Policies

Administering Medication Policy

If a child attending Loisirs à l’Ecole requires medication of any kind, their parent or carer must complete a Permission to administer medicine form in advance. Staff at the Club will not administer any medication without such prior written consent.

Ideally children should take their medication before arriving at the Club. If this is not possible, children will be encouraged to take personal responsibility for their medication, if appropriate. If children carry their own medication (eg asthma inhalers), the Club staff will offer to keep the medication safe until it is required. Inhalers must be labelled with the child’s name.

Prescription medication

Loisirs à l’Ecole staff must only administer medication that has been prescribed by a doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmacist. If a medicine contains aspirin we can only administer it if it has been prescribed by a doctor. All prescription medication provided must have the prescription sticker attached which includes the child’s name, the date, the type of medicine and the dosage.

Non-prescription medication

If a child requires a non-prescription medication to be administered, we will consider this on a case by case basis after careful discussion with the parent or carer. We reserve the right to refuse to administer non-prescription medication. 

Procedure for administering medication

A designated staff member will be responsible for administering medication or for witnessing self-administration by the child. The designated person will record receipt of the medication on a Medication Log, will check that the medication is properly labelled, and will ensure that it is stored securely during the session.

Before any medication is given, the designated person will:

• Check that the Club has received written consent
• Take steps to check when the last dosage was given
• Ask another member of staff to witness that the correct dosage is given.

When the medication has been administered, the designated person must:

• Record all relevant details on the Record of Medication Given form
• Ask the child’s parent or carer to sign the form to acknowledge that the medication has been given.

When the medication is returned to the child’s parent or carer, the designated person will record this on the Medication Log.

If a child refuses to take their medication, staff will not force them to do so. The manager and the child’s parent or carer will be notified, and the incident recorded on the Record of Medication Given.

Changes to medication

A child’s parent or carer must complete a new Permission to Administer Medication form if there are any changes to a child’s medication (including change of dosage or frequency) and the Medication Log must be updated

Long term conditions

If a child suffers from a long term medical condition the Club will ask the child’s parents to provide a medical care plan from their doctor, to clarify exactly what the symptoms and treatment are so that the Club has a clear statement of the child’s medical requirements.

Admissions and Fees Policy

At LOISIRS A L’ECOLE, we provide care for children between the ages of 2.5 and 11 years old,  serving the children of primary School Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle. 

Places are offered on a first-come first-served basis. When all places have been filled, a waiting list will be established.

Registration

When an enquiry regarding places is made, parents or carers will be given all the relevant Club information, including:

• Information regarding availability of places
• Details of the Admissions and Fees policy
• Registration form, medical form, parent contract, booking form, privacy notice, photo permission form
• Behaviour Management policy
• Complaints policy
• Club Handbook

The child will be able to attend the Club as soon as the completed forms are received.

If no places are available, the child’s name will  added to the waiting list. As soon as suitable places become available parents will be informed.

Booking procedure

Parents must complete the necessary paperwork, ie registration, medical, privacy notice, booking and photo permission forms…, before their children can attend the club.

• Permanent place:

Once booked, if a child does not attend for any reason, you will still be charged for this place.

• Temporary booking:

We will accept temporary or occasional bookings as long as there are places available. If a temporary place has been booked and is no longer required, the club must be given 48 hours’ notice. If notice is not given, the place will still be charged for.

Fee structure

• Fees are payable termly in advance
• Fees can be paid by electronic transfer
• There is a charge of £50 per 15mn for late collection

• Fees are charged for booked sessions whether the child attends or not

Payment of fees

Fees are reviewed annually.

If fees are not paid, the Club will write to the parent or carer, requesting payment.

Where there is no explanation for repeated late payment, the manager will contact the parents or carers to discuss payment options. The manager may issue a formal warning to the parent or carer informing them that continued late payment will result in their child’s place at the Club being withdrawn.

If the fees remain unpaid after all the above options have been explored, the Club may have to cancel the child’s place.

Aggressive Behaviour Policy

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE does 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 for the staff who work here.

Unacceptable behaviour

Unacceptable behaviour includes, but is not limited to the following:

• Shouting at members of staff, whether in person or over the telephone
• Threatening, abusive or intimidating online communications, including email and social media communication
• Physically intimidating a member of staff, eg standing too close or blocking their exit
• Using aggressive or abusive hand gestures, eg shaking a fist towards another person
• Any other threatening behaviour, both physical and verbal
• Swearing
• Physical violence: pushing, hitting, slapping, punching or kicking
• Spitting
• Racist or sexist or otherwise abusive comments.

At LOISIRS A L’ECOLE we do not tolerate such behaviour whether it is directed at the staff or at any of the children in our care.

Procedure

If a parent, carer or member of the public behaves in an unacceptable way towards a member of staff or a child attending the Club, we will take the following steps:

1. In order to ensure the safety of the children and to limit possible distress, we will remove them from the vicinity of the incident.
2. The manager or senior member of staff will seek to resolve the situation through calm discussion.
3. If the individual wishes to make a complaint we will encourage them to follow the Club’s Complaints procedure, or to complain directly to Ofsted if they so choose.
4. If the individual continues to behave in an aggressive and intimidating manner, we will insist that they calm down or leave the premises immediately.
5. If the individual refuses to calm down or leave the premises, the manager will contact the police without delay.

When the immediate incident has been resolved, the manager and staff will reflect on the incident, and decide whether it is appropriate to ban the individual from the premises for a period of time. The decision will take into account both the seriousness of the incident and whether the individual has behaved aggressively before.

When the incident has not been conducted face to face, such as in email correspondence, the manager or staff member will seek to resolve the matter through correspondence and invite the individual to discuss in person, if appropriate and safe to do so. The manager will then continue with steps 3 and 4 onwards of the process outlined above

If we decide that a ban is appropriate, we will write to the individual concerned to inform them of the reasons for the ban and its duration.

Related policies

See also: Equalities policy, Complaints policy, Safeguarding policy.

Anti-Bullying Policy

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE provides a supportive, caring and safe environment in which all children are free from the fear of being bullied. Bullying of any form is not tolerated in our club, whether carried out by a child or an adult.

Staff, children and parents or carers will be made aware of the Club’s position on bullying. Bullying behaviour is unacceptable in any form.

Any child who is a victim of bullying will be dealt with in a sympathetic manner. If bullying is suspected or reported, the incident will be dealt with immediately by the member of staff informed, and then discussed with the manager. An account of the incident will be recorded in an Incident log. All staff will be informed so that close monitoring of the victim and bully can begin. Parents of both parties will be informed.

Staff at LOISIRS A L’ECOLE are trained and supported to understand and support children’s behaviour in an appropriate way and recognise when children’s behaviour may be a sign that something isn’t quite right.

What is bullying?

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE  defines bullying as the repeated harassment of others through emotional, physical, psychological or verbal abuse.

• Physical: Pushing, scratching, spitting, kicking, hitting, biting, taking or damaging belongings, tripping up, punching or using any sort of violence against another person.
• Psychological: Behaviour likely to create a sense of fear or anxiety in another person.
• Emotional: Being deliberately unkind, shunning or excluding another person from a group or tormenting them. For example, making another person feel ‘left out’ of a game or activity, passing notes about others or making fun of another person.
• Verbal: Name-calling, put-downs, ridiculing or using words to attack, threaten or insult. For example, spreading rumours or making fun of another person’s appearance.

Racial harassment can take any of the forms of bullying listed above but is motivated by the victim’s colour, race, nationality, or ethnic or national origins. Incidents of racial harassment will be recorded as such on the Incident log. (See our Equalities Policy for more information on how we deal with and challenge discriminatory behaviour.)

Preventing bullying behaviour

Staff at LOISIRS A L’ECOLE will foster an anti-bullying culture in the following ways:

• Encouraging caring and nurturing behaviour
• Discussing friendships and encouraging group and team play
• Encouraging children to report bullying without fear
• Discussing the issues surrounding bullying with the children, including why bullying behaviour will not be tolerated
• Exploring the consequences of bullying behaviour with the children.

Responding to bullying behaviour

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE acknowledges that despite all efforts to prevent it, bullying behaviour is likely to occur on occasion. When such incidents occur, the Club will follow the procedure outlined below:

• We will address all incidents of bullying thoroughly and sensitively.
• Victims of bullying will be offered the immediate opportunity to discuss the matter with a member of staff who will reassure the child and offer support.
• They will be reassured that what they say will be taken seriously and handled sympathetically.
• Staff will support the individual who has been bullied, keeping them under close supervision, and checking their welfare regularly.
• If another child witnesses bullying and reports this, staff will reassure them that they have done the right thing. Staff will then investigate the matter.
• If a member of staff witnesses an act of bullying, involving children or adults at the club, they will inform the manager.
• Children who have bullied will be helped by discussing what has happened, establishing why the child became involved. Staff will help the child to understand why this form of behaviour is unacceptable and will encourage him/her to change their behaviour
• If the bullying persists, the parents will be informed, and we will work with them to try to resolve the issues.
• If this fails to stop the bullying, more serious actions may have to be taken, as laid out in the Suspensions and Exclusions policy.
• All incidents of bullying will be reported to the manager and will be recorded on an Incident Log. The manager and other relevant staff will review the Club’s procedures in respect of bullying, to ensure that practices are relevant and effective.

