Castle care Club at Meadows School

Castle Care Club at Meadows School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Castle Care Club at Meadows School

Unique Reference Number EY290044 Inspection date 21 June 2005 Inspector Sally Wride

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Castle Care Club at Meadows School

Setting Address Meadows School, Stourbridge Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B61 0AH

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E-mail

Registered person Castle Nursery Ltd - 4620461 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 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?

Castle Care Club at Meadows School originally opened 2003 and changed ownership in 2004. It operates from three rooms within Meadows First School in the town of Bromsgrove. The setting serves the local area and has strong links with the school. There is a fully enclosed playground, adventure playground and sports field available for outside play. There are currently 150 children from 5 to 13 years on roll. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting has procedures to support children with special needs, and who speak English as an additional language.

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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 The group opens five days a week during school term times with sessions from 08:00 to 09:00 and 15:00 to 18:00. It also operates from 08:00 to 18:00 during the school holidays. Sixteen members of staff work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level 2 or 3. Five staff are currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. The setting is one of a local chain of nursery and out of school care provision.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The children have a good understanding of good health and hygiene. They are able to independently access the toilet and washing facilities and are provided with suitable hand washing resources. They are cared for in a clean and hygienic environment. All of the required documentation is in place and are well maintained, ensuring that the needs of the children are well met. The children enjoy regular outside play. They have access to an adventure play area, a separate playground and a large playing field. They enjoy developing their physical skills on the apparatus in the adventure play area and running around on the playing field. They play and experiment with equipment such as scooters and skateboards. The children benefit from staff involvement in their play when outside. They enjoy playground games such as chase and sitting quietly talking to the staff. The children also benefit from an indoor sports hall which they use for physical play during wet

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Helping children to be healthy

weather. There are suitable arrangements for shade in the outdoor play areas. Children provide their own sunscreen at the setting and apply this themselves in the warmer weather. Children provide their own packed lunches which are stored appropriately in a cool and dry place. The children are provided with healthy snacks such as pitta breads, crumpets, fruit and biscuits and are able to help themselves to fresh drinks throughout the day. The children participate in baking activities and enjoy eating their creations at snack time, such as cakes, pizzas and decorated biscuits. The children enjoy picnics outdoors in the warmer weather.

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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 safe, secure environment, that is warm, welcoming, clean and well maintained. They are able to freely move between the indoor and outdoor play areas as part of their play and enjoy exploring well spread out activities. The children have access to a wide range of age appropriate toys and resources and are interested and have fun with what is available to them. There are suitable storage facilities for all toys and equipment and with adult supervision, the children are able to make self-selections of what they would like to play with. Children's individual likes

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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 and dislikes are well catered for and staff take time to find out what interests each child. The children are well protected whilst playing outside and are closely supervised and supported by the staff. The children have the use of safety equipment when playing outside. They wear helmets, knee and elbow pads when playing on outdoor equipment such as scooters, skateboards and bikes. The children understand the importance of wearing the safety equipment and are happy to wear them to keep themselves safe. The children are safe in their environment, with the exception of cleaning resources that are accessible in the kitchen. Risk assessments are currently being developed and staff are proactive in keeping the children safe when they are in their care. Staff complete visual risk assessments throughout the session and respond to identified

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

risks promptly. The children's welfare is promoted and safeguarded with eight members of staff holding a valid first aid certificate. The majority of staff have a clear understanding of the indicators of abuse and the procedures to follow in the event of a concern, however some staff are less familiar.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The children are happy and settled in their care environment and make good use of the facilities available to them. The children are keen to explore both the indoor and outdoor areas and are challenged and stimulated by the activities and resources available to them. The children have formed good relationships with each other and with the staff and they enjoy each others company and play harmoniously together. They benefit from staff involvement and interaction in their play and are confident to extend and initiate their own games. The children play a key role in developing the plans for the activities offered at the setting. They work together to plan activities that are important to them and are well supported by the staff. The children are proud when their chosen activities are undertaken and their input into the planning ensures that they participate in activities that are important to them. They enjoy a wide range of activities such as cooking, arts

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and crafts, free play and adult led activities. The children's individual care needs are well met and they have the opportunity to relax and complete homework activities if they wish to do so.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The children's individual needs are well catered for. Staff know the children well and treat them all with respect and equal concern. Children have access to a wide range of resources and activities which promote a greater understanding of the wider world. The setting has effective procedures in place to support children with special needs and provides inclusive care.

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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 The children play harmoniously together and respond well to effective behaviour management strategies and lots of praise and encouragement. Effective partnerships with parents ensures that they are informed of their child's care and the activities that they have undertaken whilst at the group. The setting requests the views of the children and the parents by asking them to complete questionnaires and responds to their comments accordingly.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The children benefit from the care of enthusiastic staff who are actively involved in their play. The environment and the resources are effectively organised and allow the children to move freely between well spread out activities and have access to their playthings. Staff are well managed and there are good systems in place to provide clear direction, support and leadership. For example, regular staff meetings take place, staff appraisals and induction are effective. Staff training is given high priority and staff have the opportunity to regularly attend local short courses to ensure that they are up to date with new ideas and information. All of the required documentation is in place and are well maintained. The parents are provided with a prospectus that details the services offered at the club. The setting has a range of clear policies and procedures that are understood by staff and

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Organisation

are effectively implemented in practice. Overall the provision meets the needs of the children who attend.

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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

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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 take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure that hazardous substances are inaccessible to the children • increase staff's knowledge and understanding of child protection issues to ensure all staff are aware of local Area Child Protection Committee guidelines and procedures and the known indicators of abuse.

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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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