • Health and Safety policy
  • Food and drink policy
  • Nappy Changing policy
  • Parental Partnership policy
  • No smoking policy
  • Accident or injury record forms – including a record of first aid that has been administered.
  • First aid box contents list
  • Example menu’s for snack and lunches/dinner if applicable
  • Example cleaning rota sheets
  • Fridge temperature charts
  • Communicable diseases guidance
  • Allergy information and guidance
  • Food safety inspection certificates
  • Risk assessments
  • Smoke alarm test sheets
  • Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) checklist
  • Fire equipment check record

Section 6:

Managing Behaviour

Providers must have and implement a behaviour management policy and procedures. A named practitioner should be responsible for behaviour management in every setting. They must have the necessary skills to advise other staff on behaviour issues and to access expert advice if necessary. (DoE, 2012)

Providers must not give corporal punishment to a child. (DoE, 2012).

In this section you might like to include:

  • Behaviour management policy
  • Behaviour support plans
  • Individual Education Plans (IEP’s)
  • Individual Care Plans
  • DDA Booklet
  • SEN policy*
  • Equality and Diversity Policy*
  • Admissions Policy*
  • Any training pertaining to the management of behaviour

* instead of duplicating policies you can signpost to policies in other locations.

Section 7

Safety and suitability of premises, environment and equipment.

Providers must ensure that their premises, including outdoor spaces, are fit for purpose. Spaces, furniture, equipment and toys must be safe for children to use and premises must be secure.

In this section you might like to include:

  • A no smoking policy - providers must have one of these and must prevent smoking in a room, or outside play area, when children are present or about to be present.
  • Example Risk assessments for the environment, equipment and resourcres.
  • Bad weather policy
  • Copy of public liability certificate
  • Copy of employer liability insurance certificate
  • Emergency evacuation procedures
  • Arrivals and Departures policy
  • Procedure for unknown people collecting children, e.g. a password system.
  • Copy of sheet used for parents to update important contact information.
  • Outings policy
  • Copy of vehicle insurance if necessary
  • CRB numbers of taxi drivers if necessary.

Section 8:

Equal Opportunities

‘Providers must have and implement a policy, and procedures, to promote the equality of opportunity for children in their care, including support for children with special educational needs or disabilities’ (EYFS, 2012).

In this section think about how you provide equality of opportunity

  • Transitions – policy and guidance
  • Parental involvement policy
  • Working tax credit information
  • HMRC Help with Childcare costs booklet
  • HMRC Working Tax Credit guidance
  • Festival planning e.g. Diwali, Eid, Christmas
  • Parent Questionnaires
  • DDA Booklet
  • Pay structure
  • Staff appraisal forms

Section 9:

Information and Records

  • Guidance on how long to retain certain documentation for.
  • Business Plan
  • Cash flow forecasts
  • Committee meeting minutes / Annual General Meeting minutes
  • Constitution – if you’re a charity
  • Names of committee members – if you are a charity
  • Annual report
  • Copy of agenda’s
  • Visit reports from Early Years and Childcare Team (not mentioning children’s names).
  • ECERS/ITERS rating scale reports
  • Copies of health checks undertaken by the Early Years and Childcare Team.
  • Marketing Plan
  • Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage – EYFS 2012.

Section 10:

Staffing and Training

Policies and Procedures

(You don’t need to include an additional copy of the policy here, but signpost to your policies section or your separate policies folder)

Policy / Where policy can be found - section
Staffing and Employment policy
(including staff disciplinary)
Student and volunteer policy
Confidentiality Policy
Staffing Structure
Staff Training Record
Staff Training Plan
Copy of CWDC training audit
Pay Structure
Staff Induction pack
Staff handbook
Student/Volunteer induction information
Job Descriptions
Contracts
Safer Recruitment guidance
Application Forms
Reference Requests
Staff appraisal forms
Peer observation forms
Signpost to staff meeting minutes

Section 11:

Self Evaluation

Suggested items to include in this section / 
Are you Ready for your Inspection? booklet
Ofsted Self Evaluation Form
Ofsted Self Evaluation Form Guidance
Self-evaluation audit (Quality Improvement Support Framework)
“The information contained in this guidance is for general information purposes only. While every effort has been made to keep the information up to date and correct, Suffolk County Council (SCC) make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability or suitability with respect to the information contained within the guidance. Any reliance placed on such information is therefore strictly at the organisations own risk. SCC is not responsible for, and expressly disclaims all liability for, damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance on any information contained within this guidance (January 2014)”

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