Related policies

Equalities policy, Suspensions and Exclusions policy

Children’s Behaviour Policy

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE recognises our responsibility to support, understand and managing children’s behaviour in an appropriate way. LOISIRS A L’ECOLE uses effective behaviour management strategies to promote the welfare, enjoyment and safety of children attending the Club. Working in partnership with parents, we aim to support children’s behaviour using clear, consistent and positive strategies, and with adults modelling positive behaviour. We recognise that supporting behaviour isn’t a universal approach and that we must develop strategies of support appropriate to each child, whilst balancing and maintaining the safety and enjoyment of all children who attend.

Whilst at LOISIRS A L’ECOLE  we will support children to:

• Use socially acceptable behaviour
• Understand and comply with the Club rules
• Respect one another, accepting differences of race, gender, ability, age and religion
• Develop their independence through self-discipline
• Choose and participate in a variety of activities
• Ask for help if needed
• Enjoy their time at the Club.

Encouraging positive behaviour

At LOISIRS A L’ECOLE  positive behaviour is encouraged by:

• Staff acting as positive role models
• Praising appropriate behaviour
• Informing parents through our Digipad platform
• Offering a variety of play opportunities to meet the needs of children attending the Club.

It is inevitable that as children develop and learn, there are times when they need support and guidance to understand that their behaviour is not acceptable. Staff at the Club will try to determine the cause or triggers of the inappropriate behaviour and work to support the child and make any necessary changes where possible to prevent the situation from recurring.

Dealing with inappropriate behaviour

• Unacceptable behaviour will be addressed in a calm, clear and positive manner.
• In the first instance, staff will remind the child that their behaviour is not acceptable
• Staff will engage in a private discussion with the child about why the behaviour displayed is deemed inappropriate.
• Staff will give the child an opportunity to explain their behaviour, to help prevent a recurrence.
• Staff will encourage and facilitate mediation between children to try to resolve conflicts through discussion and negotiation.
• If the inappropriate behaviour appears to be as a result of boredom, staff will consult with the child to find activities that more fully engage them and reflect on the environment, set up and suitability of play opportunities
• Staff will consult with parents to formulate clear strategies for dealing with persistent inappropriate behaviour.
• Staff will seek support wherever necessary from the child’s class teacher or other professional known to the family
• No staff member will ever threaten any punishment that could adversely affect a child’s well-being.
• Staff will always promote the dignity of, and respect for, the child in handling behaviour incidences

If after consultation with parents and the implementation of behaviour management strategies, a child continues to display inappropriate behaviour that poses a risk to themselves, staff or other children or property, the Club may decide to exclude the child in accordance with our Suspensions and Exclusions policy. The reasons and processes involved will be clearly explained to the child wherever appropriate and in line with the parent’s wishes

Physical intervention

Physical intervention will only be used as a last resort, when staff believe that action is necessary to prevent injury to the child or others, or to prevent significant damage to equipment or property. If a member of staff has to physically restrain a child, the manager will be notified, and an Incident record will be completed. The incident will be discussed with the parent or carer on the same day, or as soon as possible.

If staff are not confident about their ability to contain a situation, they should call the manager or, in extreme cases, the police.

All serious incidents will be recorded on an Incident record. This may be used to build a pattern of behaviour, which may indicate an underlying cause. If a pattern of incidents indicates possible abuse, we will implement child protection procedures in accordance with our Safeguarding policy.

Corporal punishment

Corporal punishment or the threat of corporal punishment will never be used at the Club.

We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that no child who attends our Club receives corporal punishment from any person who cares for or is in regular contact with the child, or from any other person on our premises.

Complaints Policy

At LOISIRS A L’ECOLE we aim to work in partnership with parents to deliver a high quality childcare service for everyone. If for any reason we fall short of this goal, we would like to be informed in order to amend our practices for the future. Our complaints policy is displayed on the premises at all times. Records of all complaints are kept for at least three years.

The manager is usually responsible for dealing with complaints. If the complaint is about the manager, the registered person or other senior member of staff will investigate the matter. Any complaints received about staff members will be recorded on an Incident log and a Complaints log will be completed. All complaints will be dealt with in the following manner:

Stage one

Complaints about aspects of Club activity:

• The manager will discuss the matter informally with the parent or carer concerned and aim to reach a satisfactory resolution.

Complaints about an individual staff member:

• If appropriate the parent will be encouraged to discuss the matter with staff concerned.
• If the parent feels that this is not appropriate, the matter will be discussed with the manager, who will then discuss the complaint with the staff member and try to reach a satisfactory resolution.

Stage two

If it is impossible to reach a satisfactory resolution to the complaint through informal discussion, the parent or carer should put their complaint in writing to the manager. The manager will:

• Acknowledge receipt of the letter within 7 days.
• Investigate the matter and including how it relates to our fulfilment of our statutory duties under EYFS and notify the complainant of the outcome within 28 days of receipt of the written complaint.
• Send a full response in writing, to all relevant parties, including details of any recommended changes to be made to the Club’s practices or policies as a result of the complaint, if applicable.
• Meet relevant parties to discuss the Club’s response to the complaint, either together or on an individual basis.

If child protection or wider safeguarding issues are raised, the manager will refer the situation to the Club’s Designated Safeguarding Lead, who will then contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and follow the procedures of the Safeguarding Children Policy. If a criminal act may have been committed, the manager will contact the police.

Making a complaint to Ofsted

Any parent or carer can submit a complaint to Ofsted about LOISIRS A L’ECOLE at any time if they believe that we are not meeting the requirements of our registration. Ofsted will consider and investigate all complaints. Ofsted’s email address is: [email protected]

Telephone:         0300 123 1231 (general enquiries)

0300 123 4666 (complaints)

Data Protection Policy

AtLOISIRS A L’ECOLE we respect the privacy of the children attending the Club and the privacy of their parents or carers, as well as the privacy of our staff. Our aim is to ensure that all those using and working at LOISIRS A L’ECOLE can do so with confidence that their personal data is being kept secure.

Our lead person for data protection is Mrs Stépahnie MARINOSCI. The lead person ensures that the Club meets the requirements of the GDPR, liaises with statutory bodies when necessary, and responds to any subject access requests.

Confidentiality

Within the Club we respect confidentiality in the following ways:

• We will only ever share information with a parent about their own child.
• Information given by parents to Club staff about their child will not be passed on to third parties without permission unless there is a safeguarding issue (as covered in our Safeguarding Policy).
• Concerns or evidence relating to a child’s safety, will be kept in a confidential file and will not be shared within the Club, except with the designated Child Protection Officer and the manager.
• Staff only discuss individual children for purposes of planning and group management.
• Staff are made aware of the importance of confidentiality during their induction process.
• Issues relating to the employment of staff, whether paid or voluntary, will remain confidential to those making personnel decisions.
• All personal data is stored securely in on a password protected computer

Information that we keep

The items of personal data that we keep about individuals are documented on our personal data matrix. The personal data matrix is reviewed annually to ensure that any new data types are included.

Children and parents: We hold only the information necessary to provide a childcare service for each child. This includes child registration information, medical information, parent contact information, attendance records, incident and accident records and so forth. Our lawful basis for processing this data is fulfilment of our contract with the child’s parents. Our legal condition for processing any health-related information about a child, is so that we can provide appropriate care to the child. Once a child leaves our care we retain only the data required by statutory legislation, insurance requirements and industry best practice, and for the prescribed periods of time. Electronic data that is no longer required is deleted and paper records are disposed of securely.

Staff: We keep information about employees in order to meet HMRC requirements, and to comply with all other areas of employment legislation. Our lawful basis for processing this data is to meet our legal obligations. Our legal condition for processing data relating to an employee’s health is to meet the obligations of employment law. We retain the data after a member of staff has left our employment for the periods required by statutory legislation and industry best practice, then it is deleted or destroyed as necessary.

Sharing information with third parties

We will only share child information with outside agencies on a need-to-know basis and with consent from parents, except in cases relating to safeguarding children, criminal activity, or if required by legally authorised bodies (eg Police, HMRC, etc). If we decide to share information without parental consent, we will record this in the child’s file, clearly stating our reasons.

We will only share relevant information that is accurate and up to date. Our primary commitment is to the safety and well-being of the children in our care. 

