As we are dedicated to providing the highest possible standard of care and safety at Buttercups Nursery School there may be limited occasions where nursery has to undergo emergency closure or partial closure.
These occasions may include:
- A breakdown of essential services for example: heating failure, loss of water supply or loss of electricity – lightning for example – unworkable conditions.
- Severe weather conditions from all seasons
- An illness or epidemic or pandemic either worldwide or with in our own setting.
- State funeral or occasion
- Staff shortages due to an outbreak of an illness
In the event of a breakdown of essential services or severe weather conditions the following procedure will apply.
Closure prior to the operation of services.
In the event that nursery is unable to open during adverse weather, we will:
Publicise the closure of the setting on:
Local Radio Stations BBC Radio Somerset 95.5 FM
Heart Radio 96.3 FM
Sedgemoor FM 104.2
Our website www.buttercupsnursery.uk and our Facebook Page
If you are in any doubt as to whether the nursery is open, please ensure that you contact us prior to your journey.
Procedure for the entry of children during adverse weather.
The nursery will endeavour to operate services where possible throughout times of adverse weather. Children will be admitted to nursery in accordance with staff:child ratio’s.
In the event that staffing levels are reduced, the nursery will only admit children in accordance with staff:child ratio’s for each age range and once the maximum number of children is reached, admittance will be restricted.
You may remain onsite during this period until normal operating ratios are met.
Closure during the operation of services
The nursery management team will attempt to contact all parents/carers of the children in attendance at nursery on that day and request that their child be collected as soon as possible.
If contact cannot be made with the parents/carers, the emergency contacts and persons authorised to collect on the registration form will then be telephoned.
If contact is made, the child may be released to an authorised person as stated on their registration forms.
The nursery will not allow the collection of a child by an unauthorised person. If contact cannot be made messages will be left on answer phones informing you of the situation and requesting a prompt response.
We will endeavour to keep parents informed of the ongoing situation.
Parents are requested to contact nursery to ensure that it has re-opened before bringing their child the following day.
Children registered for wrap around care will be contacted directly, where services for drop off/collection are temporarily unavailable.
In the event of an illness/epidemic/pandemic.
If the nursery is forced to close for reasons beyond the nursery’s control or if it is, in our reasonable opinion, necessary or in the interests of the Child to do so, we may close the nursery even though our business interruption insurance will not cover us for the closure. In these circumstances, we will charge a retainer of 80% of your regular monthly fee to enable the nursery to hold your child’s place and cover unavoidable ongoing overheads during this time. For example, we may close because of severe weather conditions, outbreak of flu, swine flu, COVID-19, any epidemic or pandemic or other illnesses etc. [Also, if the owner of the premises closes the premises and denies us access.]
The nursery management team will attempt to contact all parents/carers of the children in attendance at nursery on that day and request that their child be collected as soon as possible.
If contact cannot be made with the parents/carers, the emergency contacts and persons authorised to collect on the Registration Pack will then be telephoned.
If contact is made, the child may be released to an authorised person (following the Collection of Children Policy). The nursery will not allow the collection of a child by an unauthorised person.
If contact cannot be made messages will be left on answer phones informing of the situation and requesting a prompt response.
Full details of the epidemic will be given and advice on any action required.
The Nursery Manager will inform Ofsted and Somerset and Dorset Health Protection Unit if they have reason to believe that any child is suffering from a notifiable disease identified as such in the Public Health (Infection Diseases) Regulation 1988.
We will endeavour to keep parents informed of the ongoing situation.
Parents are requested to contact nursery to ensure that it has re-opened before bringing their child the following day. A recorded message will be left on the nursery answer phone.
We aim to rectify the closure as soon as possible and keep all parents/carers informed of the situation. We will follow advice given by Public Health England and decision may be taken out of our hands to remain closed.
PLEASE NOTE, ALL EMERGENCY CLOSURES ARE PAYABLE IN FULL – NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN
