Short Circuits Care Club Limited

Short Circuits Care Club Hollingwood Primary School, Hollingwood Lane, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 4BE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/08/2013 01/02/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 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

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This provision is good

 The care club offers a welcoming and inclusive environment for children. They have access to a wide range of good quality play materials and resources.  Children are settled, confident and active learners. They explore their environment and resources with enthusiasm and purpose.  Robust observation, planning and tracking procedures are in place which identify children's next steps in learning as they make good progress towards the early learning goals.  Practitioners effectively engage parents in their children's learning and development at home. Parents are actively encouraged to share what they know about their child and are kept fully informed about their child's achievements and progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to develop further opportunities to consistently support all children as they prepare to move onto their next stage of learning.

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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

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged 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 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  scheduled 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 during various indoor and outdoor activities.

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Inspection activities

 Joint observations were conducted with the manager during adult-led and child-led indoor activities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of practitioners, self-evaluation form and a range of other documentation.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Short Circuits Care Club is managed by a private company. It was registered in 2004 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from two rooms in a pre-fabricated building within the grounds of Hollingwood Primary School, in the Great Horton area of Bradford, West Yorkshire. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The care club offers full day care and out of school care for children aged two years to 11 years.

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Information about the setting

The care club operates Monday to Friday all year round from 7.30am to 6pm. During school holidays it also provides a holiday club. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 103 children on roll, of these 69 are in the early years age group. The care club provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about the setting

The care club employs nine childcare practitioners, including the manager, seven of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, 3 and 4. The manager and one practitioner hold degrees in Early Years. The setting receives support from the local authority and is a member of Bradford Under Fives Association.

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

 consolidate the arrangements with all schools to ensure consistency for all children when moving between the care club and school.

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who attend

Practitioners have a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and use this knowledge skilfully to support all children in their learning and development. They consider the individual needs, interests and stage of development of each child in their care and use this information to plan challenging and enjoyable experiences. As a result, children are curious and confident in their play and thoroughly enjoy the time at the care club.

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who attend

Children are active learners who are eager to join in and have fun as they learn. They enjoy and benefit from the comprehensive range of stimulating toys, resources and activities, which provide them with rich and imaginative experiences. These significant experiences promote children's learning and development effectively across all seven areas. Consequently children are making good progress towards the early learning goals.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is effective as the well-established key person system supports all children's learning. Practitioners use children's interests to build on their current stages of learning and development. Children learn about the marks they make by experimenting with using their fingers in sand to write their names. This promotes children's early literacy skills. Group sessions promote children's social skills and confidence while at the same time extending their language and understanding. All children participate in lots of creative experiences and through these, children express their ideas and investigate using all of their senses. Practitioners are skilled at supporting and extending children's learning. For example, they ask open questions encouraging children to think about what they are trying to achieve. This actively promotes children's problem-solving skills and independence. Children have free flow access to the outside play areas to promote all

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who attend

areas of learning. Consequently, children learn a good range of skills which help prepare them for their next stage of learning, such as school.

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who attend

A real strength of the care club is the excellent strategies used to engage parents in their children's learning, which contributes to the good progress that children make. The combined approach of gathering and sharing information is highly successful. Practitioners value parents as their child's primary educator. They gather useful information from parents when children first attend through completing an 'All about me' form. This provides practitioners with background information into each child's likes, dislikes, routines and interests. As a result, key persons use this information as a starting point to effectively plan a programme of individualised learning. Parents are involved in extending their child's learning at home very well. For example, parents take home play packs, such as jigsaws and encourage their children to join the pieces together. Parents borrow library books and read these with their children at home to increase vocabulary. Parents are

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who attend

encouraged to stay and learn songs so that they become familiar with them and are provided with song books to repeat with their children at home. Furthermore, parents are provided with links to websites on the internet where they can watch and hear short video clips of songs on their computer to strengthen their evolving skills.

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who attend

Ongoing observations, photographs and examples of artwork, contribute to an insightful learning journal for all children. Assessments records for all children are clear and precise. Observations and continued communication with parents contribute to the required progress check for two-year-olds. Together with regular summaries and bi-annual review meetings, this ensures parents contribute to and are kept well informed of their child's progress. Furthermore, management implement a robust system for tracking and analysing children's learning and progress. Consequently, any gaps in children's learning are quickly identified and additional support provided to maximise their emerging potential.

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who attend

Children with special educational needs are thoroughly supported. A designated special educational needs coordinator maintains strong relationships with a wide range of multi- professional agencies. As a result, practitioners are efficient and skilful in creating individual education plans for these children. Practitioners display an understanding and sensitivity in their guidance and interaction with children. They make all children's learning fun and use resources that reflect their development needs as well as their interests. Children who speak English as an additional language, are well supported. Practitioners use visual symbols, key words, liaise with parents and use multi-language texts to promote each child's home language. As a result, practitioners understand how to effectively support these children in their acquisition of English.