Where we share relevant information where there are safeguarding concerns, we will do so in line with Government guidance ‘Information Sharing Advice for Safeguarding Practitioners’ (www.gov.uk)

Some limited personal information is disclosed to authorised third parties we have engaged to process it, as part of the normal running of our business, for example in order to take online bookings, and to manage our payroll and accounts.

Subject access requests

• Parents/carers can ask to see the information and records relating to their child, and/or any information that we keep about themselves.
• Staff  can ask to see any information that we keep about them.
• We will make the requested information available as soon as practicable, and will respond to the request within one month at the latest.
• If our information is found to be incorrect or out of date, we will update it promptly.
• Parents /carers can ask us to delete data, but this may mean that we can no longer provide care to the child as we have a legal obligation to keep certain data. In addition, even after a child has left our care we have to keep some data for specific periods so won’t be able to delete all data immediately.
• Staff can ask us to delete their data, but this may mean that we can no longer employ them as we have a legal obligation to keep certain data. In addition, even after a staff member has left our employment we have to keep some data for specific periods so won’t be able to delete all data immediately.
• If any individual about whom we hold data has a complaint about how we have kept their information secure, or how we have responded to a subject access request, they may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

GDPR

We comply with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), regarding obtaining, storing and using personal data.

Early Years Foundation Stage Policy

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE is committed to meeting the requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage 2025 (EYFS). EYFS applies to all children from birth through to the end of their reception year. More information about EYFS is available from the Department for Education’s website.

As an out of school provider for school aged children, we are exempt within the EYFS from specific provision for children’s learning and development and assessment requirements as other providers are required to do. This is in recognition that children in this age group attend a primary education provider (usually school reception class) and we will work with the child’s parents and other providers as set out below in order to ensure that children’s needs are met (EYFS, 2025, Page 6)

The Club provides a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activities. The Club follows the playwork principles, allowing children to choose how they occupy their time, and never forces them to participate in a given activity.

We recognise the four overarching principles of EYFS:

• A Unique Child: Every child is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self assured. We use positive encouragement and praise to motivate the children in our care.
• Positive Relationships: Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships. We aim to develop caring, respectful, professional relationships with the children and their families.
• Enabling Environments with teaching and support from adults: Children learn and develop well in environments in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and where there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents/carers. We observe children in order to understand their current interests and development before planning appropriate play-based activities for them.
• Children develop and learn in different ways and at different rates. The EYFS framework covers the education and care of all children in Early Years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities. We tailor the experiences we offer the children in our care according to their individual needs and abilities.

Emergency Evacuation/Closure Procedure

LOISDIRS A L’ECOLE will make every effort to keep the Club open, but in exceptional circumstances, we may need to close at short notice.

Possible reasons for emergency closure include:

• Serious weather conditions
• Heating system failure
• Burst water pipes
• Fire or bomb scare/explosion
• Death of a member of staff or child
• Assault on a staff member or child
• Serious accident or illness

In the event of an emergency, our primary concern will be to ensure that both children and staff are kept safe. If it is necessary to evacuate the Club, the following steps will be taken:

• If appropriate the manager or session supervisor will contact the emergency services.
• All children will be escorted from the building to the assembly point using the nearest safe exit.
• No attempt will be made to collect personal belongings, or to re-enter the building after evacuation.
• A nominated member of staff will check the premises and will collect the register (including emergency contact details) providing that this does not put anyone at risk.
• Before leaving the building the nominated person will close all accessible doors and windows, if it is safe to do so.
• The register will be taken and all children and staff accounted for.
• If any person is missing from the register, the emergency services will be informed immediately.
• The manager will contact parents to collect their children. If the register is not available, the manager will use the emergency contacts list (which is kept off site).
• All children will be supervised until they are safely collected.
• If after every attempt, a child’s parent or carers cannot be contacted, the Club will follow its Uncollected Child procedure.

If the Club has to close, even temporarily, or operate from alternative premises, as a result of the emergency, we will notify Ofsted. 

Ofsted’s address is: Ofsted, Piccadilly Gate, Store Street, Manchester M1 2WD

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 0300 123 1231

Equalities Policy

At LOISIRS A L’ECOLE we will take all reasonable measures to ensure that we provide a safe and caring environment, free from discrimination, for everyone in our community including children with additional needs.

To achieve the Club’s objective of creating an environment free from discrimination and welcoming to all, the Club will:

• 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.
• Not discriminate against children on the grounds of disability, sexual orientation, class, family status, HIV/Aids status or other protected characteristic.
• Strive to ensure that children feel good about themselves and others, by celebrating the differences which make us all unique individuals.
• Ensure that its services are available to all parents/carers and children in the local community.
• Ensure that the Club’s recruitment policies and procedures are open, fair and non-discriminatory.
• Work to fulfil all the legal requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
• We will monitor and review the effectiveness of our inclusive practice by conducting an Inclusion Audit on an annual basis.

Challenging inappropriate attitudes and practices

We will challenge inappropriate attitudes and practices by engaging children and adults in discussion, by displaying positive images of race and disability, and through our staff modelling anti-discriminatory behaviour at all times.

Harassment

The Club will not tolerate any form of racial or discriminatory harassment on any basis. The Club will challenge racist and discriminatory remarks, attitudes and behaviour from the children at the Club, from staff and from any other adults on Club premises (eg parents/carers collecting children).

Promoting equal opportunities

• Staff receive relevant and appropriate training
• The Equalities policy is consistent with current legislation and guidance
• Appropriate action is taken wherever discriminatory behaviour, language or attitudes occur.

Children with additional needs

Our Club recognises that some children have additional needs or disabilities that require particular support and assistance. We will assess the individual needs of each child in consultation with their parents prior to their attending the Club, and will make reasonable adjustments including additional adult support where possible and reasonable, to ensure that children can access our services and are made to feel welcome.

Fire Safety and Fire Risk Assessment

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE understands the importance of fire safety. To this end:

• Staff are aware of the location of all fire exits, the fire assembly point and where fire safety equipment is stored.
• Children are introduced to the fire safety procedures during their settling in period and through regular fire drills.
• Fire drills are conducted termly.
• All children are shown the location of fire exits and the fire assembly point.
• Fire doors and fire exits are clearly marked, are not obstructed at any time and are easily opened from the inside.
• Fire doors are kept closed at all times but never locked.
• Fire extinguishers, fire alarms are regularly tested in accordance with manufacturer’s guidance.
• The Club has notices explaining the fire procedure.

Fire prevention

The Club will take all steps possible to prevent fires occurring by:

• Ensuring that power points are not overloaded with adaptors.
• Ensuring that the Club’s No Smoking policy is always observed.
• Checking for frayed or trailing wires.
• Unplugging all equipment before leaving the premises.

In the event of a fire

• A member of staff will raise the alarm and call the emergency services.
• The children will immediately be escorted out of the building to the assembly point using the nearest marked exit.
• No attempt will be made to collect personal belongings, or to re-enter the building after evacuation.
• The premises will be checked by the Fire Safety Officer and the register will be collected, providing that it is safe to do so.
• The Fire Safety Officer will close all doors and windows to prevent the spread of fire when they leave the building if it is safe to do so.
• The register will be taken and all children and staff accounted for.
• If anyone is missing from the register, the emergency services will be informed.
• If the register is not available the manager will use the emergency contacts list (which is kept off the premises) to contact parents or carers.
• If the Fire Safety Officer is not present at the time of the incident, the manager will assume responsibility or nominate a replacement member of staff.

Responsibilities of the Fire Safety Officer

The Club’s Designated Fire Safety Officer is M. Daniel NUNES. The Fire Safety Officer is responsible for carrying out the fire safety risk assessment and for ensuring that all staff are made aware of fire safety procedures during their Induction period.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires that a fire safety risk assessment is undertaken for the workplace based on The Department of Communities and Local Government’s 5 step guide: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/14899/fsra-5-step-checklist.pdf

The risk assessment should cover:

• Identifying potential fire risks
• Identifying people at risk
• Evaluating the risks arising from the hazards identified and the means of minimising those risks
• Recording the hazards, preparing a fire prevention plan and sharing these with other members of staff
• Reviewing the fire safety risk assessment on a regular basis.

The Fire Safety Officer should liaise with the local Fire and Rescue Service for further advice and should ensure that Emergency Contact details are recorded at the front of the register and a copy stored off premises.

First Aid, Illnesses, Infection Control & Accidents

At LOISIRS A L’ECOLE we will promote the good health, including oral health of the children that we look after. We will deal promptly and effectively with any illnesses, accidents or injuries that occur while children are in our care. We take all practical steps to keep staff and children safe by taking appropriate action if children are ill or infectious. This keeps children and staff safe from communicable diseases.

All parents or carers must complete the Medical Form when their child joins the Club, requesting permission for emergency medical treatment for their child in the event of a serious accident or illness.

