Huntingdon Nursery School Physical Development and Outside Play Policy

PANCo: (Physical Activity and Nutrition Co-ordinator) Amy Padget

December 2012

Background Information:

  • Health and Safety
  • Playscheme Policy
  • All curriculum policies.

Rational:

Physical activity has a significant role within a child’s health and well-being. We will meet the curriculum guidance within the EYFS.

Aim:

  • To make provision for young children to be active, to improve their skills of coordination, control, manipulation and movement.
  • To support children to use all their senses to learn about the world in which they live, and to make connections between new information and what they already know.
  • To encourage children to follow a healthy lifestyle, to exercise their bodies, and be able to move freely with pleasure and confidence, enjoying physical activity.
  • To support the children’s developing understanding of the importance of physical activity and making healthy choices about their bodies.

Objectives:

  • Children will grow in confidence and be able to manage risks in their play.
  • Children will increase their fundamental movement skills. These include: manipulative, locomotion, stability and balance.
  • Children will learn what happens to their bodies when they exercise.
  • Children will learn social skills by being introduced to sharing, working co-operatively and coping with winning, losing etc.
  • Physical Education will be planned for based on the observations of the Nursery staff. Tasks will be planned to meet the Early Years FoundationStage Prime area; Physical Development curriculum guidance and observation and identification will provide feedback. This will inform evaluation, assessment and reporting procedure.
  • In/out play will be offered to maximize opportunities for physical activity

Staff Coordination, Training and Development:

Teaching staff will lead the theoretical basis for planning physical activity to meet the requirements of the EYFS

The PANCO will co-ordinate other aspects of the policy and feed back to the SMT

Nursery staff will have the opportunity to access training linked to:

Providing opportunities for physical development in young children (EYFS)

Sensory integration

Child development (Physical development/cognitive development)

Supporting children with disabilities

During staff meetings reflection is a key area, for informing future planning. During meetings staff look back on the week and look forward into the next week. This gives regular opportunities to share information between staff and to share information from training. In this way staff are learning through the experience and application.

Particular interest or focus can be identified through the appraisal system.

Resource Provision and Facilities:

  • Some use of the Primary school large hall
  • Inside room space: some use of green room and link room) for group activities
  • Outside garden area in/out play structure gives children access to outside play area for up to 1 ¾ hours each session.
  • A wide range of equipment and resources to support this area of the curriculum

(audit)

Curriculum:

P.E lessons involve:

  • Developing children’s spatial awareness.
  • Parachute play which encourages co-operation of the whole group and turn taking.
  • Movement/dance which encourages the children to express their feelings, and to respond to rhythm.
  • Small apparatus skills which enable the children to develop their throwing, catching and aiming skills.
  • Sticky kids exercise sessions, which encourage control and co-ordination.

Safety Points for P.E. lessons

We will:

  • Always remove shoes and socks, and clothing as appropriate in readiness for the activity.
  • Dress and undress for hall P.E sessions, to vest and pants (for apparatus work).
  • Remove jewellery if staff feel there is a risk of injury
  • Where appropriate wear glasses/hearing aids.
  • Take appropriate precautions for children wearing cochlear implants.
  • Tape down/sweat bands over medic-alert bracelets
  • Tie back long hair
  • Teach appropriate safety points before using the apparatus.
  • Water is available in classrooms throughout the sessions

Teachers will check apparatus prior to use by children. Huntingdon Primary School make annual checks on Hall/Large apparatus. Nursery are responsible for repair/replacing all other small apparatus at the Nursery. Outside garden equipment is monitored by our health and safety staff representative and checked annually with a certificate of inspection (Playsafe/UK).

General Safety:

Before and after Nursery sessions, parents are responsible for the supervision of their children.

  • At all times children will be supervised by key workers/teaching assistants.
  • Adults must make health/safety issues a priority when outside/inside and remain vigilant.
  • Staff to interact with children to help develop all areas of the Early Years Foundation Guidance
  • Garden Rota staff – plan to facilitate a range of physical activities

Toileting

Some children will not be securely dry when they start Nursery – they will require a toileting programme.

Children’s toileting needs will be discussed with parents on an individual basis and agreed actions implemented.

The Hygiene room and Yellow room (change room) are designated areas for discrete nappy changes – appropriate facilities are provided. Parent swill supply Nursery with nappies etc. for their child. PSHE service is used for safe nappy disposal.

The Nursery has an Intimate care policy and all staff are aware.

Community Links:

Children have had ‘treat’ sessions at Leo’s funzone (Huntingdon Leisure centre)

Leisure staff have delivered ‘sport’ workshops to Nursery staff

Children walk to areas of interest – shops/library/ park etc.

Children centre are negotiating with Huntingdon leisure to provide vouchers for swimming sessions

Sport’s Relief fund raising events

Claytime

Active Travel:

Our travel policy encourages children/families to walk to the Nursery.(Safer routes to school).

