Castle Holiday Club At Finstall

Castle Holiday Club At Finstall Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY369895 Inspection date 27/07/2012 Inspector Jan Burnet

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Setting address Finstall First School, Carnforth Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B60 2HS Telephone number 01527 872938 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. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as

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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

Castle Holiday Club at Finstall was registered in 2008. It is one of seven holiday and out of school settings run by Castle Nursery Limited. The holiday club operates from the hall, library and adjacent facilities within Finstall First School in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. There is direct access to a secure outdoor playground, and the school's playing field is also used by the club. Operational times are during all school holidays, Monday to Friday from 8am until 6pm.

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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 to care for a maximum of 50 children aged under eight years at any one time. all of whom may be in the early years age range. There are currently 140 children aged from four to 11 years on roll, three of whom are in the early years age group.

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Description of the setting

A team of 23 staff care for the children. Of these, 14 hold early years and/or playwork qualifications from level 2 to level 4.

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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

The provider and the staff team create a stimulating environment, safety is addressed well and systems for promoting children's health are generally good. The individual care and learning needs of each child are well met and strong relationships have been formed between children, staff and parents. Partnerships in the wider context are used effectively to promote children's development and care. Staff ensure that all children are valued and included, and information obtained from parents helps them to identify and address children's differences. Information provided for parents is generally good, although some detail is not included in the complaints procedure. Planning for improvement, including the process of self-evaluation, is strong.

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further?

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

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further?

 extend practice to raise children's awareness of healthy eating  improve the two-way flow of information with parents by ensuring they are aware of the required 28 day response timescale for any complaints put in writing, and ensure consistency in providing the address for contacting Ofsted. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Safety is given a high priority and risk assessment records are comprehensive. Staff are aware of their responsibilities with regard to protecting children from abuse, and team members who are also employed in the provider's before and after school provision regularly attend safeguarding training. A comprehensive safeguarding policy has been drawn up and information on the Local Safeguarding Children Board is always available for staff and parents. Procedures for recruitment and selection are strong. The provider ensures that every staff member's suitability has been thoroughly checked before they have unsupervised access to children.

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the early years provision

Systems for monitoring and self-assessment are strong and the provider has included the views of staff and parents when completing the Ofsted self-evaluation form. Staff are supported in improving their level of qualification. The recommendation raised at the previous inspection has been addressed. Current priorities for improvement are to ensure that the provision continues to operate effectively with the implementation of the reviewed Early Years Foundation Stage requirements, and to continue to provide an enjoyable learning environment for children. Policies and planning systems are regularly reviewed.

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the early years provision

The partnership with parents is strong. Valuable information for parents is displayed in the reception area. This includes photographs and names of staff, information on their qualifications and training, and a book containing a full range of policies and procedures which successfully reflect the ethos of the club. Parents are asked to post any views on the provision into a suggestions box. However, the partnership is not maximised with full effect because the complaints procedure includes an out-of-date address for Ofsted and does not include the required 28 day response timescale for any written complaints. Parents are made aware of the correct telephone number for contacting Ofsted. Effective links with other childcare services are well established and good links with other early years providers ensure continuity of care and learning.

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the early years provision

Staff have a very good knowledge of each child's backgrounds and needs, and children are encouraged to recognise their own unique qualities and the characteristics they share with others. The setting's policies and procedures are effective and inclusive, and toys and play equipment effectively meet the developmental needs of the children who attend.

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and outcomes for children

Children are provided with a wide range of play opportunities that effectively support their enjoyment, learning and development. They are confident, enthusiastic and eager to be involved. Staff effectively evaluate children's different stages of development in order to plan for them as individuals, and they respond to children's individual interests as well as learning needs. Children's personal, social and emotional development is particularly strong. They are happy and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 settled, and their self-esteem is fostered successfully as staff continually praise achievements. Children behave well and demonstrate that they are aware of behaviour boundaries. They gain a good understanding of diversity. A focus for the summer playscheme is countries around the world, and each day the children 'visit' a different country. They gain an awareness of different traditions, food, clothes

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and outcomes for children

and music and enjoy involvement in cooking and art and craft activities that promote diversity. They refer to books for information on different countries, and things that they have made include totem poles when finding out about Canada and head dresses for the national costume of Haiti.

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and outcomes for children

Activities are enjoyed equally in playrooms and in the outside play area, and children confidently make choices about where they prefer to play. They develop skills and confidence as they take part in sports events linked to the Olympics. Staff offer good support to early years children as they join teams for races. Parents provide food for their children and they are encouraged to insert cool packs into food boxes to ensure food safety. Guidance is available for parents on healthy options. However, opportunities are missed with regard to raising children's awareness as they are not encouraged to identify some of the foods in their lunch boxes that are not so healthy. Children play with toy food in the role play cafe that includes burgers and fries and staff do not discuss healthier food options as they support children's play.

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and outcomes for children

Children express themselves confidently and staff promote thinking and language as they ask children open-ended questions. Children count as they draw and staff encourage calculation as, for example, they encourage children to recognise how many more they would need to make 10. Writing materials are continually available and children are making passports. They colour in pictures and write their own names. Children's creativity is promoted well. They explore a range of different media and benefit from a well-planned and organised environment. The hall has been made into an airport and includes an office, souvenir shop, creche, departure lounge, medical centre and cafe. Children benefit from a range of outings that include visits to the cinema, safari park and castle. 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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