Smiles of Quorn, Club Handbook 2022

Wraparound childcare that you can trust.

“Children are very happy and excited to play. Children’s Safety is given the highest Importance.”

Learn more about Smiles of Quorn

Smiles of Quorn Ltd is a Breakfast and After School Club that is fully insured and Ofsted registered (URN: 2520112) , set up in response to a growing demand from working parents for a safe, happy, secure and stimulating childcare environment.

Our History

Smiles of Quorn was founded in 2018 by good friends and work colleagues, Rachel Marshall and Suzy Saddington, both of whom have many years experience working with children in a pre school as well as a primary school setting and both hold a Level 3 qualification in the Early Years Educator along with Paediatric First aid, Enhanced DBS certificate, safeguarding and many other related qualifications for childcare Since Suzy's departure from the business in 2021, Rachel has continued to lead Smiles of Quorn carrying forwards the same passion and ethos established when we first opened Both Rachel and Suzy are very proud of the childcare setting that Smiles of Quorn has become

Our Location

Smiles of Quorn is based in the village, just a healthy walk away from St Bartholomew’s Church of England Primary School, within the newly refurbished, modern and fantastic facilities at The Deep End, Rawlins Academy. Research shows that 4 out of 5 children are not getting enough exercise and at Smiles we see this walk to and from school as a great positive Just a short walk like this can help improve your child’s mood, self esteem and energy whilst keeping them healthy We also note the importance of the children not feeling the club is a continuation of their school day, the change of setting helps welcome the children into the relaxed and safe environment where they can play and socialise We also feel the lovely modern setting, with all its great outdoor facilities will benefit the children greatly

As a breakfast and after school club we follow the Playwork Principles, offering the children a free choice and independence whilst still providing a range of adult led activities Children will have the opportunity to engage in a range of activities including arts and crafts, construction, small world play, sports, quiet areas, book clubs, board games, literacy and numeracy zones, karaoke, dance, yoga and mindfulness Children also have access to outstanding outdoor facilities with courts, fields and a den building area We are always taking on board children’s comments and any suggestions to ensure all children enjoy the activities we have to offer

What we provide

At Smiles of Quorn, we understand the importance of healthy eating and therefore we provide a wide range of healthy and tasty breakfast and snacks for the children and always make fresh fruit, vegetables and salad available We promote independence, by encouraging the children to prepare their own snacks, another fun activity for the children, and to clear away after themselves with the supervision and support of the team. Children are encouraged to sit and enjoy their breakfast or snack within a social environment at the snack table We use fresh ingredients and follow statutory food hygiene guidelines, something that has been recognised by our achievement of a 5 star food hygiene rating at both of our previous inspections We will always meet individual dietary requirements and parental preferences wherever possible

Smiles of Quorn is run as a private limited company registered in England and Wales under the company number 11736038, now solely owned and managed by Rachel We enjoy a close working relationship with St.Bartholomew’s Church of England Primary School in order to ensure continuity of care and to maintain good communication links with your child’s education provider

Our aims We recognise each child as an individual with many diverse talents and skills We want children to be truly happy and content in our setting so that you as their parent/carer feel confident that your child is well looked after and enjoys the club

of parents/carers strongly agree that they made the right choice of childcare for their child

of parents/carers strongly agree or agree that their child is happy to attend the club

of parents/carers strongly agree that our staff are approachable and willing to discuss concerns

parents/carers strongly agree the quality of service reflects the fees charged

of parents/carers strongly agree or agree that their child has settled in quickly

Our Policies and Procedures

Smiles of Quorn has clearly defined policies and procedures. Key points of the main policies are included in this document Parents/carers can request to receive a copy of the full policies at any time Policies are reviewed annually, or sooner if required Please note these policies can be subject to updates and amendments at any point, and new policies may be implemented where there is such a need We will always endeavour to ensure any changes to policies are made in consultation with parents/carers at the club

Key policies can be downloaded on our website: www smilesofquorn co uk/policies

Administering Medication Admissions and Fees

Equalities

Child Induction Complaints

Confidentiality Coronavirus/COVID 19 Dangerous Plants Data Protection Emergency Evacuation/Closure Emergency Shutdown Environmental Policy