We will record any accidents or illnesses, together with any treatment given, on an Incident Record or Accident Record sheet as appropriate.

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE cannot accept children who are ill or infectious. If any children are ill when they first arrive at the Club we will immediately notify their parents or carers to come and collect them. Any children who have been ill or infectious should not return to the Club until they have fully recovered, or until after the minimum exclusion period has expired (see table at the end of this policy).

First aid

The Club’s Paediatric First Aid trained staff are displayed within the club at all times. These members of staff have a current paediatric first aid certificate and have attended a 12 hour paediatric first aid course, which complies with the requirements of Annex A of the EYFS. This training will be renewed every three years.

To ensure that there is a qualified paediatric first aider present and available at all times we will take into account the number of children and layout of the premises to ensure that first aiders are able to respond quickly to any incident. Other staff who do not hold Paediatric First Aid 12 hour training will be available to ensure timely and effective first aid response to any incident requiring attention.

The location of the first aid box and a list of qualified first aiders are clearly displayed at the Club. The designated First Aider and manager regularly check the contents of the first aid box to ensure that they are up to date, appropriate for children and comply with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981.

Procedure for a minor injury or illness

The first aider at the session will decide upon the appropriate action to take if a child becomes ill or suffers a minor injury.

• If a child becomes ill during a session, the parent or carer will be asked to collect the child as soon as possible. The child will be kept comfortable and will be closely supervised while awaiting collection.
• If a child complains of illness which does not impair their overall wellbeing, the child will be monitored for the rest of the session and the parent or carer will be notified when the child is collected.
• If a child suffers a minor injury, first aid will be administered and the child will be monitored for the remainder of the session. If necessary, the child’s parent will be asked to collect the child as soon as possible.

Procedure for a major injury or serious illness

In the event of a child becoming seriously ill or suffering a major injury, the first aider at the session will decide whether the child needs to go straight to hospital or whether it is safe to wait for their parent or carer to arrive.

• If the child needs to go straight to hospital, we will call an ambulance and a member of staff will go to the hospital with the child. The staff member will take the child’s Medical Form with them and will consent to any necessary treatment (as approved by the parents on the Medical Form).
• We will contact the child’s parents or carers with all urgency, and if they are unavailable we will call the other emergency contacts that we have on file for the child.
• After a major incident the manager and staff will review the events and consider whether any changes need to be made to the Club’s policies or procedures.
• We will notify Ofsted and child protection agencies in the event of any serious accident, injury, illness or death of a child in our care as soon as reasonably possible and within 14 days at the latest.
• We will notify HSE under RIDDOR in the case of a death or major injury on the premises (eg broken limb, amputation, dislocation, etc – see the HSE website for a full list of reportable injuries).

Infection Control

Hand hygiene is one of the most important ways of controlling the spread of infections, especially those that children are especially susceptible to. We will ensure access to soap, warm water and paper towels are available at all times. In the case where this is not possible, alcohol hand gel can be used on hands that are not visibly dirty.

All children will be reminded to clean their hands after using the toilet, before eating and handling food and at other times necessary (such as messy activities).

Our setting is cleaned regularly and to a set schedule. We will take advice of the UKHSA health protection team should any outbreak of infection at our setting be noted.

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE follows the advice set out in the UK Government guidance ‘Health Protection in Children and Young People settings’ on the prevention of infection, including Covid-19.

Communicable diseases and conditions

If a case of head lice is found at the Club, the child’s parents or carers will be discreetly informed when they collect the child. Other parents will be warned to check their own children for head lice, but care will be taken not to identify the child affected.

If an infectious or communicable disease is detected on the Club’s premises, we will inform parents and carers as soon as possible.

If there is an outbreak of a notifiable disease at the Club, we will inform the local health protection unit, HSE under RIDDOR (if appropriate), and Ofsted.

Useful contacts

Health Protection Unit: [insert number of your local HPU]

Ofsted: 0300 123 1231

RIDDOR Incident Contact Unit: 0845 300 99 23

Food Safety Policy

Supervision whilst eating

Whilst children are eating there must always be a member of staff in the room with a valid paediatric first aid certificate.

Children must always be within sight and hearing of a member of staff whilst eating.

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE recognises that choking can be completely silent, therefore visual supervision of children’s faces whilst eating is part of our everyday practice. Staff will remain vigilant that children are eating in a way that prevents choking and are ready to react to any unexpected allergic reactions.

Allergies and dietary requirements

Before a child is admitted to the setting LOISIRS A L’ECOLE will obtain information about any food allergies and intolerances that the child has. This information will be shared with all staff involved in supervising snack break.

Staff Training and Allergen Awareness

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE ensures that all staff are aware of the symptoms and treatments for allergies and anaphylaxis, the differences between allergies and intolerances and that children can develop allergies at any time.

Incident Recording

When a child experiences a choking incident that requires intervention, LOISIRS A L’ECOLE staff must record details of where and how the child choked and make parents and/or carers aware.

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE will review records periodically to identify if there are trends or common features of incidents that could be addressed to reduce the risk of choking. Appropriate action will be taken to address any identified concerns during this review process and following any incidents of concern during snack break at  our club.

Health and Safety Policy

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE considers health and safety to be of utmost importance. We comply with The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 at all times.

The Club has appropriate insurance cover, including employer’s liability insurance and public liability insurance.

Each member of staff follows the Club’s Health and Safety policy and is responsible for:

• Maintaining a safe environment
• Taking reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others attending the Club
• Reporting all accidents and incidents which have caused injury or damage or may do so in the future
• Undertaking relevant health and safety training when required to do so by the manager.

Any member of staff who disregards safety instructions or recognised safe practices will be subject to disciplinary procedures.

Responsibilities of the registered person

The registered person for the setting holds ultimate responsibility and liability for the safe operation of the Club. The registered person will ensure that:

• They nominate a Health and Safety Officer. The designated health and safety officer is Ms Thida Tep.
• A copy of the current Health and Safety At work poster is displayed
• All staff receive information on health and safety matters, and receive training where necessary
• The Health and Safety policy and procedures are reviewed regularly
• Staff understand and follow health and safety procedures
• Resources are provided to meet the Club’s health and safety responsibilities including evacuation, fire detection and control and suitable resourcing.
• All accidents, incidents and dangerous occurrences are properly reported and recorded. This includes informing Ofsted, child protection agencies and the Health and Safety Executive under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995) where appropriate.
• All reported accidents, incidents and dangerous occurrences are reviewed, so that preventative measures can be taken.

Responsibilities of the manager

The Club’s manager is responsible for ensuring that at each session:

• Premises are clean, well lit, adequately ventilated and maintained at an appropriate temperature
• The premises are used by and solely available to the Club during opening hours
• All the Club’s equipment is safely and securely stored
• A working telephone is available on the premises at all times
• Chemicals and cleaning materials are stored appropriately, and in accordance with COSHH data sheets.
• External pathways are cleared in severe weather

Security

Children are not allowed to leave the Club premises during the session.

During Club sessions all external doors are kept locked, with the exception of fire doors. Staff monitor the entrances and exits to the premises throughout the session.

Security procedures will be regularly reviewed by the manager, in consultation with staff and parents.

Toys and equipment

All furniture, toys and equipment are kept clean, well maintained and in good repair. We select toys, equipment and resources with care, and we carry out risk assessments before the children are allowed to use them. Broken toys and equipment are disposed of promptly.

Food and personal hygiene

Staff at Out of School Club maintain high standards of personal hygiene, and take all practicable steps to prevent and control the spread of infection.

• A generally clean environment is maintained at all times.
• Toilets are cleaned daily and soap and hand drying facilities are always available.
• Waste is disposed of safely and all bins are kept covered.
• Staff ensure that children wash their hands before handling food or drink and after using the toilet.
• Cuts and abrasions (whether on children or staff) are kept covered.

Dealing with body fluids

Spillages of blood, vomit, urine and faeces will be cleaned up immediately in accordance with our Intimate Care policy.

Staffing levels

Staff ratios and levels of supervision are always appropriate to the number, ages and abilities of the children present, and to the risks associated with the activities being undertaken. A minimum of two members of staff are on duty at any time.

Related policies

See also our related policies: Illness and Accidents, Emergency Evacuation, Healthy Eating, Safeguarding, Administering Medication, Risk Assessment, Manual Handling, Fire Safety, and Intimate Care, Visitor.

Missing Child Procedure

At LOISITRS A L’ECOLE we are always alert to the possibility that children can go missing during sessions. To minimise the risk of this happening staff will carry out periodic head counts.

If a child cannot be located, the following steps will be taken:

• All staff will be informed that the child is missing.
• Staff will conduct a thorough search of the premises and surrounding area.
• After 10 minutes the police will be informed. The manager will then contact the child’s parents or carers.
• Staff will continue to search for the child whilst waiting for the police and parents to arrive.
• We will maintain as normal a routine as possible for the rest of the children at the Club.
• The manager will liaise with the police and the child’s parent or carer.

