Dorrington Kidsclub

Dorrington Kids Club

Inspection report for early years provision

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Dorrington Kids Club

Unique Reference Number 229036 Inspection date 08 February 2006 Inspector Adelaide Griffiths

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Dorrington Kids Club

Setting Address Dorrington Primary School, Dorrington Road, Perry Barr, Birmingham, B42 1QR Telephone number 07940 555263

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E-mail

Registered person Dorrington Kids Club 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?

Dorrington Kids Club opened in 1994. The club operates from two rooms and a corridor in an annex building adjoining Dorrington School in Perry Barr, Birmingham. A maximum of 29 children may attend the club at any one time. The club is open each weekday from 08:00 to 09:00, and from 15:30 until 18:00 during term time. The club also opens during school holidays from 08:00 to 18:00 except for the last two weeks of the summer holidays and during the Christmas break. Children share access to the school play grounds. There are currently 40 children aged from 4 to 11 years on roll, of these 15 are aged

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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 under 8 years. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The out of school club serves children who attend Dorrington Primary School. The club employs six staff. Five of the staff, including the manager, hold appropriate qualifications. The club is a member of the Birmingham Playcare Network and 4Children.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a clean environment. They are adequately learning about hygiene issues due to the hand washing routine before snacks. Appropriate facilities are provided to encourage hand washing following the use of the toilet. Staff take adequate measures to minimise cross-infection by ensuring that all utensils are properly cleaned for children's use. Children's health requirements are adequately addressed. Policies are in place for exclusion in the event of infectious illnesses and sickness, and acceptable procedures are followed if children are unwell. Parental consents are obtained for emergency medical treatment and staff hold current first aid qualifications. A first aid box is stored and checked regularly. Owing to these procedures children's personal hygiene and health are adequately maintained. Children are gaining reasonable understanding of healthy eating. They are offered a

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Helping children to be healthy

range of snacks including fruit and sandwiches weekly, regular choices of crisps and biscuits and occasionally, raw vegetables. During school holidays children bring packed lunches. Children can choose from drinks including blackcurrant, squash or milk shakes. They can request drinks of water as they wish and during hot weather a water cooler is set up for children to access drinks independently. These arrangements help children to gain some understanding of healthy choices. Children participate in physical exercise during fine weather when they play games in the play ground. There is sufficient space for children to move around indoors. The school hall is also available for indoor physical activities. There is acceptable provision for a quiet area where floor cushions are arranged for children to rest or read a book if they wish. Children are benefiting from a balance in vigorous physical activities and quiet rest periods.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a relatively safe environment. The premises are fairly welcoming with sufficient natural light, adequate ventilation and centrally controlled heating. There is sufficient space for all children. Although the toilet area is safe for children's use, carrier bags left hanging on a hook are accessible. Children are adequately provided with a large range of toys which are chosen for age-appropriateness, durability, educational value and safety specifications. All toys and resources are checked regularly to ensure that they remain safe for use with

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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. Electrical appliances are serviced annually. All resources are stored away from areas used by children. Owing to these arrangements children are generally safe in the setting. Children's safety is reasonably safeguarded due to some measures that are in place. There is controlled access to the premises and children are reliably supervised. Inconsistent risk assessments are carried out. However, these are not recorded. Children are clearly learning about fire safety when they participate in regular fire drills which are consistently recorded. However, the corridor to one of the fire exits is partly obstructed. The outside play ground is safe and secure for children's use. The range of measures ensures that children's safety is reasonably maintained. Children's welfare is generally safeguarded due to staff awareness of some aspects

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

of child protection issues. Parents are made aware of staff's responsibility to protect children. Staff are sufficiently informed about recording procedures. However, there is some uncertainty about reporting procedures in relation to concerns and in the event of allegations against staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a child-friendly environment. A good range of toys and resources is provided to promote children's development. Children can play in small groups with a large selection of board games for all age groups. They complete jigsaw puzzles individually or with others. Children have access to a wide range of arts and craft materials to encourage their creative skills. They make cards for special occasions including mother's day, Christmas and Valentine. All children participate in projects that demonstrate their creativity whilst working at their own pace to achieve different stages. Children engage in a range of enjoyable activities that promote their development effectively. Children exercise choice in accessing a good range of dolls that reflect positive images and experiment with dressing up clothes from different cultures. A vast range of role play equipment support children in their imaginative play. Children can also

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

choose from an entertaining selection of videos. During free play they can choose from play station, videos and football games. A good range of books is also provided for quiet activities. Therefore children are benefiting from a varied range of activities to stimulate their interest.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are valued as individuals in the setting. They are treated fairly and their individual needs, including dietary and medical requirements, are adequately addressed. Children have a sense of belonging due to the celebration of a reasonable range of festivals linked to their cultural backgrounds and resources that promote positive images. A few examples of children's work are displayed in one

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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 room. Currently there are no children with special needs in the club, but staff are willing to offer care. A special needs policy is in place and staff have an awareness of appropriate procedures for supporting children with special needs. Owing to these arrangements children's individual needs are met. Children are gaining reasonable understanding of the wider community. With parental permission they participate in outings to places of interest, for example, Cadbury World . Varied activities are also implemented to raise children's awareness of the wider world. Currently they are working on a project relating to planets and space. In keeping with these activities children are gaining an understanding of the wider world. Children are generally well-behaved. They work fairly well together and are clearly

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Helping children make a positive contribution

forming relationships with their peers and adults. Children are encouraged to be respectful of the feelings of others and routinely say 'thank you'. They are made aware of rules and tend to adhere to these. In the event of unacceptable behaviour a time out system is in place for short periods. Owing to the level of interaction children are clearly forming relationships and learning about boundaries of behaviour. Partnership with parents and carers is adequate. A trusting relationship has developed with some parents and most are content with the service they receive. Staff share information with parents continually in regard to children's experiences. They are made aware of the complaints procedures. However, this does not include information about the regulator and a complaints record is not available for inspection. The working relationship with parents help children to feel comfortable in the club.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The organisation for the care of children is acceptable. The procedures for ensuring suitability of all staff are being addressed. All staff participate in weekly planning meetings. Children are allowed some flexibility in choice of activities. Sessions are adequately organised but the use of space is not always appropriately managed. Although most documentation is in place a public liability insurance certificate was not available at time of inspection. A reasonable range of policies is accessible to parents. All records and sensitive materials are stored securely. Staff are suitably informed about procedures for the retention and updating of records. Ofsted is notified of significant changes. Overall, the needs of the range of children who attend are met.

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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 There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since 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 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 that risk assessments are carried out at regular intervals to include items stored in the toilet area and the checking of all fire exits, and all details recorded • improve all staff's knowledge and understanding of Child Protection procedures, with regard to reporting suspicions of abuse or neglect to appropriate authorities, and procedures to follow when allegations are made against staff • make sure that the contact details of Ofsted are displayed for parents so that they can contact the regulator if they wish to comment on the childcare provided and ensure that a complaints record is available • ensure that the organisation of the room enables the children to fully benefit from the activities on offer, and that all documentation is available including a public liability insurance certificate.

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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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