Healthy Workplace

At Winston’s Place Day Nursery, we are committed to providing a workplace which supports and encourages a healthy staff team through staff training, health and safety awareness and supervisions.

We actively promote a positive, respectful and supportive workplace culture where staff wellbeing is prioritised as fundamental to maintaining high-quality early years provision and safeguarding children effectively.

We recognise that staff wellbeing is essential to safeguarding children, maintaining high-quality practice and meetings statutory requirements. A healthy workplace supports staff to perform their roles safely, professionally and effectively.

We also recognise that a well-supported workforce is more able to provide consistent, nurturing and responsive care to children.

Staff are supported through induction and ongoing supervision to understand how the dress code contributes to safeguarding, hygiene and modelling positive behaviour for children.

Dress code

Staff must follow our dress code at all times. The dress code is detailed in the code of conduct policy.

Appropriate dress supports infection control, health and safety and professionalism and must enable staff to move freely, supervise children effectively and respond quickly. These arrangements support the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which places a duty on employers to ensure, “so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees”.

Staff breaks

It is the responsibility of the nursery manager to ensure that all staff working six hours or more take a break of 20 minutes, 30 minutes or 60 minutes dependant on hours worked and ensuring that staff: child ratios are maintained.

Staff under 18 require a break of 30 minutes in circumstances where they work 4.5 hours a day. In accordance with the EYFS Statutory Framework 2025, providers must ensure that “there is an area for staff to take breaks away from areas being used by children”. Winston’s Place Day Nursery provides a designated staff room to enable staff to take breaks away from children and to support their wellbeing and professional practice.

This arrangement complies with the Working Time Regulations 1998 and supports staff wellbeing, alertness and safe practice. The Working Time Regulations 1998 state that workers are entitled to “a rest break of not less than 20 minutes” when working more than six hours.

Staff breaks are protected wherever possible to support mental health, emotional wellbeing and sustained high-quality interactions with children.

Personal hygiene

Staff must follow the personal hygiene code at all times and encourage children to adopt the same good personal hygiene code themselves.

Hands must be washed before handling food, after using the toilet or toileting children, after playing outside, wiping noses, messy play activities and after contact with animals.

After noses have been wiped the tissue must be disposed of hygienically and hands should be washed.
Good personal hygiene practice reduces the spread of infection and supports the EYFS requirement to promote good health and prevent illness. The EYFS Statutory Framework states that providers must “promote the good health of children attending the setting”.

Staff are expected to act as positive role models for children in all hygiene routines, supporting children’s independence, self-care skills and understanding of healthy lifestyles.

Cleaning

The nursery is committed to providing a safe, happy and healthy environment for children to play, grow and learn. Cleanliness is an essential element of this practice. The nursery is cleaned daily and regular checks are made to the bathrooms. These are cleaned at least daily (more if necessary, i.e. at lunch time). The nappy changing facility and potties are cleaned and disinfected after every use. Any mess caused throughout the day is cleaned up as necessary to ensure that a hygienic environment is provided for staff and the children in our care.

All cleaning practices follow infection control guidance and COSHH procedures where applicable. These procedures support the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the EYFS Statutory Framework requirement to promote children’s health and minimise the spread of infection.

Cleaning routines are also used as opportunities to promote shared responsibility, teamwork and high standards of practice across the nursery.

Kitchen

Staff are made aware of the basic food hygiene standards through appropriate training, and this is updated every three years. In addition, we ensure:
• Fridges are cleaned out weekly
• Microwaves are cleaned after every use
• Freezers are cleaned out every three months and details recorded
• All cupboards are cleaned out monthly
• Fridge and freezer temperatures are recorded first thing in the morning by the chef (in the main kitchen) and last thing at night
• All food is covered at all times in and out of the fridge and dated to show when each product was opened and then used in date order
• Care is taken to ensure that food is correctly stored in fridges
• When re-heating food, the temperature is over 75°C, food is checked with the probe thermometer and recorded, then cooled down before serving. Hot food prepared on the premises is checked with the probe thermometer before serving
• Food served but not used immediately is appropriately covered and placed in the fridge within 60 minutes. If this is not followed, food is discarded immediately
• All opened packets are dated when opened and placed in an airtight container e.g. baby food, raisins, cereal etc.
• Blended food is placed in suitable airtight containers, named and dated
• Surfaces are cleaned with anti-bacterial spray
• Only appropriate coloured kitchen cloths are used (please follow the chart on the wall)
• In the main kitchen, windows are protected by fly guards are opened as often as possible along with the vents
• All plugs are pulled out of their sockets at the end of each day and switches switched off where practicable (with the exception of the fridge and freezer)
• Children do NOT enter the kitchen
• Doors/gates to the kitchen are kept closed at all times
• Kitchen bins are emptied when full and at the end of each day.

