Extreme Weather Conditions Policy

Policy statement

This policy has been written for Jack and Jill Community Preschool to ensure that children, families and Preschool Team members alike are kept safe from adverse weather conditions. Persons can only attend the setting when it is safe for them to do so.

Jack and Jill Community Preschool will do its best to prepare for adverse weather situations by following the extreme weather conditions procedures and carrying out risk assessments. If the Preschool is unable to open due to the weather, families will be contacted immediately.

If the Preschool can open during these conditions, or conditions change whilst we are in session, we will follow the guidance of our Local Authority and our own risk assessment will be completed to ensure the safety of all attending.

Procedures

At Jack and Jill Community Preschool we commit to the following procedures to ensure children, Preschool Team members, and attending families remain safe during these individual weather conditions:

Heatwave

In the event of a heatwave, the Preschool will constantly be risk assessing the weather and deciding on how much time the children should be allowed to spend outside. All children will be required to bring the correct clothing and sun protection (please refer to our Sun Care Policy), and extra shade will be provided for the children when they are outside. In addition to this, we will encourage everyone (including the staff team) to drink more water to stay hydrated and have a cool-down zone inside, making use of our air conditioning unit, when a child starts to get too hot.

Flood

In the event of a flood, the Preschool will not stay open to ensure the safety of children, staff team, and families. If there is a high forecast of heavy rain with a high chance of floods, then the setting will factor in the risks and decide whether to open on the day. In the unlikely event that a flood occurs whilst the setting is in session, families will be contacted immediately to collect, Preschool Team members will stay with children until everyone has been collected safely.

Snow

In the event of snow, we will endeavour to keep the Preschool open, if possible: This is because snow can be exciting for children and gives them opportunities that that would otherwise be difficult to provide. However, in the event of heavy snowfall, the Preschool may be forced to close to ensure the safety of the children, families and Preschool Team members. If the Preschool deem it safe to open and the snowfall worsens, Jack and Jill Community Preschool may decide to close at a set time during the day. In this event, families will be contacted immediately to collect their child.

Wind

In the event of seriously strong winds we will endeavour to keep the setting open if possible. Risk assessments will be completed to ensure all equipment and trees outside are safe and not likely to blow away or fall down. Any equipment that can be moved inside or into a shed will be to keep safe. If the wind is so strong that it is deemed unsafe to enter our building (which is a prefabricated building and therefore not structurally equipped to withstand trees falling on it), or a weather warning is put in place not to go outside, the setting may have to close. Families will be contacted as soon as possible after the decision has been made to close.

Staff shortage

Due to certain weather conditions, members of the Preschool Team may not be able to get to work. In this event, we will contact other team members to see if they can cover for them. If we cannot get enough staff in to meet legal staff/child ratios we may be required to close for the day or only open to a limited cohort of children. In that case we will offer spaces on a need basis first.

I have read and understood this policy and will adhere to it as part of my daily practice

Name	Signature	Date
Marlis Juerging-Coles
Liz Wilkins
Lou Barlow
Josh Bosley
Nicky Taylor
Laura Slater