Best Family Childcare at Highfield

Best Family Childcare at Highfield Inspection report for early years provision

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EY362280 Unique Reference Number 31 July 2008 Inspection date Diane Lynn Turner Inspector

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Highfield Primary School, Sandringham Green, LEEDS, LS17 8DJ Setting Address

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07782476533 Telephone number peter@thebests.co.uk E-mail Best Family Childcare Ltd Registered person Childcare Type of inspection Out of School care Type of care

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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?

Best Family Childcare at Highfield was registered in September 2007 and is a privately owned provision. It operates from a modular building which is situated within the grounds of Highfield Primary School in the Moortown area of Leeds. The setting serves the local and surrounding areas and is registered to provide care for 32 children at any one time before and after school and during school holidays. There are currently 120 children on roll aged from three to 11-years-old who attend at various times before and after school and during the holidays. The setting has access to the school field and playground for outdoor play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting is open Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 08.00 until 18.00 during school holidays and from 07.30 until 09.00 before school and from 15.30 until 18.00 after school. There are six staff who work regularly with the children. They hold a range of relevant childcare qualifications, including youth work and play work.

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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 outstanding. High priority is given to ensuring children's good health is promoted. Staff consistently implement very effective procedures during their everyday routines. For example, they follow established cleaning routines including the use of different coloured clothes for different tasks. A detailed policy is in place showing the procedures for the care of children who are ill and includes the exclusion times to ensure the spread of infection is minimised. Children are supported very well in learning the importance of following good routines in their self care. They demonstrate an excellent understanding of the importance of washing their hands after personal care and before eating and they have designed their own posters to display in the toilet area. These graphically show the dangers of bacteria, including lurid drawings of their interpretation of what this may look like. They also fully understand why staff clean the tables

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are provided with excellent opportunities to develop their physical skills. They derive immense pleasure from being outside in the fresh air and having the freedom to run about. They go out in all weathers, providing they have the correct outdoor clothes to wear. They demonstrate very good coordination as they take part in obstacle courses, use skate boards and bicycles, and run up and down the grassy slopes on the school field. The children fully understand the effect exercise has on their bodies and they ensure they get plenty to drink, and rest when necessary.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff give high priority to providing nutritious food at mealtimes. The children are fully involved in drawing up the menu, which is also displayed for parents. Staff value their suggestions and include them whenever they can. The menu is vegetarian based and includes items, such as egg fried rice and pasta dishes. A bowl of fruit is available at all times for the children to help themselves to and they also help to make their own soup and bread at tea time. The children confidently relate that food, such as bread, contains carbohydrates to give them energy and that particular items of food are good sources of protein. They also show an excellent understanding of the importance of having plenty of water to drink. Water is freely available indoors and is also taken outside during physical play. The children independently help themselves to this and confidently relate that the body is made up of 80% water and that the

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Helping children to be healthy

level needs to be maintained to prevent dehydration.

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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 environment. Colourful examples of their art work and posters adorn the walls and the play room is well set out to provide a wide range of activities. There is a very well resourced role play area for the younger children and a separate chill out area with a comfortable sofa for the older children. An excellent range of toys and resources are available. These are well maintained and easily accessible to the children which promotes independent choice.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Very good attention is paid to ensuring children's safety in most areas. Notices are displayed to remind them not to go in the kitchen and staff remind them of safe practices, such as not running with food in their mouth outside as they could fall and choke. Detailed risk assessments are carried out for the various activities, with children being fully involved in these. For example,