The incident will be recorded in the Incident Log. A review will be conducted regarding this and any other related incidents along with relevant policies and procedures. We will identify and implement any changes as necessary.

If the police or Social Care were involved in the incident, we will also inform Ofsted.

Useful numbers

Ofsted: 0300 123 1231

Mission Statement

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE aims to provide high quality childcare within a warm and welcoming environment. The individuality of each child in our care will be respected and nurtured.

Aims and objectives

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE aims to:

• Offer an inclusive service, accessible to all children at the primary school of the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle
• Ensure each child feels happy, safe and secure, allowing them to learn and develop freely in a play centred environment
• Encourage children to take responsibility for themselves and their actions
• Encourage children to develop positive attitudes and respect for themselves and others, in an environment free from bullying and discrimination
• Offer a programme of activities which meets the needs of each child, promoting their physical, intellectual, emotional and social development, enabling them to become confident, independent and co-operative individuals
• Review and evaluate our services to ensure that we continue to meet the needs of children in our care
• Keep parents and carers informed about changes in the administration of the Club and to listen and respond to their views and concerns
• Communicate effectively with parents and carers any difficulties that may arise
• Comply with the Children’s Act 1989, the Childcare Act 2006, and all other relevant legislation

Mobile Phone & Wearable Technology Policy

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE accepts that mobile technology is part of the ever changing digital environment that we live and work in. LOISIRS A L’ECOLE continues to foster a ‘culture of safety’ in which the children and staff are protected from abuse, harm, and distress.  We therefore have a clear policy on the acceptable use of mobile phones, tablet computers and wearable technology that have imaging and sharing capabilities, that is understood and adhered to by everyone; staff, children and parents.

Abiding by the terms of the club’s policy ensures that we all:

• Protect children from harm and abuse
• Ensure privacy is respected and online safety is preserved
• Prevent staff from being subject to false allegations
• Help staff remain focused on the care of children
• Work in an open and transparent environment.

With the evolution of mobile phones, tablet computers and wearable technology that have camera facilities and sharing capabilities as standard, it is of the upmost importance that the way we deal with technology is managed safely.

Staff use of mobile phones, tablet computers and wearable technology

Only tablet computers that are owned and maintained by The Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle are permitted to be used on site. These have appropriate safeguards for their use and the use of the image taking capabilities.

Wearable technology such as Smartwatches and Fitbits (this list is not exhaustive) are permitted to be worn by staff.

If a member of staff needs to make an urgent personal call they can use their mobile in the corridors or playground.

If a member of staff has a family emergency or similar and needs to keep their mobile phone to hand, prior permission must be sought from the Manager or Deputy.

Under no circumstances may staff use their personal mobile phones or wearable technology to take photographs at the club during working hours.

Children’s use of mobile phones

Whilst we understand that some children have mobile phones, and wearable technology such as smart watches. We actively discourage them from using their phones within the club and  wearable technology is not permitted

The club does not accept any responsibility for loss or damage to mobile phones brought to the club by the children.

Children must not use their mobile phone to take photographs of any kind whilst at the club. If they want a photograph of a particular activity they can ask a member of staff to take one using the club camera.

Guidance

To safeguard children and practitioners online, our staff will be encouraged to refer to “Safeguarding children and protecting professionals in early years settings: online safety considerations”. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-children-and-protecting-professionals-in-early-years-settings-online-safety-considerations)

Related policies

See also: Safeguarding Children policy.

No Platform Policy

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE is committed to providing a safe and caring environment, where children are free from discrimination and protected from abuse, harm and radicalisation. As part of this commitment we aim to ensure that neither our Club sessions nor our premises are used to promote extremist beliefs or discriminatory views.

Key principles

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE  will not allow its Club sessions nor its premises to be used:

• To promote or express extremist ideological, religious or political views
• To promote or express discriminatory views in relation to the protected characteristics cited in the Equality Act 2010
• For any reason by an organisation that is proscribed by the Home Secretary under The Terrorism Act 2000.

Definition of terms

Premises: The room, space or building used by the Club while it is running a session.

Extremist views: Extremism is defined in the Prevent Strategy as “vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We also include in our definition of extremism, calls for the death of members of the armed forces, whether in this country or overseas.”

Protected characteristics: The characteristics protected under The Equality Act 2010 are:

• Age
• Disability
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion and belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation

Proscribed organisations: A list of proscribed organisations can be downloaded here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/proscribed-terror-groups-or-organisations–2

Related policies

See also: Equalities policy, Safeguarding policy

Play Policy

All children are entitled to play; it is intrinsic to their quality of life and an important part of how they learn and enjoy themselves.

According to the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (2025), “Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, relate to others, set their own goals, and solve problems. Children learn by leading their own play, and by taking part in play and learning that is guided by adults.”

At LOISIRS A L’ECOLE we recognise the importance of play to a child’s development and follow the Playwork Principles. As playworkers we support and facilitate play, and do not seek to control or direct it. We will never force children to participate in play but allow children to initiate and direct the experience for themselves.

Facilitating play

We support and facilitate play by:

• Providing an environment which is safe and suitable for playing in.
• Providing a range of equipment, resources and activities on a daily basis
• Encouraging children to request additional or alternative equipment as they choose, and if a request has to be refused, explaining why.
• Not expecting children to be occupied at all times.
• Making outdoor play available every day, unless the weather is particularly bad.
• Planning activities that enable children to develop their natural curiosity and imagination.
• Allowing children freedom of creative expression, particularly in artistic or creative play.
• Intervening in play only when necessary: to reduce risks of accident or injury, or to encourage appropriate social skills.
• Warning children in advance when an activity or game is due to end. 

Play areas and equipment

• All indoor and outdoor play areas are checked and risk assessed daily before the children arrive in accordance with our Risk Assessment policy.
• The Club keeps an inventory of resources and equipment, which is updated regularly and reviewed to identify where any additional resources are required.
• The resources used at the Club promote positive images of different ethnic backgrounds, religions, and abilities, in line with our Equalities policy.

Risk Assessment Policy

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE  uses its risk assessment systems to ensure that the Club is a safe and secure place for children and staff. All staff are expected to undertake risk assessments as part of their routine tasks.

In line with current health and safety legislation and the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (2025), the Club will carry out regular risk assessments and take appropriate action to deal with any hazards or risks identified. It is the responsibility of the manager to ensure that risk assessments are conducted, monitored and acted upon.

Risk assessments will be carried out:

• whenever there is any change to equipment or resources
• when there is any change to the Club’s premises
• when the particular needs of a child necessitates this

Not all risk assessments need to be written down. Staff will decide, in consultation with the manager, which risk assessments need to be formally recorded. However risk assessments related to employment and the working environment will be always be recorded in writing so that staff can refer to them.

If changes are required to the Club’s policies or procedures as a result of the risk assessment, the manager will update the relevant documents and inform all staff.

Daily checks

Before the children arrive at the club each day, we will complete a daily environment check form/carry out a visual inspection of the equipment and the whole premises (indoors and out). Environment check forms will be reviewed regularly, to ensure that hazards are removed. During the course of the session, staff will remain alert to any potential risks to health and safety.

If a member of staff discovers a hazard during the course of a session, they will make the area safe (eg by cordoning it off) and then notify the manager. The manager will ensure that any actions needed to mitigate the immediate hazard have been taken and will implement measures to prevent the incident from recurring.

Recording dangerous events

The manager will record all accidents and dangerous events on the Incident or Accident Record sheets as soon as possible after the incident. The Club will monitor Incident and Accident Records to see whether any pattern to the occurrences can be identified.

Related policies

See our related policies: Fire Safety and Risk Assessment, Health and Safety, and Manual Handling.

Safe Internet Use

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE recognises that the internet is a useful resource for both staff and children, for purposes of research, homework and entertainment. However it must be used with care to ensure that children are kept safe from exposure to harmful material, in accordance with the EYFS safeguarding and welfare requirements and the Prevent Duty.

Parental permission

Children will only be allowed to access the internet at the Club if their parent or carer has given written permission.

Guidelines for children

A printed copy of the SMART guidelines are kept next to the computer. The guidelines are explained to any children wishing to access the internet:

Safe: Keep safe by not giving out personal information – such as name, email, phone number, address, or school name – to people who you don’t trust online.Meeting: Never agree to meet anyone you have only met online unless your parent or carer is with you.Accepting: Do not accept emails or instant messages, or open files, images or texts from people you don’t know. They can contain viruses or nasty messages.Reliable: Not all the information found on the Internet is reliable and people you meet online won’t always be telling the truth.Tell: Tell a member of staff or your parents if someone or something you encounter online makes you feel uncomfortable.

