The Sunrise & Sunset Club

The Sunset Club

Inspection report for early years provision

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The Sunset Club

EY341069 Unique Reference Number 28 February 2007 Inspection date Gail Groves Inspector

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The Sunset Club

George V Pavillion, George V Way, Sarratt, Hertfordshire, WD3 6BJ Setting Address

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The Sunset Club

07890 467733 Telephone number pippa@sunriseandsunset.org E-mail Pippa Louise Alexander Registered person Childcare Type of inspection Out of School care Type of care

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The Sunset Club

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 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?

The Sunset Club opened in 2006 and provides after school care. It operates from one large room in the George V Pavilion situated in the village of Sarratt, in Hertfordshire. A maximum of 16 children may attend the club at any one time. The club is open each weekday from 15.15 to 18.15 during school term times only.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 16 children from three to 11 years on roll. Children mostly come from Sarratt village school. The club currently supports children with children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The club employs four staff. Two of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications. One member of staff is working towards a 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 good. Children are protected from infection and are appropriately taken care of if they have an accident or become ill because staff follow current and appropriate environmental health and hygiene guidelines, policies and procedures. For example, children with infectious illnesses are excluded from the club for appropriate periods of time to prevent cross infection, tables are cleaned with anti-bacterial spray before children eat at them and staff who prepare meals hold current Food Hygiene certificates. Children are also learning to understand simple, good health and hygiene practices themselves so that they are developing good hygiene routines for later life. For example, they are required to wash their hands before eating, after using the toilet or after having taken part in messy play and staff remind them to put their hands in front of their mouths when coughing.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy meals which are freshly prepared and which use organic foods whenever possible. Drinks and fresh fruit are always available and children can ask for some whenever they wish. Staff use opportunities to discuss healthy eating as they arise during meal times so that children are beginning to learn about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. Children have their dietary needs well met because staff work closely with parents. Details regarding any allergies and particular health needs are carefully sought before children begin to attend the club and parental wishes are always respected. For example, staff encourage a child to widen his tastes by ensuring that he eats some fruit after his meal because his parents have asked them to do so. However, the systems used to record written parental permission for administering medication and to record any medication when it has been administered are not sufficiently clear. As a

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Helping children to be healthy

result, children's health needs are potentially not being fully and appropriately met.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children take part in regular physical activity both indoors and outdoors and are therefore developing good coordination and motor skills and are learning to enjoy exercise. They have opportunities to use a wide variety of large scale apparatus outside, such as swings, climbing frames, tunnels and slides and there are areas for using bikes, scooters and playing ball games. Inside, children can use the bikes and scooters in the large playroom when the weather is poor. Opportunities for children to rest according to their needs are planned into the daily routine so that children do not become overtired and irritable. There is a comfy corner with large bean bags and a carpet where children can read and rest if they wish to do so and table top activities, such as painting, gluing and board games are available at all times if children wish to play quietly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a welcoming, secure and safe indoor and outdoor environment where many of the risks to their safety have been minimised. For example, children use good quality, suitable and safe equipment which is well maintained and meets their differing needs. Resources are stored on shelves in clearly labelled boxes and bags and children can readily access these safely and independently. Staff carry out regular risk assessments and complete a safety check

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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 list at the beginning of each session. Fire drills are carried out each term on different days so that children's differing patterns of attendance are taken into account and everyone has a chance to learn what is required of them in an emergency. However, children using bikes in the playroom are not consistently prevented from riding them at speed around the table area where other children are playing. As a result, children are at risk of injury.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Appropriate procedures keep children safe on outings and on the journey to the club after school. Staff ensure children cross the road safely by teaching them to wait at the side of the road in silence until an adult has stopped the traffic and the club provides fluorescent tabards for children to use if weather conditions mean that visibility is poor. Children learn to keep themselves safe through discussions about practical experiences as they arise within their daily routine and environment. For example, staff discuss why it is dangerous for children to pile up the bean bags and jump on them by encouraging them to remember that on a previous occasion when they had done so a child was trapped at the bottom of the pile and could have been injured.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are also safeguarded because staff understand their role in child protection and are able to put appropriate procedures into practice when necessary. They have attended recent training and clearly understand the signs and symptoms which would give rise to concern about a child's welfare. In addition, the club's carefully devised procedures prevent children from being given into the care of any adults who have not been authorised to collect them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are involved in a broad and interesting range of planned activities and spontaneous events, which support all areas of their development and learning. For example, they have regular opportunities to develop their creative skills as they cook, paint, glue, create collages, sew, make models and use their imaginations to develop role play games with a wide variety of dressing up resources. Children visit the mobile library to help select books for the club to supplement the wide range already available and enjoy looking at and reading them with each other. In addition, older children sometimes use them as a resource to seek information for their homework. Opportunities for children to learn about the world around them are provided as they plant seeds in their own individual area of the manager's garden or go on visits to see some new puppies and observe them as they grow. Children's physical skills are well supported

