Lordswood Leisure Centre

Lordswood Leisure Centre Lordswood Leisure Centre, North Dane Way, CHATHAM, Kent, ME5 8YE

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21/02/2013 Not Applicable

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

p.1

This provision is good

 Children participate in a good educational programme. This is because they are provided with a good mix of planned physical activities and other interesting activities.  Children are very happy at the setting because the staff interact well with them, know them well and meet their individual needs.  The children are kept safe at the setting because staff carry out good, regular comprehensive risk assessments on the premises, equipment and toys.  Parents report that they are happy with the service and confident that the information they provide is used effectively to cater for their children's individual needs.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 Because the scheme is primarily for physical activity the children have no 'homely area' in which they can sit quietly, chat to their friends or undertake quiet activities.  Children are involved in setting their own rules for behaviour. However, those who attend later in the scheme cannot include their ideas or own the rules set by others.

p.1

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.

p.2

Information about this inspection

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

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the children using a variety of different play equipment.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed the needs of the early years children with managers and staff.  The inspector interviewed parents to get their views.  The inspector sampled the setting's regulatory paperwork.

p.2

Information about the setting

Lordswood Leisure Centre is operated by Lordswood Leisure Centre Ltd, in partnership with Medway Council. It opened in 2011 and operates from several sports halls and rooms in a purpose-built leisure centre in Lordswood, Kent. There is a large outside play area which the playscheme children have access to. There is car parking and access for those with disabilities to the leisure centre.

p.2

Information about the setting

There are currently over 500 children registered for different holiday schemes with the Leisure Centre. Of these, approximately 200 are within the early years age range. Children attend for individual days or weeks depending on parent's choices and the planned activities on offer each day. The Leisure Centre does not cater for children aged under four years.

p.2

Information about the setting

The playscheme is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. The club is open each school holiday period from 8am to 6pm.

p.3

Information about the setting

There are currently 12 members of staff who work with the children. Of these, six members of staff, including the provider and two managers, hold relevant childcare qualifications at National Vocation Qualification level two or above.

p.3

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

 consider ways in which to make the environment more 'homely' for example by creating areas in which children can sit and chat with friends and find a safe space to calm down or be quiet

p.3

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

 provide more opportunities for children to identify and discuss boundaries in order to be able to manage their own behaviour.

p.3

who attend

The setting offers complementary care to children. This means that staff choose activities to cater for children's individual interests and pastimes. Activities tend to cover the prime areas of learning, i.e. children's personal, social and emotional development, their communication and language and their physical development. Practitioners have a good impact on children's progress because they have a good understanding of the areas of learning and how young children learn and develop. Staff take account of children's starting points and capabilities when suggesting activities to children that they might like to try. Parents often enrol their children for specific activities such as go-carting. Staff report children's achievements verbally to their parents at the end of each day. This informs parents of how much support their children receive to acquire skills to improve in their chosen activities.

p.3

who attend

Children use a large range of physical play activities and equipment, from football in the sports hall or outdoor areas, to negotiating the go-carts around a designated track. They have opportunities to engage in craft activities from simple drawing and colouring to using papier-mch on balloons or constructing wind chimes from different materials. They create their own dens in the wooded area at the rear of the Leisure Centre where they also make and follow trail maps for orienteering. Photographs show children collecting minibeasts from the different wooded areas. Afterwards they talk about them, comparing them to pictures in books. Books are made available to the children; often as they wait for their turn on other apparatus. However, there is no quiet area for them to sit quietly with a book by themselves. Staff regularly adapt activities for children to use at the local farm park to give them a change of scene. Children become proficient in using stop watches to

p.3

who attend

time races or timers to know when to have their turn. Overall, children demonstrate that they are motivated to participate in activities and are able to extend them to suit their own needs.

