VISITORS POLICY
Statement
Nelmes Pre-School welcomes visitors and operates and open door policy. Limitations may be placed on visitors to protect the safety of children and staff and to avoid unnecessary disruption. The Nursery Manager, Cheryl Kelly, (or the Deputy Manager, Jasmin Vitch) has the authority to determine which visits are to be permitted as well as the discretion to set any appropriate conditions on the nature of and extent of such visits. In exercising their discretion, the Nursery Manager will consider the purpose of the visit, the impact of the visitors’ presence and the relationship of any visitor to the children.
Nelmes Pre-School reserves the right to refuse entry to any person, which we may have reasonable doubt of their identity or visiting capacity, until that person’s identity can be confirmed, for example by means of a phone call to a professional body or company.
In instances where parents are separated both custodial and non custodial parents have rights to visit the nursery unless a court order exists restricting such contact. All visitors must sign the Visitors’ Book on arrival and departure. If a visitor is in the nursery for more than an hour, the nursery manager must point out fire procedures.
All visitors should wear a visitor’s badge to identify themselves to staff within the nursery.
A member of staff must accompany visitors in the nursery at all times while in the building;
at no time should a visitor be left alone with a child unless under specific circumstances arranged previously with the manager.
Security
• Staff must check the identity of any visitors they do not recognise before allowing them into the main nursery. Visitors to the nursery must be recorded in the Visitors’ Book and accompanied by a member of staff at all times while in the building.
• No visitor will be allowed to move freely around the setting unaccompanied unless that person is on the premises in a direct professional matter i.e. Care Inspectorate Inspector.
• All external doors must be kept locked at all times and external gates closed. All internal doors and gates must be kept closed to ensure children are not able to wander.
• Parents, visitors and students are reminded not to allow entry to any person, whether they know this person or not. Staff within the nursery should be the only people allowing external visitors and parents entry to the nursery
• The nursery will under no circumstances tolerate any form of harassment from third parties, including visitors, towards others, including children, staff members and parents.
2. PROCEDURE FOR WELCOMING VISITORS
All staff, parents/carers, children and visitors must only enter the nursery by way of the main entrance. The entrance door must never be opened by another Parent/Carer or Visitor. On answering the door staff must:-
1. Open the door and greet the visitor – ask the visitor to supply their name/and business and the reason for the visit/who they wish to see. Unless it is a parent enquiring about the nursery, all other visitors should be asked for proof of identity.
2. Unless the person is known to the nursery (i.e. usual contractors) or has a confirmed appointment, the visitor should be asked to wait at the door until the staff member has confirmed with the Management Team that the visitor can be allowed to enter the reception area.
3. Inform the visitor of our mobile phone policy – if they have a mobile phone with them they cannot bring it into the nursery and must therefore leave it in their car.
4. Visitors must then sign in at the reception area documenting their time of arrival and be issued a Visitor’s badge which must be worn for the duration of their visit.
5. Ask the visitor to wait in the reception area – do not allow the visitor into the nursery cloakroom area.
6. Inform the setting Manager/Deputy Manager if not already done so and they will then deal with the visit.
7. The visitor must sign out at the end of the visit recording their time of departure.
