Risk Management Policy

LoveSpring Nursery School - Proactive Management of Risks to Achieve Our Educational Mission

1. Policy Aims

LoveSpring Nursery School is committed to effective risk management that supports our mission of providing exceptional early years education while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children, staff, and our entire nursery community.

Our Risk Management Framework

We aim to:

Establish a comprehensive framework for identifying, assessing, and managing risks across our nursery
Systematically measure, monitor, and report threats to our educational objectives and operational continuity
Embed risk management processes into daily operations and strategic decision-making
Create a culture where risk awareness and management are everyone's responsibility
Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements while maintaining our educational standards

2. Roles and Responsibilities

2.1 Designated Roles

Role	Responsibilities
Nursery Owner/Manager	Overall responsibility for risk management, strategic risk oversight, policy approval
Nursery Manager	Day-to-day risk management, operational risk assessment, risk reporting
Health & Safety Lead	Coordination of risk assessments, monitoring implementation, staff training
Room Leaders	Departmental risk management, daily risk monitoring, staff guidance
All Practitioners	Daily risk identification, implementation of control measures, reporting concerns

2.2 Staff Responsibilities

All staff members are responsible for:

Identifying and reporting potential risks in their areas of work
Implementing risk control measures as directed
Participating in risk assessment and management activities
Maintaining awareness of risks relevant to their roles
Contributing to the continuous improvement of risk management practices
Following established procedures and reporting any deviations

3. Risk Identification

3.1 Risk Categories

Category	Description	Nursery Examples
Operational Risks	Risks affecting day-to-day nursery operations and service delivery	Staff shortages, equipment failure, supply chain issues, daily hazards
Strategic Risks	Risks impacting achievement of long-term objectives and mission	Changing regulations, demographic shifts, reputation damage, competition
Financial Risks	Risks affecting financial stability and sustainability	Funding changes, fee collection, unexpected costs, budget variances
Compliance Risks	Risks of non-compliance with laws and regulations	EYFS compliance, data protection, employment law, health and safety
External Risks	Risks arising from external environment beyond our control	Pandemics, extreme weather, economic changes, local infrastructure
Safeguarding Risks	Risks to children's welfare and protection	Child protection issues, staff conduct, premises security, online safety

3.2 Risk Identification Methods

Proactive Risk Identification

We use multiple approaches to identify risks:

Regular Audits: Systematic reviews of all nursery areas and processes
Staff Consultation: Team meetings, supervision sessions, suggestion systems
Incident Analysis: Review of accidents, near-misses, and complaints
Environmental Scanning: Monitoring regulatory changes and sector developments
Parent Feedback: Surveys, meetings, and informal feedback mechanisms
Benchmarking: Comparison with sector best practices and standards

4. Risk Measurement and Assessment

4.1 Risk Assessment Matrix

Risk Rating System

Likelihood/Impact	Insignificant	Minor	Moderate	Major	Catastrophic
Almost Certain	Medium	High	Extreme	Extreme	Extreme
Likely	Low	Medium	High	Extreme	Extreme
Possible	Low	Medium	High	High	Extreme
Unlikely	Low	Low	Medium	High	High
Rare	Low	Low	Medium	Medium	High

4.2 Impact Definitions

Impact Level	Financial	Operational	Reputational	Compliance
Catastrophic	Threatens nursery survival	Complete service disruption	National media attention	Criminal prosecution
Major	Significant financial loss	Major service disruption	Local media attention	Regulatory enforcement
Moderate	Manageable financial impact	Partial service disruption	Parent complaints	Formal warnings
Minor	Minor budget impact	Minimal disruption	Internal resolution	Informal guidance
Insignificant	Negligible cost	No disruption	No impact	No issue

4.3 Likelihood Definitions

Probability Assessment

Almost Certain: Expected to occur in most circumstances (≥80% probability)
Likely: Will probably occur in most circumstances (60-80% probability)
Possible: Might occur at some time (30-60% probability)
Unlikely: Could occur but not expected (10-30% probability)
Rare: May occur only in exceptional circumstances (≤10% probability)

5. Risk Treatment and Control

5.1 The Four T's Approach

Treatment	Description	Nursery Application
Tolerate	Accept the risk when controls are not cost-effective or risk is acceptable	Minor financial variances, low-impact operational issues
Treat	Implement controls to reduce likelihood or impact of risk	Staff training, safety procedures, quality systems, supervision
Transfer	Share risk with third parties through insurance or outsourcing	Public liability insurance, specialist contractors, service agreements
Terminate	Avoid risk by discontinuing high-risk activities or processes	Discontinuing unsafe activities, rejecting high-risk projects

