The Frantastic Holiday Club

The Frantastic Holiday Club Inspection report for early years provision

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EY357217 Unique Reference Number 15 August 2008 Inspection date Lynne Naylor Inspector

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Holy Family Catholic Primary, Norwood Crescent, Southport, Merseyside, PR9 7DU

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Setting Address

07724 708 015 Telephone number frantaylor1@blueyonder.co.uk E-mail Frances Suzanne Taylor 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?

The Frantastic Holiday Club was registered in 2007. It is registered to an individual and is privately run. It serves the local community and operates from Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Southport. The group has use of the school outdoor area. A maximum of 50 children between the ages of four and eight years may attend at any one time. The group opens during some school holidays from 08.00 to 17.50.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 71 children on roll, of whom 33 are aged under eight years. There are nine staff employed to work with the children, of whom seven hold appropriate childcare qualifications.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are protected from illness. This is because when they are ill or have an accident, staff follow appropriate procedures, as outlined in the setting's comprehensive policy documents.

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Helping children to be healthy

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Although there are not yet any entries, useful medication and accident recording systems are ready for use when required.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children develop an understanding of good hygiene practices through daily routine activities. They know why they wash their hands prior to meals and wear hats, gloves and aprons when helping to make snacks. Children learn about nutrition from knowledgeable visitors, such as the school nurse. Photographs show, for example, children placing food items in their corresponding food groups and making fruit kebabs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's dietary requirements and allergies are recorded; this ensures that all staff are aware of children's specific medical and dietary requirements and can meet them. Children eat healthily. They have a choice of seven cereals and toast at breakfast. Children provide their own packed lunches, which are stored on a trolley in a dark room. Lunches are not routinely refrigerated; therefore, parents are asked to state whether any items are perishable so they can be stored appropriately. Fruit is readily available all day. Consequently, children help themselves, at any time, from an appealing range, for example, grapes, tomatoes, apricots, plums, apples, tangerines and bananas. For their afternoon snack, children eat healthy food items, such as carrot and cucumber with dips, and choose from a selection of meat slices that include corned beef and chicken with a French stick.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff talk to children about being fit and healthy on a regular basis. Opportunities to engage in vigorous physical activities are plentiful, which means they have plenty of active fun. Children play physical games as a group both indoors, such as musical statues, and outdoors, such as rounders and football. A good selection of sports equipment is available all day. Consequently, children practise their own ball skills, throw and catch Frisbees and move energetically on the computer dance mat. Children also enjoy topical activities, such as competing in the mini Olympic Games when they run, skip, limbo, balance bean bags on their heads, shoot balls in the netball net and play ten pin bowling. These activities effectively develop children's coordination and muscle strength.

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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 welcoming and stimulating environment. One of the strengths of the setting is the large amount of well-utilised space and the good quality equipment available to the children. A list of what is available in each room attractively written on a wipe clean board reminds children of what is available. Indoors and outdoors, children move freely around the rooms, choosing where and with what they wish to play.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The equipment is checked for safety by staff when setting up and tidying away. Hazard checklist sheets that identify most risks and how these are to be minimised are also completed each morning. However, the full risk assessment does not include some hazards, such as security in the outdoor area and the gymnasium equipment in the hall. Although, in practice, these risks are minimised to keep children safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are reminded to act safely, such as keeping the chair on four legs so that they do not fall and injure themselves. An emergency escape procedure is in place and regularly practised; therefore, children are developing an understanding of how to keep themselves safe in an emergency. Their awareness of safety is re-enforced by fire officers who visit to show videos and talk about safety. Children also learn about safety from other interesting visitors, such as a local special police officer.

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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 demonstrate a sound understanding of child protection issues, such as the potential signs of abuse and neglect. They receive basic training during the staff induction programme and most staff have increased their knowledge through attending external workshops. Staff are supported by the safeguarding children policy, which includes information regarding the action to take should they have a concern about a child's welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Every day, children participate in a wide range of stimulating activities. They purposefully move around the rooms, which are set up to offer different experiences. Positive interactions by staff encourage younger and older children to work together and develop their confidence and self-esteem. Play opportunities develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

In the creative area children help themselves from a large box of very good quality art materials to create items, for example, friendship bands and animal masks. Children laugh as they write about a recent dream or make up a story, illustrate it and read it to others before it is laminated. They draw their own pictures using the paper and pens available. Children learn many new creative skills from visiting adults, such as flower arranging led by a visiting florist and egg marbling in the style of Faberge and shadow art.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

In the quiet area, children access books and read to themselves. Children play well together in pairs and small groups with their choice of boxed games from a wide range. Children have good access to a wide range of technological equipment. They take photographs using digital cameras, record themselves on voice recorders and create animations using camcorders. In addition, children chat happily as they individually enjoy computer games that suit their interests. For example, one child used the dance mat whilst another played golf and two children played a football game.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff meet each evening to evaluate the day's activities and plan for the following day, incorporating children's ideas and suggestions. Children requested more dressing up items and these have been provided together with many lengths of material. Children particularly enjoy playing imaginatively and making dens with the different fabrics.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children's individual needs are well met. This is because important information regarding children's specific requirements and allergies is observed by staff. Also, children's views are actively sought, informally and formally, through questionnaires. Staff also value parents' comments and suggestions, using these to enhance the provision for children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Well-displayed notices and general information in written form handed to parents keep them informed about the setting and the planned activities. A poster giving information about how to contact Ofsted is also clearly displayed. The system of handling and recording complaints is in line with regulations; however, the written procedure does not mention that appropriate information may be shared with parents on request.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Although, on a daily basis, positive images of culture and disability are mainly limited to books, good access to the internet enables children to access information about the wider world. For

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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 example, children research information about different countries and print flags of some of those competing in the Olympics. Children learn about their own culture through planned activities at specific times of the year; for example, they make cards and hats and enjoy an egg hunt in the grounds at Easter. Interesting visitors extend children's awareness of others; for example, photographs evidence children learning sign language.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children receive appropriate praise and encouragement for good manners and behaviour. They discuss and agree shared rules and play well together. Older children show genuine care and concern for younger children; for example, a child took time to console another child sat on the bench at the 'buddy' sign when he found out the child was injured.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children move freely and confidently around the well-stocked different rooms during the day. The required adult to child ratios are exceeded so staff quickly and effectively deploy themselves as and where they are needed. This effective deployment of staff promotes the welfare and development of children. It also means children are very well supported to follow their own interests at times of their own choosing.

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Organisation

A clear staff recruitment and vetting policy is followed and relevant information is kept about staff's suitability to work with children. Persons who have not been vetted are not left alone with children, although this is not formally documented in the procedure manual. An induction and appraisal system is also in place to support staff. Systems to identify the setting's strengths and areas for improvement are developing well.

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Organisation

Clear policies and procedures are readily available to staff and parents; they are understood and followed by staff. Record keeping systems maintain confidentiality and, with the exception of attendance registers, documentation and records are well maintained to safeguard children. Children self-register using photographs and the attendance register is completed as children arrive; however, their times of departure are not always recorded. Children are kept safe as staff follow procedures, such as requiring all visitors to sign in and then supervising them at all times. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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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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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 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): • ensure the risk assessment includes all the identified hazards and the action plan identifies actions to be taken to minimise the identified risks • extend the complaints procedure to ensure appropriate information from the record is shared with parents on request • ensure the system for registering the times of children's attendance is consistently followed to provide an accurate record at all times.

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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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