Compliance Audit First Steps Children's Nursery (Rathvilly)

• Document No.

• First Steps Children's Nursery

  Select Whitwick Day Nursery Charnwood Day Nursery Kirby Muxloe Day Nursery Abington Park Day Nursery Redbourn House Nursery School Kinders Mill Day Nursery Silks Farm Day Nursery Busy Bees Montessori Nursery Lindum Day Nursery

  • Whitwick Day Nursery
  • Charnwood Day Nursery
  • Kirby Muxloe Day Nursery
  • Abington Park Day Nursery
  • Redbourn House Nursery School
  • Kinders Mill Day Nursery
  • Silks Farm Day Nursery
  • Busy Bees Montessori Nursery
  • Lindum Day Nursery

• Conducted on

  Date

• Auditor's name

• Location
  Address

• Date of the audit

  Date

• Audit start time

  Date

First impressions

• Does the approach to the nursery look clean, well maintained, inviting and free of rubbish?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the nursery's entrance area inviting and homely, with a well-presented parent's notice board and staff photo board?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Does the nursery overall look well kept and well maintained both inside and out?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Cleanliness and tidiness

• Do ALL areas of the nursery generally look and feel clean (e.g. free of excessive cobwebs, dust, dirt etc.)?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do the toilet areas (both staff and children"s) look and smell clean and are they tidy?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do all soft furnishings (e.g. sofas, curtains, carpets, rugs, cushions etc.) look clean and free of excessive dust, stains, dirt etc?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Does the nursery look tidy, free of clutter and well organised throughout, including in storage cupboards, the office, the staff room, the outside play area, the car park etc.?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Housekeeping

• Do all the staff / visitor toilets have hot water, soap and toilet paper available?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the nursery operating at a comfortable temperature?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the lint filter on the tumble dryer free from excessive fluff?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the filter in the vacuum cleaner reasonably clean and has the bag been emptied frequently enough?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Miscellaneous

• Are all staff members in the nursery in the correct uniform, wearing a name badge and complying with all other aspects of the nursery dress code requirements?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the maintenance manual up to date and jobs signed off?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Babies- 0-18mths

• Does the room appear 'safe'? Are there plug guards :widow locks: blind cords fixed; radiators at a 'touch' temperature?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are the babies engaged and actively playing/exploring?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are the experiences/ activities on offer interesting and age appropriate?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the planning up to date and reflect what is being observed?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all resources within Baby Unit age appropriate?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do the toys and other play equipment appear to be stored, presented and cared for properly?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are the displays bright and child focussed?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the baby changing area clean and organised with cloths and anti bacterial spray available for hygiene purposes?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the milk and food preparation area clean and well managed?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are staff interacting at an appropriate level?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do the staff know where their key children are developmentally and what they should be working on next? Ask each member of staff in the room.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the Baby Room monitoring log up to date and completed regularly?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is any information for parents well presented, spelt correctly and regularly updated?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do staff know who the DSL is and what to do if they suspect a child is being abused? Ask one member of staff at random.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do staff know what to do if a baby is choking? Ask one member of staff

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Toddlers- 18mths-2years

• Does the room appear 'safe'? Are there plug guards :widow locks: blind cords fixed; radiators at a 'touch' temperature?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are the children within this group actively engaged and playing purposefully with the toys / equipment presented?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are the areas of learning clearly defined?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are the planned activities interesting and challenging enough for this particular age group?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do the displays reflect the children's interests and show evidence that the children have been somehow involved in their creation?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are the toys and books in good condition, stored appropriately and accessible for the children

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do the staff know where their key children are developmentally and what they should be learning next?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the changing area clean and organised?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the adult/ child engagement observed at a high level?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is this groups monitoring log up to date?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do staff within this group know who the DSL is and what to do if they suspect that a child is being abused? Ask one member of staff.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do the staff know what to do if they suspect that a child is choking? Ask one member of staff.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

