Skools Out Ltd

Skools Out Ltd Roughtown Road, Mossley, ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE, Lancashire, OL5 0SG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/08/2014 23/06/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 The club's social and recreational ethos is promoted extremely well through a balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities, which are highly stimulating and challenging.  The extremely well-embedded key-person system helps children to form very secure emotional attachments with staff who skilfully support their play.  Staff work in very close partnership with key people at local schools to complement children's learning. As a result, the educational programme is extremely well planned by skilled and knowledgeable staff.  Arrangements for safeguarding children are firmly embedded. Clear policies and procedures are implemented consistently to promote children's safety and welfare at the club, including e-safety.  Working in partnership with parents is an integral part of the provision. As a result, children's individual needs are quickly identified and met highly effectively.  Systems for self-evaluation are rigorous. Areas for development are regularly reviewed

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This provision is outstanding

and prioritised to continually improve children's care, learning and play.

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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 looked at the premises in relation to health and safety.

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Inspection activities

 Children's activities were jointly observed and discussed with the club's manager in relation to teaching and learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's records of achievement, observations and assessments in addition to other relevant documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked staff's suitability, qualifications and discussed issues arising from the club's self-evaluation and action plans.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of a parent and children spoken to on the day and information obtained from recent parent questionnaires.

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Information about the setting

Skools Out Ltd registered in 1999. It is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The club is run by a private individual through a limited company. It operates from rooms within a community centre in the Mossley area Tameside. Access to the club is via steps at the front of the building or a ramp to the rear of the premises. There are fully enclosed areas available for outdoor play. The club is open Monday to Friday throughout the year. It is closed over the Christmas period and on public holidays. During school holidays the club is open from 7.30am to 6.15pm. During term-time it is open from 7.30am to 9am and from 3.15pm to 6.15pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Currently, there are a total of 111 children on roll, of whom 12 are within the early years age range. The club supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special

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Information about the setting

educational needs and/or disabilities. The proprietor is the club's manager and she has attained a relevant qualification at level 4. She employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate qualifications at level 2 to 4. When required, the club obtains support from the local authority. It has established links with local schools.

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

 continue to enhance the existing provision for children who wish to sleep undisturbed.

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who attend

The club's social and recreational ethos is highly successful in enabling children to learn through their play and clearly promotes the characteristics of effective learning, such as, playing and exploring, active learning, and creating and thinking critically. Staff place a strong priority on supporting children's personal, social and emotional development, promoting their physical development and reinforcing and extending their communication and language skills. Securely embedded systems are in place to provide a broad range of stimulating activities that highly effectively complement children's learning at school. Staff at the club work collaboratively with staff from local schools and they know individual children extremely well, such as their interests and capabilities. A number of staff work at the children's schools during term time and the information they obtain from key people at school noticeably informs children's activity plans. Every effort is made to complement,

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who attend

reinforce and extend children's learning at school through school themes and topics. Relevant examples include the Japanese theme and Remembrance Day related topics. Information obtained about children is an excellent way of providing for their individual needs. Staff at the club clearly understand how children's sensory awareness supports their creativity by arousing their imagination and curiosity through exploration of colour and texture during art and craft sessions. Children help to organise baking sessions and children like to eat what they have made. Traditional board games and card games help to develop children's small muscle skills and reinforce their learning in all areas. Ball games, such as badminton in the big hall, are a highly effective way to promote children's physical, personal, social and emotional development. For example, children are learning about winning and losing and how to responsibly manage moments of excitement,

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who attend

frustration and disappointment. They are consistently encouraged to have a go and try again. Children's communication and language skills are promoted extremely well. For example, staff use open questions and children learn to follow simple directions and to express their thoughts, ideas and concerns in a coherent way.

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who attend

Children have great fun playing outside where they run, jump, balance, throw, catch and kick balls, which helps to develop muscle tone and large muscle skills. Children manipulate small objects and they draw, colour, paint, cut and paste to promote hand and eye coordination and to develop small muscle skills. Staff facilitate children's learning exceptionally well and they complement learning at school when current affairs are explored further, including, sporting events. Staff promote and model social acceptability and behaviour consistently well. They use open questions to discuss activities, which interest children who are encouraged to share their thoughts and feelings with other children and to find solutions by working collaboratively with their peers. There are excellent opportunities for children to investigate and explore mark making resources and materials. They use a variety of techniques to explore colour, line, shape, space, form and

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who attend

texture, which helps to develop children's visual, spatial and tactile awareness. Resources and activities successfully promote diversity in the wider community. For example, children dress up in costumes from around the world and wear associated accessories.

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who attend

The children's key person regularly completes written observations. They listen and take note of what they see and hear. Observations and comments from children, parents and other key people are obtained and highly effectively identify children's individual interests, learning styles and capabilities. Staff track children's achievements with an assessment tool, which clearly demonstrates children are making rapid improvement in their learning, taking into account their starting points. Children's activities are planned and organised exceptionally well to support their next steps in learning. High levels of consistency enable staff to facilitate children's learning and development well by modelling activities, asking open-ended questions, encouraging children to pronounce words correctly and praising children's achievements. Children's learning at home is continued. For example, children finish making paper chains and bunting at home. Parents are routinely kept informed of

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who attend

their children's progress towards the early learning goals. As a result of these highly effective measures, children develop high-level skills, attitudes and dispositions they need to be ready for their next stage of learning, in a relaxed social environment.

