Dawn Till Dusk Childcare

Dawn Till Dusk Childcare

Inspection report for early years provision

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Dawn Till Dusk Childcare

EY274336 Unique Reference Number 21 September 2006 Inspection date Andrea, Marie Paulson Inspector

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Dawn Till Dusk Childcare

Middleton-in-Teesdale Primary & Nursery School, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 0TG

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E-mail

Dawn Till Dusk Childcare Registered person Childcare Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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E-mail

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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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?

Dawn Till Dusk Childcare is a voluntary organisation that registered in 2003. It operates from rooms within Middleton-in-Teesdale Primary and Nursery School. During operational hours the group has sole use of classrooms, the staff room, staff kitchen, the school hall and an enclosed outdoor area. There are adequate storage facilities throughout. Cloakroom, toilet and hand-washing facilities are off the main school corridor. The group mainly serves the needs of families from the local rural community in offering wrap around care.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The facility is open each weekday from 15.00 to 18.00 for the after school club, from 07.30 to 09.00 for the breakfast club during term-time and from 07.30 to 18.00 during school holiday periods. The club provides places for 30 children aged from three to under eight years. It supports children with learning difficulties and disabilities. There are currently 60 children on roll who attend for varied sessions.

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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 There are three regular members of staff working with the children, one of whom holds a relevant early years qualification with another member of staff currently working towards this. Staff are supported by a bank of regular volunteers and work closely with the school and Sure Start, County Durham.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children have their individual health and dietary needs met satisfactorily as staff work closely with the parents, with records giving relevant information for each child. The accident book and consents for emergency medical treatment, though, are not all signed by parents. They have a varied range of activities which includes active play in the spacious indoor and outdoor areas. Children develop coordination as they play with balls, dance and explore the outdoor play area. They have freedom of movement within the hall which has easily accessible activities. Children therefore have several opportunities to develop movement skills.

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Helping children to be healthy

They learn about sound health and hygiene practices as part of the daily routine when they wash their hands before having a snack, tables are wiped and the floor is kept clean. Children sit together to have their snacks so that acceptable table manners are promoted. Children develop an understanding of making healthy food choices as they are provided with varied fruits, crackers and non-coloured cheese. They are encouraged to try other foods, such as tea made out of mint grown in the garden area.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a clean, bright, spacious and secure environment so that they can feel confident and safe. Access to the premises is carefully monitored and children are collected by authorised people only and the routine of signing them out is adhered to well. The equipment is in reasonable condition and easily accessible to children. Risk assessments are devised but not updated and the emergency evacuation is not practised so that children are not familiar with the procedure.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff ensure that children are supervised both indoors and outdoors throughout the session. However, the areas for active and quiet play overlap so that children are in danger, for instance, from tripping over wheels from construction play. There is no separate area where children can rest or play quietly undisturbed. Children follow safe practices such as not running indoors and making sure the tea is not too hot before tasting it. They benefit from staff guidance in how to safely use art and craft equipment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are aware of the need to update awareness of child protection issues, policies and procedures so that children's safety is further safeguarded.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children interact confidently with staff and settle well into a familiar routine. Their learning and play needs are generally supported well as they access age-appropriate resources. Children's suggestions for activities that interest them are not promoted enough to achieve a sound balance of adult-led and child-led activities. Staff have sound knowledge of the children as individuals and are able to provide guidance when appropriate such as for creative play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's language skills and self-expression are encouraged as they talk together during role play and discuss experiences while doing craft work. They concentrate well as they play with the construction materials to make models of vehicles. Their self-esteem is promoted through praise for their achievements and good behaviour, for instance, in helping to tidy up. Children's imagination is stimulated when they discuss how windmills work as they make models. They play well together and have several opportunities to develop their individual skills.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children become aware of the wider world through resources that reflect varied cultures such as books, planned craft activities and foods for snacks. Children with learning difficulties and disabilities are supported well through the staff's experience, working closely with the parents and the accessibility of the premises. All children are therefore welcome and actively participate in the club.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are well behaved and learn to follow the example of staff members when using good manners and being considerate to each other. They are learning responsible behaviour as they tidy up after an activity and share resources such as the construction materials. Children react well to appropriate behaviour management techniques so that they are learning right from wrong. They learn that they are valued when praised and encouraged by staff.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Continuity of care is promoted with informal, regular handovers with the parents so that children's individual needs are continuously met. The required policies are in place except for the complaints policy which needs to be updated. The notice board which holds the registration and insurance certificates, along with other useful information for the parents, is not always displayed. Parents spoken with are happy with the safety of the provision, the continuity of care with school and the friendly staff.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children take an active part in the club with adequate supervision by staff to support their enjoyment and achievements. Staff members work well together as a team to organise the smooth running of the session. They are conscientious and care about the children's well-being. The club at present does not have a qualified leader due to unforeseen circumstances. This results in not meeting the National Standard. However, the provision has an action plan to ensure that the satisfactory care of the children is maintained.

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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 Staff plan a satisfactory range of activities so that the children enjoy varied play over continuous sessions. The close links with the school promotes continuity of care for the children. The recording systems are generally well maintained so that children receive appropriate care.

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Organisation

The partnership with parents is satisfactory. Information about the children's time at the club is shared through informal discussion, club pamphlets and policies. Parents are seen to be welcomed when collecting the children and comment on their satisfaction with the quality of care.

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Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, recommendations were made for the provision to develop an action plan for staff to reach the required level of qualification and to have staff with first aid training at each session. Good progress is being made to achieve this. Improvements in the keeping of attendance register, accident records and the complaints policy were recommended which are now met.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards.

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Complaints 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 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): • provide separate areas for different activities so that children can be active and rest safely • review risk assessments, practise the emergency evacuation procedure and update awareness of child protection policies and procedures • ensure that the records of all accidents and consents for emergency medical treatment are signed by parents

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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 • encourage children's initiative by extending the range of activities to include their suggestions so resulting in more balance between adult-led and child-led activities • ensure that the registration and insurance certificates are displayed at each session • update the complaints policy to include the recent regulations which inform parents that they can request to see a complaints record.

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The quality and standards of the care

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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