Pre-primary FAQ: Safety

Most of the playground equipment at current schools is set for ages 5-12. Will there be additional or new playgrounds built for the pre-primary age group?

Natural outdoor place space is an extension of the indoor classroom and encourages a child’s interaction with the natural environment. 

Early Childhood Educators ensure that the outdoor play space is safe and developmentally appropriate for children in the Pre-primary program and will plan to use the existing outdoor space available through the use of loose parts and other natural elements to enhance the children’s learning and play.

My child does not understand boundaries or safety rules. How will you keep them safe?

The health and safety of children is the priority of the program.

ECEs teach children to how to keep themselves safe and support them to learn boundaries though all activities.

My child has a life-threatening allergy. Will my child be safe in the Pre-primary Program?

If your child has a life-threatening allergy, it’s important to contact the Pre-primary Program Lead in your Regional Centre for Education or the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial before their first day.

The Pre-primary Program Lead will provide you with the necessary forms to be completed and help develop a plan to support your child.

If necessary, ECE’s will be trained in the use of an epi-pen. The Pre-primary Program is subject to the health and safety policies and regulations of the Regional Centre for Education or the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial.

What about outdoor play? Should I be concerned about my child playing with older children on the playground.

The Pre-primary Program values the opportunity for children to play outside, considering the outdoor learning environment of equal value to the indoor.

ECEs are trained to understand the outdoor environment and look for safe, exciting and stimulating play areas around the school. ECE’s and children may go on walks to local parks or find nearby wooded areas and other surroundings in their community to explore.

Families will be asked to sign a consent form at the beginning of the year which outlines the locations in the general school community which the ECEs may go with the children.

ECEs will consider the schedule of the school i.e. when other children are outside, as they plan their day. In the beginning ECEs will take the Pre-primary Program children outside when other children who attend the school are not there.