Pottery After School Scheme

Pottery Out of School Scheme

Inspection report for early years provision

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Pottery Out of School Scheme

206299 Unique Reference Number 27 November 2006 Inspection date Georgina Walker Inspector

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Pottery Out of School Scheme

Kilbourne Road, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 1HA Setting Address

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E-mail

The Committee of The Pottery Out of School Club Registered person Childcare Type of inspection Out of School 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?

The Pottery Out of School Club opened in 1996. It operates from two rooms in Pottery Primary School, in the town of Belper, Derbyshire. There is a secure enclosed play area in the school playground for outside play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The out of school club serves only the children who attend the school. The setting opens five days a week during school term only. Sessions are from 15.15 until 18.00.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 38 children from four years 11 months to 11 years on roll. The out of school club employs four part-time staff who work with the children. Half of the staff hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting receives support from Derbyshire local authority and is managed by a parental committee, who delegate day to day responsibility to the staff.

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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's good health is promoted through them learning the importance of personal hygiene. The children follow appropriate daily routines, such as washing their hands before snacks and after using the toilet. They are increasingly independent in their personal care. The prevention of accidents in the playroom and outside play area is reduced as staff are vigilant and aware of stages of children's development. Children's needs are met if they have an accident as staff hold appropriate first aid certificates and maintain the first aid box. However, the detail in recording the size and location of the injury is insufficient and significant injuries received prior to arrival are not recorded, leading to a child's needs not being met if a further accident occurs. The seeking of permission for administering medication and treatment is sought. Medication records are produced for completion and children's requirements are met on the rare occasion

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Helping children to be healthy

medication, such as for the treatment of asthma, is administered. In the event of children becoming ill staff instigate the well documented procedures and parents are contacted to ensure any distress is limited.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from the healthy and nutritious snacks provided. They also have free access to fresh water at any time. Savoury snacks and cucumber, tomatoes and fruit, are part of a rotation of food provided on the menu. Children understand why certain foods are good for them through discussion and programmed activities. Individual dietary requirements are shared by parents with the staff to ensure children remain healthy and needs are met. Staff provide encouragement to eat healthily and discuss foods from around the world as part of topics and celebrations. The use of 'please' and 'thank you' is spontaneous from the children, but the extension of learning good manners and table etiquettes is not fully promoted as plates are not used for them to place food on, when chosen from the serving dishes.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are supported effectively to develop their physical skills. Activities are adapted age appropriately for the wide age range of children who attend. They move with confidence and an awareness of personal safety throughout the premises. Regular use of small tools such as pencils, scissors, glue sticks and paint brushes, and a wide variety of construction toys, help children develop their fine manipulative skills competently. The access to a range of technology equipment contributes to children's development and generally promotes an understanding of the need to share and take turns. They also have regular opportunities to manipulate malleable materials and discuss the texture, colour and smell of the green dough as they create shapes such as the 'Loch Ness Monster'. Daily opportunities to play outdoors are programmed in the summer and lighter evenings. Structured activities such as tennis, quick cricket, badminton,

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Helping children to be healthy

football and other ball and hoop games are enjoyed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are secure in the environment. Comprehensive collection procedures are effectively maintained at the end of the school day as under eights are escorted to the out of school club. Older children make their own way across the school site. Staff check for potential hazards to

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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 ensure children's safety at all times. The two doors to the rooms used by the children are fully secure and a sound and visual device alerts staff when parents and carers come to collect their child. Emergency procedure evacuations and subsequent evaluations are undertaken regularly to ensure all children develop an understanding of the need for fire safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are cared for in a welcoming environment where the playroom is decorated with their own craft work, and that of the pre-school children who share the premises. Collage work, of activities they have previously enjoyed, and of autumn leaves and spacemen, are proudly shown by the children to visitors. The children have access to an extensive range of activities which are changed to promote challenge throughout the session. These are safe, age-appropriate and presented at suitable levels to encourage independence and development and ensure children play safely in appropriate surroundings.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are cared for by staff who have a sound knowledge of signs and symptoms of abuse and demonstrate an understanding of how to give priority to children's welfare. Policies do not contain reference to the proposed changes to child protection procedures from April 2006. Staff have not yet been provided with the 'Local Safeguarding Children Board' procedures. The children's welfare is however, fully supported by the staff. The parents are informed of the setting's responsibility to protect children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children settle quickly in the setting and have a friendly relationship with the staff. The children are confident and keen to access the extensive range of play activities. Children's learning through play and relaxation after school is promoted due to consistent staff interaction and the monitoring of the children's use of activities. They contribute to the ideas for activities and displays. The children develop appropriate socialisation skills as they join in group activities and move between the very well presented resources. This ensures the children are purposefully occupied. Children's physical development is promoted indoors when they use the smaller resources or the music mat or large snakes and ladder games. They enjoy games of 'Twister'.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The access to an extensive range of creative play activities linked to displays ensures children's development is fully supported. Activities such as making a jungle collage with tissue and foam shapes of monkeys or zebra, provides children with opportunities for their own ideas and cutting and joining methods being developed. Planning of an extensive range of activities and subsequent displays of children's work provides evidence of the worthwhile range of educational and recreational activities they engage in.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are well behaved and eager to try new experiences. Obvious groups of friends organise use of games, demonstrating good negotiating skills. Children have access to a range of books and spontaneously use them for quiet activities. Many books contain positive images of diversity within society, promoting an awareness and understanding of others. This is further promoted by staff during activities, food tasting and spontaneous discussion at snack times.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Ongoing training and support from the local authority is provided and staff respond effectively to ensure the children benefit from their commitment to development. The staff present the