These procedures support food safety legislation and protect children and staff from food-borne illness and cross-contamination. This includes compliance with the Food Safety Act 1990 and Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013.

Staff working in food preparation areas are supported through supervision and training to maintain consistently high standards and feel confident in reporting concerns or improvements.

Laundry Room

Washing machine drawers etc. are cleaned regularly.

Tumble dryer lint filters are cleared after every use.

Staff follow HSE guidance on the safe use of tumble dryers including using the 'cool down' cycle is adequate to reduce the temperature of the items and not removing them from the dryer or stacked while hot but as soon as the drying/cooling cycle is complete and only using it for items that appropriate (as per washing label).

All staff are responsible for filling and emptying the washing machine and tumble dryer, folding clean clothing and other items.

These routines support infection prevention and contribute to a well-organised and efficient working environment.

Baby room

Bottles of formula milk are only be made up as and when the child needs them. These are cooled to body temperature (37°C) and tested with a sterilised thermometer to ensure they are an appropriate temperature for the baby to drink safely.

Following the Department of Health guidelines, we only use recently boiled water to make formula bottles (left for no longer than 30 minutes to cool). We do not use cooled boiled water and reheat.

Bottles and teats are thoroughly cleaned with hot soapy water and sterilised after use (they are not washed in the dishwasher).

Content of bottles are disposed of after two hours.

A designated area is available for mothers who wish to breastfeed their babies or who wish to express milk.
Labelled mother’s breast milk is stored in the fridge.

If dummies are used, they are cleaned and sterilised. This also applies to dummies which have been dropped on the floor.

All dummies are stored in separate labelled containers to ensure no cross-contamination occurs.
Sterilisers are washed out daily.

These procedures follow Department of Health guidance and EYFS welfare requirements to ensure babies’ health and safety. The EYFS Statutory Framework requires providers to obtain information about a child’s feeding requirements and ensure that milk is prepared and stored safely.

Staff are supported to maintain confidence in infant care routines through training, supervision and reflective practice.

Nursery Hygiene

Staff are trained to be aware of general hygiene in the nursery and ensure that high standards are kept at all times.

Regular toy washing rotas are established in all rooms and items recorded. Toys are washed with sanitising fluid.

Floors are cleaned during the day when necessary. Vacuum cleaner bags (where used) are changed frequently.

Staff are requested to use the appropriate coloured mop for the task or area (see chart on wall) and mop heads are washed in a separate wash at least weekly.

Face cloths are washed on a hot wash after every use and not shared between children.

Low and highchairs are cleaned thoroughly after every use. Straps and reins are washed weekly or as required.

Every child has its own cot sheet which is washed at the end of every week or whenever necessary.

All surfaces are kept clean and clutter free.

Children are always reminded to wash their hands after using the bathroom and before meals. Staff always encourage good hygiene standards, for example, not eating food that has fallen on the floor.

Staff are positive role models and talk to the children about good hygiene routines and why they need to wash their hands, wipe their noses and cover their mouths when coughing.

Children’s understanding of hygiene supports their personal, social and emotional development under the EYFS. The EYFS Statutory Framework states that providers must “promote the good health of children attending the setting”.

Practitioners use everyday hygiene routines as opportunities to embed learning, independence and responsibility.

Staff Wellbeing

The nursery recognises that staff wellbeing directly impacts children’s experiences, outcomes and safety. Staff receive regular supervision opportunities to discuss their professional development, safeguarding responsibilities, workload and wellbeing concerns.

The nursery promotes a culture of mutual respect, teamwork and open communication. Staff are encouraged to raise concerns regarding workload, stress, health or wellbeing with management at the earliest opportunity.

As stated in the EYFS Statutory Framework, “every child deserves the best possible start in life”. We recognise that achieving this begins with a healthy, supported and valued workforce.

Staff wellbeing is regularly reviewed by leaders, and actions are taken to address concerns promptly, ensuring continuous improvement in working conditions and professional support.

Staff rooms

It is the responsibility of every member of staff to ensure that their staff room is kept clean and tidy.

Fridges are cleaned out weekly.

Microwaves are cleaned after every use.

Surfaces are wiped down daily.

All implements used for lunch or break are washed and tidied away.

Maintaining a clean staff environment contributes to staff wellbeing and supports infection prevention measures throughout the nursery. The staff room is recognised as an important space for rest, reflection and peer support, contributing to a positive and sustainable working culture.