Owls Club

Owls Club

Inspection report for early years provision

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Owls Club

Unique Reference Number 316775 Inspection date 27 March 2006 Inspector Glynis Margaret Kite

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Owls Club

Setting Address Hollins Grundy Primary School, off Hollins Lane, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 8AY Telephone number 07801042080

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E-mail

Registered person Karen Mercer Brown 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 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?

Owls Club out of school club opened in 1996. It operates from three rooms in Hollins Grundy Primary School which is situated in a quiet, semi-rural area of Bury. The club has access to a small kitchen area, toilets, a large outdoor play area and has recently been granted use of the school's computer suite. The children attending the club attend the school. The club is currently registered to provide 32 places for children under 8 years. Children up to 11 years also attend. There are currently 50 children on the register and an average of 29 in attendance. The group takes no more than 32 children at

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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 any one time. The club operates five days a week term time only from 07.30 to 09.00 and 15.30 to 17.30. Parents book children in for the required sessions. Two staff work in the breakfast club and four staff cover the after school club. The manager, who has been in post since September 2002, holds a relevant childcare qualification and has experience of working in an out of school club setting.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health and well-being is promoted well because staff recognise the importance of providing children with healthy snacks, drinks on a daily basis, time to rest, physical activity and protection from infection. Practice is based on several written policies and procedures and appropriate records are kept with regard to accidents and medication. Staff offer daily opportunities for children to play outdoors, where they eagerly participate in and enjoy physical activity. On occasions, where children are unable to play outdoors, provision is made indoors. For example, in the school hall. Staff promote good hygiene practices, such as keeping the premises and food preparation areas clean and tidy. They also routinely wash their hands in between various task and activities. As a result children know and understand the importance of hand washing routines. Children explained that washing hands removes germs and

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Helping children to be healthy

bacteria. Children enjoy snacks which are freshly prepared and cooked on the premises, such as soup and crusty bread. The main snack is followed by fresh fruit and drinks are also provided. Children continue to develop independence as they are allowed to access additional drinks throughout the session. Pieces of fruit, not eaten during snack time, are made available to children to eat later if they wish. Individual dietary requirements are met well. Staff are sensitive to the needs of the children in their care, they work closely with parents, thus providing appropriate support to them and their children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are kept safe on the premises because staff are vigilant and effectively implement the safety policy and procedures, such as the supervision of children, checking the premises and using appropriate safety equipment as needed. Access to the premises is managed well, for example, visitors are required to sign in and the entry doors are kept locked. Children have access to a wide range of toys and play equipment which is

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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 appropriate to their ages, safe and in good condition. Some soft furnishings are provided to allow children to rest and relax in comfort. Children benefit from a warm and welcoming environment, in which they have freedom of movement to select toys and activities of their choice. The available space is used well to ensure children access the full range of activities, including physical play. Children are further protected from harm because most of the staff know and understand the policy and procedures regarding child protection. The policy is based on local Area Child Protection Committee procedures and is shared with parents.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy coming to the club, they are happy, settled and confident. Children are encouraged to select their own activities and add to those prepared for them if they wish. Play plans are in place. These are flexible and take account of children's interest. Planning includes lots of creative activities, themes and large group activities. Children interact well with each other and the adults. They organise themselves into small groups and take turns during games without too much direction from staff. Younger children are supported well with activities that are familiar to them, such as dressing up and role play. Children in the kitchen area are provided with some fresh fruit, biscuits and water to help them to extend their play. The staff ensure there is something suitable for all of the children and help older children to adapt furniture to make a table tennis game. All children are engaged in activities of their choice and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

stay focused and interested for good periods of time. Children are supported well in developing independence. Staff give lots of support to allow children to grow and develop at their own pace. Staff listen to what children have to say and engage them in conversation. Children receive lots of praise from staff as a reward for their efforts and achievements.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are welcomed into the club, they are treated with respect and recognised as individuals. Children with special needs are treated with care and consideration, while being fully included in the activities. Staff know and fully understand their needs and work closely with parents to ensure they are met. Children are supported in learning about diversity through a range of planned activities and themes, however, they have no access to resources that promote positive images to enhance what they know. Parents have access to lots of information about the club and how it operates. This promotes an open and friendly working relationship between staff and parents and children benefit from this. Staff keep appropriate records for all children and

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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 confidentiality is maintained. Children have contributed to the ground rules, which gives children ownership and helps them to understand the importance of adhering to them. As a result, children behave well. A policy is in place to manage children's behaviour in a positive way, however, not all staff are aware of this.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Appropriate procedures are in place to ensure staff are suitable to work with children, thus children are protected. For example, required checks are carried out for all staff. Written job descriptions and contracts are in place for most staff. Training opportunities are offered to all staff. The staff know and understand their roles and responsibilities with regard to daily routines, this ensures children are supervised well and their needs are met consistently. Induction programmes for staff are not formalised and therefore some important areas are not covered effectively, such as child protection and behaviour management. The staff use the space effectively to ensure children are safe and have access to the full range of activities offered. Required ratios are maintained to ensure children receive appropriate care and attention from staff. Required records and documentation are in place and available for inspection. Confidentiality is maintained

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Organisation

because individual record sheets are used for each child. Overall, the provision meets the needs of those children who attend.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection several actions and recommendations were raised with regard to the provision of required records, documentation, confidentiality and the provision of additional resources. Since the last inspection the provider has updated the identified policies and procedures for lost or uncollected children. Included staff on the daily attendance register and developed the procedure to maintain confidentiality regarding the accidents record. All of the actions raised have also been addressed. For example, the provider has updated the information pack with copies of the policies for children with special needs, a child protection statement and put a complaints procedure in place. A nominated person has also been identified in relation to behaviour management. These actions improve the overall care and well-being of children.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints to report. 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 that those

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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 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): • provide a balanced range of resources that promote positive images and raise awareness of diversity • ensure all staff are made aware of the child protection and behaviour management policies and procedures as part of a formal induction programme

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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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