Playpals Out of School Club

Playpals at Ruckleigh School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY289171 Inspection date 18/06/2012 Inspector Jennifer Turner

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Setting address Ruckleigh School, Lode Lane, Solihull, West Midlands, B91 2AB Telephone number 07884 307 401 or 0121 703 0618 Email playpals@tiscali.co.uk 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

Playpals at Ruckleigh School was registered in 1996. The club is part of Playpals Childcare, which includes several provisions. The club operates from the nursery classroom at the back of the school with access to their dining hall, during school holidays. It is situated within walking distance of Solihull town centre.

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Description of the setting

A maximum of 30 children may attend the club at any one time, of whom, none may be under two years. There are currently 12 children on roll, who are in the early years age range. Children aged up to 11-years-old may attend the after school sessions. The club is open each weekday from 3.10pm to 6pm, during term time and from 8am to 6pm, during the local authority school holidays. The club is closed during the last week of the year. The club is open to children from the local community and they attend for a variety of sessions.

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Description of the setting

The club is able to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The club employs 10 members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications to level 3 and above.

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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 are well cared for in a bright and lively environment where they are warmly welcomed and their individual needs are met. Their learning and development in most areas is supported by a staff team, who are generally reflective and demonstrate some capacity to maintain continuous improvement. Overall, policies and procedures are effective and ensure children are safe and well cared for. Staff respect the uniqueness of each child and good relationships are established with a range of partners, parents and carers to support children's well- being. A good range of activities and resources are provided, which keeps the children interested. Staff have begun to develop observations of children to inform planning for the next steps in their learning.

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further?

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

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further?

 review the risk assessment to ensure it includes procedures for identifying, reporting and dealing with hazards and faulty equipment  develop evaluation systems to ensure that the quality of children's learning, development and care continues to improve  develop observations further to consistently make links to the 'Development matters' prompts to plan the next steps in a child's developmental progress. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Policies and procedures for safeguarding children are good. There are rigorous vetting procedures in place for all new staff and Criminal Record Bureau checks are in place for all staff. The manager regularly updates safeguarding training for all staff members to promote their understanding successfully. Effective procedures are in place to protect children when they move between the school and club. Staff assess potential risks by carrying out daily checks on the premises. However, the recording systems do not fully include a procedure for identifying, reporting and dealing with accidents, hazards and faulty equipment. This potentially means that they are not able to fully assess all risks. Most staff hold appropriate first aid certificates, which enables them to provide children with good care in the event of any accidents.

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the early years provision

The premises are secure, and staff carefully check the identity of any parents and visitors to help promote children's welfare. Staff demonstrate a good awareness of the club's policies and procedures, such as recording children's allergy or medical details clearly and making them available to anyone caring for them. The room is bright and welcoming overall with a good range of activities, both inside and outdoors. Staff created a catalogue of the resources for children's use and they ensure that these are easily accessible. This encourages children to follow their own interests and develop their independence. Staff use their time well to supervise and support children effectively. Staff actively promote equality and diversity through planned activities and parents are invited to share cultural events. Parents and carers receive good information about the club and are complimentary about the service provided. These positive relationships create clear

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the early years provision

channels of communication and enhance children's experience. Links with the Foundation Unit in the host school enables effective exchanges of information about children's needs, development and interests. Informative daily discussions, together with a good range of written information about the club, keeps parents up to date about the service provided. Staff actively encourage parents to provide information about children's individual needs when they first start and to contribute their views about the club. These processes contribute successfully to children's well-being, promote an inclusive environment and help children to make good progress whatever their background or needs.

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the early years provision

The manager is generally effective in driving improvements and the staff team takes account of the views of parents and children during the self-evaluation process. For example, the club sends out questionnaires to parents and encourages children to share their views through regular discussions. However, systems for evaluating the quality of children's learning and development are not fully developed to ensure continuous improvements. Staff are currently developing their processes for observing and assessing children's development. However, these are not consistently linked to the 'Development matters' prompts to ensure that staff are able to plan the next steps in a child's developmental progress. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Staff follow children's interests when planning activities and encourage child- initiated learning by providing a wide variety of easily accessible resources. Staff are beginning to develop records of children's progress using photographs and observations to monitor their development. Staff know the children well and respond effectively to their individual needs. Children enjoy their time at the club and confidently choose from a range of interesting activities. They have good access to resources to support their understanding of technology and the world around them. For example, there is a wide selection of board games to provide challenge for children of different abilities. Children use the school playground for outdoor play where each day they are able to exercise and develop their physical skills. Children enjoy playing football, using the netball courts or climbing on the adventure climbing frame. Den building is a favourite activity of the children and

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and outcomes for children

they enjoy exploring insects found in the garden as part of their mini beasts topics.

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and outcomes for children

There is an area to encourage children to use their imagination or complete their homework. Children show that they are settled in the club and feel safe. They display good levels of confidence and self-esteem. For example, they are familiar with daily routines, hanging up their bags and coats as they arrive. They wash their hands independently before snack time, showing that they understand the importance of hand washing. They show a positive approach to play and learning, settling at activities with ease. They make friends with others and benefit from the differing age ranges of children, who attend. Younger children benefit from having sometime with staff before older children arrive, which provides them with additional support and opportunities to select what they play with. Staff are familiar with children's experiences in other settings, which helps children to feel welcome and secure. All children behave well and know what staff expect of them.

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and outcomes for children

Activities around diversity helps children to develop a positive approach to people, who are different from themselves. Children celebrate a range of festivals, making diva candles for Diwali and parents are invited to share traditional Polish dancing. Staff provide good support to children in developing healthy lifestyles through cooking activities and discussing healthy meals and snack choices. Interesting, focused activities, such as making fruit kebabs and tasting a range of vegetables, help children to gain an understanding about healthy eating. Children sit and talk amongst themselves during snack time, which contributes to a positive social occasion. Staff encourage them to pour their own drinks and choose the contents of their sandwiches, which enhances their independence skills successfully. Children also show a good understanding of safety procedures, such as walking to and from the club in a sensible manner, learning about road safety and 'stranger

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and outcomes for children

danger'. 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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