Poppleton School's Out Club (PopSoc)

Poppleton School's Out Club (PopSoc)

Inspection report for early years provision

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Poppleton School's Out Club (PopSoc)

321481 Unique Reference Number 23 October 2006 Inspection date Linda Cook Inspector

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Poppleton School's Out Club (PopSoc)

Poppleton Youth Club, Main Street, Upper Poppleton, York, North Yorkshire, YO26 6JU

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Setting Address

01904 788258 Telephone number infoatpopsoc@aol.com E-mail Poppleton Schools Out Club Management Committee Registered person Childcare Type of inspection Out of School care Type of care

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Setting Address

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?

Poppleton School's Out Club (Popsoc) is a committee run provision. It opened in 1999 and operates from three rooms in a youth centre building, which is situated in the grounds of Poppleton Ouseburn Primary School on the outskirts of York, in North Yorkshire. A maximum of 32 children may attend the provision at any one time. It is open each week day from 08.00 to 09.00 and from 15.30 to 18.00 during term time and from 08.00 to 18.00 during school holidays. The children have access to a secure, enclosed outdoor area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 154 children aged from four to 13 years on roll. Children attend from the surrounding areas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The provision employs eight part-time staff. The manager holds an appropriate Level 3 early years qualification and three other members of staff, including the deputy, are in the process of gaining a Level 3 qualification.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children develop a good understanding about the importance of healthy practices through effective daily routines, topics and reminders from staff. They independently wash their hands after toileting and before eating, helping them to effectively understand the need to practice good routines of personal hygiene.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children develop an enthusiastic approach to physical exercise. The session is organised each day to ensure that they have a satisfactory range of opportunities, both indoors and outdoors, to develop their physical skills. They enjoy playing table tennis and using the range of outdoor equipment to develop their physical skills. There are clear plans in place to further develop the outdoor play area and the range of outdoor activities provided. While some improvements have been made, plans have not yet been fully implemented.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well cared for in the event of an accident. Staff have attended first aid training and follow detailed policies on accidents and medication to ensure that the children's welfare is the first priority. Children are kept safe from the spread of infection. There is a clear sick child policy in place. Staff ensure tables and food preparation areas are kept clean and have effective procedures in place to ensure that food is stored and prepared safely. The manager has a food hygiene certificate. Children are offered a healthy, balanced diet and their individual dietary needs are fully met. They are involved in making menu decisions and begin to understand the importance of healthy eating, through discussions with staff and healthy eating posters, displayed in the snack area.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children benefit from being cared for in a warm and welcoming environment, which is clean, well-maintained and has recently been refurbished. Space is organised effectively and children can move around freely, independently accessing activities, including construction, dressing-up, sand tray, books, electronic games and sports equipment. New cupboards and mobile units have recently been purchased to ensure the effective storage of resources; this means children are now able to independently select resources which are safely in their reach.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are kept appropriately safe in the setting. Staff are aware of potential hazards and take positive steps to ensure that children are kept free from harm. There are effective arrangements in place to ensure that children are safe when being collected and the entrance door is kept secure. Children develop a good understanding about safety in the setting through regularly practising emergency evacuations. Effective staff explanations help them to understand the reasons behind behaviour boundaries as well as discussions and topics on road safety. A visit from the fire brigade has been organised to raising children's awareness of fire safety.

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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 Children are well-protected from abuse or neglect. Staff are aware of their responsibilities to the children in their care and all staff are encouraged to attend relevant training. Local authority information is kept on file for reference and there is a clear child protection policy in place.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are provided with an appropriate range of enjoyable activities, which help their development in all areas. They are able to be active or choose more restful pastimes according to their individual needs and interests. These include role play, construction, reading, outings, arts and crafts. They are very happy and settled and are keen to communicate with staff, sharing experiences and involving them in their play. Children benefit from staff who are very interested in them, giving plenty of praise and encouragement to help them build positive self-esteem. Children play very well together, they build warm relationships with other children and learn to share and take turns. They are given good opportunities to be independent at the setting. They move around freely accessing toys, play equipment and learn to be independent with regard to their own hygiene. Children have good opportunities to make decisions and their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

