Gurney School

Barracudas Summer Activity Camps

Inspection report for early years provision

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Barracudas Summer Activity Camps

Unique Reference Number 127005 Inspection date 14 August 2006 Inspector Silvia Richardson

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Barracudas Summer Activity Camps

Setting Address Holly Bush Lane, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3UL

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Barracudas Summer Activity Camps

Telephone number 01480 467567 E-mail karen@barracudas.co.uk Registered person Young World Leisure Group Limited Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Out of School care

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Barracudas Summer Activity Camps

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

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Barracudas Summer Activity Camp operates from Walthamstow Hall in Sevenoaks and was registered in 1993. The group opens Monday to Friday during the summer holidays from 08:00 until 18:00. Children have use of a sports hall, classrooms, indoor and outdoor courts, swimming pool and playing fields. The group is registered to provide care for 200 children aged from three years to under eight years. There are currently 200 children on roll. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group accepts children with disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. 24 full-time staff work with the children. More than half the staff including the manager have appropriate qualifications and experience. Staff have access to

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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 training courses and support services run by Barracudas.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's health and welfare are promoted in the setting, through appropriate records being kept of their medical details and any accidents or incidents that may occur. Several adults caring for children, hold first aid certificates, some have Epi-pen training and there are also qualified life-guards, enabling adults to respond effectively as situations arise. Children's health is protected through adults being vigilant about foods containing nuts. Children are helped to be healthy through being encouraged to bring in packed lunches that include fruit. Written information and posters are displayed, to encourage children to think about healthy eating. The tuck shop is popular with children and visited daily. Their spending is restricted to ensure they do not eat too many sweets. The range of snacks offered, including fruit flavour crisps, are high in sugar and there are few real healthy choices available, such as bananas,

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Helping children to be healthy

apples or cherry tomatoes. Children have some very good opportunities to enjoy an active lifestyle. Activities on offer include, trampoline and bouncy castle, a range of sports including team activities, such as basket ball and bench ball, archery, curling, dancing and fencing. All children take part in some physical activity each day, both inside and outside, helping them to keep fit and active. Adults are skilled in helping children to develop a wide range of physical skills, but there are some missed opportunities for children to learn about how their bodies work and to talk about the health benefits of regular exercise. Children have the opportunity to swim and good use is made of the on-site facilities. Arrangements for swimming are generally well organised, although the shower and changing areas are not fully maintained to be clean and hygienic. Proper arrangements are not in place, so that children can wash and dry their feet after

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Helping children to be healthy

walking though the foot bath, or dry their hands after using the toilet in the changing area.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are safe and secure in the setting, because good measures are in place around the grounds, to ensure children do not access areas where building work is taking place. Red and white tape is used to mark boundaries outside and areas of risk inside, so children have a visual reminder, that helps them to stay safe. Children are very well supervised and move around the premises in an orderly manner, forming lines and keeping together, helping them to stay safe. Adults talk to children about safety issues and demonstrate how to use equipment safely and appropriately, so that children know how to keep themselves safe, while enjoying new challenges.

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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 Good use is made of risk assessments and sound procedures are in place to keep children safe, such as the orange card system for collection of children. Adults where distinctive clothing, so that children can identify them as workers in the setting. Adults talk to children about 'stranger danger', so that they know what to do if approached by someone unknown. Children are protected and kept safe from harm, because adults know how to respond appropriately to child protection concerns, should they arise. Children are kept safe and their welfare promoted during the course of daily activities, because adults are trained to deal with a range of emergencies. Children know how to respond in the event of a fire, because they talk about and practice safe evacuation of the premises. Children are very well

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

supervised using the swimming pool. Adults assess and record children's ability to ensure they use the appropriate swimming aids as required. The changing room floor does get very wet during use and is a potential slipping hazard. Records are used well to keep account of children and their whereabouts on the premises.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are generally happy, settled and purposefully occupied, because a wide range and variety of activities are offered through the course of the day. The schedule is well planned, so that children have a good balance of physical play opportunities and creative play experiences. The timetable is flexible and good planning is ensuring suitable arrangements are in place for wet weather, so that children have a good range of alternative indoor activities, that keep them active and stimulated. Children have excellent opportunities to enjoy team games, helping them to develop social skills and work well with others. Children play co-operatively together because adults take part in activities with the children. Skilled leadership and engagement skills, are helping children to enjoy the activities and have positive experiences. Children relate very well to adults, who earn the children's respect

