Olivers Lodge - Earls Colne

Olivers Lodge - Earls Colne Earls Colne Cp School, Park Lane, Earls Colne, COLCHESTER, CO6 2RH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/01/2014 Not Applicable

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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

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This provision is good

 Children are provided with a varied range of interesting and challenging experiences to complement their learning in school. As a result, they make good progress in their learning and development.  Children are encouraged to be helpful and kind to one another and take an active role in decision making. As a result, all children show a strong sense of belonging at the club and positive relationships are fostered.  Safeguarding policies and procedures are implemented effectively to ensure children's safety is given high priority and their welfare is promoted.  The management monitor the effectiveness of the provision closely and important information is readily exchanged with parents. Consequently, children's needs are met to a good standard and the quality of children's care and education continues to improve.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to complement children's good literacy skills by increasing the use of words, labels, signs and notices in the indoor environment.

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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's activities in the playroom and school playground.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection and engaged in discussions with staff and children at appropriate times.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at planning documentation, children's learning records, the provider's self-evaluation form and some written policy documents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager and checked evidence of staff suitability and qualifications.

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Information about the setting

Olivers Lodge - Earls Colne was registered in 2013 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The club is one of seven settings that are owned and managed by Olivers Lodge Limited. It is situated in a classroom within the grounds of Earls Colne Primary School, near Colchester in Essex. The club serves the local area and is accessible to all children. Children have access to one playroom. The enclosed school playground is available for outdoor play activities.

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Information about the setting

The club employs three members of childcare staff. Of these, two staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The club opens Monday to Friday during school term times only. Session times are from 7.45am until 8.50am for the breakfast club and 3pm to 6pm for the after school club. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 33 children attending, five of whom are in the early years age group.

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

 follow children's interests by enhancing the educational programme for literacy to provide an environment that is rich in signs, labels and notices and creating opportunities for children to learn that print carries meaning.

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who attend

Children very quickly engage themselves in a wide range of stimulating play opportunities as soon as they arrive at the club. They experience a good balance of indoor and outdoor play as they have daily opportunities to access the school playground for running, climbing and balancing activities. These promote their physical development well because staff introduce new challenges, such as, dribbling a football through a sequence of cones. Staff are skilled in fostering the children's own ideas, listening carefully to these and providing rich resources to extend their play. For example, when children show an interest in building a den the staff purposefully provide a large parachute and skilfully prompt children to think about how they could use this. Children demonstrate good resourcefulness as they decide to drape the parachute over the pool table to create their 'secret den'. Here, they develop their social skills as they work together to initiate games

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who attend

and negotiate roles cooperatively. Staff plan well from their observations of children's interactions in the den as they provide dressing up clothes to support a group of younger children to extend their superhero play. Staff use effective teaching techniques to strengthen children's learning and promote their good progress. Each child's key person has a strong understanding of their individual learning priorities and is quick to identify any gaps in children's development. This is because they skilfully observe the children and link this to the information they gather from parents and teachers from the host school and nursery. For example, when a parent explains that their child enjoys drawing the staff capitalise on this by encouraging children to draw pictures based on the learning themes they are covering at school. In the main, younger children's interest in making marks and writing is well planned for because the

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who attend

staff provide a good array of writing tools and resources. This includes popular pictures featuring the children's favourite cartoon characters. Although children encounter a few words written on displays and in books, the use of words printed on signs, labels and notices is not fully developed within the indoor environment. This means that children are less likely to refer to these when writing themselves and opportunities for them to recognise that print carries meaning are not fully optimised. Staff show a genuine interest in what children say and do, encouraging them to speak about the activities they are engaged in and extending their communication and language skills. For example, during snack time children contribute to rich conversations about the foods they like to eat and take time to listen carefully to one another. This is particularly supportive of the needs of the youngest children in the group as they develop their skills in readiness for starting full-

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who attend

time school. Due to the staff's effective use of open-ended questioning, children are inquisitive and often think critically about new ideas. For example, staff make the most of talking to a younger child about their new scarf, encouraging them to think about how it was made and where wool comes from. The child becomes very animated in their response. They think critically about how wool can be produced in different colours and make connections in their existing knowledge about sheep producing wool.

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who attend

The two-way flow of information shared with parents is strong. Staff take time to talk to parents about the activities their child takes part in and ensures that any information from the school or nursery is readily passed on. There are daily discussions with parents regarding their child's development and regular opportunities for them to contribute information to strengthen the assessment of their progress. This promotes a very consistent approach to supporting children's care, learning and development.