2-3 year Group

• Does the room appear 'safe'? Are there plug guards :widow locks: blind cords fixed; radiators at a 'touch' temperature?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are areas of learning clearly defined within the rooms?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are the planned experiences interesting, age appropriate and challenging?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are the children actively engaged in purposeful play?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do the displays reflect the age of the children within the group and contain their own work?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are the toys and books in good condition, stored appropriately and accessible for the children

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do the staff know where their key children are developmentally and what they should be learning next?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the adult/ child engagement observed at a high level?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is this groups monitoring log up to date?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do staff within this group know who the DSL is and what to do if they suspect that a child is being abused? Ask one member of staff.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do the staff know what to do if they suspect that a child is choking? Ask one member of staff.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Indoor play equipment

Outdoor play area

• Do there appear to be sufficient resources (quantity, quality and variety) in each area?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do the children?s learning journeys appear to be up to date, of a high standard and attractively presented? (Select 2 children per room at random)

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the planning board in Red Room up to date and does the planning that is on display appear to be of a high standard?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the planning board in Blue Room up to date and does the planning that is on display appear to be of a high standard?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the planning board in Pre School up to date and does the planning that is on display appear to be of a high standard?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the planning board in Aqua Room up to date and does the planning that is on display appear to be of a high standard?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is all the equipment that is kept outdoors appear to be suitable for outdoor use?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Does all the large outdoor equipment appear in good condition, clean and free from obvious defects?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Does the outdoor play area look tidy, well maintained and inviting?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Does the outdoor play area offer plenty of rich learning opportunities for the children?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Does the outdoor play area appear to be free from obvious hazards?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is there evidence that a member of staff has made a 'sweep' of the outdoor environment and assessed for risk at the beginning and end of each day?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Food safety

• Is the SFBB pack up to date and are all required sections properly completed by the Cook and Nursery Manager?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Does the kitchen look spotlessly clean, including behind, under, inside and on top of ovens/fridges/cupboards etc?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the kitchen in good overall condition and free of damaged/excessively worn surfaces that are difficult to keep clean?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all food items in the kitchen within their use-by date and appropriately stored? Are refrigerated and frozen foods labelled with a use-by date once opened? Check all cupboards and fridges and look out for food in cupboards that should be kept in the fridge once opened.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Choking

• Do all the rooms used by children under the age of 3 appear to be free of choking hazards? Look around carefully and check items with a choke test tube if not sure. Examples of potentially dangerous items include coins, chalk, crayons, playdough, marbles, buttons, plastic wrapping/bags, pen/marker caps, marbles and any toys that are damaged or marked as unsuitable for children under the age of 3.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is food being prepared in such a way as to minimise the risk of choking? (e.g. cooked carrots in strips, soft fruit cut into small pieces, hard fruit/veg peeled and then grated or cooked, cheese spread or grated, meat minced or in thin strips, fish bones removed).

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are staff members aware of what they should do if a child begins to choke at nursery? Question 3 staff members chosen at random.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Strangulation

• If mobiles are used on cots, are they high enough to be out of children?s reach even if they stand up? Are cots free from toys that hang across the cot?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all threading toys age appropriate?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all blind/curtain cords well out of the reach of children?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Trips and slips

• Does all the flooring in the nursery appear to be in good condition so that it doesn?t present a risk of trips or slips?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Does the nursery have a supply of warning signs to alert people when floors are wet? Are these used consistently every time there is a spillage or when a floor is wet from being cleaned? Question 3 staff members selected at random about what they would do if there were a spillage or if a floor was mopped.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are the car park and other outside areas free from obvious slip or trip hazards? For example, ice, moss, wet leaves, potholes.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Fire safety

• Is there a Fire Risk Assessment in place?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all fire doors (including the kitchen door) being kept closed at all times?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all fire exits and escape routes clearly marked, clear of any obstruction and easy to open from the inside?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the fire log book up to date and completed to a high standard?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Door security

• Are all doors leading out of children"s rooms, out of the nursery or into potentially hazardous areas (e.g. kitchen, storage rooms) fitted with a high handle or lock so that it would be impossible for a child to open the door without adult help?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all doors leading into the nursery from outside kept securely locked from inside so that an unauthorised adult would be unable to gain entry to the nursery?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Manual handling

