Record Keeping Policy

DocumentationRecord Keeping Policy

Record Keeping Policy

Oswestry Methodist pre-school aim is to keep records and data confidential and locked up in the filing cabinet. Following Data protection policies and procedures. Oswestry Methodist preschool follow the Pre School Learning Alliance(PLA) guidance on how long to keep records.

Retention Periods for Records

Children’s Records / Retention Period / Status / Authority
Children’s records- including registers, medication , book and accident records and books pertaining to the children / Records should be retained for a reasonable period of time (for example 3 years) after children have left the
Provision / Requirement / Early Year Foundation Stage Welfare Requirements (given legal force by Child care Act 2006)
Until the child reaches the age of 21,or until the child reaches the age of 24 for child protection records / Recommendation / Limitation Act 1980/The Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Act 1991.
Normal limitation rules (which mean that an individual can claim for negligently caused personal injury up to 3 years, or deliberately caused personal injury up to 6 years after event) are postponed until a child reaches 18 years old
Records of any reportable death, injury, disease or dangerous occurrence / 3 years after the date on which it happened / Requirement / The reporting of injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Reaches 1995 (RIDDOR) (SI 1995/3163)
Personnel Records / Retention Period / Status / Authority
Personnel files and training records (including disciplinary records and working time records) / 6 years after employment ceases / Recommendation / Chartered Institute of Personnel
Application forms and Interview notes (for unsuccessful candidates) / 6 months to 1 year / Recommendation / Chartered Institute of Personnel
CRB Check / Disclosure information / Until the Date of Ofsted inspection /
Requirement / Criminal Record Bureau
Organisations that are subject to Ofsted inspections are entitled to retain Disclosure certificate until the date of inspection, after which only the following basic information may be securely destroyed in line with the CRB Code of Practice.

The date of issue of Disclosure
The name of the subject
The type of Disclosure requested
The position for which the Disclosure was requested
The unique reference number of the disclosure
The details of the recruitment decision taken

Pay Records / Retention Period / Status / Authority
Wage / salary records (including overtime, bonuses and expenses) / 6 years / Requirement / Taxes Management Act 1970
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) records / 3 years after the end of the tax years in which the maternity period ends / Requirement / The statutory Maternity Pay (General) Regulations 1986
(SI 1986 / 1960)
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) records / 3 years after the end of the tax year to which they relate / Requirement / The Statutory Sick Pay (General) Regulations 1982
(SI 1982 / 894|)
Income tax and National Insurance returns / records / At least 3 years after the end of the tax year to which they relate / Requirement / The Income tax (Employments) Regulations 1993
(IS 1993 / 744
Redundancy details, calculations of payments, refunds, notification to the Secretary of State / 6 years from the date of redundancy / Recommendation / Chartered Institute of Personnel
Health and Safety Records / Retention Period / Status / Authority
Staff accident records (for organisations with 10 or more employees) / 3 years after the date of the last entry (there are separate rules for the recording of accidents involving hazardous substances) / Requirement / Social Security (claims and payments) Regulations 1979
(SI 1979 / 628)
Records of any reportable death, injury, disease or dangerous occurrence / 3 years after the date of which it happened / Requirement / The reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) (SI 1995 / 3163)
Accident/ medical records as specified by the control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 1999 / 40 years from the date of the last entry / Requirement / The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999 (COSHH)
(SI 1999/ 437)
Assessments under Health and Safety Regulations and records of consultations with safety representative and committees / Permanently / Recommendation / Chartered Institute of Personnel
Financial Records / Retention Period / Status / Authority
Accounting records / 3 years for private companies, 6 years for public limited companies.
6 years for charities / Requirement / Section 221 of the Companies Act 1985
Charities Act 1993 (c. 10) Part VI
More detailed information on retention of financial records is provided in Finance in Early Years Settings (Ref: A078) Pre-school Learning Alliance
Administration Records / Retention Period / Status / Authority
Complaints record book / At least 3 years from the date of the last record / Requirement / Early Years Foundation Stage Welfare Requirements (given legal force by childcare Act 2006)
Insurance liability documents / 40 years from date of issue / Requirement / The Employers’ Liability (compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998
Minutes / minute book / Permanently / Recommendation / Chartered Institute of personnel
Record / Length of time to be kept
Children’s Records
Accident reports
Medical records
Parent contact details
Details about child
Outing permission
Permission to administer medicine
Emergency treatment permission
Collection authority
Incident reports
Register / 21 years 3 months
30 years
2 years
2 years
2 years
21 years 3 months
21 years
21 years
21 years
21 years
Staff records
All personal records
Individual wage slips
Time sheets
Accident reports
Staff attendance records
National insurance/tax income returns
Unsuccessful job application forms
Unsuccessful job interview records / 7 years
2 years
3 years
21 years
21 years
7 years
4 months
4 months
Insurance
Certificates / 40 years
Visitors
Record of visitors / 2 years
Licence or lease
Licensing agreement or lease / 6 years
Committee, students and volunteers
Personal details / 2 years
Committee records
Minutes of meetings and annual reports
Bank statements
Bank reconciliations
Remittance advice
Recipients cash balances
Sales ledgers
Correspondence re donations / 6 years
6 years
6 years
10 years
10 years
3 years

Keeping of records

Staff records

The following details of staff will be kept on the premises;

Name,address and telephone number

Staff Details records

Details of qualifications and records of training

Job description

Copy of contract of employment,

CRB Numbers and date of check only /Health checks.

These records will be stored in a locked cabinet. There is no reason why these records should be removed from the premises.

Children’s Records

On entry to our preschool each child’s parents/carers will have completed a registration &contact form on which relevant details will be recorded.

No child will be taken into any of our groups until this form has been completed and is located in our files. These records will be kept in one of two files.

current Records(for those children already attending the preschool)
Pending records (for children on waiting list or applying for a preschool place.

On entry to any of our preschool groups, the leader must ensure that an Emergency Record card is completed for each child. This should include the details of the child’s.

Name and address

Date of Birth

Emergency Contact numbers

Name of Parents/Next of kin

Doctors Name and telephone number. Details of any medication, allergies, e.c.t.(These should be annotated in RED ink on the Registration card.

These Record Cards will be stored in a separate box and may be used if the child has to be taken to hospital in an emergency.

All records will be kept in a locked cupboard and are to be treated as Confidential information. Staff should ask permission of the Manager or Deputy before accessing these records and have a valid reason for doing so.

The pending file may sometimes be taken home by the Group leaders due to the kack of resources such as computers within the preschool for contacting parents with regard to a place being available and updating records.

Children’s developmental records

The children’s developmental records are also stored in a locked room. They may be shared with other members of staff team for the purpose of curriculum planning and providing for the needs of each individual child. They are only to be shared with the child’s own parent or main Carer. No other person has access to them without parental permission.

Parental permission must be obtained before any records regarding their child are shared with or passed on to any other professionals e.g health visitors, social workers, Nursery schools and teachers, Child Development Centre and Area SENCO.

Due to lack of time available for staff to complete these records whilst in preschool, the childrens’ learning journeys may be taken home by the groups key person. However they must be made aware that these are strictly confidential and must not be shared with any other persons who may have access to them.