Overall Approach to Risk Assessment

At Winston’s Place Day Nursery, we take all reasonable steps to ensure that children, staff, parents and visitors are protected from avoidable harm. We actively promote a strong culture of health and safety, where risks are identified, managed and reviewed in line with EYFS safeguarding and welfare requirements, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and Ofsted expectations.

Risk assessments

Risk assessments identify hazards or aspects of the environment that could cause harm and document the steps taken to reduce risks to an acceptable level. Each risk assessment includes:
• Identification of the hazard
• Who may be harmed (children, staff, visitors, contractors)
• Existing control measures already in place
• An evaluation of the level of risk and potential severity of harm
• Any additional actions required to further reduce risk

The nursery carries out written risk assessments regularly. These are reviewed regularly and cover potential risks to children, staff and visitors at the nursery. When circumstances change in the nursery e.g. a significant piece of equipment is introduced or new activity or experience is planned, we review our current risk assessment or conduct a new risk assessment dependent on the nature of this change.

All staff are responsible for being vigilant, reporting hazards immediately and following agreed control measures, ensuring that risk management is a shared responsibility across the setting. All outings away from the nursery are individually risk assessed, staffed appropriately and include at least one paediatric first aid trained practitioner, in line with EYFS requirements. Further information is available in the Visits and Outings Policy.


We recognise that risk cannot and should not be eliminated entirely, particularly were doing so would limit children’s learning and development. Risk assessments are used to support safe, meaningful learning opportunities, including outdoor play and appropriate risk-taking, rather than restrict them.


Hints and tips
To support best practice, the nursery follows nationally recognised guidance, including:

The Health and Safety Executive’s “Five Steps to Risk Assessment”, which provides a structured approach to identifying and managing risks
https://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/index.htm

Risk assessment templates and guidance available from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
www.hse.gov.uk

Additional professional support from organisations such as Citation Plc, where appropriate
www.citation.co.uk