• Are all nappy changing locations positioned in such a way that staff members do not have to twist their back when lifting a child on or off the changing mat?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all cots fitted with drop sides and is the side always dropped before lifting a child in or out of the cot to reduce the risk of back injury?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Allergy and diet management

• Are allergies and dietary requirements accurately recorded on 'Nursery Manager'? Check 5 children selected at random and compare the information in their file to the information recorded on 'Nursery Manager'?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is an up to date (i.e. no older than a month) allergy list printout displayed in the kitchen, all children?s rooms and in the office?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Do all children have a colour coded placemat with the correct information shown on it? Check 5 children selected at random from the allergy list printout.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• If there are any red-coded children attending the nursery, is there an individual risk assessment for each of them signed by someone at Area Manager level or above?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Medication management

• Do all prescribed medications on site at the time of the audit have an associated Prescribed Medicine Consent form that is completed fully, accurately and in pen?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is there evidence that written permission is given before non-prescribed medication is given? Ask to see 3 examples of completed forms for non-prescribed medication administered within the last month.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Hazardous chemicals

• Is the nursery free of unauthorised hazardous chemicals? Examples might include some types of glass cleaner, dishwasher cleaner, oven cleaner, wood treatment chemicals, paint etc. Check in cupboards, garages, sheds etc.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all potentially hazardous chemicals (including medication and equipment contaminated by hazardous chemicals) stored so that they are not accessible to children? In particular, check staff toilet areas, low cupboards, countertops, fridges in rooms etc.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Safeguarding

• Have the Nursery Manager and Deputy Manager both attended nominated person safeguarding training?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are staff aware of what the signs and symptoms of abuse may be and what they should do if they have any concerns or if a disclosure is made to them? Question 3 staff members selected at random.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the mobile phone policy adhered to by all staff?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Collection of children

• Is it clear to staff who is authorised to collect each child and what should happen if someone else tries to collect a child? Question 3 staff members about 2 children each and compare their responses to the information recorded on Kindersoft.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is the ?Collection Record Sheet? system being used correctly? Check collection records for the last 2 weeks.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Behaviour Management

• Do staff know how to manage behaviour appropriately? Ask a new member of staff, an apprentice and two others.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Accident recording

• Are all accidents being recorded properly? Review the 5 most recent accident forms for accuracy, completeness and professionalism.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Is there evidence that accident forms are being reviewed both individually and to identify patterns over time and that prompt action is taken to prevent a recurrence if appropriate?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Staff vetting

• Is the vetting process being completed consistently and to a high standard for all staff members before they are left alone with children? Check 3 staff files selected at random (including a starter within the last 6 months if possible) for completed and signed vetting forms and supporting evidence (e.g. references, ID, CRB check reference etc.).

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Staff training and reviews

• Is the nursery?s core training record up to date with all required training completed on time? Does it include all current staff members, including the Cook and Cleaner?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are new staff and apprentices monitored regularly and support put in place?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are staff members being inducted properly? Check the 3 most recent new starters and check that the relevant parts of their induction have been completed on time.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are staff reviews being completed consistently and on time (i.e. annual appraisal followed up six months later)? Do the reviews appear to be of a high standard, with clear next steps identified? Check 5 staff files selected at random.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Staffing ratios and deployment

• Are staffing ratios correct across the whole nursery at the time of the audit? (count the children and staff to make sure)

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are staff deployed in a sensible way across the nursery?

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Signing in and out

• Do staff consistently sign in and out when they arrive at or leave the nursery premises? Check all signing-in sheets for the last week.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are children consistently signed in and out of the nursery? Check all registers for at least 2 days in the last week.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Are all visitors always asked to sign in and out of the nursery? Check the visitor?s book for evidence of this.

  Yes

  No

  N/A

Final comments

• Please make detailed notes of any other issues you noticed during the audit and of any suggestions for improvement that you may have.

• Please sign here to confirm that the audit is complete

  Sign

• Time complete

  Date