Protecting children

We have put in place the following safeguards to keep children safe whilst accessing the internet on the Club’s computers:

• A risk assessment has been undertaken.
• Parental controls have been activated on all computers accessible to children:
  • Google SafeSearch Filtering is turned on
  • YouTube Restricted Mode is set to on
• The computers are located so that the screens can easily be seen from the rest of the room.
• Staff keep a close eye on children and the sites that they are accessing when they use the internet.
• The computers have an up to date virus checker and firewall installed.
• The computers’ browser histories are regularly checked to monitor which sites are being accessed. All staff and children are informed of this fact.

If, despite the safeguards the Club has put in place, a child encounters harmful material on the internet, or receives inappropriate messages, or experiences online bullying, whilst using the Club’s computers, the manager will be informed and the incident will be noted on an Incident Record. The child’s parent will be asked to sign the Incident Record. The manager will investigate how to prevent a reoccurrence of the incident.

If staff at the Club become aware that a child is deliberately attempting to access sites containing sexual, extremist or otherwise inappropriate material, or has been shown such material by a third party, they will complete a Logging a concern form and refer the matter to the Club’s designated Child Protection Officer in accordance with our Safeguarding Children Policy.

Related policies

See also: Safeguarding Children Policy, Social Media Policy, Mobile Phones policy

Safeguarding Policy

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE is committed to building a ‘culture of safety’ in which the children in our care are protected from abuse, harm and radicalisation.

The Club will respond promptly and appropriately to all incidents or concerns regarding the safety of a child that may occur. The Club’s child protection procedures comply with all relevant legislation.

There is a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) available at all times while the Club is in session. The DSL coordinates safeguarding and child protection issues, supports practitioners with safeguarding concerns and liaises with external agencies (eg Social Care and Ofsted).

The Club’s designated DSL is Séverine King.

The Club has detailed procedures for suitability checking for new recruits. These procedures are detailed in our Safe Recruitment policy and all staff responsible for recruitment ensure safe and robust recruitment practice is followed at all times.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:

• Providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge
• Protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online
• Preventing the impairment of children’s mental and physical health and development
• Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
• Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

Child abuse, neglect and exploitation

Child abuse, neglect and exploitation is any form of physical, emotional or sexual mistreatment or lack of care that leads to injury or harm. An individual may abuse, neglect or exploite a child directly, or by failing to protect them from harm. Some forms of child abuse,  neglect and exploitation are listed below.

• Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child so as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve making the child feel that they are worthless, unloved, or inadequate. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.
• Physical abuse can involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may be also caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes, ill health to a child.
• Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. This can involve physical contact, or non-contact activities such as showing children sexual activities or encouraging them to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.
• Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and emotional needs. It can involve a failure to provide adequate food, clothing and shelter, to protect a child from physical and emotional harm, to ensure adequate supervision or to allow access to medical treatment.
• Domestic Abuse: Psychological, physical, sexual, financial, and emotional.

Signs of child abuse, neglect and exploitation

Signs of possible abuse, neglect and exploitation may include:

• significant changes in a child’s behaviour
• deterioration in a child’s general well-being
• unexplained bruising or marks
• comments made by a child which give cause for concern
• reasons to suspect neglect or abuse outside the setting, eg in the child’s home, or that a girl may have been subjected to (or is at risk of) female genital mutilation (FGM), or that the child may have witnessed or be living with domestic abuse
• inappropriate behaviour displayed by a member of staff, or any other person. For example, inappropriate sexual comments, excessive one-to-one attention beyond the requirements of their role, or inappropriate sharing of images.

If abuse is suspected or disclosed

When a child makes a disclosure to a member of staff, that member of staff will:

• reassure the child that they were not to blame and were right to speak out
• listen to the child but not question them
• give reassurance that the staff member will take action
• record the incident as soon as possible (see Logging an incident below).

If a member of staff witnesses or suspects abuse, they will record the matter straightaway using the Logging a concern form. If a third party expresses concern that a child is being abused, we will encourage them to contact Social Care directly. If they will not do so, we will explain that the Club is obliged to and the incident will be logged accordingly.

All staff recognise that children may not feel ready or know how to tell someone that they are being abused, exploited or neglected and/or they may not recognise their experiences as harmful. This could be due to their vulnerability, disability or language barriers. They may also feel embarrassed, humiliated or are being threatened. Our staff recognise this and where they have any concerns about a child they will raise these with the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) without unreasonable delay.

Female genital mutilation (FGM)

FGM is an illegal, extremely harmful practice and a form of child abuse and violence against women and girls. FGM is therefore dealt with as part of our existing safeguarding procedures. All of our staff receive training in how to recognise when girls are at risk of FGM or may have been subjected to it.

If FGM is suspected or disclosed

We will follow the same procedures as set out above for responding to child abuse and will make a report to Children’s Social Care directly and in line with existing safeguarding procedures and in line with our mandatory reporting duty. We will make a report to the police by calling 101, the single non-emergency number, if it has been disclosed that either:

• a girl under 18 that an act of FGM has been carried out on her; or

• observe physical signs which appear to show that an act of FGM has been carried out on a girl under 18 and they have no reason to believe that the act was necessary for the girl’s physical or mental health or for purposes connected with labour or birth.

Child-on-Child abuse

Children are vulnerable to abuse by their peers. Child-on-Child abuse is taken seriously by staff and will be subject to the same child protection procedures as other forms of abuse. Staff are aware of the potential uses of technology and the internet for bullying and abusive behaviour between young people.

Staff will not dismiss abusive behaviour as normal between young people. The presence of one or more of the following in relationships between children should always trigger concern about the possibility of peer-on-peer abuse:

• Sexual activity (in primary school-aged children) of any kind, including sexting
• One of the children is significantly more dominant than the other (eg much older)
• One of the children is significantly more vulnerable than the other (eg in terms of disability, confidence, physical strength)
• There has been some use of threats, bribes or coercion to ensure compliance or secrecy.

If child-on-child abuse is suspected or disclosed

We will follow the same procedures as set out above for responding to child abuse.

Extremism and radicalisation

All childcare settings have a legal duty to protect children from the risk of radicalisation and being drawn into extremism. There are many reasons why a child might be vulnerable to radicalisation, eg:

• feeling alienated or alone
• seeking a sense of identity or individuality
• suffering from mental health issues such as depression
• desire for adventure or wanting to be part of a larger cause
• associating with others who hold extremist beliefs

Signs of radicalisation

Signs that a child might be at risk of radicalisation include:

• changes in behaviour, for example becoming withdrawn or aggressive
• claiming that terrorist attacks and violence are justified
• viewing violent extremist material online
• possessing or sharing violent extremist material

If a member of staff suspects that a child is at risk of becoming radicalised, they will record any relevant information or observations on a Logging a concern form, and refer the matter to the DSL.

At LOISIRS A L’ECOLE  all staff are aware that abuse, neglect, exploitation and safeguarding issues are rarely standalone issues and events. In most cases multiple issues will overlap. Staff recognise that children might be at risk of harm inside and outside of their time in our club, inside and outside of their home and whilst online. Our team exercise professional curiosity to help identify early signs of abuse, neglect and exploitation and act early in cases where children might need our help or protection.

All staff at LOISDIRS A L’ECOLE are aware of the indicators of abuse, neglect and understand that children can be at risk of harm inside and outside of the school, inside and outside of home, and online.

Staff exercising professional curiosity and knowing what to look for is vital for the early identification of abuse and neglect so that staff are able to identify cases of children who may be in need of help or protection.

All staff, but especially the designated safeguarding lead should consider whether children are at risk of abuse or exploitation in situations outside their families. Extra familial harms take a variety of different forms and children can be vulnerable to multiple harms including (but not limited to) sexual abuse (including harassment and exploitation), domestic abuse in their own intimate relationships (teenage relationship abuse), criminal exploitation, serious youth violence, county lines and radicalisation.

All staff at LOISIRS A L’ECOLE are aware that technology is a significant component in many safeguarding and wellbeing issues. Children are at risk of abuse and other risks online as well as face to face. In many cases abuse and other risks will take place concurrently both online and offline. Children can also abuse other children online, this can take the form of abusive, harassing, and misogynistic/misandrist messages, the non-consensual sharing of indecent images, especially around chat groups, and the sharing of abusive images and pornography to those who do not want to receive such content. In all cases, if staff are unsure, they always speak to the designated safeguarding lead or a deputy.

Logging a concern

All information about the suspected abuse, disclosure or concern, will be recorded on the Logging a concern form as soon as possible after the event. The record should include:

• date of the disclosure, or the incident, or the observation causing concern
• date and time at which the record was made
• name and date of birth of the child involved
• a factual report of what happened. If recording a disclosure, you must use the child’s own words
• name, signature and job title of the person making the record.