Early Years Foundation Stage Fire Safety Food Safety Health and Safety Healthy Eating Illness and Accidents

Internet Safety Intimate Care Involving Parents

Lone Working Manual Handling Missing Child Mission Statement Mobile Phone

No Platform Pandemic Flu Risk Assessment Safeguarding Safe Recruitment Smoking, Drugs and Alcohol Social Media Staff Behaviour Staff Disciplinary Staff Grievance

Staff Induction

Suspension and Exclusion Uncollected Children Visitors Whistleblowing

Our Team

Rachel Marshall

Owner and Managing Director

Rachel is an experienced and passionate Early Years Practitioner and Leader She holds a Level 3 NVQ in Children’s Care, Learning and Development, and has completed a wide range of training and additional qualifications during her 15 years in the early years and childcare sector Having managed pre schools and worked within a primary school, Rachel has experience of caring for children across various age ranges with different abilities and needs She looks forward to giving all the children of our very own 'Smiles Family' a fun and safe environment to come and enjoy every day!

Sharon Bunney Playworker

Sharon is an experienced out of school club practitioner, passionate about playwork and having fun! She holds a Level 3 Diploma in Childcare, and has completed training in Safeguarding (including Designated Safeguarding Lead Qualification), Paediatric First Aid and Food Hygiene

Grace Biggs Playworker

Grace is currently studying Psychology, History and Economics at Rawlins Sixth Form In addition to this, she has also completed a Level 1 Safeguarding qualification, a Prevent Training course, Pediatric First Aid and recently her Level 3 Diploma in Childcare! Grace has a clear passion for working with children, and in the future she hopes to become a primary school teacher after attending university.

Alice Crossley Playworker

Alice has many years experience of working with children as an Assistant Gymnastics Coach, providing a safe, structured and friendly environment for children as young as four. Her experience shines when leading engaging and exciting activities for the children at Smiles of Quorn She has completed various safeguarding training, including a Level 1 Qualification and Prevent Awareness, and is now working towards a coaching qualification

Maddie Gray Playworker

Maddie is a passionate dancer across a range of disciplines, and is joining the team with two years experience as a Teaching Assistant for the baby ballet classes of Charnwood School of Dance She has completed a Level 1 Safeguarding Qualification and Prevent training course Maddie enjoys getting to know the unique personalities of each child and is looking to pursue a future working with children as a Dance Teacher

Francesca Harvey Playworker

Francesca is an A Level student studying Drama, English Literature and Photography at Rawlins Sixth Form She has an interest in Childcare, starting as a volunteer here at Smiles of Quorn, and has completed both Level 1 Safeguarding and Prevent training courses In addition she is currently working towards her Level 3 Diploma in Childcare with the setting.

Harvey Marshall Cover Supervisor

Harvey has been at Smiles of Quorn since the setting first opened, most recently as Playleader before leaving full time to study Paramedic Science at University He has completed a Level 3 award in Children's Playwork and Designated Safeguarding Lead Qualification, as well as various childcare training Harvey helps with managing the setting behind the scenes and covers for Rachel if ever she could not be at the setting

You can learn more about each of our team on our website: www smilesofquorn co uk/our team

Terms and Conditions

Child Protection

We are dedicated to building a ‘culture of safety’ in which the children in our care are protected from abuse and harm Any suspicion of abuse is promptly and appropriately responded to We comply with local and national child protection procedures and ensure that all staff are fully trained For more details see our Safeguarding Policy

Admissions

Our club aims to be accessible to children and families from all sections of our local community Admission to the club is organised by the Manager and we use a waiting list system when the need arises The waiting list will be operated on a first come, first served basis, with the exception of priority for those who require the greatest number of sessions or those of siblings who will have priority for the same days as a sibling already attending See our Admission and Fees Policy for more details

We require a completed set of registration forms for your child before they can attend the club. This information will be treated as confidential and will be stored appropriately

Re enrolment for September is required at the end of the summer term. We cannot keep a place open for your child unless you complete an Annual Registration Update Form

Payment

The fees per session are:

Breakfast session Mon to Fri £6.50 per session (includes breakfast)

After School session Mon to Thurs £10 75 per session (includes a snack)

After School session Fri £12.25 per session (includes a snack)

Fees are payable monthly in advance by cash or bank transfer Wherever possible, we will always try to accept childcare vouchers, please talk to us to check that we are able to accept vouchers from your childcare voucher schemes and to allow us time to register with the required schemes

The price per session per child applies to all children. This is payable for all booked sessions including when your child does not attend (regardless of the amount of notice given) We do not charge for bank holidays and professional training days.

