Ice Cool Out of School Club

Ice Cool Out of School Warstock Community Centre, 1 Daisy Farm Road, Birmingham, West Midlands, B14 4QA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23/11/2012 09/12/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 3 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 The club provides a welcoming environment where children enter happily and settle well.  Children are encouraged to develop their social skills and carry out independent tasks.  There is a friendly and welcoming partnership with parents and the staff have established effective links with some of the schools where children attend.  Management provide a consistent team and have worked hard to address the areas of development raised at the last inspection.

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It is not yet good because

 The organisation of the daily programme and range of resources does not sufficiently cover all areas of learning to fully support children's development and provide appropriate challenges.  Opportunities for staff to engage children's interest and extend their learning are not always maximised.  Children's safety awareness is not always heightened by reminders from staff about hazards and appropriate action is not always taken to address them.  The use of reflective practice to help identify the setting's strengths and areas for improvement is not fully embedded.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's free play choices and their snack time.  The inspector spoke with the manager at appropriate times throughout the visit.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's registration details, work folders and a range of policies and daily records and checked evidence of staff's suitability and qualifications.

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Inspection activities

 The childminder took account of the views of two parents spoken to on the day and looked at a few parental questionnaires.

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Information about the setting

Ice Cool Out of School registered in 2004 and is privately managed. It operates from the Warstock Community Centre in the Yardley Wood area of Birmingham. There is an enclosed area for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The club is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently nine children between the ages of four and eight years on roll of whom one is in the early years age group. The club opens term time only from 7am to 9am and from 3.15pm to 6pm apart from Friday when it finishes at 5.30pm. There are three members of staff who work with the children and they all hold appropriate qualifications.

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must:

 ensure that the educational programme covers all areas of learning and provides an interesting variety of activities and resources which offer appropriate challenges to children.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 review further how staff use prompts and effective questioning to encourage children's interest and support their learning

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 develop further children's awareness of safety through timely reminders and the effective use of action to address any hazards

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 extend further the use of reflective practice to inform the setting's priorities and to set challenging targets for improvement.

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who attend

The staff team are committed to providing a welcoming and reliable service for local families and their children where they can relax and play after school. They set up a range of activities for the children to choose from and allow children to choose others from the store shed outside. Children settle well and confidently initiate their own play with staff providing some engagement. Outdoor play is offered whenever possible. However, the choice of play resources to support all areas of learning are limited, which means children are not always purposefully engaged. Although staff appreciate this is a time for children to relax after school and provide a welcoming environment where children are very comfortable, play choices sometimes lack variety and challenge. This means children's progress is not always sufficiently promoted as staff miss opportunities to engage and maximise children's interest and development through the use of prompts and effective

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who attend

questionning. Children enter happily into this setting and generally engage positively with the staff. They freely converse with them and their companions and have opportunities to select from a range of books or do school work at the homework table. Children have resources, such as bricks and other construction toys, to build or play with the cars as they move them around the garage. They can colour, draw and make designs while some spend a long time looking through store catalogues. Children enjoy a range of different craft activities and express their creativity and individuality as they make paper chains or decorations out of dough or explore the feel of the play dough as they make different shapes. Others imaginatively create a play dough birthday cake and then spontaneously burst into a 'happy birthday' song. Then, with guidance from staff they are encouraged to find their name on the birthday display. Children freely use their imagination as they use old sheets

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who attend

and pieces of material to create a den under the table. Others share in a game of snap as they try to identify the different cards and learn to take turns and play fairly.

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who attend

Staff get to know children from their own observations of them at the setting and through conversations with them. They also encourage them to initiate their own play, which they often do quite naturally. For the younger ones, staff are collecting items of their work in individual development folders so they can see what they have achieved while at the club and then share them with their families at home.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children are welcomed into the setting by friendly staff who offer them a relaxed environment where they engage comfortably and settle well into the routine. They happily chat to staff and their companions, sharing events about their families or their time at school. Staff encourage their independence by enabling them to direct their own play. Children develop their confidence as they help in simple tasks like taking plates to the sink after tea or volunteering to sweep the floor and clear the tables. The rota monitor list is displayed and children enthusiastically offer to take on the most popular role; that of snack monitor, when they are responsible for handing around the snacks. Children are learning to develop their social skills as they are encouraged to play well with their friends, to take turns and to listen and respect the feelings of others.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children have space to move freely around and sometimes use the hall for games and activities to enable children to exercise and use their energy. They have easy access to an outdoor area which they use when the weather is fine and have a range of equipment and resources. Children are encouraged through the daily routines to promote their good health. They enjoy snacks which offer a choice of healthy options like fresh fruit and have access to water to drink at all times.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children are helped to develop a sense of responsibility for their own and others safety as staff generally remind them of hazards, such as not running around or climbing. However, not all opportunities to inform children of the dangers of their actions are used, which may impact on their own safety. They are given some independence appropriate to their age as they walk to and from school, while staff balance this with appropriate guidelines to protect them. Children take part in regular fire drills and can clearly explain the route they must follow as they evacuate. Staff use opportunities, such as the sighting of a strange adult seen hanging around the school, to discuss and highlight children's awareness of stranger danger.

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provision

Staff have updated their knowledge of the new Early Years Framework and have, in the main, a suitable understanding of the welfare and learning and development requirements. The main staff group have been consistent since registration and have worked together to maintain the reliable service they provide for local families. They work well together as a team and have general discussions on a regular basis. The staff have worked hard to address most of the actions and recommendations from the last inspection. They informally reflect on their practice and have attended a range of training to keep their knowledge and practice up-to-date. However, they do not have a rigorous system of self-evaluation in place, in order to clearly identify the setting's strengths and weaknesses, which means some areas for development are not identified.

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provision

Staff have a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities for safeguarding children and how to pass on concerns, and have attended some training. There is an appropriate policy displayed for parents along with guidance about the use of cameras and mobile phones. Staff routinely carry out other procedures to protect children's welfare, such as recording all appropriate consents and checking with parents before allowing children to go with other collectors. All staff hold first aid certificates, and daily records, such as the attendance register and accident records, are well maintained. Staff are generally alert to hazards and know how to protect children from these. They use both visual and written methods for risk assessment, which are effective in the main, although the risks to children from trailing leads have not been fully addressed. Staff clearly understand that as the building is shared they have to check the rooms more carefully before children use

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provision

them and also supervise children when they use the communal toilet.

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provision

Partnerships with parents is open and friendly and staff are always approachable for discussion about how the children's day has gone. All required information is taken at registration and a useful display of the club's policies and other information is available on the wall. The staff have started to collect some of children's work in folders to share with parents at the end of term. The staff take and collect children from several local schools and the managers have established good links with some of these and regularly talk with staff to support children as they settle. They have gained information about individual schools' termly topics and these are displayed so that staff know what children are doing and can respond knowledgeably to their comments or questions.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY290383 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 820078

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 9 Name of provider Julie Thompson & Natasha Cahill Date of previous inspection 09/12/2008 Telephone number 077423 81308

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. 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,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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