staffing

5.1 Staffing 

Policy statement

We provide a staffing ratio in line with the Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage to ensure that children have sufficient individual attention and to guarantee care and education of a high quality. Our staff are appropriately qualified and we carry out checks for enhanced criminal records and barred list checks through the Disclosure and Barring Service in accordance with statutory requirements.

Procedures

To meet this aim we use the following ratios of adult to children:

• Children under two years of age: 1 adult : 3 children:

• at least one member of staff holds a full and relevant level 3 qualification and is suitably experienced in working with children under two;

• at least half of all other staff hold a full and relevant level 2 qualification;

• at least half of all staff have received training that specifically addresses the care of babies; and

• where there is an under two-year-olds’ room, the member of staff in charge of that room has suitable experience of working with under twos.

• Children aged two years: 1 adult : 4 children:

• at least one member of staff holds a full and relevant level 3 qualification; and

• at least half of all other staff hold a full and relevant level 2 qualification.

• Children aged three years and over: 1 adult : 8 children:

• at least one member of staff holds a full and relevant level 3 qualification; and

• at least half of all other staff hold a full and relevant level 2 qualification.

• We aim to follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements where a Qualified Teacher, Early Years Professional or other suitable level 6 qualified person is working directly with children aged three and over between the hours of 8am and 4pm. However, if a level 6 or QTS is not present as a member of staff there will always be an experienced EYE or NVQ 3 qualified practitioner in each room.

• there is at least one member of staff for every 13 children (QTS) 

• at least one other member of staff holds a full and relevant level 3 qualification.

• The number of children for each key person takes into account the individual needs of the children and the capacity of the individual key person to manage their cohort.  The key worker list may change as the dynamic of the room changes due to children leaving/joining or staff leaving/joining and children moving on to school during the summer term if the manager feels the children would benefit from the support of a Montessori Teacher for the last term.
• We only include those aged 17 years or older within our ratios. Where they are competent and responsible, we may include students on long-term placements and regular volunteers. 
• A minimum of two staff/adults are on duty at any one time; one of whom is either our manager or deputy.
• Our manager deploys our staff, students and volunteers to give adequate supervision of indoor and outdoor areas, ensuring that children are usually within sight and hearing of staff, and always within sight or hearing of staff at all times.
• All staff are deployed according to the needs of the setting and the children attending.
• Our staff, students and volunteers inform their colleagues if they have to leave their room or building and tell colleagues where they are going.
• Our staff, students and volunteers focus their attention on children at all times and do not spend time in social conversation with colleagues while they are working with children.

• We assign each child a key person to help the child become familiar with the setting from the outset and to ensure that each child has a named member of staff with whom to form a relationship. The key person plans with parents for the child’s well-being and development in the setting. The key person meets regularly with the family for discussion and consultation on their child’s progress and offers support in guiding their development at home.

• We hold regular staff meetings to undertake curriculum planning and to discuss children’s progress, their achievements and any difficulties that may arise from time to time.

Other useful Pre-school Learning Alliance publications

• Employee Handbook (2012)
• Recruiting Early Years Staff (2016)
• People Management in the Early Years (2016)