Top marks for St Alban’s

St Alban’s Catholic Pre-School in Macclesfield has received strong endorsement of its child safety arrangements in receiving ‘Millie’s Mark’, a voluntary-led award that shows a childcare setting is going above and beyond the minimum requirements in paediatric care.

With the help of some of the children, local MP, David Rutley, unveiled a banner, to be displayed in the school, showing how proud they are of the school’s achievements in obtaining this nationally recognised award. David gave a short speech to congratulate all at the Pre School on this well-deserved achievement and on the positive progress it has made in better ensuring the safety of all pupils.

On his visit, David spoke with the head of St Alban’s Pre-School, Mrs Mercer, who explained the work underway at the school to ensure it is fully compliant with the requirements of Millie’s Mark. This includes: using staff meetings and other opportunities to review first aid and have quizzes to test staff knowledge; conducting a full risk assessment and audit of the safety of the setting introducing new policies to improve child safety and increase staff confidence in first aid. The Pre-School will continue to maintain this good practice and further build on these measures.

Millie’s Mark was set up by Dan and Joanne Thompson, and is named after their daughter, Millie, who died after choking on food at a nursery in 2012 when she was just nine months old. The initiative aims to ensure all childcare practitioners are paediatric first aid trained and competent. Since its launch, the scheme has gone from strength to strength, collaborating with the National Day Nurseries Association and the Department for Education to certify childcare providers and nurseries.

Speaking after the event, David said, “St Alban’s Pre School should be rightly proud of achieving this positive status, which is an impressive recognition of the commitment and hard work staff have demonstrated in further enhancing first aid training. As well as commemorating the memory of Mille Thompson, Millie’s Mark is an important way to give confidence to parents that staff know what to do when a paediatric first aid situation might be needed. I extend my warmest congratulations once again to all staff on this excellent achievement.”