The record will be given to the Club’s DSL who will decide on the appropriate course of action.

For concerns about child abuse, the DSL will contact Social Care immediately in line with the local reporting procedures. The DSL will follow up all referrals to Social Care in writing within 48 hours.

If a member of staff thinks that the incident has not been dealt with properly, they may contact Social Care directly.

For minor concerns regarding radicalisation, the DSL will contact the Local Authority Prevent Co-ordinator. For more serious concerns the DSL will contact the Police on the non-emergency number (101), or the anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321. For urgent concerns the DSL will contact the Police using 999.

Allegations against staff

If anyone makes an allegation of child abuse against a member of staff:

• The allegation will be recorded on an Incident record form. Any witnesses to the incident should sign and date the entry to confirm it.
• The allegation must be reported to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) immediately and to Ofsted. The LADO will advise if other agencies (eg police) should be informed, and the Club will act upon their advice. Any telephone reports to the LADO will be followed up in writing within 48 hours.
• Following advice from the LADO, it may be necessary to suspend the member of staff pending full investigation of the allegation.
• If appropriate, the Club will make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Promoting awareness among staff

The Club promotes awareness of child abuse and the risk of radicalisation through its staff training. The Club ensures that:

• the designated DSL has relevant experience and receives appropriate training in safeguarding and the Prevent Duty, and is aware of the Channel Programme and how to access it
• DSLs receive Level 3 training every 2 years, with regular updates throughout this period
• all staff receive safeguarding training meeting the requirements of EYFS Annex C, which is refreshed at a maximum of 2 year intervals. 
• annual refresher training will be offered to all to help maintain basic skills.
• procedures to ensure only suitable individuals are recruited, including obtaining references before employment commences, conducting identity and qualification checks, and recording all vetting information as part of safer recruitment processes are understood and followed by all responsible for recruitment, in line with our Safe Recruitment Policy
• all staff have a copy of this Safeguarding Policy, confirm their understanding of its contents and are vigilant to signs of abuse, neglect or radicalisation
• all staff are aware of how to respond in a timely way at the earliest opportunity
• all staff are aware of their statutory duties with regard to the disclosure or discovery of child abuse, and concerns about radicalisation
• safeguarding is a permanent agenda item at all staff meetings ensuring the whole team communicates well and are kept up to date
• all staff receive basic training in the Prevent Duty
• staff are supported to understand how to keep themselves safe and how to blow the whistle should they be concerned about another adults behaviour or practise
• staff are familiar with the Safeguarding File which is kept in the DSL office.
• the Club’s procedures are in line with the guidance in ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023)’ and staff have read and are familiar with ‘What To Do If You’re Worried A Child Is Being Abused (2015)’.
• The DSL provide support, advice and guidance to all practitioners on an ongoing basis, and on any specific safeguarding issue as required.

Use of mobile phones and cameras

Photographs will only be taken of children with their parents’ permission. Only the club camera will be used to take photographs of children at the Club, except with the express permission of the manager. Neither staff nor children may use their mobile phones or wearable technology such as smart watches to take photographs at the Club. For more details see our Mobile Phone, Tablet Computers and Wearable Technology Policy.

Contact numbers

Social Care: 020 7361 3013

Social Care out of hours contact: 020 7361 3013 

LADO : 07870 481 712: Aqualma Daniel

Local Authority Prevent Co-ordinator: 020 8753 5727

Police: 101 (non-emergency) or 999 (emergency)

Anti-terrorist hotline: 0800 789 321

NSPCC: 0808 800 500

Ofsted: 0300 123 1231

Social Media Policy

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE recognises that many staff enjoy networking with friends and family via social media. However we have to balance this against our duty to maintain the confidentiality of children attending our Club, as well as ensuring that our good reputation is upheld. Staff must remember that they are ambassadors for our Club both within and outside of working hours and are expected to conduct themselves accordingly when using social media sites.

This policy covers (but is not limited to) social media platforms such as:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Tumblr
• Instagram
• Clubhouse
• TikTok
• Personal blogs and websites
• Comments posted on third party blogs or websites
• Online forums
  
  

Social media rules

When using social media sites, staff must not:

• Post or discuss anything that could damage our Club’s reputation.
• Post anything that could offend other members of staff, parents or children using our Club.
• Publish any photographs or materials that could identify the children or our Club.
• Accept invitations from parents to connect via social media (eg friend requests on Facebook) unless they already know the parent in a private capacity.
• Discuss with parents any issues relating to their child or our Club. Instead invite the parent to raise the issue when they are next at the Club, or to contact the Manager if the matter is more urgent.

Any member of staff who posts content or comments that breach confidentiality or which could harm the reputation of our Club or other staff members, or who publishes photographs of the setting or children, will face disciplinary action in line with our Staff Disciplinary policy. 

General cautions for using social media

When using social media in any context it is wise to bear in mind the following points:

• No information published via the internet is ever totally secure; if you don’t want information to become public, do not post it online.
• Once an image or information is in the public domain, it is potentially there forever – Google never forgets!
  
  

Related policies

See also: Mobile Phone policy, Data Protection policy, Staff Disciplinary policy, Safeguarding policy.

Staff Behaviour Policy

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE expects all members of staff to follow our Staff Behaviour Policy, which sets clear guidance on the standards of behaviour required from our staff. The guidance aims to encourage staff to meet the highest possible standards of conduct. Club staff are in a position of trust and influence as role models for the children in their care, and as such must demonstrate behaviour that sets a good example to all users of the setting.

Club staff also have a responsibility to maintain their reputation and the reputation of the Club, both during and outside of working hours. 

Behaviour

Our staff team are ambassadors for LOISIRS A L’ECOLE and we expect them to conduct themselves professionally at all times. Staff should treat anyone attending the Club (children, parents/carers) courteously and with respect.

We expect staff to value all the children as individuals and to comply with the Club’s Equalities policy at all times.

Swearing and abusive behaviour are not tolerated from anyone at the Club. If any member of staff exhibits such behaviour they will be subject to the Club’s disciplinary procedures.

For more details see our Aggressive Behaviour policy and Staff Disciplinary policy.

Dress code

Whilst working at LOISIRS A L’ECOLE staff will need to help to set up and pack away the setting, facilitate craft activities and engage in physical activities with the children. The clothing and footwear worn should be chosen accordingly, taking into account comfort, health and safety, and practicality. Revealing or excessively tight clothing is not acceptable.

Confidentiality and social media

Staff must not pass on any information about children attending the Club, or their parents and families, to third parties without their permission. The only exception to this rule is information sharing with specific external agencies if there is a safeguarding issue. (‘Third parties’ includes other parents, friends, other children at the Club, the press, etc.)

Posting any material relating to the Club or its users on social media sites (unless expressly permitted by the Manager) is forbidden. Any staff who breach this rule will face disciplinary action.

See our Data Protection policy, Social Media policy, Safeguarding policy and Staff Disciplinary policy for more details.

Use of mobile phones, wearable technology and cameras

Staff personal mobile phones must be kept in their personal bag during working hours.

If a member of staff needs to make an urgent personal call they can use make their mobile in the corridor or playground.

If a member of staff has a family emergency or similar and needs to keep their mobile phone to hand, they must obtain prior permission from the Manager.

Staff may only use the club camera to take photographs of children at the Club, except with the express permission of the Manager.

Staff must never use their personal mobile phones, wearable technology or cameras to take photographs at the Club during working hours. Doing so will be considered gross misconduct and may result in dismissal.

Wearable technology such as Smartwatches and Fitbits (this list is not exhaustive) are permitted be worn by staff. They may only use as a watch when working with children.

See our Mobile Phone and Wearable Technology policy, Safeguarding policy and Staff Disciplinary policy for more details.

Smoking, alcohol and drugs

Staff are not permitted to smoke anywhere on the Club premises, including the outside play areas. This includes Vaping and E-cigarettes

Staff are not permitted to bring alcohol or illegal drugs onto the Club premises. If a member of staff arrives at work under the influence of alcohol or drugs they will be asked to leave immediately and disciplinary action will be taken.

If a member of staff is taking prescription drugs which might affect their ability to function effectively, they must inform the Manager immediately and seek medical advice as to whether the medication will affect their ability to care for children effectively.

Any prescribed medication needed by a staff member whilst at the Club, must be stored safely in the [insert location eg in a specific tray, box, cupboard, staff room, kitchen, etc] out of reach and sight of the children attending the Club.

See our Smoking, Alcohol and Drugs policy for more details.

Staff Conduct and Suitability

Staff are expected to maintain high standards of behaviour and are expected to disclose any convictions, cautions, reprimands, warnings or other incidences that may affect their suitability to work with children. This is an ongoing commitment and expectation upon staff who are required to complete a termly declaration of continued suitability.

