Effective playground supervision

1. Written policy

A charter school should have a written policy on playground supervision to ensure adequate playground supervision whenever it is occupied during the school day. Include at least the following in this policy:

  • Written duties of playground supervisors
  • Requirement for and an outline of initial and annual training for all playground supervisors
  • Written playground rules
  • Emergency procedures
  • List of required safety equipment
  • Results of the evaluation of an appropriate number of supervisors for the playground

2. “Ranking the risks” on the playground

Since a playground supervisor cannot focus on all of the students at one time, s/he “ranks the risks” – prioritizes attention into the areas where accidents are most likely to occur.

School playground accident statistics (delineated briefly in section A.1. of these guidelines), combined with a supervisor’s own experience on the school playground, help identify the most serious injury risks on the playground (areas where students are most likely to get hurt).

After identifying the risks, the supervisor can set supervision priorities on the playground based on this risk ranking. This means monitoring the areas with the highest and most severe risk of injury more closely. Have the supervisor:

  • Put HIGH risks directly in front of the supervisor HIGH-risk activities traditionally include climbers, slides, composite [multi-function] play equipment, and high (over 7 feet) play equipment
  • Put LOW risks on the periphery (besides the supervisor). LOW-risk activities traditionally include field sports and games and basketball.
  • Put NO risks at the supervisor’s back. NO risk activities traditionally include other games played on the blacktop.

AND KEEP MOVING! Activities on the playground change constantly.

A supervisor can position themself, or arrange the activities on the playground, to use supervision to the maximum; s/he can make informed decisions about what s/he watches, how often, and when.

Controlling the play environment may involve:

  • Decreasing the number of children in an area or on a piece of equipment
  • Rearranging the games on a field
  • Acting to help alter the behavior of children

3. Adequately addressing hazards

When a hazard arises (such as a broken piece of play equipment) that a playground supervisor must deal with immediately, remember the following:

  • Disable (take off the swing), immobilize (secure the merry-go-round so it cannot spin), or make hazardous conditions inaccessible (by warning cones and tape) – but be careful not to create a worse hazard (like leaving an unguarded platform when a broken slide bed is removed)
  • Warning signs are not enough of a deterrent since some students cannot read them
  • Supervise more closely (stay near to) a hazardous area; this is effective only at times when the playground is supervised