The Dassett Care Club

The Dassett Care Club Inspection report for early years provision

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EY272214 Unique Reference Number 12 November 2007 Inspection date Paula Hunt Inspector

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Dassett Church of England Primary School, Memorial Road, Fenny Compton, Southam, Warwickshire, CV47 2XU

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Setting Address

07749902177 or 01295770869 Telephone number

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E-mail

Lynne Grisold 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 Dassett Out of School Care Club opened in 2003 and operates from one room within Dassett Church of England Primary School in the village of Fenny Compton in Warwickshire. The setting serves the local area. A maximum of 16 children may attend the club at any one time. The club is open each weekday from 08:00 until 08:50 and from 15:00 until 18:00 during school term times only. All children share access to the school playground and fields.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 24 children from four years to eight years on the roll. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The club is able to support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The club employs four members of staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years 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 satisfactory. Children stay healthy because staff follow current and appropriate environmental health and hygiene guidelines such as wiping the tables with anti-bacterial sprays between activities. Children are encouraged to be independent in their own personal hygiene. Appropriate procedures for sickness such as excluding children who are unwell help to prevent the spread of infection. A first aid kit is readily available and there are clear procedures in place for first aid and emergency treatment. For example, a staff member with a current first aid certificate is available at every session which enables children to be given appropriate care should an accident occur. A record is maintained of accidents that children are involved in, although, they do not always contain sufficient detail to fully ensure their well-being.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. A snack consisting of a biscuit and a drink is provided although the club is considering providing a breakfast and more substantial snack in the evening. Currently, parents provide a packed tea for their children which is appropriately stored in a fridge until needed. Jugs of squash and water are readily available for children to drink. Children enjoy the social occasion of eating together. Clear records indicate dietary requirements and preferences.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from daily opportunities to be in the fresh air and enjoy a range of physical activities which contributes to their good health. They use the school playgrounds and field to carry out a range of activities and games. Resources and activities help children to develop coordination and develop new skills such as skipping or throwing and catching a ball. Children have access to a variety of bats, balls, hoops, bean bags and skipping ropes.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children play safely in a light and spacious environment which is thoughtfully set out according to their needs. Suitably sized furniture allows children to play comfortably, and easy access to all areas ensures children's independence is developed. Attractive displays of children’s work within the club give children a sense of belonging and ownership. Children play with a wide variety of resources which are clean, safe and well maintained. Toys and resources are safely stored and easily available for children to self-select promoting their independence and self-esteem.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety is mostly well maintained as the main door is secure and access to the premises is carefully monitored. Staff are vigilant and undertake regular risk assessments to identify any potential problems and steps are taken to promote children's safety, including regular fire drills, the recording of visitors and the safe collection of children from the school. However, children's safety is not fully safeguarded as hazardous substances are not stored out of children's reach. Children have a clear understanding of safety. They know that behaving in a sensible manner prevents accidents and injury to others. Fire safety is effective, although, records of fire evacuations lack the required details to ensure children's welfare.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected from harm as staff are very well aware of their responsibility to protect children in their care. Staff are familiar with the child protection policy and the steps they should take regarding any concerns.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children receive a warm welcome and quickly settle to enjoy play activities of their choice. For example, they can run around outside playing sport or involve themselves with game playing and craft activities. Staff are warm, friendly and good humoured and talk to the children about what they are doing and encourage their enjoyment of play. Children are happy and relaxed in the friendly atmosphere. They are developing confidence and self-esteem as they are given the freedom to decide for themselves what activities they wish to take part in. Staff actively support and organise any ideas requested. For example, children decide to play an imaginative game of dressing up to see who could devise the most humorous outfit. This game involved active participation from a staff member wearing a variety of brightly coloured clothing items and a curly wig made from paper. Excitement builds as he parades his outfit to the great

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

amusement of all the children. Activities such as this greatly strengthens the relationship between staff and children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children become engrossed in their chosen activities, for example, in playing co-operative board games such as Frustration or designing an item with the Hamma beads. They chat as they make their creations, finding different coloured beads for each other and admiring the end results.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The Play Station is used widely; the children manage turn taking for themselves by drawing up waiting lists and negotiating times. Children seek out friends with whom they chat happily.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are happy, relaxed and at ease within their surroundings because staff welcome them and ensure they feel settled and secure. They benefit from good levels of support, and activities are organised to ensure all children can participate and achieve at their own level. Staff warmly greet all children and talk to parents to establish a good understanding and awareness of children's individual needs. There are resources available to provide children with a positive view of the wider world and activities are planned to promote children's awareness of diversity.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well because they are occupied and interested in what they are doing. Supervision and encouragement from the staff guides children to act appropriately and show consideration for others. Strategies used to manage children’s behaviour are consistent and take into account their level of understanding and maturity, which promotes their welfare and development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff encourage positive partnerships with parents to reinforce the children’s sense of belonging and to make sure they meet individual children’s needs. Parents are welcomed into the club and are able to access policies and procedures if they wish, which includes details of how to make a complaint about the provision if necessary. Staff and parents verbally exchange information daily and some additional information is on display on the notice board. However, parents do not receive comprehensive information about the staff, activities provided and other information about the service provided.

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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 out of school club provides a relaxed and welcoming environment for children to play safely. Staff are suitably qualified to care for children, they work well together as a team and are well deployed to offer the children good levels of support at all times. Appropriate recruitment and vetting procedures are in place and staff currently receive a verbal induction upon commencement of employment at the club. However, this process is not formally documented to ensure the welfare of children is fully safeguarded.

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Organisation

Children move about the areas freely and confidently and are interested and occupied in the activities. Daily attendance registers are in place although these are not always accurate and do not include the staff's arrival and departure times. This results in staff being unaware of how many people are present at all times and potentially could compromise children's safety in the event of a fire. Children's records are well kept with the necessary information to care for them and are updated each term to ensure all details are correct in case of emergencies. Overall, children's needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the provider has undertaken written risk assessments to identify most hazards to children and taken action to minimise any identified risks. These are reviewed approximately every four months to ensure children's continued safety. The toilet area has been refurbished to ensure warm water is available for children to wash their hands adequately to prevent cross contamination. Written permission from parents has been obtained for seeking emergency medical advice or treatment, although, all the required information is still not recorded when recording accidents and therefore remains a further recommendation.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The child protection and special needs policies have been reviewed and amended in line with current legislation and guidance and are made available to parents on request. There is an effective system in place to record when visitors are present, however staff induction procedures are yet to be formalised and therefore remain as a recommendation from this inspection. Children are learning to respect their own culture and those of the wider world through the additional resources purchased or loaned from the library. Resources include posters, dolls, jigsaws, dressing up clothes and small world figures that reflect differences in culture and ability.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection 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): • ensure all the required information is detailed when recording accidents • ensure all the required information is detailed when recording fire drills and children have no access to hazardous substances • ensure the daily attendance register for staff and children is accurate and up to date and that staff induction procedures are formalised • ensure information about the club and activities are provided for parents to ensure they are fully informed to enable all to work together to support the children's well-being.

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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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