Windmill Primary After School Club

Club

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Club

Unique Reference Number EY277198 Inspection date 03 May 2006 Inspector Jan Leo

p.1

Club

Setting Address Margaret Road, Headington, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX3 8NG

p.1

Club

Telephone number 01865 762509 E-mail office@windmill.oxon.sch Registered person Windmill Primary School After School Club Care Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Out of School care

p.1

Club

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

p.1

ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

p.2

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Windmill After School Club is a committee run group which opened in 2003. It operates from a room within the primary school, which is situated on a housing estate in Headington, north Oxford. The club is registered to accept a maximum of 25 children under the age of 8 years; there are currently 60 children on roll between the ages of 5 and 11 years. All attend for a variety of sessions. Only children who attend the school are accepted at the club. The setting currently supports a number of children with English as an additional language. The sessions operate each weekday from 15.00 to 17.30 during term time. Children

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 play in the designated club room for the main part of each day; they also have access to the school hall, the gymnasium and a secure outdoor play area for active play. The setting employs four staff. Of these, two members of staff hold an appropriate early years qualification, and two are working towards a qualification to level two or above. The club is a member of the Oxfordshire Play Association and it receives support from the local authority.

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children stay healthy because they benefit from fresh air and exercise after school, eat healthy refreshments to sustain them until they get home, and have constant access to drinking water. Children sit for snacks of fresh fruit and a biscuit, some choosing to eat on arrival to 're-charge their batteries' before they play. Staff arrange the snack for the remaining children to suit those who arrive later, after participating in school activities. This ensures late comers can enjoy the social side of snack time and feel part of the group. Children choose from a range of low sugar drinks or water, these are in plentiful supply to meet the demands of very thirsty children. Staff thoroughly clean the snack tables and store food in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. However, the fridge is not in a clean and hygienic condition, and those handling food do not wear clean aprons, to avoid the spread of germs. Children's individual dietary

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

needs and health issues are on record to enable staff to manage their health effectively; over half the staff have first aid training to ensure they provide appropriate treatment to any who get hurt.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children learn to keep themselves safe by following clear rules, agreed with staff. For example, children sign themselves out, and back in, when visiting the toilets and ask before fetching belongings from the classroom. Staff supervise children from a distance, relying on trust to ensure the older children keep to the rules and learn to take some responsibility for their own safety. Some children need an occasional reminder to play away from the door to avoid injury, but staff remain alert and casually make suggestions to improve safety. The staff organise fire drills once each term to ensure children learn how to evacuate in emergencies, but not all children participate due to their pattern of attendance. Children arrive safely, from elsewhere in the school, because staff follow exceptionally well thought out collection arrangements. Staff also complete full risk assessments to identify and address

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

hazards, and consistently review practice to make sure it is appropriate for those who attend. Children have ample space to move around safely without inhibiting other

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 people’s games; they play with a range of resources, which are in sound condition to protect children from harm. All staff have knowledge of the child protection procedure and keep contact details handy in case they need to refer concerns about a child. Staff help children to learn about acceptable conduct from adults and how they can get help. For example, by providing a 'safe touches' workshop. Staff consult parents and carers in advance to ensure they approve the content of the session.

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. All children occupy themselves productively by selecting what to do on arrival, and organising games with different groups of friends throughout the session. Children of all ages mix well, competing against each other to attain the highest score on computer games, or chatting around the drawing table, while they meticulously add detail to their freehand drawings. Children have a wide variety of activities to choose from and all are appropriate for the age range and interests of those present. Staff join in play, to enhance children's enjoyment, while they interact skilfully to learn more about the children's day. Children who arrive with worries and concerns discard them into the 'troubles box' so that they can enjoy the session, without being pre-occupied. Some leave their name in the box to enable staff to seek them out and talk through their problems, relieving children of some of their burden. All children

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

enjoy the activities and young children frequently giggle with delight when they successfully build an amusing character out of Lego, or win at pool. All have opportunities to share points of interest with the rest of the group by taking turns to talk about things; such as, holidays and special toys. Most activities develop from free play and are successful in providing interest and stimulation. Organised activities are less successful with some difficult behaviour spoiling the enjoyment of others.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children feel welcomed because staff greet them on arrival and provide opportunities for them to share information about the day. Every child has access to a wide range of activities that staff adapt to suit those who attend. When planning the day, staff take account of individual interests and temperaments. Staff support children effectively by being easily approachable and supervising from a distance. This results in children gaining in confidence and becoming increasingly independent. Children generally behave very well and staff reward their good behaviour by choosing helpers for some routine tasks. Staff work closely with parents and carers, in an attempt to devise effective strategies for handling children with challenging behaviour. Some staff lack the confidence and ability to control the occasional outbursts, to prevent disruption of organised activities. Staff build good relationships

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

with parents and carers to give a very clear picture of the service provided. For example, staff are easily approachable, always available for discussion, and they issue families with a copy of all policy and practice documents. This helps channels of communication and assists in improving the standard of care for children.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

p.4

Organisation

The organisation is good. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Children benefit from well-planned sessions tailored to suit their individual needs and preferences. Well thought out collection arrangements ensure children arrive safely, and staff follow children's movements closely to preserve their wellbeing. The staff and committee have a good grasp of the National Standards and how to maintain them on a day-to-day basis. Staff work well as a team, supporting each other, and taking responsibility in preparing and organising the sessions to keep children safe and stimulated. The committee provides support to enable staff to continue their personal development in order to help raise standards. Staff and committee work together to review policies and operational practice to make sure care arrangements remain effective. They regularly try new methods of working to ensure the day runs

p.5

Organisation

smoothly, but the deployment of staff for group activities, away from the main room, is not always successful. All the documentation, required by regulation, is in place. Staff keep policy documents up to date, follow them in practice, and issue useful information to keep parents and carers up to date with all aspects of their children’s care.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

Two recommendations were made following the last inspection. They were to improve hand-washing procedures for children before eating, and to clarify information for parents and carers. At the time of the last inspection, children washed hands using a shared bowl of water in the classroom. They now use the hand basins in the toilet facilities adjacent to the main activity room. This enables each child to wash in clean water and avoid the spread of germs. Information for parents and carers is now exceptionally well presented in a small booklet, which is clear and comprehensive. The booklet contains all policy and practice documents as well as useful contact numbers for outside agencies; such as, Ofsted and the Child Protection departments of Social Services. Every family is given a copy of the booklet to ensure they are fully informed about how the provision operates, and the care arrangements for their children.

p.5

Complaints since the last inspection

There has been one complaint made directly to the provider since the last inspection. The complaint, received 03/03/2006, related to Standard one - suitable person, and concerned the way staff handled a specific child. The supervisor investigated, recorded the complaint in the groups complaint's log, and reported back to the parents with her findings. The child remains at the out of school provision. The group continues to be suitable for registration.

p.5

Complaints since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

p.5

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

p.6

The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • improve food hygiene by ensuring food handlers wear a clean protective barrier to prevent the spread of germs, and maintaining the fridge in a clean and hygienic condition • develop staff's confidence and ability to handle difficult behaviour to ensure organised activities are not disrupted

p.6

The quality and standards of the care

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.6

The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

p.6