p.4

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

The setting provides out of school activities for a wide age range of children with differing abilities and, who attend either very regularly or very spasmodically. Whilst this allows staff to get to know some children very well, it also means they don't know some children quite as well. Therefore, staff collect as much information about the children from their parents as they enrol on the scheme. Parents report that they complete an extensive enrolment form which includes what their children's interests are. These are used effectively in helping children feel at home and safe in the setting. An effective key person system is in operation which also helps the children settle more quickly. Because children use a great deal of sports equipment they quickly gain a good understanding of risk. This includes understanding risks when engaging in off site activities, such as visiting the local farm park and collecting mini beasts in the woods. The managers conduct extensive risk

p.4

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

assessments on all aspects of the scheme; from equipment and toys to outings and transportation. This shows that children's safety is a high priority.

p.4

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

Children generally behave well. Children are involved in setting behaviour rules at the start of each scheme. However, this does mean that some children who join at a later date do not have the same opportunities to discuss relevant behaviour boundaries or understand why they are necessary. Any incidents of negative behaviour are well documented and discussed with parents. Children demonstrate that they are able to share toys, show concern for each other and adapt their behaviour for different areas in the centre. Children generally use the large sports hall in the sports and leisure centre. They have access to other rooms and open areas, but there is nowhere that has a welcoming feel to promote the children's sense of belonging to or ownership of the scheme. Overall, children enjoy the well-resourced environment. Children understand the need for good hygiene when participating in food activities. They use good self care routines for hand washing

p.4

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

especially when preparing food and after playing outside. Water is available at all times and children understand the need to rest after energetic play sessions. Coupled with the wealth of physical activity available each day, children enjoy a healthy lifestyle whilst at the setting.

p.4

provision

The provider has good procedures in place to safeguard children. Staff rigorously enforce procedures because children share the building with other regular users and members of the public. For example, staff accompany children throughout the day to all areas of the centre. Managers also ensure they maintain staffing ratios to promote children's safety, and rigorously enforce the setting's good procedures for maintaining children's attendance and accident records. Staff can explain how they use the setting's good internal safeguarding procedures if they have concerns about children. Parents report that they are pleased that staff implement the password system when they collect their children. Therefore, children's safety is promoted whilst at the setting. Some staff are employed on a full time basis and, some on a scheme-by-scheme basis. This means that the provider and managers continually use the good staff induction programme to ensure staff know

p.5

provision

and understand operating procedures. Some staff have specialist sports qualifications and many are trained in first aid. Some staff are qualified early years practitioners. The provider encourages staff in their professional development by helping them to access appropriate training. This shows the provider has a good understanding of his responsibilities towards staff.

p.5

provision

The setting is organised with a strong focus on sports and physical activities. However, the educational programme contains a good variety of interesting themed topics, board games, craft activities and construction type toys to provide for all of the areas of learning. However, there are no quiet areas for children to sit and relax in. Managers monitor the educational programme well and allow for flexibility. For example, children may not want to engage in the planned sports activity; therefore staff are able to offer good alternative play activities which have more interest for them. This shows that children have choices in the activities they use. Because of the way the setting operates, the provider and managers evaluate each period of operation using feedback from the children and their parents. They then evaluate any suggestions and areas of improvement into the procedures and programme for the next scheme. This shows that the provider makes

p.5

provision

concerted efforts to improve. The staff are unable to engage in partnership working with schools, who are closed during holiday periods. However, staff are aware of any individual needs of children and hold details of other agencies to contact should they need to offer additional support to some children. This is would be arranged through parents although so far, the procedures have not needed to be used. Overall, children receive good support.

p.5

The Childcare Register

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

p.5

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.

p.6

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.

p.6

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.

p.6

Setting details

Unique reference number EY428426 Local authority Medway Towns Inspection number 767265 Type of provision Out of school provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 4 - 8 Total number of places 100 Number of children on roll 500 Name of provider Lordswood Leisure Centre Ltd Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01634682862

p.6

Setting details

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.

p.7

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.7

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,

p.7

Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.8

Type of provision

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

p.8