5.2 Control Measures Hierarchy

Preferred Control Approaches

We prioritize control measures in this order:

Elimination: Remove the hazard or risky activity completely
Substitution: Replace with safer alternative
Engineering Controls: Physical changes to reduce risk
Administrative Controls: Procedures and training
Personal Protective Equipment: Last line of defense

5.3 Risk Appetite Statement

Our Risk Tolerance Levels

Zero Tolerance: Safeguarding failures, serious health and safety breaches, illegal activities
Low Tolerance: Financial mismanagement, regulatory non-compliance, reputation damage
Moderate Tolerance: Operational inefficiencies, minor budget variances, staff turnover
High Tolerance: Innovation risks, calculated strategic decisions, market changes

6. Risk Monitoring and Review

6.1 Monitoring Framework

Monitoring Activity	Frequency	Responsibility
Strategic Risk Review	Termly	Nursery Manager + Owner
Operational Risk Updates	Monthly	Room Leaders + Health & Safety Lead
Incident Analysis	Weekly	All Staff + Management
Risk Register Maintenance	Continuous	Health & Safety Lead
External Environment Scan	Quarterly	Nursery Manager

6.2 Risk Register Management

Central Risk Documentation

Our risk register includes:

Risk description and category
Inherent risk rating (before controls)
Current control measures
Residual risk rating (after controls)
Risk owner and treatment plan
Monitoring frequency and methods
Review dates and status updates

7. Reporting and Communication

7.1 Reporting Structure

Report Type	Audience	Frequency
Operational Risk Report	Room Leaders + Practitioners	Monthly
Management Risk Summary	Nursery Manager + Department Leads	Termly
Strategic Risk Overview	Nursery Owner/Manager	Annually
Incident Reports	Relevant Staff + Management	As occurred
External Compliance Reports	Regulators + Stakeholders	As required

7.2 Escalation Procedures

Risk Escalation Framework

Level 1 (Low Risk): Handled by practitioners with routine reporting
Level 2 (Medium Risk): Room Leader involvement with weekly reporting
Level 3 (High Risk): Management attention with immediate reporting
Level 4 (Extreme Risk): Senior management/owner involvement with urgent action
Crisis Level: Immediate escalation to highest level with emergency response

8. Business Continuity and Emergency Planning

8.1 Continuity Planning

Business Continuity Framework

We maintain comprehensive plans for:

Emergency Response: Immediate actions for critical incidents
Crisis Management: Leadership and communication during major incidents
Recovery Planning: Restoration of normal operations post-incident
Alternative Arrangements: Temporary service delivery options
Communication Protocols: Stakeholder information during disruptions

8.2 Key Risk Scenarios

Scenario	Preparedness Measures	Response Capacity
Premises Closure	Alternative venue arrangements, remote learning protocols	48-hour activation capability
Staff Shortage	Bank staff list, agency agreements, cross-training	Immediate cover for critical roles
Utility Failure	Backup systems, temporary arrangements, early closure procedures	4-hour operational maintenance
Health Emergency	Infection control, remote operations, communication plans	Immediate protocol activation

9. Training and Culture

9.1 Staff Development

Training Area	Participants	Frequency
Risk Awareness	All Staff	Annually
Risk Assessment Skills	Room Leaders + Senior Staff	Termly
Emergency Procedures	All Staff	Termly drills + annual training
Specific Risk Areas	Relevant Staff	As needed
New Staff Induction	New Staff	On appointment

9.2 Risk Management Culture

We foster a positive risk management culture by:

Encouraging open reporting of risks and concerns
Recognizing and rewarding good risk management practice
Providing clear channels for risk communication
Ensuring no blame for genuine mistakes when risks are properly reported
Making risk management everyone's responsibility
Leading by example from management level

Contact Information

Risk Management Lead: Nursery Manager

Health & Safety Coordinator: [Coordinator's Name]

LoveSpring Nursery School: Coventry, CV1 5HA

Telephone: +44 (0)24 1234 5678

Email: riskmanagement@lovespringnursery.co.uk

Emergency Contact: Available during nursery hours

Date of Policy: [Current Date]

Last Reviewed: [Current Date]

Next Review Due: [One year from current date]

Signed: _________________________

Position: Nursery Manager/Owner, LoveSpring Nursery School