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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 help them to learn about the possible risks associated with activities, such as building and lighting fires for cooking. The children clearly relate how they need to have a bucket of water nearby and how they must not poke the fire too vigorously. They know they must wear safety helmets when using the bicycles and skate boards and they confidently describe the emergency evacuation procedures, pointing out where they need to assemble after leaving the premises. They explain that during the holiday play scheme staff remind them of these each day as children who are not so familiar with the club also attend. Staff do not, however, always ensure that the premises remain secure, particularly during hot weather when the door is often left open to provide more ventilation. This is a potential risk to the children's safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have a sound understanding of protecting children from possible abuse. They have a clear understanding of the club's safeguarding children policy and are able to confidently describe what they would do if they were concerned about a child's welfare. Well thought-out procedures are in place which would be followed in the event of a parent failing to collect or a child being lost, including staff recording details of what the children are wearing before going on outings so accurate details could be passed to the police if necessary.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children settle very well in this very friendly and welcoming setting. Staff strive to make the club a home from home where children can follow their interests, relax or be active according to their needs. They achieve this very effectively. The sessions start with circle time which ensures all the children are greeted and acknowledged and this enables them to share their news. They develop excellent relationships with the staff, chatting happily to them about what is happening in their lives and welcoming their involvement in their play. For example, they delight in challenging staff during activities, such as board games. Children who are new to the group are allocated a buddy who shows them round and encourages them to take part in the activities. The older children are given valuable opportunities to take on responsibility. For example, organising and leading activities, such as a quiz, where they devise the questions,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

organise the group into teams and confidently lead the activity.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are offered an excellent range of interesting and often challenging activities, including art and craft, organised games and making camp fires under close adult supervision and use these to toast marshmallows. Activities are often planned around themes, such as countries and cities when the children's suggestions are very much valued and included. For example, during a recent topic on Egypt the children produced some very intricate art work including a wonderful three dimensional mummy, they used hieroglyphics to write their name and asked to learn about pyramids. At the inspection visit they were fully immersed in activities relating to 'safari week' when their imagination was captured as they made tribal shields, animal masks and painted animal friezes.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. All children are highly valued as individuals. Staff pay very good attention to finding out about their individual needs and fully understand that some children may be upset by certain events. For example, on the inspection visit staff warned the children it may thunder and that if anyone was worried about this they could come and talk to them. High priority is given to raising children's self-esteem. Staff recognise and acknowledge their achievements with lots of praise

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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 and the children recognise and value each other's strengths and skills. For example, they delight in sharing their talents for dancing and singing, becoming so captivated by the performances that a hush descends on the room.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children have many valuable opportunities to learn about the diverse society in which they live. They learn about many different countries around the world, celebrate festivals and develop good links with the local community. For example, the club has developed excellent relationships with the local school, they regularly borrow books from the local library and they benefit from visitors to the group who share their skills with them. They learn to care for the environment during a topic on recycling, having fun as they make outfits from various recyclable items but also appreciating the seriousness of this. For example, the posters they have designed clearly show they understand how recycling can benefit the planet.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are supported extremely effectively in learning to behave well. Staff are all excellent role models for them to follow. They demonstrate a consistent approach and place emphasis on helping the children to understand the effect unacceptable behaviour may have on others. They encourage the children to take ownership of the club and to help draw up the codes for working together. As a result, the children's behaviour overall is excellent. They readily take on responsibility at tidy up time, they are very polite when addressing visitors and they demonstrate very good social skills and manners at mealtimes. It is very evident that they enjoy their time at the club as they talk excitedly about the activities and state that they wish they could attend for more sessions.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff give high priority to developing a very positive partnership with the parents. They are provided with a well presented information leaflet giving an overview of the club. Information is displayed in numerous forms throughout the play room and detailed newsletters are sent out on a regular basis. Excellent communication is evident, the planning for activities is displayed and a suggestion box is readily available. In addition, a slide show of photographs showing previous activities can be viewed on the computer. Discussion with parents at the inspection and their written comments clearly show how much they value the club and the staff.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are cared for in a well organised environment where very good use is made of the available space to maximise their play opportunities. Staff work very well together as a team. They are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities and carry out their duties very effectively. They clearly enjoy working with the children and it is evident that the children's enjoyment is central to the service they provide. Clear recruitment and vetting procedures are in place for any new staff and for their induction, however, evidence of how staff's suitability is assessed is not readily available on site for all of them.

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Organisation

Clear policies and procedures are in place which show how the service operates and these are made available to parents. Appropriate insurance is in place as is all of the legally required documentation. This is maintained appropriately overall and stored with confidentiality in mind. However, records of staff's attendance do not always include their full names.

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Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

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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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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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 premises remain secure at all times • ensure the records for staff's attendance detail their full names and that evidence to support all staff's suitability is readily available.

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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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