Royal Docks Learning & Activity Centre

St Johns Centre

Inspection report for early years provision

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St Johns Centre

Unique Reference Number EY294015 Inspection date 31 July 2006 Inspector Catherine Marsh

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St Johns Centre

Setting Address St. Johns Community Centre, Albert Road, London, E16 2JB

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St Johns Centre

Telephone number 0207 476 1666 E-mail stjohnscc60@hotmail.com Registered person St Johns Centre Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Out of School care

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St Johns Centre

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

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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.

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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.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

St John’s Out of School Care registered in 2004. It is run by St John’s Board of Trustees and is situated in a residential area of Woolwich, in the London borough of Newham. The setting operates from five rooms, a large sports hall, café, games room, rest/TV room, art room and a secure enclosed outdoor play area. The out of school club is open each weekday from 15:30 to 18:00, term time only and a holiday play scheme is open 08:30 to 18:00 during school holiday periods. There are also open access sessions from 10:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 15:00. There are currently 16 children aged from five to under eight years on roll. Care is

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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 also provided for children over eight years. The setting currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The setting employs five members of staff, including the manager. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications and three are working towards a qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are learning about hygiene matters as part of the daily routine. They are reminded to wash hands before lunch and snacks. Tables and the snack preparation area in the café are wiped routinely and kept clean. Children who are infectious do not attend thus preventing the spread of contagious ailments. All staff hold a current first aid certificate so they are able to provide appropriate care if there is an accident. There are some effective procedures that have been recently updated in place with regards to administering medication and accident recording to help protect children, although there is no space for parents to sign the accident book. There are no separate medication consent forms or emergency medical treatment consent forms for children attending the holiday play scheme. Children enjoy a worthwhile range of activities, which help to promote their good

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Helping children to be healthy

health and develop their physical skills. There are regular opportunities for them to play outside in the playground where they have plenty of space to run around and engage in vigorous exercise. They are also able to participate in a variety of sports activities such as football, basketball, badminton and netball. Children’s fine motor skills are developing well. They are competent when selecting and using small equipment such as scissors, glue sticks and paintbrushes and when they take part in t-shirt printing. Children are provided with healthy snacks and fresh fruit after school. In the holidays children bring a packed lunch from home and staff are informed by parents about any perishable foods in order that they can be stored safely. However, no clear guidance is provided to parents about nutritious and sufficient packed lunches. Children learn about healthy eating through a healthy eating project where they gain an

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Helping children to be healthy

understanding of the basic food groups and the importance of a balanced diet. They learn that eating fruit helps keep them healthy and help themselves to drinks.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The children benefit from being cared for in a warm and welcoming environment. Colourful examples of children’s work and photographs of previous activities are displayed on boards. They have plenty of space to play and move around freely.

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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 Resources are appropriately stored in locked cupboards. However, this limits the amount of easy access the children have to the good range of toys and resources suitable for their ages. They therefore need to request additional toys if they want something specific. Good staff interactions, using gentle reminders and instructions, help develop children’s awareness of safety during activities. The risk of accidental injury is minimised as staff complete a site safety checklist before each session on a daily basis. Visual checks of toys and resources for broken parts are reported to management at the end of each session. Children are unable to leave the premises, without a suitable nominated adult, because of effective security that means unwanted visitors are prevented from gaining access. The setting also

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

operates an open access scheme for children over eight, where parents must give written permission allowing this, although it is preferred for children’s safety that they are picked up. Staff deployment is very effective with the additional use of walkie talkies which guarantee children are well-supervised and safe at all times. Clearly planned systems ensure that staff are aware of their responsibilities when escorting children to and from school and on outings. Fire drills are practiced once a month and recorded in the fire drill report book. The fire instructions around the setting do not state where the meeting point is, which increases the risk of both children’s and adults safety. The outdoor play area is fully enclosed and staff check all areas for safety before children play. The children’s wellbeing is supported because staff have a good understanding of child protection issues and know how to proceed if they have concerns about a child

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

in their care. However, there is no separate procedure for any allegations made against staff and volunteers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are confident and settled they relate well with each other, and members of staff. Children confidently approach staff for support indicating good trusting relationships are built. An activity programme is in place to keep children sufficiently challenged. Children are able to choose freely between planned activities and plans are changed if the children prefer to do something different. The environment is informal and allows the children time to relax and enjoy their time after school or in the holidays. The children benefit from enjoyable and educational outings during the holiday play scheme to, for instance, the local transport museum, Cutty Sark boat trip and Woburn Safari Park. Children are encouraged to use their imagination and express their ideas in a variety of different ways, such as mask making, paper weaving, gardening in tubs, making jewellery and their creative skills are developing through activities such as arts and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

crafts, fashion and dance show. Children are interested in the activities available and spend time concentrating on

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 them. They understand the need to share when they play pool together and take turns at activities such as table tennis. Provision is also made for them to be quiet and rest if they prefer.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children learn about the world around them as they celebrate a variety of festivals and take part in a range of interesting activities that introduce them to other cultures. Children with learning difficulties are included in all activities to support their development as agreed with their parents and support worker. The premises have facilities to support the inclusion of children with mobility difficulties. For example, lifts and appropriate toilet facilities. Children benefit from lots of praise and encouragement and from some basic ground rules that are displayed and consistently applied. Children clearly understand the rules of the setting, which include no pushing, no running, no shouting and no playing in the toilets, and are developing an understanding of right and wrong. They respond effectively to any guidance, and praise, because staff manage their behaviour in a

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Helping children make a positive contribution

calm and assuring manner. Relationships with parents are friendly and supportive and parents feel welcome. A range of systems to inform parents about the club, for example, newsletters, information packs and regular informal discussions encourages parents to become involved in their child's care. Parents are informed about the complaints procedure, although it does not include Ofsted’s address and telephone number.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The premises are organised before children arrive, to provide a range of play opportunities. This enables children to move freely between their chosen activities both in and outdoors. The staff team adopts a warm and flexible approach towards children, which helps them feel at ease and comfortable. There are effective recruitment procedures in place. This means that suitable, experienced and qualified persons look after children. Although due to recent staff changes the minimum qualification level is only partly met. An induction pack ensures staff understand the comprehensive range of policies and procedures so they can contribute to the safety and welfare of the children. There are annual appraisals that identify training needs and staff are encouraged to enrol on relevant courses to ensure the information they have is up to date and relevant. Staff hold regular meetings to discuss planning and any other relevant issues to promote continuity of

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Organisation

care and to ensure staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities. Staff work well as a team and clear communication and guidance allows them to provide a stimulating well-balanced programme.

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Organisation

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 majority of documentation required for the safe and effective management of the setting is in place, except there is no lost child policy. Registers are maintained well, however they do not include times of arrival and departure to fully record the children's attendance in case of an incident or emergency. The setting is currently working towards ensuring all the necessary policies and procedures contain the required detail for both the after school and holiday play scheme. Overall, the setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints to report. 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.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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

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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): • ensure consistency between the required records for the after school club and holiday play scheme • Provide parents with information on healthy and nutritious packed lunches • review the fire evacuation instructions to state where the meeting point is • update documentation to include procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse made against a staff member and in the event of a child being lost • ensure registers record times of arrival and departure for all children

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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 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

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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

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