Step by step guide to creating an individual operational plan for your early years childcare setting.

Contents

• Introduction
• Designing your Operational Plan
• Background informationLink
• Aims and Objectives
• Staff
  • Recruitment, Selection and Retention
  • Structure
  • Qualifications
  • Roles
  • Volunteers, students and parent helpers
• Visitors
• What is it like for a child here?
• Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers
• Policies and Procedures
• Conclusion
• Relevant Documents

This guide has been produced the Devon Early Years and Childcare Service. If you have any queries about information within this page please contact 01392 385536.

Introduction

The aim of this guidance is to assist you in creating an Operational Plan, required as part of standard 2 in the National Standards (2.4). It has been devised as a basic step-by-step guide to help you include all the essential information needed to meet the National Standards.

This document does not constitute an Operational Plan but provides guidance to enable you to create your own.

This document bears particular importance since the changes to the Children Act 2005 regarding staff checks as the responsibility of each individual setting and no-notice inspections.

An Operational Plan is a portfolio or collection of all your policies and information on how your setting runs for your staff, parents/carers and Ofsted. Your Operational Plan should, as a minimum, include the points highlighted in this guidance. Refer to Standard 12.1

Within your Operational Plan you can be creative by using photos, flowcharts, diagrams, charts etc.

Remember: This is a working document and needs to reflect your individual group.

• Review the Operational Plan at least termly to ensure all information is current; this can be done at the same time as your self-evaluation form;
• Report all significant changes to Ofsted at the earliest opportunity (National Standard 14.3)
• To help Ofsted make judgements about the overall quality of your care (and where applicable nursery education) Inspectors will ask the important question 'What is it like for a child here?'. To do this they will judge how well you meet a series of outcomes for children that are set out in law. These outcomes are as follows:
  • Help children to be healthy;
  • Protect them from harm and neglect and help them stay safe;
  • Help them enjoy and achieve;
  • Help them make a positive contribution to your provision and the wider community;
  • Organisation - how well the setting is led and managed.

Please note

Numbers and text typed in italics are the National Standard's criteria you shoud meet.

Use your National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding and Addendum to the Standards as well as the Guidance to the National Standards plus two sets of revisions to certain criteria to ensure you are using this part of the Operational Plan to its full potential.

Extra copies of the National Standards or Guidance relevant to your childcare setting are available online on www.devon.gov.uk/docbank or from the Devon Early Years and Childcare Service on 0800 056 36 66.

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Designing your Operational Plan

Clearly write the name and any logos for your setting on the front cover of your Operational Plan.

By making your Operational Plan appealing, interesting and up to date, this document can then serve the purpose of informing parents.

If the Operational Plan doubles as information for parents you may choose not to include all the policies and procedures. You will then need to mark clearly from where these documents can be obtained.

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Background Information

This information is useful to those within the community considering attending your group. It is also invaluable when applying for outside funding for your group.

This should include:

• History of the group (how it started, when, where etc);
• Any developments;
• Location;
• Mention any previous funding.

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Aims and Objectives

Include a short statement outlining the goals and future plans of your group.

Give details of any changes you may be planning for the future.

This could include:

• The purpose of your group;
• Any plans for expansion;
• Future training plans;
• Any plans for Quality Assurance;
• How you are meeting local needs;
• How your setting follows the Birth to Three Matters Framework;
• How your setting follows the Foundation Stage Curriculum;
• How you meet the National Standards.

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STAFF

Recruitment, Selection and Retention

In this section you will need to make reference on how your staff is being managed. You can refer to your staff policies when talking about items such as contracts and grievance procedures etc.

Also include details about:

• Staff meetings;
• Staff appraisals;
• Supervision.

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Structure

The staff structure explains to parents the different roles of staff and their names within your group.

Explaining the deployment of staff will help you meet National Standard 2 Organisation (including Standard 2.7 adult:child ratio).

• Include the committee/employer/registered person, along with all staff and volunteers by name;
• The staff structure can be shown in many ways (flow chart, photos, lists).

The following is an example of a flow chart (Standard 2.2):

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Qualifications

This section will be useful information for parents. List further training and any training plans you have.

Ofsted will want to know staff qualifications along with the ratios of qualified staff and the qualifications held (2.5).

• You need to show that 50% of your members of staff are qualified to the standards set out in the National Standards 2.5. This could be presented in a table, list or as part of a picture gallery;
• Include all training ie First Aid 7.9, Child Protection 13.3, Health & Safety 2.5., Birth to Three 3.10, curricular and play training.

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Roles

It would be useful to explain the role of each member of staff.

Special emphasis should be given to the following roles:

• SENCO;
• Child Protection;
• First Aid;
• Fire Marshals.

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Volunteers, Students and Parent Helpers

This can be used to explain the expectations of staff concerning parent help.

You will need to ensure reference is made to the recruitment and retention policies and procedures that will need to undertaken by volunteers, students and parent helpers.

Explain the checks that are carried out on individuals (including the CRB checks) 1.2; Remember that Ofsted now only check the Registered Person (committee or owner) and Manager. It is vital that your recruitment policy ensures that robust procedures are in place in order that all new members of staff are thoroughly checked.

You need to consider:

• Policies concerning students and volunteers 1.2;
• Supervision of unvetted staff 1.3;
• A daily record must be kept of all volunteers, students and parent helpers. This can be included in the visitors’ book. 2.13 and 6.4;

Please note: Students on short term placements cannot be counted in the child:staff ratio. There may be exceptions when a student is over 17 years of age or over and completing an NVQ course, working at the setting throughout the whole course. 2.7

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Visitors

You will need to think about:

• What is your policy on visitors?;
• Where is this policy displayed?.

Make sure that it puts the safety of the children in your care and your staff first.

