Royal Grammar School Guildford in Qatar

Mini Minors Holiday Group

Inspection report for early years provision

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Mini Minors Holiday Group

Unique Reference Number 147586 Inspection date 07 August 2005 Inspector Maggie Thorp

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Mini Minors Holiday Group

Setting Address Brookland Infant Primary School, Hill Top, London, NW11 6EJ

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E-mail

Registered person XKEYS LIMITED 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 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?

Mini Minors is one of three holiday play schemes run by Xkeys Ltd. It opened 20 years ago and operates from the classrooms and communal areas of Brookland Primary School. Children have outdoor play space in the school grounds and use of the school's swimming pool. The play scheme is situated in a residential area of Hampstead Garden Suburbs. The play scheme is open each weekday from 09.00 to 16.00 during some school holidays. A maximum of 280 children under 8 may attend the play scheme at any one time and of these 140 may be under 5 years. Children over eight also attend and are grouped

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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 separately. There are currently 260 children aged from 3 to under 8-years on roll. Children come from a wide catchment area. The play scheme currently supports some children with special educational needs. Children who speak English as an additional language attend. The play scheme employs 50 staff. The staff team are drawn from the pool available to the whole organisation and many have worked at the group for a number of years. There are 33 staff, including the manager who hold teaching or sports coaching qualifications.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health is promoted effectively and strategies to limit the spread of infection are good. Children wash their hands after using the toilet and if they rush off to play without doing so, staff are at hand to remind them. The rooms and toilets are kept clean and hygienic so children's health is not at risk. However, occasionally children have to wait until they can be escorted to the toilet. Clear information in the play centre's policies about the symptoms and exclusion periods for infections underpins good practice and promotes children's health. Children's individual health needs are well known and good systems are in place to ensure allergies are not accidentally triggered and children are able to receive the correct treatment. Staff caring for children with allergies requiring Epipen treatment are trained and confident to administer this. They take the medication in back packs

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Helping children to be healthy

where ever the child goes. Children's health is further protected by staff obtaining parents permission for activities such as for face painting. Children's well being when unwell or hurt is safeguarded by effective accident and medicine administration procedures and by sufficient first aid trained staff being available. Children have opportunities for exercise throughout each day. Outdoor and lively indoor play is included in half hour sessions during day. Children dance, jump on the bouncy castle, do judo and play ring games. Swimming sessions are included for all but the youngest children. Children also have a short period of free outdoor play at lunch time. Children have sufficient food and drink during the day and staff are at hand to encourage children to eat and drink regularly. Each child brings a packed lunch box with snacks and lunch and drinks and these are accessible to the children throughout

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Helping children to be healthy

the day. Children also drink from the drinking fountains in toilets and the water in each classroom.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children play in safety because comprehensive risk assessment is carried out and

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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 staff regularly check the areas and resources children use. Children use equipment and play materials that are safe and are sufficiently well maintained to reduce any hazards to children. Children use the swimming pool safely, and are well supervised by life guard trained staff and good child staff ratios. Children are well practised in evacuating the premises in an emergency. Children's security is very well maintained and children move around this large school premises calmly and safely. Children cannot leave the site on their own and all visitors entering the premises are escorted and signed in and out. There are two guards on the entrance gate all day and lots of staff in the grounds at arrival and collection times guiding children and parents to the right place. Children are closely

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

supervised at all times and staff always know who they are responsible for. An example of this is that at end of day children are given a security wrist band as staff hand them over to their parents. Guards at the gate collect these to ensure no child slips out without staff knowing or parents being with them. Children's well being regarding child protection is satisfactorily safeguarded. The child protection policy is very clear about how to proceed if staff have concerns about a child. Staff know to record their concerns and most staff know when and to whom to refer concerns.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Older children are enthusiastic as they participate in some of the exciting activities offered. Some chat proudly about what they are making, others quietly concentrate during activities such as clay modelling, swimming, and after a scavenger hunt. However, there are quite a few children, especially in the groups for younger children, who are passive and not challenged or excited about the activities they are doing. Young children's creativity and imagination is not fostered by many of the art and craft activities. Adults make things for children and their role is limited to decorating what the adult has done. These children are not helped to learn new skills because staff don't understand what the children are capable of. Moreover, there is a limited range of resources and tools available for children to choose from and children are not encouraged to use their own ideas.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are animated and very active at free play times outdoors. They use the large equipment with confidence and enjoy this time a great deal. However, the free play times are only for short periods. Children's free play indoors is less stimulating because the choice of materials is limited. An example of this is that children in one group have three choices at the beginning of the day - drawing, looking at books and use of a construction set . Many activities are done in large groups and children not wanting to participate have few alternatives. Children enjoy being grouped with their friends, they talk to each other and to staff confidently and staff interact gently and kindly with children fostering their self esteem and helping them build friendships.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children's behaviour is good. Children understand the rules at the play scheme and are able to explain these to others. They generally are kind to each other, orderly when moving between activities in these large premises and co-operative with staff. Children say of each other that they like the way everyone cares and tries to help you if you are upset. Children also say that leaders are calm and 'don't make a drama' when something is wrong. Children benefit from how well staff work with their parents to keep them informed about what children do and a website provides good information about the play scheme's policies. Staff are able to meet children's individual needs because they ensure that parents provide them with information about each child. Children with special needs enjoy the play scheme and get involved in group activities. Staff are aware of their needs and take steps to ensure they are included in activities. Parents

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Helping children make a positive contribution

are encouraged to arrange for a support worker to accompany their child if they need one to one help. Getting additional help from the local authority, to make access available to the play scheme for children whose parents cannot provide one to one support, has yet to be explored. Children are able to join in all the activities offered; there is no segregation by gender and the Mini Minors' banner shows that children from different backgrounds are welcome. Children play some games which include information about other countries, and children's religious or cultural dietary needs are respected. However, children are not helped to value and find out about their own and other's similarities and differences in any other ways. Books, toys, and the themes and activities are not planned to promote diversity well or to include the positive contribution disabled people can make.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Many aspects of the of Mini Minors Play scheme are well organised. Children's health and safety is promoted effectively and this is underpinned by comprehensive policies and procedures and good staff induction. However, children's well being is not guaranteed by administration systems for keeping Ofsted informed of staff changes so that all the required checks are carried out. Systems to ensure that staff qualifications and experience are appropriate for the age group of the children they are responsible for have weaknesses. This effects how creative and imaginative staff enable children to be. The organisation of the activity programme means that some children have little choice if they do not want to participate in large group activities. Overall the provision is meeting the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements 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 Satisfactory improvements have been made since the last inspection. Children's base rooms have been made a little more attractive. They are decorated to reflect the current theme, which was space travel at the time of inspection. Children have an adequate but not good choice of play resources in these rooms. The action requiring the level of qualification of the manager to be improved is partly met as new manager is a teacher, but of older children. This qualification does not include early years play training. Children enjoy a healthier and safer environment now. The tables children eat at are cleaned before lunch. Safe practice is in place for those children who need to be given medicines during the play scheme and medicine forms are clear and comprehensive. Swimming safety is good, children are well supervised in the pool.

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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): • provide children with more choice and more time and resources to develop their creativity and imagination through free play and open ended art, craft and pretend play activities both indoors and outside and provide more ways of supporting children who do not want to join large group activities. • help children value their own and other's similarities and differences and the positive contribution disabled people make by actively planning for this in all aspects of the provision. • develop more rigorous staffing administration systems to ensure the regulator [Ofsted] has all the required information, that detailed records of staff clearance are kept and to ensure that staff qualifications are appropriate for the role they are taking.

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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:

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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 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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