Show Time Best Practise: Guide to Gate

Management
The main themes to consider when assessing your centres gate management:
The parent experience: What is your parents understanding and expectation of what
should be happening- how can this be fulfilled?
Childs journey- welcome, feedback and exit.
Tutor contribution: How do they support the smooth running of the gate while
managing a zone?
Team communication- how are we facilitating the little details between parents and
managers and members of the management team.
Clear showtime roles. One set manager compere for showtime 3-6pm to ensure a consistent
approach and follow up of communications when children are dropped off and collected.
Parent awareness of roles; can a board be introduced at front to tell parents who is doing
what role?
Ready to start. How is the session set up when a child is greeted at the gate e.g.
expectations for behaviour/goals- are the parents included? Children to be encouraged to
get folder/books on entry so they are ready to start and tutor can spend time reinforcing
learning goal and reminding of ACE when they start. Time is not wasted looking for books.
Pick up time recorded on session note.
Ready to leave. At end of session, tutor agrees with child how many lizard cards they will get
at end of session and why, to move up the board, put books away and go to surf club. When
parent comes, child is ready to go straight to the door and can discuss parent/manager how
many cards they got and why along with goal feedback only.
Tutor support. Use of surf club manager to support end of sessions: Giving countdown to child
leaving and seeing them to gate if needed. How do comperes manage interactions at start
of zone (goals, introductions) how is this followed through with tutor?
Advanced compere and customer service training for all staff. Use of parents names, use of
child in feedback, delivery of session summary. How to deal with delayed sessions, queries
and prospects? How can the compere demonstrate curriculum and member knowledge?
Feedback and goals for childrens session. One broad goal which can be linked to session
summary- specific example in summary focussed on only the goal NOT a summary of the
session.
Communication- How are parent queries, notes on specific children recorded and then
follow up? Compere book- is this checked? Laminated notes board for sticky notes to be
attached.
Assessment of your gate management:
Gate observations to be completed by managers and tutors.
Parent feedback- 3 word summary of their experience.
Spot the skill gaps in your team and compere with your tutors- set up modelling and
feedback sessions.