Cycle parking is provided on site

Children’s scooters and bikes can be left in the cycle parks

Trips and visit to areas of local interest involve walking and opportunities to by active

Assessment/Recording/Reporting:

Nursery assessment is used to assess children’s response to physical activity. Yellow file and a variety of observations contribute to the practitioner’s and teacher’s knowledge of each child’s development. Parents are informed of their child’s progress through ‘parent conversation’ appointments. Summary progress against the EYFS in the Prime areas is given to parents during the year that the child is between the ages of 2 and 3. Concerns identified through the Nursery year are shared with parents and outside agencies are invited to give advice if necessary e.g. physio-therapist, school doctor/nurse etc.

Involving all staff:

This policy has been developed through meetings with classroom staff

Through feedback from parents about their child’s interests and activities outside of the Nursery

Through discussion at the Teaching and Learning Governors committee meetings

Consultation:

Children’s views are collected at every opportunity.

Photographs of new equipment, toys and resources are taken and children can comment on how they have played with them and what they think about them

Staff are consulted by discussion at a range of meetings aimed at looking carefully at our practice and for future development.

Health visitors and other professional agencies are consulted on identified issues and this is fed back to SMT

Involving parents:

Within the setting a notice board will be developed to ensure parents are aware of the benefits physical activity. This will include information about physical activity events within the area, information leaflets etc. e.g. Change4Life.

The policy is available on the website for parents to access and reviewed according to the policy review cycle.

Parents are encouraged to participate in more physical activity with their children by using the ‘stay and play’ sessions within the setting. We also include in our news letter or parent mail any upcoming events within the local area.

Parents with particular skills are encouraged to come into nursery to carry out ‘workshop’s with a group of children. Parents willing to do this are identified through parent conversations or staff knowledge.

Security

  • The playground gate will be checked by an adult before the children go out to play/padlock in place.
  • Once session is underway, children are not allowed through the gate. (Adults to collect balls etc.)
  • Garden rota staff will make a judgement on weather/ other conditions and consult with the teachers about going outside. Children will wear suitable clothing in inclement weather conditions.
  • Staff Health & Safety representative to complete half-termly report (in writing) – Head Teacher to respond to risks identified. Governor Health and Safety representative to make half-termly checks that include outside area.
  • All outside equipment will be checked by appropriate recommended company annually (Sportsafe UK), copies of reports kept in PCM file (outside play equipment).
  • Shed doors to remain closed with bolt across to prevent access, when children are playing outside.
  • Sand Pit Cover to be removed prior to session and replaced at the end of the day.

Appropriate footwear must be worn

  • Pupils must wear appropriate footwear that provides good traction between feet and climbing equipment.
  • If staff feel that footwear is unsuitable they will use their discretion to restrict a child from a particular area of the garden.

Appropriate clothing must be worn for outside play

  • Coats/Jackets must be fastened to avoid clothes/belts catching on equipment/wheels.
  • Scarves should be worn inside coats and staff to be vigilant with items of clothing that have hoods ( that could get caught on protruding objects).
  • Sun Hats - notice to parents re: use of sun cream and covering shoulders. Consent for re-applying sun screen is on medical form.

Rules about use of sand:

  • Dug out not thrown
  • Damp down when drying out
  • Awareness of shade (heat from sand)
  • Discourage children from carrying sand into other areas of the playground
  • Children to help tidy the sand pit
  • Sweep sand around perimeter of sand pit playground after each session.
  • Sand to be open to children at every opportunity
  • Children encouraged to share sand toys.
  • Children will be asked to come out of the sandpit - if play is inappropriate after explanation of safety rules.

Outdoor Water Play

  • Water aprons to be worn.
  • Water emptied at the end of each day - at home time to allow water to drain away and dry up.
  • Staff need to be aware of the inherent danger of water play.
  • Water equipment stored outside blue classroom. Water trays to be emptied and stored outside blue patio doors, other water items to be stored in the storage unit.

Track

  • Bikes/scooters kept in 'track' area of playground
  • Adult intervention to reduce speed/risk of collisions.
  • Discourage bumping
  • Encourage correct use of bikes
  • Trikes to be lined up against the shed at tidy up time
  • Staff to remove from use, any bikes that fall into disrepair, notify MT/KD
  • Bark to be swept off track at the end of each session

Slide

  • Children can come down the slide head first if they are on their stomachs
  • Bottom of slide should be clear before a child slides down.
  • Children to go up the ramp and down the slide.
  • Establish turn taking.
  • Toys can be run down the slide/staff to explain to children. Appropriate levels of adult supervision at all times

New equipment and changes to the play area will require a risk assessment. (Refer to RA file/central office)

Monitoring and Evaluation:Through discussion at the SMT meetings followingfeedback from PANCO or other members of staff.

A governor on the teaching and learning committee will monitor the implementation of the policy and feed back to T and L committee (note of visit)

Key Development targets:

To ensure all children are participating in physical activity, routinely during session time.

To develop staff awareness through the control of portion size about the risk of obesity and our role in supporting families understanding of what this means in the Early Years.

Review: September 2014 or through action plan