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

through warm and caring interaction. Younger children are well cared for in their key groups, so that they enjoy a sense of belonging. Their base rooms provide an area of security to which they return after activities in other areas of the setting, such as trampoline and bouncy castle on the squash courts, swimming, games in the main hall and creative play in the art room. Children enjoy listening to stories while having their snacks and lunch in their base rooms. Adults also organise some circle games and activities such as face painting, so children can choose between staying in the base room or using the centres facilities. Younger children sometimes appear a little bored and restless between sessions, while waiting for the next activity. Some paper, crayons and books are available, but their base rooms are not set out with a range of easily accessible toys and play materials, to enable them to play spontaneously and keep them purposefully

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

occupied. There are also a limited range of resources in the art room, such as skin tone pastels, other drawing and colouring mediums, rubbers, sharpeners and equipment for making things, such as staplers and hole punch. Insufficient quantity of

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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 these types of resources are reducing the quality of children's creative play experiences and opportunities to make things of their own choosing. Children follow instructions and complete a planned and structured craft project, which they generally enjoy.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Adults create an inclusive environment, enabling all children to take part in the full range of activities on offer. Activities are well supported, such as additional adult supervision in and around the swimming pool, so that weak and non-swimmers have equal opportunities to enjoy pool activities. Children with specific needs are integrated well in the setting and good arrangements are in place to ensure appropriate help and supervision is available as required. Adults praise and encourage children, their efforts and achievements, helping to develop confidence and build self-esteem. Children behave well in the setting and are compliant with adult instruction, because they are helped to clearly understand the importance of social and safety rules. Children have good opportunities to use a wide range of play equipment, learn new skills and rise to challenges, because adults working with children have positive

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Helping children make a positive contribution

attitudes and excellent supervisory skills. They provide clear guidelines rules for acceptable behaviour and are discussed and agreed with the children, before they use equipment, such as the trampoline. Effective communication with parents, both verbally and in writing, is enabling children's individual needs to be identified, so that appropriate care is given. For example, a note goes out to parents with regards to foods containing nuts and adults arrange to talk to a parent to find out which foods are safe for a child to purchase from the tuck shop. Adults work well in partnership with parents, so that they are in agreement about activities in which children may or may not take part. Detailed records are kept, so that adults working with children are well informed of individual requirements. Parents receive some good written information about camp activities, so they can make informed decisions about suitability of these for their children.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Adults are properly vetted ensuring they are suitable to look after children. A good ratio of qualified staff, teachers, early years workers, first aiders and life guards are employed in the setting, so that children receive appropriate levels of supervision, support and attention. Many of the workers are training to become teachers or are training in a related area and offer the children a good range of expertise, experience and enthusiasm. Adults are appropriately deployed, with at least two working together with a group of children. The manager is experienced and conscientious in her duties and leads the staff team well, so that they uphold positive attitudes and good standards of safety and care.

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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 Good records, policies and procedures are in place ensuring the safe and efficient management of the setting and these are implemented effectively so that the welfare, care and learning of the children are actively promoted. The activity scheduled is well planned and organised so that children enjoy a variety of different play and learning experiences. The setting is well arranged, so that each group of children have a base room, where they leave their belongings and meet for breaks in the timetable and for lunch. There are seven designated areas for the different activities and these are well organised with safety in mind. Children have some excellent opportunities to take part in music, dance and talent shows, which are very well organised and presented in the stage room, known as the Ship theatre. The setting meets the needs of

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the provider has reviewed the recording systems, to safeguard information kept on children.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the last inspection. 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 good. 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 the shower and changing areas around the pool are maintained clean and hygienic and proper arrangements are in place for feet and hand drying; provide some healthier choices in the tuck shop and create opportunities to talk to children about the health benefits of regular exercise • take steps to avoid slipping hazards in the pool changing areas • provide a range of toys and play materials in base rooms for children aged

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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 under 8 years and a full range of stationary resources in the art room

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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

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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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