Arrival and collection of children policy

We have the following arrival and departure procedures in place to ensure the safety and security of all children:

Arrival of children

We will always ensure that all children and parents/carers receive a warm welcome to Pyrford Preschool when they arrive to the setting.

In the lobby area, there are hooks for the children to hang their coats and bags on.  Parents/carers are asked to encourage their child to find their name in one of the baskets by the notice boards.  They should then encourage their child to choose a hook and hang up their coat and bag, also placing their name on the hook.

On entry to the main hall, children and parents/carers are greeted by a member of staff on “door duty” and encouraged to go over to the table where children are helped to self register by finding their name again and placing it on a board.  There is usually a member of staff by the self registration table to assist as necessary. Snacks and water bottles are placed on the ‘snack table’ in the hall. Lunch boxes can be placed in the lobby area in the boxes provided.

We strive to build excellent partnerships with parents/carers and always like to make the time to chat, informally, to them at arrival and departure to ensure a two way flow of information.  

If parents/carers require a longer conversation, then the key person/member of staff may arrange a meeting for a later time.

The member of staff on duty by the door is there to make sure children do not leave unsupervised throughout the arrival of children to the Preschool.  Although they are able to provide a friendly welcome and chat briefly, they are unable to engage in lengthy conversations with parents as it may distract their attention.  They may have to refer parents/carers to another member of staff or arrange a meeting for a later time.

This member of staff will also take the formal register from 8.55am and close the register by approximately 9.15am. Arrivals after 9.15 will be recorded on the register and parents/carers should ring the doorbell if the doors have been locked.

Collection of children

We will ONLY release children from our care to parents/carers or another authorised person as recorded on your child’s Famly app profile or in the “Collection File”. 

If you know that your child is to be collected by someone different on a particular day, please ensure that a member of staff is informed beforehand.  You will be asked to write the details on a form which will be put into the “Collection File”.  We will agree with you how the identification of the person who is to collect will be verified (usually by a password and physical description).

In an emergency, when you unexpectedly have to arrange for a different person to collect your child, you should telephone the Preschool, on 07590467571.  We will ask you to give the name, a physical description of the new person collecting and a password, which will be checked before permitting the child to leave.

The Preschool will never release a child to an unauthorised person, even if the child seems to know the individual, without proper authorisation from the parent/carer.

Date policy written:         Aug 2011Last review November 2022