Preschool record keeping

[Prufrock]

does anybody know how long we have to keep records for? My dining room floor has every single piece of paper generated since the pre-school opened in 1996, and I'm sure some can be thrown away.

Obv. we need to keep all financial records, staff wages etc - I presume forever? What's normal for a business?
Annual charity commision reports for ever

EYFS/NEGS claim forms?
Accident books/registers?
Childrens registration and information forms - surely I can get rid of thesee (confidentially) once the child leaves?

Staff records (CRB check, application form - again can I get rid of once staff have left?

Committee meeting minutes?
Policies - do I need to keep old policies or is it enough to just maintain the current ones?

I'm condensing all the fundraising stuff (I have price lists from the 2001 Trike ride refreshmenmt stall) into a "how to" folder because there can't be any legal requirement to keep those can there?

Plesae help - dh will threaten divorce if this mountain of paper doesn't go soon. TIA

i opened last year.... don't have any advice but would also be interested to know! not that much has been accumulated yet compared with one that's been open since 96 obv. most my ppaperwork is kept securely at the setting tho - i do bring stuff home but take it back asap as it does tend to accumulate

May I suggest that if you haven't done so already you look at this website and join - very helpful . Lots of advice about any aspect of Early Years.

www.foundation-stage.info/index.php

You may be able to join for free if your local coounsil has signed up .

council -

Oh thank you - I will get hold of a password (should our Early Years support team be able to give that to me d'you think?)

Please - anybody? I knwo there are other pre-school committee people out tehre - orinoco, duchess ?

Not sure how the local subscriptin for the LA works but if you look at the Forum it will explain .

Our LA is not signed up so I have to pay but worth it I feel .

HMC might know too...

I don't know off the top of my head Pru but I'll have a dig around after breakfast, I'm sure I've got it somewhere.

the Pre school Learning Alliance is very good, it's a government funded charity i believe. you should be able to ask them for advice, without joining.

Likewise the NDNA - National Day Nurseries Association.

I'm in the PLA, and we've got our EYS team but the few bits of paper I don't have in my house have all my contact/reference numbers on, and I was hoping to not have to schlep up to school over the holidays. Oh well, need to check on whether there are any bingo prizes in the darker recesses of the shed at some point.

Sorry Pru - I have had a look through my own mountain of paperwork and can't find anything. It might be in the Red Book but I'm not sure whether I have a copy at home.

I've just done our PLA membership & insurance and the phone no. given is - 020 7697 2585 or www.pre-school.org.uk. Hopefully you won't need your membership number.

i think you have to keep the accident forms untill the child is 21, incase they want to sue you for anything you did when they were a child!

Well I called the PLA (thanks duch) and they sent me a very very useful list of all things that a pre-school is likely to have and how long you have to keep them for. Which is summed up as "everything, forever". But if anybody would like a copy e-mail, me on prufrock at hotmail.co.uk. I'm off to buy some archive boxes.