• What safety measures are in place to prevent visitors walking directly into the children’s area? Standard 6 Safety;
• What is the protocol followed during their visit? 6.4;
• All official visitors should carry a form of identification. If you are unsure of the validity of their visit, telephone their department to double check;
• It is better to be safe and sure than to be at risk.

Visitors’ book

This should include the following:

• Time of arrival and departure;
• Purpose of visit / organisation;
• Vehicle registration;
• Signature in / out.

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What is it like for a child here?

Children

This will provide information for parents on what your group offers and what they need to be aware of. This could be part of the parents’ handbook or prospectus for your group.

Include the following details:

• Files that will be kept on the children and how parents can access them 12.5;
• How long these files will be kept for 14.1;
• Systems that are used to care for the children, ie keyworker systems 2.3;;
• How parents can arrange a time to talk to the carers in the setting 12.3;
• Consent forms that may be asked for with relation to outings 6.12, photos displayed, transport 6.12, first aid procedures 7.10, medical 7.7; observations 3.6 and the general terms and conditions 12.1;
• Other policies that you hold.

Activities

Provide information for parents and Ofsted on the activities that are offered by your setting. 12.1

This can also help to provide evidence for Standard 3.

Include outings, general activities, planned topics etc. Where appropriate to your group include reference to Birth to Three matters, the Early Years curriculum, play opportunities and daily routines.

If there are more than one group at the same premises list them all separately.

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Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers

Hours of Operation

Give details of the hours of operation for your setting 12.1.

If you have more than one setting operating from the premises list all separately (e.g. Breakfast club, After School Club) with their opening times.

Consider your policies and procedures for late collection and uncollected children and any charges.

Information for Parents

Consider how information is made accessible to parents (newsletter, e-bulletin, notice board, different languages, Braille etc.)

Consider how to share confidential child information with parents on a daily basis using the key worker system.

You will need to make the parents aware of all your policies and procedures and where to find them.

You may consider the use of suggestions and comments box / questionnaires / open days, evenings, newsletters and posters.

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Policies and Procedures

A full list of all the records, policies and procedures as set out in the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding is set out below.

These need to be accessible to parents, members of staff and Ofsted at all times and reviewed regularly. The revision should be done at least once a term. Include within the revision your Ofsted self-evaluation form, which can be found in the Ofsted document ‘Are you ready for your inspection’.

Make sure that all your staff have read and signed that they have read the policies and procedures as Ofsted may ask your staff questions.

You may wish to include other policies and procedures that are not directly linked to the National Standards.

You may wish to give details of your procedures when carrying out risk assessments.

The following lists the policies under the headings of the five outcomes against which Ofsted will inspect your setting. Further details regarding how Ofsted inspect childcare settings are available in the Ofsted publication ‘Are you ready for your inspection?’.

Organisation (Std. 2)

• An Operational Plan
• Procedures for lost or uncollected children
• Staff/volunteer/committee member information
• Registration system for children and staff

Helping children enjoy and achieve (Std. 3)

• Planning of activities and opportunities for children
• Organisation of opportunities (incl. risk assessment)
• Meeting the needs of all ages and abilities surrounding care and education

Protecting Children from harm and neglect and helping them stay safe (Std. 6 & 13)

• Risk assessment
• Record of visitors
• Fire safety procedures / Fire safety records and certificates
• Operational procedures for outings
• Vehicle records including insurance
• List of named drivers
• Child protection statement

Helping children to be healthy (Std. 7 & 8)

• Administration of medicines policy
• Prior parental consent to administer medicines
• Record of medicines administered
• Prior parental consent for emergency treatment
• Accident record
• Sick children policy
• No smoking policy
• Individual children’s dietary needs records

Helping children make a positive contribution to the provision and the wider community (Stds. 9 – 12)

• Equal opportunities policy
• Inclusion policy
• Written statement about special needs
• Behaviour management policy
• Incident record
• Admissions policy
• Complaints procedure
• Record of complaints
• Activities provided for children

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Conclusion

• Keeping your Operational Plan up to date will assist with the preparation for your Ofsted inspection;
• It will help to demonstrate how you are meeting the National Standards;
• The Operation Plan should be available to Ofsted as soon as they arrive, this will allow staff to continue their duties;
• A good Operational Plan will tell the inspector everything they need to know, including where to find it;
• Above all this will demonstrate to your staff and parents your professional approach to the care of their children and how you keep the development, safety and quality of care of children as your highest priority at all times.

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Relevant Documents

• National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding
  • Full day care – ref. DfES/0621/2003
  • Sessional day care – ref. DfES/0653/2003
  • Out of school care – ref. DfES/0652/2003
  • Crèches – ref. DfES/6050/2003
  • Addendum October 2005 – ref. DfES/1832/2005
  • Birth to Three Matters Pack – ref. BIRTH
  • Special Educational Needs toolkit – ref. ISBN 184 185 5316
  • Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage – ref. QCA/00/587

Contact: DfES publication orderline: tel. 0845 60 222 60

• Guidance to the National Standards
  • Full day care – ref. HMI 287
  • Sessional day care – ref. HMI 288
  • Out of school care – ref. HMI 289
  • Crèches – ref. HMI 285
  • Revision to certain criteria September 2003 – ref. HMI 1786
  • Revision to certain criteria September 2005 – ref. HMI 2573
• Are you ready for your inspection? – ref. HMI 2447BB

Contact: Ofsted publication helpline: tel. 07002 637 833

• Policies, procedures and recruitment guidance for day care settings
• Marketing guide for childcare providers
• Health and safety at a childcare provision
• Recruitment, retention and selection guide
• Voluntary committee handbook
• Training directory
• Termly training bulletin

Contact: Early Years and Childcare helpline: 0800 056 36 66

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