Barnowls Out of School Club

Barnowls Out of School Club Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY432731 Inspection date 01/02/2012 Inspector Sonjia Nicholson

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Setting address Aston Clinton County Combined School, Twitchell Lane, Aston Clinton, AYLESBURY, Buckinghamshire, HP22 5JJ Telephone number 01296 632692 Email Type of setting Childcare - Non-Domestic to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

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Introduction

Children only attend this setting before and/or after the school day and/or during the school holidays. The judgements in this report reflect the quality of early years provision offered to children during those periods.

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

Barnowls Out of School Club was registered in 2011. It is privately owned by Barnowls Nursery Limited who also own and manage a day nursery within the local area. The club operates from the clock hall within the grounds of Aston Clinton County Combined School. Children have use of the main hall and toilets along with an enclosed playground and field. Staff have use of an office and a small kitchenette. The club is open Monday to Friday during term times only from 7.45am until 8.45am and 3.15pm until 6.00pm. It is open to children attending Aston Clinton County Combined School only.

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Description of the setting

The club is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 20 children may attend at any one time from four to 11 years. There are currently 22 children on roll, four of whom are within the early years age range. Five staff work with the children, four of whom including the manager are qualified to level 2 or 3. There are systems in place to support children with special educational needs and who speak English as an additional language. The setting receives support from Buckinghamshire Early Years and Childcare Service.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children's needs before and after school are catered for very well in this welcoming setting. Children take part in a wide range of activities covering all areas of learning using a range of resources that mostly supports their learning and development. The setting demonstrates a good capacity for continuous improvement. Staff have attended a variety of courses since registration to update their knowledge and the setting has established its own unique identity within the school community and local area.

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 provide resources that support children's independence, particularly their dressing skills.

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the early years provision

All aspects of the setting are well managed. The enthusiastic staff team all work in a local day nursery owned by the same proprietor so all have previous childcare experience which they effectively implement into this setting. As a result, children This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 are cared for by knowledgeable, well-qualified staff. There are some good procedures in place to keep children safe. Staff accompany younger children to and from school, stopping en route to collect the comments book used to record any incidents, accidents or other important information that needs to be shared between the settings. The setting remains secure throughout the session and visitors and parents press the buzzer to gain entry; visitors are requested to sign the visitor's book so staff know who is present. Staff photographs are on display and they wear a uniform so they can easily be identified. Good use is made of the

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the early years provision

attendance register to make sure staff know how many children have gone outside to play; it is checked on re-entry to ensure everyone is present.

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the early years provision

The Manager takes the role of Designated Safeguarding Officer and all staff attend safeguarding training; consequently they are aware of the procedure to follow if they have concerns about a child. The setting has a robust recruitment policy in place which means all staff undertake a range of checks to ensure they are suitable to work with children. Children play in a safe environment as risk assessments have been conducted to identify potential hazards and measures have been taken, such as, storing cleaning materials out of children's reach. Children practice the evacuation drill on a regular basis and subsequently know how to leave the building quickly and safely. Exits are clearly signed and a bell is used to signal an evacuation, however, a more effective alarm system is due to be fitted soon. The setting has a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENco) whose role is to support children with additional needs. She works closely with the day

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the early years provision

nursery SENco and is aware of where to seek support from the local authority. There are currently no children attending with special educational needs but staff deal efficiently with children's medical needs. All children have access to the activities on offer and each of them has a key person who establishes a strong relationship and gets to know them well. When they first start attending, parents complete a 'Family Profile and Individual Needs' form to gather personal information, such as, languages used at home, festivals observed and the child's likes and dislikes. Staff collaborate with school staff in order to share information about children's learning and development. They meet each term to discuss their current stage of development and plan their next steps in learning; this information is recorded in a summary which is added to the child's 'All About Me' folder.

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the early years provision

Engagement between staff and parents is successful. As parents arrive to collect their children they are greeted warmly and discuss the care provided that day, including any significant achievements. They receive regular newsletters and have access to an information area containing a comments book, a selection of policies and procedures and relevant certificates to keep them informed. Parents are full of praise for the setting. One describes it as a 'loving, secure and fun environment' with a 'fantastic team'. Another says 'the range of activities is brilliant and my child never wants to leave'. Parents appreciate the way staff support the transition from nursery to school, making it less stressful for children and the fact children of all ages mix and play together. Children play in a spacious hall which is set out so they can move and play freely. It is conducive to learning and contains a good range of toys, furniture and equipment to meet their needs, such as, a comfortable

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the early years provision

book corner where they can relax. Through the self-evaluation process staff have identified the setting's strengths and areas for development and are keen to This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 continue to develop the service. They recognise that although the majority of them hold childcare qualifications and have plenty of experience by completing play work training aimed specifically at this age range, they will gain new skills and knowledge. Staff also acknowledge that more large equipment would benefit the children's outdoor play experiences.

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and outcomes for children

Children appear happy and settled in this familiar environment. They move confidently, showing good levels of self-esteem and develop strong relationships with staff and their peers, freely approaching them and initiating play situations. The well established routine and strong staff presence adds to children's feelings of security, for example, a child asks their key person to wait by the door as they go to the toilet so they know she is close by. Children develop good hygiene habits as they wash their hands at appropriate times, for example, before eating. They have a variety of healthy snacks including fruit and malt loaf which they spread with butter. Other options are limited to items that can be prepared in a toaster, such as, crumpets and pitta breads. Children can bring food from home or finish food from their lunchbox but parents are urged to follow the 'no nut' policy to ensure children do not come into contact with food that will harm them. Staff deal well

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and outcomes for children

with children's dietary needs, for example, they make sure a child drinks frequently, as requested by medical professionals. There are good opportunities for physical play outside, whatever the weather. The enclosed playground provides ample space for children to run and the climbing frame and tyre park help develop their balance and co-ordination. Children even have the chance to play outside under strict adult supervision in the dark which is very exciting.

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and outcomes for children

Children behave well as they are busy and interested in what is going on. Staff interact well in children's play and encourage and support their ideas, for example, towards the end of the session a group of children decide they want to make a camp so staff provide blankets for them to drape over the chairs and bookcase. They have great fun hiding from their parents and this causes much laughter between them. Children gain an understanding of diversity as they celebrate a range of festivals, such as, Christmas and Remembrance Day. Current planned activities are focussed on Chinese New Year so children are busy painting a large cardboard dragon and making smaller ones with egg boxes. Children develop basic information and communication technology (ICT) skills by using resources, such as, a compact disc player and remote control cars. Staff plan for all areas of learning but do not always make these ICT resources available every day. Children

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and outcomes for children

are involved in planning activities and these are clearly recorded in red on the planning sheet. On the day of the inspection some children were making play dough where they talked about the ingredients, used their physical skills to stir the mixture with a spoon then manipulated it with their hands. Children's personal skills are encouraged, such as, hanging up their coats and pouring their own drinks but the aprons provided for younger children do not allow them to be independent as a member of staff is required to fasten them from behind and roll the sleeves up. Other children were busy making 3D models with recycled materials using This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 scissors, glue and tape to fix things together. The atmosphere is busy and active with children purposefully engaged in worthwhile activities that equip them well with the skills they need to secure future learning. Children's progress is carefully

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and outcomes for children

observed and recorded by staff who use this information along with the details provided by class teachers to devise a six weekly individual plan; as a result, children are making good progress. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 2 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 2 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 2

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Stage

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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