Low level concerns will be dealt with through the supervision procedures with your immediate line manager. Allegations about staff conduct will be handled in line with the staff disciplinary policy.

Any member of staff should feel confident to raises concerns about safe practice or other concerns about adults working with children in confidence and in line with the whistleblowing policy.

Gross misconduct

Staff will be dismissed without notice if they are found to have committed an act of gross misconduct. Examples of gross misconduct include, but are not restricted to:

• Child abuse
• Failing to comply with health and safety requirements
• Physical violence
• Ignoring a direct instruction given by the manager
• Persistent bullying, sexual or racial harassment
• Being unfit for work through alcohol or illegal drug use
• Theft, fraud or falsification of documents
• Being disqualified under the terms of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (Section 75 of the Childcare Act 2006) or the Children’s Act 1989.

The Manager will investigate the alleged incident thoroughly before any decision to dismiss is made. For full details see our Staff Disciplinary policy.

Suspensions and Exclusions Policy

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE will deal with negative and inappropriate behaviour by using constructive behaviour management techniques. We will involve staff, parents and children to tackle disruptive and challenging behaviour collectively.

We acknowledge that some children will require additional support in order to achieve acceptable levels of behaviour. Where we identify a child with these needs, we will work closely with the parents or carers to deal with the inappropriate behaviour in accordance with our Behaviour Management policy.

Where a child persistently behaves inappropriately, we will implement the following procedure:

1. Give the child a formal warning; staff will explain why the behaviour is unacceptable along with the consequences of further incidents.
2. Staff will encourage the child to discuss their behaviour, to explain their actions and to identify strategies for avoiding such incidents in the future.
3. Details of formal warnings, suspensions and exclusions will be recorded on an Incident record and kept in the child’s records.
4. The formal warning will be discussed with the child’s parents, and all staff will be notified.

Staff will inform the manager if a child’s behaviour warrants suspension or exclusion.

We will only suspend or exclude a child from the Club as a last resort, when all other behaviour management strategies have failed or if we feel that children or staff are at risk.

Suspensions and exclusions will be fair, consistent and appropriate to the behaviour concerned, and will take account of the child’s age and maturity as well as any other factors relevant to the child’s situation.

Temporary suspensions

Temporary suspensions will be applied in the following situations:

• Where formal warnings have failed to improve a child’s persistent, challenging and unacceptable behaviour.
• In the event of an extremely serious or dangerous incident we will suspend a child with immediate effect. We will contact the parents and ask that the child be collected immediately. Immediate suspensions require the manager’s agreement.

The Club may temporarily suspend the child for a period of up to 15 consecutive days. If the Club takes this step, we will discuss our concerns with the parents/carers in order to work together to promote a more desirable pattern of behaviour.

At the end of the suspension period the manager will meet with the parents/carers and the child, in order to agree any conditions relating to the child’s return to the Club.

Permanent exclusion

In exceptional circumstances, and only when all other attempts at behaviour management have failed, it may be necessary to permanently exclude a child from the setting.

If a child is excluded from the Club, the parents/carers will be given a verbal and written explanation of the issues and subsequent actions. They have the right to appeal to the manager against the exclusion within 14 days of receiving written notification of the exclusion.

Uncollected Children Policy

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE endeavours to ensure that all children are collected by a parent or carer at the end of each session. If a child is not collected, and the parent or carer has not notified us that they will be delayed, we will follow the procedure set out below:

Up to 15 minutes late

• When the parent or carer arrives they will be reminded that they must call the Club to notify us if they are delayed.
• The parent or carer will be informed that penalty fees will have to be charged (unless the delay was genuinely unavoidable).

Over 15 minutes late

• If a parent or carer is more than 15 minutes late in collecting their child, the manager will try to contact them using the contact details on file.
• If there is no response from the parent or carer, messages will be left requesting that they contact the Club immediately. The manager will then try to contact the emergency contacts listed on the child’s registration form.
• While waiting to be collected, the child will be supervised by a member of staff.
• When the parent or carer arrives they will be reminded that they must call the Club to notify us if they are delayed, and that penalty fees will have to be charged (except in exceptional circumstances).

Over 30 minutes late

• If the manager has been unable to contact the child’s parents or carers after 30 minutes, the manager will contact the local Social Care team for advice.
• The child will remain in the care of the Club’s staff, on the Club’s premises if possible, until collected by the parent or carer, or until placed in the care of the Social Care team.
• If it is not possible for the child to remain at the Club’s premises, a note will be left on the door of the Club informing the child’s parent or carer where the child has been taken (eg to the home of a staff member or into the care of a safeguarding agency) and leaving a contact number. A further message will be left on the parent or carer’s telephone explaining events.

Managing persistent lateness

The manager will record incidents of late collection and will discuss them with the child’s parents or carers. Parents and carers will be reminded that if they persistently collect their child late they may lose their place at the Club.

Useful contacts

Social Care Kensington and Chelsea : 02073613013

Whistleblowing Policy

LOISIRS A L’ECOLE is committed to the highest standards of openness, probity and accountability. If a member of staff discovers evidence of malpractice or wrongdoing within the Club they can disclose this information internally without fear of reprisal. Our Whistleblowing policy is intended to cover concerns such as:

• Financial malpractice or fraud
• Failure to comply with a legal obligation
• Dangers to health and safety or the environment
• Criminal activity
• Improper conduct or unethical behaviour

This policy should not be used to question business decisions made by the Club, or to raise any matters that are covered under other policies (eg discrimination or racial harassment). Any allegations relating to child protection will follow the procedures set out in the Safeguarding Children policy. Any concerns relating to the employment conditions of an individual member of staff should be raised according to the procedures set out in the Staff Grievance policy. All staff will be made aware of these whistleblowing procedures as part of their safeguarding training and induction.

Raising a concern

Ideally the staff member should put his or her allegations in writing, setting out the background to the situation, giving names, dates and places where possible, and the reason why they are concerned about the situation.

In the first instance concerns should be taken to the Club’s manager. If, due to the nature of the problem, this is not possible concerns should be raised with the Club’s management committee.

If this person or body is unwilling or unable to act on the concern, the staff member should then raise it with:

• Ofsted (if it concerns the safe and effective running of the club)
• The Local Authority Designated Officer or the Local Safeguarding Partnership (if it concerns a child protection issue and is not already covered by the procedure set out in the Club’s Safeguarding Children policy)
• Ultimately, with the police (if a crime is thought to have been committed).

If the member of staff is still uncertain about how to proceed with the concern, he or she can contact the whistle-blowing charity Protect for advice.

Where a staff member feels unable to raise an issue with their employer, or feels that their genuine concerns are not being addressed, other channels are open to them:

• NSPCC whistleblowing advice line is available. Staff can call 0800 0280285 – 08:00 to 20:00, Monday to Friday and 09:00 to 18:00 at weekends.

The email address is: [email protected].

Alternatively, staff can write to: National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), Weston House, 42 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NH.

• Ofsted provides guidance on how to make complaints about a childcare provider: Complaints procedure – Ofsted – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

• General guidance on whistleblowing can be found via: Whistleblowing for employees.

Responding to a concern

Initial enquiries will usually involve a meeting with the individual raising the concern, and will decide whether an investigation is appropriate and, if so, what form it should take. If a concern relates to issues which fall within the scope of other policies, it will be addressed under those policies.

If the initial meeting does not resolve the concern, further investigation is required. The appropriate person will investigate the concerns thoroughly, ensuring that a written response can be provided within ten working days where feasible, or if this is not possible, giving a date by which the final response can be expected. The response should include details of how the matter was investigated, conclusions drawn from the investigation, and who to contact if the member of staff is unhappy with the response and wishes to take the matter further.

Rights and responsibilities of the whistle-blower

All concerns will be treated in confidence and the Club will make every effort not to reveal the identity of anyone raising a concern in good faith. At the appropriate time, however, the member of staff may need to come forward as a witness.

If a member of staff raises a concern in good faith which is then not confirmed by the investigation, no action will be taken against that person.

If the investigation concludes that the member of staff maliciously fabricated the allegations, disciplinary action may be taken against that person.

Contact information

LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer): Aqualma Daniel , 07870481712

Ofsted: 0300 123 1231

Protect (formerly Public Concern at Work): 020 3117 2520 (website: https://protect-advice.org.uk)

Related policies

Staff Grievance policy, Safeguarding Children policy.

Written in accordance with the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (2025): Safeguarding and Welfare requirements: Whistleblowing [3.7, 3.8]


This policies were adopted by: LOISIRS A L’ECOLE
Date: 28/05/2026

To be reviewed: SEPTEMBER 2027  

Signed :

Written in accordance with the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (2025): Learning and Development requirements [1.16-1.18], Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements: Safety and Suitability of Premises, Environment and Equipment [3.77 – 3.83]