Please ensure that fees are paid promptly Charges may apply for late payments and non payment for more than one month may result in your place being terminated If you are having difficulty paying fees, please speak in confidence to the manager

Changes to days

and cancelling your place

You must give us four term time weeks notice of termination, or of permanent changes in attendance

For safeguarding purposes, our booking system does not allow for sessions to be ‘swapped’. If on one occasion you require an extra day, then please speak to the Manager We do try to accommodate 'ad hoc' bookings for children who are registered and attend on a regular basis wherever possible You will be charged for any extra sessions in addition to your permanent bookings

Temporary changes

Please remember that we need to know if your child will not be attending the club for any reason Even if you have informed your child’s school, you still need to notify us as the school does not automatically pass this information on to us. If your child does not attend a booked session, we will have to treat them as a ‘missing child’ unless you have notified us of their absence

If you know in advance of any days when your child will not be attending during the following weeks, please try to let the Manager know in advance In cases of illness or emergency when notice cannot be given, please call as soon as you can Contact details can be found at the end of this handbook

Induction

You and your child are welcome to visit the Club before your child's first day, please contact the Manager to arrange this We will also hold an open day before the start of each new academic year, a chance for you and your child to come and meet the team, familiarise yourselves with the setting and help your child settle in, more details on this will be made available nearer the time. During your child’s first session time will be set aside for an induction The induction will include running through the club rules and routines (including mealtimes, collection, children’s meetings), and introducing your child to the staff and other children Another child will usually be allocated to act as your child’s buddy for the first few sessions See our Child Induction Policy for more details

Arrivals and departures

Our staff drop off and collect children at/from St Bartholomew’s Church of England Primary School and escort them from/to the club’s site based a short walk away at ‘The Deep End’, Rawlins A register is taken when children arrive in our care, and you must sign out your child each day when you collect them We expect that your child will normally be collected by the people you have named on the registration form, either as a parent/carer or an emergency contact If you need a different person to collect your child on a particular day, you must notify us in advance. We will not release your child into the care of a person unknown to us without your authorisation See our Arrivals and Departures Policy for more details

To allow for sufficient time to eat breakfast, children must arrive at the club before 8:00 am. The club finishes at 5:30pm if you are delayed for any reason, please telephone the club to let us know A late collection fee of £10 per 15 minutes will be charged if you collect your child after the club has closed You may also be asked to contribute towards any extra staff wages and transport costs incurred If your child remains uncollected after 6:00pm and you have not warned us that you will be delayed, and we have been unable to reach you or any of your emergency contacts, we will follow our Uncollected Children Policy and contact the Social Care team

Special needs and equal opportunities

Smiles of Quorn is a safe and caring environment for your child, free from discrimination, for everyone in our community including children with additional needs.

● We respect the different racial origins, religions, cultures and languages in a multi ethnic society so that each child is valued as an individual without racial or gender stereotyping.

● We will challenge inappropriate attitudes and practices

● We will not tolerate any form of racial harassment

We make every effort to accommodate and welcome any child with special needs We will work in liaison with parents or carers and relevant professionals to fully understand your child’s specific requirements We will endeavour to accommodate all children of all abilities, whilst working within the Club’s limitations Each case will be considered individually and risk assessed to ensure everyone’s safety Our staff training programme includes specific elements relating to children with special needs. For more details on equal opportunities and special needs, see our Equalities Policy

General Information

Behaviour (children)

Children and staff work together to create rules for acceptable behaviour whilst at Smiles of Quorn These are displayed at the club for everyone to see We have a clear Behaviour Management Policy, a copy of which is distributed to all parents and carers At Smiles of Quorn, we promote an atmosphere of care, consideration and respect for everyone attending: children, staff and visitors We encourage appropriate behaviour through:

