PARC (Essex)

PARC (Essex)

Inspection report for early years provision

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PARC (Essex)

Unique Reference Number EY300336 Inspection date 25 July 2005 Inspector Lynn Clements

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PARC (Essex)

Setting Address The Discovery Centre, Great Notley, Braintree, Essex, CM77 7FS Telephone number 01376 528999

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E-mail

Registered person PARC (Essex) 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?

PARC out of school club registered in 2004. The provision operates from a purpose built unit in the grounds of a local nature reserve in Great Notley. It is open to children and teenagers with special needs. A maximum of 16 children between 3 and 8 years may attend at any one time. Children up to the age of 19 years are also able to attend and sessions are varied to accommodate the different age groups appropriately. The club is open seven days a week from 09.00 to 21.00, 51 weeks a year. All children have access to a secure enclosed outside play area.

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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 provision has effective strategies in place to support children with special needs and those with English as an additional language. The provision employs 2 full time and 5 part time members of staff. 4 hold relevant qualifications and 2 members of staff are currently working towards recognised play work qualifications. The provision receives support from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children participate and enjoy a wide range of physical activities that help promote a healthy lifestyle. Their self-esteem and confidence grow as they acquire new skills using toys and specialist equipment both inside and outside. All children are able to rest or be active according to their needs. Children develop a good understanding of the importance of personal hygiene and are supported appropriately to build their independence and take care of their personal needs. Children clean their hands after using the toilet or before eating snacks. They remain protected from infection and cross contamination by staff who have a good understanding of children's health care and food handling techniques. All health related documentation is in place and kept up to date to ensure children's individual medical and dietary needs are met and respected. Staff hold relevant first aid training which enables them to provide appropriate care for children in the event

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Helping children to be healthy

of an emergency. Children help themselves to snacks. However, opportunities for them to make healthy choices when selecting their snacks are limited. Staff have a development plan in place to introduce healthy options at snack time and begin offering meals in place of the existing packed lunches for those attending extended sessions. All children are offered drinks regularly so none remain thirsty.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in an appropriate and well maintained provision. Attention to regular risk assessments ensures all toys, apparatus and equipment is kept in good condition and is safe for its purpose. The child centred environment enables children to move freely and safely, selecting resources independently from child accessible storage to extend their own play and learning. Safety equipment such as socket covers, fire extinguishers and secure exits enable children to play and learn in a safe and secure environment. They develop a good awareness of safety when practising fire drills and talking to staff about keeping safe. Additional equipment such as ramps ensures all children including those in wheelchairs have easy access to all areas of the provision. Children are protected from possible abuse or neglect and staff follow appropriate procedures to ensure

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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 children's welfare remains paramount.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are confident and secure in the setting and in their relationships with each other and staff. They take part in activities and organise spontaneous games in the ball park. They adapt their ideas and activities to include younger children and are keen to share and take turns together as they explore the ball park and the creative opportunities available. Children learn to communicate and share ideas while they play. Staff assist children who have communication difficulties through sign language, ensuring their thoughts and ideas are understood and included. Children use IT learning to control the mouse on the computer or the hand held controls of the play station. They enjoy investigating musical instruments, listening for the different sounds and singing along to simple songs. They are active both inside and outside learning to develop their co-ordination and move safely to avoid collision. They share books and stories and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

talk to staff about events at home. Children mix well with visitors from neighbouring schools, learning to share and communicate effectively. They have plenty of opportunities to use all their senses enjoying tactile activities such as jelly making or modelling with maize. Children play and investigate within a child centred environment which promotes their interest and understanding of the wider world. Children develop confidence and self-esteem to become independent and active learners supported appropriately by each other and staff.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued as individuals. They develop positive attitudes and gain a good understanding of the wider world through interaction with visitors and discussions about themes and topics. They explore their home cultures celebrating birthdays and talking about events at home. All children have access to toys and resources which support their personal development. Children's individual needs are met through key worker observations and individual care plans. The setting works closely with other professionals to ensure all children are supported appropriately. Families receive care and information enabling them to gain relevant knowledge and understanding to ensure their child's interests are met. Staff use positive praise to promote good behaviour and help children understand boundaries. Children are encouraged to work together to find pathways forwards as they learn to share and care about each other. The manager will be obtaining a copy

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Helping children make a positive contribution

of the Disability Discrimination Act to ensure that practice continues to meet the needs of all children attending.

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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 Partnership with parents is good. Children benefit from parental involvement such as sharing ideas with staff about their child's interests, like and dislikes. Staff ensure parents are kept fully informed of their child's development and regularly share verbal and written feedback. Staff and parents attend training courses together to further develop a consistent approach to caring for children. Clear procedures support staff to work closely with parents and carers. Additional clubs and coffee mornings on the same site, provides an inclusive approach for families in the local community.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Induction training, regular appraisals, policies and procedures are in place and work well in practice to keep children healthy and safe. All staff are aware of their responsibilities. Attention to continuing their professional development ensures staff continue to meet children's needs. All documentation is organised well, securely stored and confidentiality is respected. Records are regularly monitored and evaluated to assess practice and managers are pro-active in reducing risks, for instance when the accident records were checked managers identified the banisters on the ramps leading to the outside play area, these posed a potential problem for smaller children and the issue was addressed immediately to prevent bumped heads. The manager and staff have developed a strong team and are motivated in their approach to support children and help them reach their potential. Managers have

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Organisation

clear development plans in place which successfully identify areas to improve, such as raising funds for a fully equipped special needs adventure playground to adjoin the centre, increasing opportunities for children to build on their physical skills and independence. Overall the needs of the children are met.

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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

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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • develop snack time for children enabling them to make their own choices from a wider variety of healthy options • obtain a copy of the Disability Discrimination Act booklet and ensure all staff and volunteers are aware of their responsibilities with regard to the act.

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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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