Our biggest priory at Rainbow is the safety and security of your child. Therefore it is important to us that children leave in an orderly and organised way at the end of their day, and with people who are authorised to collect them. Therefore we have specific procedures that need to be followed by parents (and others collecting children) and our staff to ensure that children leave safely.
Authorised people to pick up your child:
From time to time (or everyday!) you may require other people to pick up your child from nursery. This could be for example a grandparent, babysitter or even another gan parent.
We will only release your child to someone that you have authorised as a pick up person in advance. If someone (other than the parent) arrives to pick up a child, we check their ID and check that they have been listed by the parents as someone authorised. If someone is not on the list, we will not release the child. Therefore, it is very important that complete a separate form for anyone you wish to be authorised to pick up your child, other than yourselves. You can add people to this list at anytime by using the link
Click here to register authorised pick-up people
Blackout
Between 3:45 and 4:00 we operate a blackout, and there are no arrivals or collections from the building at all during this period. For these 15 minutes staff need to focus completely on supporting children to cannot bring children out during these times. This means that if you wish to pick up before 4pm, you will need to arrive at least 5 minutes before the blackout starts.
Collection before 4:00
For Frogs, Pandas, Crocodiles and Armadillos there is no collection between 3:45 and 4:00 and for Leopards and Giraffes between 3:45 and 4:30. If you wish to arrive prior to 4pm to pick up your child, it is always a good idea to let the team know in advance, so they can expect your child to be leaving early. When you (or someone else who is authorised) arrives to pick up your child, you should call the classroom; and then a staff member will get your child ready, and bring them down to the main door. This may take a few minutes to organise! Especially if your child is in the garden or Rainbow Room when you call, and they need to be brought back to the classroom, put on shoes (coats etc) and collect wet bags before coming down to the door to greet you! The person collecting the child should wait outside the main black gate.
Sometimes we manage to get out very fast! Which is why we ask you NOT to call when you are not not yet outside. . Please call only when you arrive at the gate for us to bring your child. If a staff member has to stand at the gate, waiting for you to park and arrive, after to have already called to say you are here, then this takes away one of the team from the rest of the class, and isn’t fair. If this happens – the staff member will go back inside, take the child back to class and you will need to wait until the end of the day pick up to collect your child.
Leaving the area fast after pick up
We ask that once your child has been picked up, you leave the garden area or the front of the building as fast as you can once you have your child. This is to prevent the areas outside the gan becoming crowded, and dangerous.
We request that you refrain from giving your child any food or drink at pick up either in the gardens or outside the gan. If you wish to feed (or water!) your child when you pick them up, please cross the road to Mazeh Square, where there is much more space and comfort.
If you are waiting for other parents, or friends to join you after pick up, please wait across the road in Mazeh Square, rather than by the gan, where space is very limited.
Cars and bikes at pick up
A reminder that you are not permitted to stop your car anywhere around the gan in a non-designated parking spot. This means stopping across the gates of the gan, stopping on the pavement or leaving the car across the road, even if there is someone in it! If this happens your deposit will be retained, and your place at the gan could be immediately terminated. There is a parking lot on Mazeh street that can be used, but you will need to arrive in plenty of time to stop, park and get to the gates for the designated pick up time.
Bicycles and scooters are a great way to arrive at the gan for pick up; but we kindly ask you to park these in Mazeh square using the bike racks provided, and not to stop outside the gan with bikes, or to bring the bikes into the gardens.
Frogs pick up procedure
Parents should arrive at the main gate, between 4:00 and be picked up by 4:25. Someone at the gate will message the Frogs Class, and one practitioner from the class, will bring down your child (usually carrying), and exits through the front gate. A practitioner is permitted to come with up to TWO children at once, but not more. Staff will provide end of day feedback either face to face at pick up or send a daily detailed voicenote.
Pandas pick up Procedures
The designated Panda’s pick-up time is between 4:00 – 4:25pm. Parents should enter the garden on the left side of the building, and come to the back door of the Pandas class.
The gate to the garden is usually unlocked at 4:pm, but remains closed. Parents should use the code to enter the gate, and close it behind you when you come into the garden.
Children play on the rugs at the back of the classroom, with toys, songs and stories available; sitting with 2 – 3 staff. One member of staff will usually be stationed outside the classroom door, giving feedback to the staff, and opening the classroom door, to call the children. A second team member will bring the child to the door with their belongings for handover. We ask parents to arrive by 4:25 to pick up Pandas because at 4:30 the Leopards class come down and will leave through the same door.
At 4:25 the door to the classroom is closed and LOCKED. All children (whether officially booked into late club or not) must go to the Sunshine room, with one team member. The exception to this is any siblings of children from Leopards who will be picked up from the classroom. They may stay in Pandas with as staff member, who has full responsibility for ensuring their safety. Only after the Leopards and Giraffes have all left, can the children be released if their parents have arrived.
Crocodiles pick up Procedure
The designated Crocodiles pick-up time is between 4:00 – 4:25pm. Parents should enter the garden on the right side of the building, and come to the back door of the Crocodile’s class.
The gate to the garden is usually unlocked at 4:pm, but remains closed. Parents should use the code to enter the gate, and close it behind you when you come into the garden.
One member of staff is usually stationed OUTSIDE the door, giving feedback to the staff, and opening the classroom door, to call the children. A second team member will bring the child to the door with their belongings. Children’s shoes are usually in the shoe pockets outside the door, and parents may collect these and put their children’s shoes on them when they come out.
We ask parents to arrive by 4:25 to pick up Crocodiles because at 4:30 the Leopards class come down and will leave through the same door.
Armadillos pick up Procedure
The designated pick up time for Armadillos is 4:00 – 4:25, from the main gate.
There will always be someone on duty at the main gate, and when they identify the parent, the team member will message the classroom, and a staff member will bring down the Armadillo to the front gate!
If the person on gate duty doesn’t immediately recognise the person who has arrived to pick up your child, they will request their ID and check on the authorised person checklist
No feedback is provided at the gate to parents (instead any information is sent via the broadcast list, or individually, if there is something that parents need to know, and weekly feedback is sent).
At 4:15 all children who have not yet been picked up will come down to the lobby by foot (stairs) and children with share books and stories using the lobby collection, until their parents arrive. Any children still not picked up at 4:25 will go to late club, as the space needs to be cleared to let out the Giraffe children.
Leopards pick up Procedure
Parents should arrive at exactly 4:30 for pick up. Red and Blue Group exit through the Pandas classroom, and Green and Yellow through the Crocodiles classroom.
Parents should come into the garden through the corresponding gate at wait at the back door of the classroom. The child will be called to the door, and the practitioner on the door will dismiss the child into your care.
Anyone who has come to pick up your child, who is not immediately recognised by staff, will wait until the end, when an identity check will be carried out.
Giraffes pick up Procedure
Parents should arrive at exactly 4:30 for pick up. Pickup is from the main gate.
Parents should wait against the wall outside the gan, by the central gate. During the end of day circle in Giraffes classroom, the children should put their shoes on. The Giraffes will come down to the lobby at 4:30, with two practitioners. One practitioner waits with the children in the lobby, and stands by the main door, the other practitioner waits by the gate, and calls the children. Parents must take their child from the staff member on the gate.
Anyone who has come to pick up your child, who is not immediately recognised by staff, will wait until the end, when an identity check will be carried out.