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

Children form strong bonds with their key person and the other staff, which contributes very positively to their emotional well-being. Effective transitions take place between the host school, nursery and the club. For example, staff meet with school teachers regularly to share valuable information about children's learning and any additional support they are receiving. As a result, children's needs are promoted consistently across the different settings they attend. Younger children settle very quickly because staff ensure they ask parents about their child's interests and plan purposefully for these during the child's first sessions. Older children are actively encouraged to be very considerate of the younger children's needs. As result, they are keen to show them where to hang up their coat and children of all ages play harmoniously together. Staff make very effective use of praise and encouragement to promote children's good behaviour even further. For example, a

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

child's kind approach to holding open the door for others is readily acknowledged. When children need more tailored intervention to support their behaviour, the staff work closely with parents and school teachers to ensure consistent boundaries and expectations are promoted. Children demonstrate their strong emotional attachments to the staff by inviting them into their play situations and seeking them out to show them their finished creative work. Staff foster children's sense of belonging by creating opportunities for children to see their drawings and paintings displayed at the club.

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

Staff organise the environment successfully to promote children's independence. For example, transparent boxes of resources stored at a low level enable children to choose from an extended range of learning opportunities that sustain their curiosity and interest. Children have many opportunities to develop their independence in caring for themselves. They confidently pour their own drinks when thirsty and prepare and serve food at meal times. Staff skilfully reinforce positive safety messages to ensure children learn to manage risks carefully and in a safe manner. As a result, children remind each other of the importance of sitting down while eating and have valuable supervised opportunities to learn to use tools, such as, a cheese grater.

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

Children's health is well promoted. They benefit from plenty of fresh air and energetic exercise as they make good use of the large outdoor space in the school playground. Children enjoy a good range of freshly prepared, nutritious food, which is planned in advance to ensure allergies and specific dietary needs are fully met. Staff help younger children to learn about further healthy practices as they reinforce the importance of washing their hands before they help to prepare the pizzas for tea.

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provision

Children are effectively safeguarded because the management and all staff have a thorough understanding of the action they must take if they are concerned about a child's welfare. This includes a clear commitment to notify the appropriate local child protection agencies. The procedures for recruitment and induction are very robust. The management team demonstrates unquestionable commitment to ensuring children come into contact with suitable staff. They attend specific training in safe recruitment and ensure all staff complete stringent checks to confirm their suitability. Thorough risk assessments are carried out on a daily basis to further promote children's safety. For example, effective steps are taken to ensure children cannot leave the club unsupervised, including close supervision as they travel to and from the host school. The management team review a comprehensive range of written policies and procedures on a regular basis, ensuring they

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provision

continue to underpin the very safe and efficient organisation of the provision.

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provision

The staff have a good understanding of how to promote children's learning and development through fun and interesting play-based provision. The planning and delivery of the educational programmes is monitored closely to ensure children's learning experiences in school and nursery continue to be complemented. Children are heavily involved in contributing to and reviewing the planning, ensuring activities are evaluated from the children's perspective. As a result of this effective self-evaluation, identified areas for improvement are securely matched to the children's needs. This includes future plans to develop a more comfortable space for children to relax and share books. This demonstrates the club's strong commitment to continue to enhance the provision for children. The professional development of staff is also effectively fostered. Training opportunities are identified from development needs of individual staff, including

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provision

opportunities to work towards higher qualifications. Staff are monitored closely by the management team and provided with clear targets to develop their teaching practice during regular appraisals. This results in a motivated staff team who have a strong level of skills, knowledge and understanding to successfully meet the needs of the children in their care.

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provision

The partnership working with parents is valued and staff take time to ensure that parents are kept well informed of the club's policies and procedures. As a result, parent's feel confident that their children's enjoyment is fostered and their safety is assured. Parents are also encouraged to contribute their views via discussions with staff, email contact and a feedback questionnaire. The club fosters good partnership working with the host school and nursery. For example, they meet with teachers to discuss children's individual progress and establish a joint approach to supporting the next steps in their learning.

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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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 EY467605 Local authority Essex Inspection number 927958 Type of provision Out of school provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 22 Number of children on roll 33 Name of provider Olivers Lodge Limited Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01799 540709

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Setting details

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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