Kitchen Compost Caddy's & compost bins

[Alz]

Does anyone use a kitchen compost caddy and if so what did Ofsted have to say about it?...(unhygenic or good promotion of recycling and promotnig environmentally friendly practice!?!?!:littleangel: ) I use one, as I like to compost as much as possible, but not sure what they would say about it!....same for the outside compost bin too!?!?!
Thanks!

[chewy sweets]

Glad you asked this question as i was wondering about my outside compost bin. Hopefully someone will let us know soon. :laughing:

[grindal]

Interesting! Have to admit I keep my kitchen caddy outside now cos however often we empty it, there are always little flies in it. It sits outside the kitchen window on a shelf. I cant imagine ofsted will have any objections to outdoor compost bins - can they? Mine love putting the peelings in the compost and trying to guess what fruit or veg the peelings or bits have come from

[singlewiththree]

They didn't say anything about my compost caddy and bin apart from its good for the children to learn about recycling. She asked if I empted it regularly I said yes and that they can't get he lid of the outside compost bin which they can't as its really stiff.

She was more concerned with my water butt but its a new slim line one that a child would have trouble climbing into and the lid is so stiff she had to really really pull with two hands while trying to make a point that the lid could come off :rolleyes: she said just risk assess them both and its fine.

[sarah707]

Be sure to do a full risk assessment including the potential issues of flies, rotting food, children eating contents etc and how you protect the children...

I think ofsted will say it's great as part of environmental education so long as it is carefully assessed :D

[tulip0803]

I have a kitchen caddy & compost bin but I didn't have them when I was inspected. the council gave us all kitchen caddies & small green bins for food waste in April and I got a free compost bin from the council a couple of weeks ago. I don't have any problems with the caddy (I empty it everyday and wash it and antibac it let it dry before I put anyhting else in) It is on the window sill and I haven't had any probs with flies or smells although some of my friends have. My compost bin is in the garden and is about to fenced off (as soon as DH gets round to it:rolleyes: ). I think it is good for them to learn about re-cycling as long as you risk assess and minimise any risk that you can see

[rickysmiths]

=sarah707;]Be sure to do a full risk assessment including the potential issues of flies, rotting food, children eating contents etc and how you protect the children...




Is this not going a step too far? I don't think my inspector even noticed mine sitting on the back of the work surface, if she did she didn't say anything.

I have never seen a fly anywhere near it and the food isn't in it long enough to rot-it is emptied onto the garden compost heap. As for the children eating it, mine even thoght they are alloed in the kitchen-I dont think they would be able to get the lid off and if they did :eek: well I wouldn't eat it. No being serious they can't get to it to eat it.

The garden compost heap is right at the end of the garden and I have a small fence which seperates this part from the main garden so the little ones can't get at it. Again Ofsted had a look and were more than happy.

[sarah707]

The Eyfs says -

The risk assessment must identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis: providers must maintain a record of these particular aspects and when and by whom they have been checked.

And the statutory guidance clearly states -

The risk assessment should cover anything with which a child may come into contact.

I think the Eyfs makes it very clear - if you allow children into your kitchen for any reason (walking through, cooking sessions etc) then you have a duty of care to risk assess the environment.

Sorry but I fail to see how that is 'a step too far'..?

[Pauline]

=sarah707;]Be sure to do a full risk assessment including the potential issues of flies, rotting food, children eating contents etc and how you protect the children...




Is this not going a step too far? I don't think my inspector even noticed mine sitting on the back of the work surface, if she did she didn't say anything.

I have never seen a fly anywhere near it and the food isn't in it long enough to rot-it is emptied onto the garden compost heap. As for the children eating it, mine even thoght they are alloed in the kitchen-I dont think they would be able to get the lid off and if they did :eek: well I wouldn't eat it. No being serious they can't get to it to eat it.

The garden compost heap is right at the end of the garden and I have a small fence which seperates this part from the main garden so the little ones can't get at it. Again Ofsted had a look and were more than happy.


I don't think it is going too far. What you describle for your setting might not apply to everyone, in fact someone in the thread has mentioned they had flies in theirs. Plus each inspector is different, yours might not have commented but another will pick on something like that straight away.

I agree with Sarah, you should be showing that you are thinking of these things and providing evidence in the form of risk assessments. It shows good practice if nothing else. :)

[manjay]

My kitchen caddy is risk assessed as is my compost bin and wormery. They don't have their own RA but they are included in the kitchen and garden ones. Like everything else I think it is important to show I have thought about it.

[Alz]

I do think better too much assessing is better then too little IMO!! So I will probably mention my compost bin in my policy regarding my garden. I empty and clean my kitchen caddy regularly, think I will include this in my daily cleaning rota so Ofstead know that I do my best to keep things clean and orderly! Interesting about fencing off the compost bit, I'm going to look into that too!
Thanks for all your replies!!!!