Briar Hill Out of Hours Club

Briar Hill Out of Hours Club Inspection report for early years provision

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EY343444 Unique Reference Number 01 May 2007 Inspection date Elenora Griffin Inspector

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Briar Hill Infant School, Coppice Road, Whitnash, LEAMINGTON SPA, Warwickshire, CV31 2JF

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Setting Address

01926 429700 Telephone number wenniebic@hotmail.com E-mail Wendy Anne Bicknell 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 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?

Briar Hill Out to Hours Club opened under its current management in 2006. It operates from the school library and hall at Briar Hill Primary School in Whitnash, Leamington Spa. The before and after school cater exclusively for children who attend Briar Hill Primary School and St Margaret's Junior School. The holiday play scheme is open to children from the local area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The before and after school opens five days a week during school term time, from 08:00 to 08:50 and 15:00 to 18:00. The holiday play scheme opens five days a week during three weeks of the summer holidays, four days a week during half-term holidays and is not open during the Christmas school holiday period. The holiday play scheme operates from 08:00 to 18:00.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 74 children aged from 4 to 11 years on roll.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Six staff work with the children, five of whom hold appropriate qualifications.

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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 have their nutritional needs well met. They benefit from the option of having a breakfast in the morning if they are hungry. Children are learning how to make healthy choices and to enjoy a balanced diet. They make choices about what to have in their sandwiches, and treats such as chocolate biscuits are limited to once a week. Children enjoy the selection of fruit that is offered every evening. They are confident and will get drinks for themselves throughout the sessions. Children have their dietary requirements very well met because staff ensure that the food offered meets the needs of all children who attend.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children receive good care if they have an accident or if they have any ongoing medical conditions. All staff are first aid trained and have received training in order to administer medication using an Epi pen. However, potentially children's individual medical requirements may not be fully met. This is because training has not been sought that is specific to each of the individual children concerned. Children stay healthy and thrive from regular opportunities to be active both inside, and out in the fresh air. Outside they have a choice of using the outside playground where they can ride bikes or the grassed area where they often play football with staff. A variety of activities are offered inside, for instance dancing and basketball.

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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 friendly and welcoming environment. They benefit from using well organised space in which they can move about freely and access activities independently. Children are interested in the broad range of activities that are offered to them on daily basis. They are self-assured and will ask for activities that may not be set up at the start of the session. Children's safety is well promoted because all activities, resources and equipment are well maintained and staff are vigilant when supervising children. Comprehensive risk assessments ensure that children remain safe when on outings.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children have an increasing understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They regularly practice fire evacuation procedures and know to inform a member of staff when they want to move between the indoor and outdoor areas. When on outings children know to contact a member of the venue's staff if they become lost, and they carry the club's mobile number for contact. Children enjoy close relationships with staff who strive to build trust so that children know that they can share any concerns or worries with them. Children are safeguarded because all staff receive child protection training which is updated regularly. Therefore, staff are knowledgeable about the signs and symptoms of abuse and confident in their abilities to deal with any issues that may arise.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children are very happy and settled as they arrive at the club eager to talk to staff and participate in the activities on offer. They are independent and have good self-esteem because they can make choices and decisions about what they want to do. Staff respect children's choices and value their contributions. Children enjoy interactions with staff who are approachable and willing participants in child-led activities. Staff have high expectations of children and offer

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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 appropriate support to help them participate and learn. For example, staff will play board and card games with children, helping them to understand rules and offering clues to answers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's experiences are enriched by the activities that are planned by staff. They delight in the broad range of creative and sporting activities that are organised. Children become engaged in activities that will hold their concentration for long periods of time. For example, children will contently work on their 'hammer bead' designs for the entire early morning session. Creative activities are wide ranging. Children will paint using different tools and techniques, make peppermint creams, learn to play the drums and use imaginative toys to create their own stories. Children are encouraged to participate in their own way and to relish the success of holding their own variety show.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are developing a very good understanding of the world around them. They learn about cultural festivals from around the world and about the different life chances people experience. In response to this children become actively involved in raising money to help those who may be less fortunate. Consequently, children have an increasing ability to empathise and treat others with respect. All children are included and receive good supports so that they can actively participate in the setting. For example, written and pictorial timetables ensure that all children know what is planned and which staff will be leading the different activities, regardless of their language and reading abilities. Regular feedback from children is sought through conversations with staff and questionnaires to ensure that the club remains responsive to their needs and interests.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Consultation also takes place with parents so that they can be actively involved in deciding future plans for the care of their children. For example, about what snacks will be offered to children after school. Partnership with parents is good. Children have their individual needs effectively met because staff develop close relationships with parents in order to find out about their children. Ongoing exchange of information regularly takes place through daily chats, newsletters and notices. Parents are well informed about relevant policies and procedures, like the behaviour management policy, and therefore children benefit from consistent messages.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. A comprehensive set of policies and procedures are in place and generally they work well in practice. However, they have not been reviewed and updated in response to the change in management and addendum to the National Standards. Consequently, children may not always receive consistency in their care and safety. For example, parents may not be fully informed of factors that potentially impact on their children because the complaints procedure has not been recently updated. Children's safety is supported through robust systems for registering their attendance. However, systems for registering staff are not as robust and therefore do not provide the same level of support towards children and staff safety.

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Organisation

Children benefit from being cared for by a strong staffing team who are knowledgeable and committed to continual improvement. All staff undertake additional training to keep themselves up-to-date with current best practice. Children are protected from harm through effective recruitment and vetting procedures. Inductions are planned to ensure that new staff are well

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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 aware of procedures and expectations. The overall organisation of the sessions promotes all outcomes for children. Staffing ratios and deployment positively supports children's enjoyment, achievement and ability to take part. Staff are actively engaged with children and they make best use of the time and resources to ensure that children enjoy stimulating sessions and are well cared for.

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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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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 and update policies and procedures required for the efficient and safe running of the provision so that they reflect the changes in the management structure of the group and the addendum to the National Standards • improve systems for registering staff attendance on a daily basis, showing hours of attendance • ensure that training for the administration of medicines that require technical/medical knowledge is specific to the individual child concerned

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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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