WASPS

WASPS Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY360400 Inspection date 24/05/2012 Inspector Caroline Mckellar

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Setting address Watlington After School Playscheme, Watlington Primary School, Watlington, Oxon, OX49 5RB Telephone number 01491 612527 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

Watlington After School Club (WASPS) registered in 2002 and re-registered under new ownership of Old Station Nursery Ltd in 2007. It operates from the extended school's room in Watlington Primary School, with access to the school's playground, playing field and toilet facilities. The club serves children attending Watlington Primary School and other local schools. A maximum of 24 children may attend the club at any one time. The club is open each weekday during term time from 7.30am to 9am for breakfast club and from 3pm to 6pm for the after school club. The holiday play scheme is open from 8am to 6pm in school holidays.

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Description of the setting

The club is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 52 children aged from four to 11 years on roll. The club currently employs six members of staff. Of these, five hold an appropriate early years qualification.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children are cared for by staff who spend their time engaging with them in their play. Children make suitable progress in their learning, although they have fewer opportunities to select resources to help them develop skills for the future. Observations and assessments are not used well to identify children's next steps in their learning and key persons are not always consistent. Children's behaviour at the club is generally acceptable although they do not always learn boundaries and behavioural expectations. Staff form appropriate relationships with parents and other providers, but do not always share information about children's learning. The club has adequately addressed its previous recommendation and this shows satisfactory capacity to maintain continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further the sharing of information between parents and other settings children attend to promote continuity in children's learning and development  increase the range of resources available for children to choose and make choices in their own play and learning, particularly to support their developing future skills  develop systems for observing and identifying children's next steps in their learning  improve the key person system so that children have opportunities to build a This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 close personal relationship with an adult they can depend on  develop further routines to help children understand boundaries and behavioural expectations.

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the early years provision

The club has satisfactory arrangements in place for safeguarding children. Staff have a satisfactory knowledge of the action to take in the event of a child protection concern. Checks are conducted on new staff to assess their suitability to be in contact with children, and this helps to keep children safe. Staff carry out risk assessments and these help to identify and minimise the hazards that children may encounter in their environment and when on outings. Staff carry out frequent fire drills to help children learn how to evacuate the building in an emergency. Most staff hold appropriate first aid certificates and are able to take the correct action in a medical emergency.

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the early years provision

The club has begun the process of self-evaluation and has included staff, parents and children via the use of questionnaires. The manager has accurately identified areas for her own development as well as for the club. She is now working towards some of the areas identified such as the purchasing of new football goals and making sure staff attend training. The children are particularly enjoying their new responsibilities of signing themselves out on the new board alongside the usual parents signing out sheet. This helps children to enjoy their experience at the club.

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the early years provision

Staff set up some resources for the children to use on their arrival at the club and other resources in sufficient quantities are available. Children are able to choose whether to play indoors or outdoors. Some of the older children play quite roughly in the outdoor areas and this impacts on the younger children's ability to enjoy these at all times. Staff have regular meetings to plan appropriate activities for the children in their care, although children do not have input into these plans. The club has positive images of diversity on display. These include images representing people from different cultures or from varying abilities, in the form of books, toys and displays. The club is currently trialling a new form of planning which breaks down the activities provided for younger and older children to make them more interesting. The club also accesses training to meet the needs of children requiring

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the early years provision

additional medical knowledge so that they can safely attend the club.

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the early years provision

The club acquires some knowledge of children attending who are in the Early Years Foundation Stage. A member of staff also works in the reception class at the local primary school to achieve this. However, the club is not proactive in working with the school and this does not fully support children's continuity of care and learning. The club receives some support from their childcare development officer although this is infrequent. Parents are positive about the club and say that it offers continuity for children. They receive adequate correspondence via emails and newsletters. Parents find the staff very friendly and welcoming on a daily basis and this helps staff to develop sound relationships with parents and carers. However, parents have not seen any key person records or had any input into these. This means there is a limited exchange of information about children's This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

development between key persons and parents. Parents are encouraged to provide information about their views of the club via parents' questionnaires.

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and outcomes for children

Generally, children attending the club are content and are able to make some choices about the activities that they engage in. For example, children choose to play on the playstation and watch a DVD of their choice. Children have access to suitable resources, although many are in drawers and unlabelled containers that do not attract children's attention. This limits children's exploration of their environment. Children are developing some skills for the future such as information and communication technology skills whilst using the playstation and literacy skills whilst looking at books and drawing pictures. However, the range of activities and resources that children can select for themselves limits this.

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and outcomes for children

The club is currently working towards new displays for the diamond jubilee and forthcoming Olympic Games. This means there are currently limited displays of children's own work. Some children gain a sense of belonging by having their photographs displayed in the club. The routine for collecting children after school helps them to feel safe. The familiar routine of show and tell, followed by tea, then free play choices before collection helps children to feel secure.

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and outcomes for children

Children sit down together at show and tell time and this is an opportunity for all children to tell the other children about important events in their lives. Some children choose to talk about going swimming or horse riding and the younger children listen attentively. However, some children do not wish to participate in this activity and make inappropriate comments or display disruptive behaviour. This negatively affects the ability of other children to enjoy this activity and some children are beginning to model the older children's behaviour. As a result, children have a limited understanding of boundaries and behavioural expectations.

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and outcomes for children

All children in the Early Years Foundation Stage have an allocated key person. However, the allocation and replacement of key persons during this academic year has been inconsistent with no handover of information from one key person to another. This affects the child's ability to form a close personal relationship with their key person. Records in key person files are inconsistent with some children having no observations or next steps identified for six months. Some staff have built sound relationships with the children and use this knowledge to provide activities that engage the children appropriately. For example, a child was actively engaged in looking at a book and then drawing a picture because of the staff's knowledge that he enjoyed a particular book.

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and outcomes for children

Children have access to fresh drinking water at all times at the club and are also provided with a fruit snack if they wish which helps to keep them healthy. Some children have tea at the club and their parents provide this at the beginning of the day. Staff inform parents that there is a refrigerator available for them to store their child's packed tea in. However, not all parents do this to fully promote their This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children's good health. 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 3 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 3 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 3 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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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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