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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 daily activities attractively and children are eager to share information about their experiences, and future plans such as a visit to a cinema in Derby, for a Christmas outing. Children competently use the play station programmes but access is limited to ensure a fair system and the promotion of other group activities instead. Children enjoy building with the bricks or creating dough shapes which leads to discussion, such as the likelihood of there being a 'Loch Ness Monster'.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are respected and treated as individuals, they are welcomed and valued. They are very confident in the setting and show a sense of belonging to the club. Staff use their expertise, have ongoing discussions and use information sheets completed by parents and carers to ensure children's individual needs are met. However, these do not include specific sections for the child's ethnic origin, language used and religion. Medical detail or food requirements information is drawn to the attention of all the staff and retained confidentially to meet the needs of the children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents and carers are provided with a 'welcome pack' regarding the services their children can access and a selection of the policies and procedures to retain. A file containing documents and copies of all policies and procedures is available to read. Information regarding Ofsted and how to contact the regulator is displayed, but due to the shared use of the room is inconsistent and the currant contact number and address is to be clarified. A complaints log is to be set up as indicated in the revisions to the 'National Standards' document received in 2005. Verbal information is shared daily about the child's time during the session and parents specifically like the flexible services the club provides to meet children and family needs. Homework is completed, with support from the staff if necessary, if parents have specifically requested their child does this during the session. Co-operation between parents, staff and the school, and

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Helping children make a positive contribution

outside agencies when necessary, ensures children's specific needs are met. The club is managed by a committee of parents.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children develop an understanding of how everyone positively contributes in society and how some people have individual needs. Resources which promote positive images are available and are well used. Members of staff consistently use appropriate language to assist children's learning. Their knowledge and experiences are successfully extended as craft activities linked to a variety of cultures and festivals are included. Equality of opportunity is promoted effectively as activities are adapted to ensure children's developmental needs are met. Staff attend relevant training and follow their policies to meet children's individual needs. Children develop a strong sense of independence and self-worth as they are encouraged to share and take turns, especially with the play station or computers. They are well behaved as they accept the rules and respond to the firm and consistent expectations of the staff. Children remind each other of the rules

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Helping children make a positive contribution

to 'be safe, be responsible and be caring' as they play and are polite and use manners without prompting. They respond to the staff when instructions are given, such as washing hands two children at a time in washbasins in each of the girls and boys toilets, before snack and waiting for all to sit down before the snacks are served.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The welfare care and learning of the children is generally promoted through the maintenance of records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision. However, staff were unaware of some recent changes or not reflected changes from 2005. Staff are to make cross references to all five regulation documents when making amendments to their policies and procedures. They made notes to obtain the relevant information regarding 'Local Safeguarding Children Board' procedures, processes for CRB checking of staff and to change the Ofsted contact details. Consistent implementation by the staff of policies relating to accident and incident record keeping are required to fully ensure children's health and safety.

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Organisation

Children are in the care of qualified or experienced staff who support them effectively to ensure they are happy and settled in the out of school club. Overall the range of children's needs are met. Notice boards containing information about registration and insurance cover reassures parents their children are cared for appropriately. Good organisation of effectively planned, developmentally appropriate activities, ensures children's time in the setting is worthwhile and challenging. The children are eager to engage in the exciting range of activities presented. There is regular support for the staff team from the committee. Staff are encouraged to seek training via the local authority. Resources are constantly being updated to ensure the facilities are welcoming and stimulating for the children.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004 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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Complaints 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

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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): • further promote good table manners at snack time • ensure all accident and incidents, including those which occur when children are in school, are fully recorded and signed by parents • ensure children's information records contain detail which enables appropriate care to be given • ensure a complaints log is created and all policies and procedures make reference to current legislation, national standards and guidance • ensure policies and procedures make reference to and staff are made aware of the content of the 'Local Safeguarding Children Board' procedures, when they are available.

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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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