● praise for good behaviour and use of the “Golden Points” reward scheme

● emphasis on cooperative play and sharing

● talking to children with the courtesy that we expect from them

● engaging children in activities

The club has procedures for dealing with unacceptable behaviour We recognise that poor behaviour can occur from time to time for reasons that are not always evident. We will try to be flexible in order to accommodate such cases However, in the unlikely event your child is violent, or if their behaviour poses an immediate danger to themselves or others, we will require you to collect them from the club immediately. In exceptional circumstances, and only when all other attempts at behaviour management have failed, we reserve the right to permanently exclude a child from the club See our Suspensions and Exclusions Policy for full details

Behaviour (adults)

We will not tolerate from any person, whether a parent, carer or visitor: bullying; aggressive, confrontational or threatening behaviour; or behaviour intended to result in conflict Our Club is a place of safety and security for the children who attend and the staff who work here, and we reserve the right to ban anyone exhibiting inappropriate behaviour from our premises See our Aggressive Behaviour Policy for more details

Illness

We are unable to care for children who are unwell If your child becomes unwell whilst at the club, we will contact you and ask you to make arrangements for them to be collected. Please inform the Manager of any infectious illness your child contracts If your child has had sickness or diarrhoea, please do not send him or her to the club for 48 hours after the illness has ceased See our Illness and Accidents Policy for more details

Accidents and first aid

Every precaution is taken to ensure the safety of the children at all times, and the club is fully insured Our staff are trained in first aid and a first aid kit is kept on the premises If your child has an accident whilst in our care, you will be informed when you collect your child For full details see our Illness and Accidents Policy

Medication

Please let the Manager know if your child is taking prescribed medicine If your child needs to take medicine whilst at the club, you will need to complete a Permission to administer medication form in advance. See our Administering Medication Policy for more details

Complaints

If you have any queries, comments or need to discuss any matters concerning your child, please feel free to speak to the Manager, or any other member of staff. Verbal complaints will be brought to the next staff meeting for discussion and action All written complaints will be acknowledged within five working days of receipt and a full written response will be given within 28 days A full copy of our Complaints Policy is available on request and on our website

Privacy Notice

At Smiles of Quorn we respect the privacy of the children attending the club and the privacy of their parents or carers The personal information that we collect about you and your child is used only to provide appropriate care for them, maintain our service to you, and communicate with you effectively Our legal basis for processing the personal information relating to you and your child is so that we can fulfil our contract with you

Any information that you provide is kept secure. Data that is no longer required* is erased after your child has ceased attending our club We will use the contact details you give us to contact you via phone, email and post, so that we can send you information about your child, our club and other relevant news, and also so that we can communicate with you regarding payment of our fees

We will only share personal information about you or your child with another organisation if we:

● Have a safeguarding concern about your child

● Are required to by government bodies or law enforcement agencies

● Engage a supplier to process data on our behalf (e g , to issue invoices)

● Have obtained your prior permission

You have the right to ask to see the data that we have about yourself or your child, and to ask for any errors to be corrected We will respond to all such requests within one month You can also ask for the data to be deleted, but note that:

● we will not be able to continue to care for your child if we do not have sufficient information about them

● even after your child has left our care, we have a statutory duty to retain some types of data for specific periods of time* so we cannot delete everything immediately

* We do need to retain certain types of data (such as records of complaints, accidents, and attendance) for set periods of time after your child ceases to be in our care, but we delete as much personal data as we can as soon as possible

Pledge to Parents

Our Pledge

At Smiles of Quorn, we value our relationship with parents/carers and are committed to working in partnership with you to provide top quality play and care for your children We will:

● Welcome you at all times to discuss our work, have a chat or take part in our activities

● Keep you informed of opening times, fees and charges, programmes of activities, menus and procedures

● Be consistent and reliable to enable you to plan with confidence and peace of mind

● Share and discuss your child’s achievements, experiences, progress and friendships

● Be available to discuss decisions about running the club

● Keep you up to date with newsletters

● Listen to your views and concerns to ensure that we continue to meet your needs

Club