The Play Station

The Playstation (Wharfdale Ltd)

Inspection report for early years provision

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The Playstation (Wharfdale Ltd)

Unique Reference Number EY246265 Inspection date 15 August 2006 Inspector Stephanie Joy Bennett

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The Playstation (Wharfdale Ltd)

Setting Address Bolling Road, Ben Rhydding, Ilkley, West Yorkshire, LS29 8QH

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E-mail

Registered person The Play Station (Wharfdale) Ltd Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Out of School 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 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?

The Playstation Out Of School Club has been registered since 2000. It is privately owned and operates from a pre-fabricated building next to the playing fields of the local primary school in Ben Rhydding, near Ilkley. The club serves the local community, caring for children before and after school and during school holidays. A maximum of 24 children aged three to eight years may attend at any one time. There are up to 200 children on roll who attend various sessions during term time or during the holidays. Of these, the group supports children with learning difficulties. The out of school club is open each weekday from

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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 07.30 to 09.00 and 15.15 to 18.00 during term time and then from 07.30 to 18.00 during school holidays. The group employs 10 staff to work with the children on a full and part time basis. The majority of staff hold relevant play work qualifications. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children develop a good awareness of maintaining personal hygiene skills. For example, they wash their hands independently as part of their daily routines and wear aprons to prepare snacks. Children's daily well-being is managed effectively, through the sickness policies which are shared with parents and efficient medication procedures. All staff hold current first aid certificates so that children are appropriately dealt with in the event of an accident. Children develop positive attitudes to keeping their bodies healthy, as they enjoy nutritious snacks which meet their dietary needs. They access water and juice independently throughout the day, so they have a good awareness of their own needs and well-being. Children engage in regular physical exercise, as they benefit from the adventure playground to increase their climbing and balancing skills. Parachute games, football and sports activities are also planned, which further

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Helping children to be healthy

contributes to developing a healthy lifestyle and their physical skills.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children play in a safe and secure environment. Good steps are taken to assess and minimise risk, through written procedures and a daily checklist, to ensure that each area is safe for children. They are kept secure indoors because good records are maintained, to ensure that children arrive and are collected safely. The entrance is kept locked and monitored by staff so that children are safe from unwanted visitors. They play outdoors in an open school field which is not fully secure. However, staff follow an appropriate risk assessment and maintain good supervision, to ensure that children do not leave the premises unsupervised and play safely. Children play with equipment which is suitable for their age group and is appropriately maintained to keep them safe. They choose their own resources safely and freely at low-levels which develops their independence and abilities to make their

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

own decisions. Children's welfare is adequately protected because staff have a sound knowledge of child protection issues and ensures that a policy is shared with parents. However, the policy does not contain written procedures to be followed in the event of allegations of abuse made against staff. This is a breach of regulations. However, staff can

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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 describe their procedures and understand that children can never be left alone with one adult. Injuries which have not occurred on the premises are also not recorded, which potentially compromises the children's welfare and leaves staff vulnerable to allegations being made against them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very settled and secure in this friendly and welcoming environment. They engage in well planned activities, which are suitable for their age and are varied and interesting. They enjoy art and crafts activities, such as paper-mache and play games, such as snooker or on the computer. Children who attend during the holidays benefit from meaningful activities which are aimed to develop an awareness of the world around them. For example, the current theme is 'our beautiful planet'. They are able to suggest activities relating to the theme, increasing their confidence and self-esteem. Those who attend the out of school club are involved in the initial plans of activities, developing their own ideas and collecting resources. Children have good opportunities to explore and use their imagination. They dress up in a wealth of clothes and play games, such as doctors or police. They enjoy playing

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

musical instruments, singing, dancing and putting on talent shows. Regular trips to local areas helps them to see more of their community and provides added variety to their school holidays.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are highly valued in this setting. They settle well because staff take time to obtain detailed information on their likes, dislikes and individual needs. Children's opinions are highly valued, as they fill in questionnaires with their parents about the club. These are used to improve activities and help children have a sense of ownership. They contribute positively to the group as they help tidy up, prepare snacks and are involved in planning activities. Their awareness of caring for the world around them is developed effectively, as staff plan activities which encourage them to recycle and use products which promote the welfare of third world countries. Children behave generally well and any conflicts are dealt with appropriately, so they develop respect for each other. They have been involved in developing their own club rules, which increases their sense of accountability.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the staff's friendly relationships with parents and carers, which ensures that their individual needs are met. Parents gain sufficient information of the group's policies and procedures through a parent pack, so they understand the expectations of the group. However, the complaints procedure does not contain Ofsted's current contact details and a record of complaints is not held on the premises. This means it is unavailable for parents to see on request, therefore, they are not fully informed to support the children's daily well-being. This is a breach of

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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 regulations.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The registered person has appropriate procedures in place, to ensure that children are cared for by staff who are suitable and hold a sufficient balance of qualifications and experience to meet their needs. Children benefit from the staff's effective deployment and interaction, to ensure they are supervised safely and develop good relationships with them. Space and resources are well organised so that children play in a safe environment, where they choose activities independently. Good regard is given to ensuring that staff's training and development are up to date, to continue to increase the quality of care provided. Appropriate induction procedures ensure that most records relating to children, their individual needs and daily safety are adequately maintained and organised. However, records such as the complaints log, are not available on the premises. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, the provider was asked to ensure that all entries in the accident records are countersigned by parents and to develop the child protection policy, to include a procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation being made regarding a member of staff. Accident records are now maintained and include parents signatures, to ensure the daily welfare of the children is managed. However, the child protection policy still does not contain procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse being made against staff.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they see on request. The complaints record may also contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted. There has been one complaint made to Ofsted since the last inspection. Ofsted received concerns in relation to National Standard 1, Suitable person. The concerns were originally shared with another agency. The Compliance, Investigation and Enforcement Team then contacted the provision. The provision provided an investigation response regarding the concerns raised. Ofsted are satisfied the provider remains qualified for registration.

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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 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): • make sure that the child protection policy contains procedures to be followed, in the event of an allegation of abuse made against staff and record existing injuries. • update the complaints procedure in relation to Ofsted's contact details and ensure that a record of complaints is available to be shared with parents on request and for inspection.

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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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