Registers

[Guest]

Where do people who work in pre-schools get their daily attendance registers from? we have been using the PLA one but next term we will have too many children to fit on the rather small name page. As instructed by Ofsted, we have to use one that has a. 'in and out' column.

Thankyou! Rosalind

[Guest]

Do you mean a system of marking children in and out?

 

We use one we do on computer, but also keep a school type register as this is what ofstead want,

 

We find ours helpful because we dont have a tradional start or end of session and we can keep track of everyone.

[Guest]

We use our own one that we make on the computer which basically gives the children's names, the time they arrive and the time they leave pre-school. In addition, like Akire, we also use a proper school register. You can order these from GLS.

 

Clare

[Guest]

Our Pre School uses GLS (the cheap one with the green cover) When we buy new registers, we actually order a seperate register for each session - more room and much easier to manage.

[AnonyMouse_64]

You might find this topic useful to look at too.

[AnonyMouse_1027]

i found that too Rosalind so make my own up on the computer now....

[Guest]

So do I, I have a page for a week and then file it away - I can add in all sorts of information too, allergies highlighted in a colour, their keyworker anything you like - just much easier to draw up your own I think and ours works much better. We colour code the days the children are in too - so if they are not in on a particular day we can highlight it in a colour. We then use a copy of this as the basis of these for monitoring the activities over the week too. So it ends up being a multifunctional page which can be copied and used for loads of other things too.

Nikki

[AnonyMouse_2732]

Hey, thanks for that!! We do the page a week thing, too, but never thought of those other uses!!

 

Thanks a bunch

 

Sue

[Guest]

Thank you all for your help, will have a play on the computer this weekend! Rosalind

[Guest]

Hey, We've been kept in the dark . . didn't realise we could make our own registers? , always led to believe (but I don't know who from?!? probably PLA) that we had to keep a 'real' register - eg a 'bought' one, because it's a legal document. Suppose that's one way of making sure people spend their money with the PLA! Now that you lovely people have let me know otherwise, I'll be playing around on the computer (after I've looked at Peggy's version first). THANKS!!

[Guest]

I have done my own for years. Firstly in a book and then on the computer. I always found that there wssn't enough space for names and it just didn't suit our needs.

I don't see why you need to have a bought one-as long as all the information you need is on there and you hold on to them for the required period of time then your own should be ok. I never have had any problems with OFSTED and obviously other groups haven't either.

linda

[Guest]

Thanks Linda

How long do people keep hold of their registers? I have been told 10 years, but more recently read 2 years? Can anyone help?

[AnonyMouse_75]

we always created our own registers too, last year we moved away from registers to signing in sheets which we found more practical and reliable.

 

we place a signing in sheet on our welcome desk and all parents sign their children in and out. there are no childrens names dates of birth or other details pre printed on the sheets, it is a blank signing in form.

On our notice board we have a sign saying how many children staff and visitors we have in the sessions. so we can do a head counts periodically during sessions, everyone in the setting knows how many children there should be without consulting a register.

 

I dont think I ever want to see another old style register again

[Guest]

I just checked my records and we have to keep registers for 21 years! Phew, that's a lot of paper - where are we supposed to keep it - I don't even have an office....

[Guest]

I just checked my records and we have to keep registers for 21 years!  Phew, that's a lot of paper - where are we supposed to keep it - I don't even have an office....

51620[/snapback]

 

 

The Attic!!!!! Well that's where mine go. I know this is difficult with committee run groups with Chairpersons and changes in Supervisors etc over the years. Your data protection policy should state who is responsible for what you do with and how you store records, and for how long.

 

Aha, maybe I have discovered a new enterprise, hire a very large storage unit and store loads of peoples preschool paperwork for a fee. Do you think I'll make a million- I might do if I charge by weight

 

Peggy

[AnonyMouse_1027]

the loft.......................

[Guest]

We have always made our own registers as it is so much easier. However our PLA accreditation assessor has said that we should have a register that is permanently bound ( a requirement for Ofsted she said). The ring-binder we have been using isn't good enough. We are only a small preschool and don't want to spend a fortune on a binding machine - we redo our registers every term so it is something we will only need to do three times a year. Does anyone have a solution to this problem?

Carolyn

[Guest]

Hi Carolyn

Ask your PLA assessor where it says in the standards that it has to be permanently bound. I have not heard of that. I make our registers and they are kept in a lever arch folder. We have had this type of register for about 8 years now and have had 3 OFSTED inspections in that time and none of them have complained. So this must either be a recent requirement or she is trying to sell you some PLA registers!!!

Linda

[AnonyMouse_1027]

very true linda....

[AnonyMouse_3735]

Just had Ofsted,

we make our own and put it in a ring binder , not a problem with our Inspector,

 

PLA ones have been updated, anyone seen one yet? is it any better than before ? there was never enough room to write entry and exit times, and as we have 2 sessions a day this caused too much of a headache.

 

Inge

[Guest]

Thanks for your replies

You're right of course - they cannot claim that Ofsted require it, but the PLA accreditation for stage 1 requires that

"A register is provided in fixed leaf format to record the arrival and departure times of children, staff and volunteers"

We weren't quite sure what they meant by fixed leaf format and hoped that our ring-binder would do.

We can't even understand why that is better practice to have the PLA one or another permanently bound one than home made ring binder type ones.

Carolyn

[Guest]

Mine is just a hardback A 4 notebook with the names written in. The excel spreadsheet with all the names and contact details and the days attended is stapled in the back. I start a new page / session each term. The book lasts for about 3 years. We've had at least 4 OFSTEDs and nothing has been said.

 

Al

[Guest]

Thanks for your replies

You're right of course - they cannot claim that Ofsted require it, but the PLA accreditation for stage 1 requires that

"A register is provided in fixed leaf format to record the arrival and departure times of children, staff and volunteers"

We weren't quite sure what they meant by fixed leaf format and hoped that our ring-binder would do.

We can't even understand why that is better practice to have the PLA one or another permanently bound one than home made ring binder type ones.

Carolyn

 

 

Basically, I presume it is about not losing pages ( which they obviously think could easily tear from a ring-binder) compared to a fixed leaf format.

To me, common sense says that you could lose a whole book. ( well I could, the way I file things-not).

 

This doesn't help you 'pass' stage 1, I would suggest that you write a reflective account of how you have considered the implications of storing registers for mandatory timescales, how you have 'risk assessed' loss of information, coming up with the conclusion that ring-binders are no more a risk than any other format ( apart from of course 'scraps of paper, which are not bound at all) . Ask the assessor for this to be included in your folder when it goes for verification, you might want to add that QA work is about continuous reflective practice, relevant to individual settings, and not about dictating requirements in such a pedantic way, and maybe the awarding panel may want to reflect themselves on this particular requirement.

 

Peggy

 

 

 

p.s. I use a ring binder too. Recently had an inspection and my report states that my previous action ( from 3 yrs ago), to write in/out times had been met, no mention of using a ring binder as a problem.

 

Peggy