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

Children develop strong attachments with the practitioners who help all children to develop their skills of independence. Children are happy, secure and confident and they are making good progress in their learning and development. A well-established and effective key person system helps children feel cared about, valued and respected. Each child is assigned a key person, who obtains comprehensive information from parents to support the child's welfare and progress. For example, the key person asks about home routines and health needs and any areas of development requiring support.

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

All children behave well and know exactly what practitioners expect from them. Practitioners implement clear rules and boundaries consistently across the care club. As a result, children respond well to their high expectations. Practitioners conduct regular risk assessments of the environment and resources to help ensure that children are cared for in a secure and safe environment. Hence, children show they feel safe and happy and are able to take supervised risks in a secure, encouraging environment. Children develop an understanding about keeping healthy and are supported to become independent in their self-care skills. Children wash their hands independently before eating knowing, that it is to get rid of germs.

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

Children are able to make independent choices about how they spend their time. They are able to self-serve their healthy snacks, such as pitta bread with tuna and mayonnaise. They have explored healthy eating further by making fruit salad and lemonade. Practitioners talk to children and explain why they should drink milk and why it is good for them. Parents provide packed lunches and these are monitored by practitioners to ensure they are nutritious for children. Parents are provided with leaflets about healthy eating options so that they can continue to provide their children with healthy packed lunches at all times. Children learn about healthy lifestyles through daily opportunities to enjoy physical play outdoors, in all weather conditions. Free-flow access to the outdoors enables children to dig in the soil, play in the sand, balance on the beams and use hoppers. Children have opportunities to release their energies in a variety of sports activities in the

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

Practitioners support nearly all children well as they prepare to move on to primary school. They invite teachers to visit the nursery so that children can begin to build attachments before they start school. However, there is scope to strengthen these processes for all children as strategies to engage some schools in the transition process, are not as highly successful as others. This results in some children's experience to their next school not being as positive as that of others. Children's understanding of the difference and diversity of the world around them is innovatively explored. For example, all practitioners and children dressed up in their best clothes for a wedding day celebration. Children made invitation cards and put on mehndi on their hands. They then watched an Asian wedding, recorded by one of the parents and compared this with the manager's English wedding. Practitioners provide opportunities for

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

children to play with resources reflecting the multicultural society that we live in today. There are positive images of culture, ethnicity, gender and disability. The team of practitioners also reflect the culturally diverse community. Consequently, children benefit enormously from the practitioners creative quality of teaching.

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provision

Practitioners have a good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Effective systems are in place for safeguarding children to ensure their welfare is protected. Clear management responsibilities in relation to child protection have been established. This includes having named designated persons responsible for ensuring the correct safeguarding procedures are followed if there is a concern. Documentation for the safe and efficient management of the care club is in place. This includes policies and procedures, which the management team ensure are implemented consistently. Children's safety is paramount and risk assessments take place daily and any hazards identified are immediately removed. Practitioners supervise children closely as they play and have a thorough understanding of how to promote children's welfare. Children are always within sight and sound of practitioners and never left

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provision

unattended. All practitioners undertake paediatric first aid training to ensure they have the most up-to-date knowledge in this area. Accidents are efficiently and effectively managed and documented, and parents appropriately informed.

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provision

The management team effectively monitor the educational programmes to ensure they are identifying clear learning intentions for all children. This ensures practitioners know what they are working towards with each child and enables them to better extend and support children's individual learning. The management team successfully monitor the performance of practitioners and their contributions to the care club through regular team meetings, reviewing practice and annual appraisals. This demonstrates a good capacity to improve outcomes for children.

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provision

There is a strong culture of reflection and the management team demonstrates a good knowledge of strengths and areas for improvement. Reflective practice is ongoing and routinely monitored in order to review activities provided and planned for children. In addition, practitioners, parents and children contribute towards self-evaluation to drive improvement and ensure continuous development. Practitioner meetings and regular training drive improvement and ensure all practitioners are aware of current guidelines and procedures.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are positive and support children's learning and development well. They are very complimentary about the care club and the service it provides. Parents are encouraged to spend time and share any skills they have with children. They receive a good range of information about their children's progress as well as about the operation of the care club in general. Regular parent evenings enable parents to discuss their children's learning and development with their child's key person. This enables continuity of children's learning, as parents are able to support their children's learning at home. Partnerships with external agencies involved in supporting children's care and education mean that children's needs are well met. Consequently, practitioners seek advice or guidance for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Therefore, this supports all children to make consistent progress, in relation to their starting points.

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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 action. 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 EY294130 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 915315

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 17 Total number of places 84 Number of children on roll 103 Name of provider Short Circuits Care Club Limited Date of previous inspection 01/02/2010 Telephone number 07901952731

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: 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, which are usually the childminder’s 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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