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

by chances to enjoy a variety of interesting outside play activities as well as by activities such as cutting, threading and sewing which help to develop their hand and eye coordination.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are settled and happy at the club and as a result, confidently join in with all the play opportunities provided for them. Their efforts and achievements are recognised and valued and consequently they gain self-esteem. For example, children's art work is attractively displayed throughout the playroom and all the staff praise and celebrate with a child when he gets his spelling homework correct. Throughout their interactions with the children, staff treat them with respect and carefully support their vocabulary and language development. For example, they ask questions about what the children are doing as they play with them and help to develop their conversational skills during social occasions, such as meal times, by talking with children

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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 about what they have done at school or home. As a result, children respond to adults who are interested in what they do and say and are learning good communication skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are becoming confident to make decisions, explore and investigate and are therefore able to extend their learning and develop their individual interests. For example, they select their own resources independently and take part in activities and develop their own games without adult support. Consequently, they relate well to each other and enjoy playing in small groups and pairs. Their individual needs are met by sensitive staff who know and understand the children well. For example, a child who was frightened of dogs was allowed to develop confidence by being introduced to the manager's dog slowly and at her own pace and now has greater confidence when meeting unknown dogs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued and included and feel a strong sense of belonging. Staff introduce all the children individually to visitors and ensure that new children are always introduced to everyone when they first begin to attend. As a result, children feel comfortable and at home in the setting. Children are given many opportunities to be independent and to make choices and take decisions throughout their daily routines. For example, they choose what they would like to drink and decide whether they wish to have sauce or cheese on their pasta. A suggestion box is used to allow children to take an active part in the decision making process about how the club is run and they make suggestions regarding the possible activities and resources that they would like to see being offered during sessions. As a result, children develop positive self-esteem and feel that their opinions are valued.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The club forms a strong partnership with parents and carers and this ensures that children's individual needs are consistently met. Regular newsletters keep parents well informed about specific activities and items of interest and a prospectus for new parents gives them details about the play opportunities provided by the club as well as some health and safety procedures. The club also has a detailed and comprehensive web site from which parents can download all of the club's policies. Printed versions are also available for those parents who do not have access to the internet. Staff always ensure that they talk to parents on a daily basis about their children and share any relevant information about what they have been doing or how they have behaved during the session. Individual strategies for supporting children with specific learning difficulties are developed by staff in conjunction with their parents and these are used

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Helping children make a positive contribution

to help to support their development and to meet their particular individual needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are learning to respond well to appropriate expectations for their behaviour and so are developing good social skills. Staff always encourage children to think about the impact their behaviour has on others and the club's rules are discussed and agreed with the children at the beginning of every term so that they understand what is expected of them. Children are encouraged to work harmoniously with each other and to share and take turns at all times so that they not only become aware of their own needs but also learn to respect the needs of others. They benefit from resources, such as puzzles, books and dolls, which help them to value diversity and begin to learn about some of the differences between people as they talk about which countries they and their families come from. Art and craft or cooking activities linked to

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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 celebrations such as Chinese New Year, Halloween or Hanukah are also sometimes planned to develop children's awareness of other cultures and religions still further.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Staff have a high regard for the well-being of all children, a clear sense of purpose and a commitment to continual improvement. The club's robust recruitment and vetting procedures contribute to children being protected and cared for by staff with good knowledge and understanding of child development but staff also update and enhance their skills by attending additional training. This is either identified as being necessary to meet the club's needs, such as training in food hygiene, child protection or first aid or as being appropriate for their personal development.

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Organisation

The effective use of time, space and staff deployment contributes to children’s good health, safety, enjoyment and achievement and ability to take an active part in the setting. For example, staff spend all of their time interacting with the children and use the available space to provide distinct areas for different kinds of activities, such as using the computer, looking at books, creative play and completing homework. This means that they can meet children's play needs effectively. Staff work well together as a team and are always aware of where they are needed within the room and of which children need their support at any particular time. In addition, because of the low number of children attending the club at present, the adult to child ratio is high and this positively supports children’s care, learning and play. All of the necessary documentation for the efficient and safe management of the club is in place and record keeping

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Organisation

systems generally work well to meet children's needs. All staff have had an input into developing the club's policies and procedures and as a consequence, these generally work in practice to promote positive outcomes for children.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration 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 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): • review the procedure for obtaining parental permission to administer medication and the systems used to record any medication which has been administered • review the procedure for children using bikes safely in the playroom.

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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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