opinions are valued. They are included in decision making regarding the rules of the club, activities, menus and equipment to be purchased.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children benefit from effective relationships between staff and parents. Staff collect detailed information on children's individual needs before they attend the setting and work closely with parents to ensure that these are fully met. Parents are well-informed about the setting and their child, through discussions and exchanges of verbal information at delivery and collection. They are given an information booklet on the setting, there is a notice-board and activity sheets are displayed. All parents were invited to the recent annual general meeting and the yearly report is made available to them. Parents who contributed to the inspection were very positive and stated that their children generally enjoy attending, that staff are friendly and welcoming and overall, the provision is effective in meeting their childcare needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children develop an understanding of right from wrong, through good staff explanations as regards the reasons behind behaviour boundaries. They are fully involved in the rule-making decisions, which help them to understand the consequences of their actions. Children behave well and are encouraged to share, take turns and show concern for others. Staff consistently use a broad range of strategies to effectively manage behaviour and children receive plenty of praise and encouragement, to promote good behaviour and build self-esteem.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are valued as individuals and effective arrangements are in place to care for children with specific needs. They are treated with equal concern and care plans are drawn up with parents and other professionals to ensure their needs are fully understood and met. Staff have received recent training in the use of an Epipen, ensuring they are able to meet a specific medical need. Children learn about their local community and the wider world. This is achieved

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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 through celebrating festivals, topics and visitors to the setting. There is a satisfactory range of resources and posters displayed providing positive images of cultural diversity.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The children and their families benefit from the staff's and the committee's positive approach to overall development. Staff training is well supported and three staff members are in the process of gaining a Level 3 playwork qualification. The newly appointed manager who is qualified and experienced in managing childcare provisions, demonstrates a clear vision for future developments. The staff work effectively as a team and are enthusiastic and motivated in improving the existing provision and to extending play opportunities and learning outcomes for children.

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Organisation

A clear range of policies and procedures which are specific to the setting are in place and are currently being reviewed, to ensure they remain in line with current practice. All requirements for documentation and record keeping are in place to meet the requirements of the National Standards. However, a clear induction procedure for new staff needs to be introduced and the system for recording medication administered altered, to ensure confidentiality is maintained.

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Organisation

The organisation of space and resources successfully encourages independence as children are able to select their chosen activity, choose when to have snacks and can access drinks throughout the session. They confidently attend to their personal care needs and can be active or rest, according to their needs. Children feel at home in the well-organised environment and are able to move freely and safely between the different rooms which ensures they are confident to initiate their own learning and play. 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, the quality of the care was judged as inadequate. The setting was required to: ensure the deputy was suitably qualified to take charge in the absence of the manager; ensure that recruitment and vetting procedures met current changes in legislation; ensure the requirements for record keeping and documentation with regard to the administering medication were met; ensure all policies and procedures which are required for the welfare, care and learning of children were maintained appropriately and available for inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The deputy is in the process of gaining a recognised Level 3 playwork qualification and has successfully completed the first module of a three module programme of training. Two other members of staff have also recently started training to again a Level 3 qualification. Their enthusiasm, commitment and increased knowledge are beginning to have a positive impact on the quality of care and range of activities provided for children. Staff recruitment and vetting procedures have been amended to meet legal requirements, ensuring children are well protected.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The written consent of parents is obtained before medication is administered and a record is maintained. A daily register is completed which includes both children's and staff's attendance. A clear lost and uncollected child policy is now in place. All requirements of the National

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Improvements 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 Standards for documentation and record keeping are met and available on the premises for inspection, further safeguarding children's care and welfare.

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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 complaint 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): • continue to develop and extend outdoor play resources and associated activities • ensure there is an induction procedure in place for new staff and the system of recording medication administered is modified to maintain confidentiality.

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The quality and standards of the care

set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) 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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