Machrie Nursery is committed to taking positive and proactive steps to ensure that we provide a safe and caring environment therefore we have introduced a Barefoot Policy.
This will allow staff to support children’s individual needs, developmental stage and motivators. Research has shown, being barefoot has a significant beneficial impact on children’s connection with the world and enhances the connection between the foot and the brain. When barefoot, children have a richer sensory experience; our sensory system helps us perceive our body within the outside world through sight, touch, taste, smell and sound. Each sensory system in the body can benefit from walking barefoot.
Aims
The aim of the barefoot policy is to support children’s individual development needs and to support children’s rights to choose.
Objectives
To develop independence, confidence, self-assurance and self-esteem.
To assess and minimise potential hazards around the playroom floors.
To foster positive attitudes in good practice by staff.
To develop an ethos of choice.
To work in partnership with parents/carers.
Guidelines
- Realising the Ambition – ‘We often talk about the environment in terms of physical spaces, but the key part of the environment for children is the human, social environment of positive nurturing interactions.
Experiences are also part of the environment.
Children need to learn things for themselves, but this does not mean they should always do so by themselves. We can, by following and building on children’s motivations and interests, support young children to make the most of the environment.’
All practitioners should be attuned to the need for some children to be barefoot and support them in doing so, being mindful of potential risks.
Children should be respected to have body autonomy within the limits of what is safe, reasonable, and proportionate.
Children should not ‘have to’ put shoes and socks on if they demonstrable a reason or need for being barefoot.
Meaningful engagement and time to process transition should happen before supporting with shoes and socks back on.
Should the fire alarm sound to indicate leaving the building and a child is barefoot, the priority is leaving the building as soon as possible. However, in the first instance a member of staff will support the child/children to get shoes on as soon as practically possible.
Success Criteria
The needs and motivators of all children, and particularly those children with support needs, will be respected.
Drafted January 2026
Stephanie Glen Acting Head of Nursery.