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

Relationships between children, staff and their parents are strong and established through the extremely well-embedded key-person system. Staff welcome children and their parents to the club and children feel valued and cared for. Highly organised introductory visits help children familiarise themselves with the club and older children befriend and mentor children in the early years age group. As a result, children's personal, social and emotional development is promoted extremely well in a warm, caring, supportive environment. Children's self-esteem is significantly enhanced by the secure, emotional attachments they build through the key-person system. Staff teach children about the importance of eating healthily. Lunchtime is a social occasion, when children relax and sit together to eat their packed lunches. Children know to wash their hands before they eat finger food to stop germs from spreading. They pour their own drinks and choose who

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

they want to sit next to. Some children arrive at the club early in the morning and finish late. Parents are, therefore, encouraged to provide a wide range of nutritious food and drink for lunch and staff provide healthy snacks throughout the day, such as, milk, biscuits and fresh fruit. They actively promote five portions a day of fruit and vegetables. Clean, fresh drinking water is always available for children to self-select.

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

Children enjoy fresh air and exercise through free-flow access to energetic outdoor play. There is a designated quiet area used by children who wish to relax, play quietly and sleep. However, it is not always possible for children to sleep undisturbed because of the fluctuating noise levels in this area. A recommendation is, therefore, raised to consolidate further opportunities to enhance provision for sleeping children.

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

Children learn about keeping themselves safe and they know not to run inside the club to avoid accidental injury. They practise the emergency evacuation procedure in case they need to leave the premises unexpectedly. They know to use the zebra crossing in the village when they go on trips and outings, and road safety is continuously promoted. Children learn about the effect their actions have on others. For example, minor disagreements are sorted out without adult intervention. Children know to reflect on what has happened and they think about what they can do to resolve the situation. They know to talk calmly and assertively to prevent situations from escalating. Overall, children behave extremely well and they are respectful and considerate towards each other. Measures like these, with consistent support from staff, enable children to feel very safe and secure. Staff encourage behaviours that highly effectively promote children's good

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

health, well-being and promotes their understanding of risk.

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provision

Staff have secure knowledge and understanding of how to protect and safeguard children. Policies and procedures are fully understood by staff and implemented consistently. Staff's awareness of child protection issues is secure. They also work collaboratively with schools and the club's e-safety policy and procedure is embedded, even though the internet is not available at the club. For example, vigilant staff monitor children's use of the club's laptop. Children who have not used the laptop wait patiently for their turn. They keep an eye on the giant sand-timer, which goes down to help them gauge how long they will have to wait.

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provision

Children listen to music on their own interactive devices in a supervised, designated area. Staff are continually mindful of age restrictions and they monitor films brought from home to view at the club. Computer tablets from home must have secure and safe use of parental control and time manager limits, to limit the time children use their electronic devises. Children know not to take dongles to the club, which connect them to the internet and the taking photographs of other children are prohibited. These highly effective measures help to promote children's safety at the setting. Risks are managed highly effectively and daily checks of the environment ensure that children play in a safe environment. Staff are vigilant and arrivals and departures are continuously monitored. Children cannot leave the premises without a known adult. There are robust selection, recruitment and vetting procedures in place in addition to effective staff induction and

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provision

appraisals to ensure only suitable adults work with the children. The club's manager, in collaboration with staff at the schools, takes responsibility for overseeing the educational programme and ensuring its highly effective implementation. As a result, children have access to a broad and balanced curriculum that focuses on the prime areas of learning and imaginatively covers all areas of learning exceptionally well.

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provision

The manager and staff are extremely committed to their work with the children. This is reflected in the exceptionally low turnover of staff and their enthusiasm and the enjoyment they demonstrate when interacting with the children. The manager ensures that staff have ongoing opportunities for further training, which is discussed and agreed at staff appraisal meetings and that any mandatory training is updated as required, such as paediatric first aid. The manager attended a multi-agency meeting, which included representatives from schools and a local councillor, to promote partnership working in relation to children's care, learning and development. Collaboration with parents and other professionals is exceptionally strong and makes a significant contribution to meeting children's individual needs. Priorities for improvement are clearly identified through highly effective self-evaluation in partnership with parents and children. For example, parents

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provision

and children are encouraged to complete questionnaires to keep staff informed of children's needs and wishes. The recommendations raised at the last inspection have been fully addressed and evident in the excellent quality of children's care, learning and play offered at this club. Close monitoring of children's progress by staff at the club in liaison with other key people at school, ensures that any gaps in learning are swiftly identified. Children receive the appropriate support and interventions they need so that no child is disadvantaged. Adults share relevant information about children's learning and development and children are extremely well supported as they move on to the next stage in their learning. Parents have easy access to a broad range of organisational policies and procedures including information about what to do and who to contact if they have any concerns. As a result, staff at the club promote a seamless approach to delivering the

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provision

Early Years Foundation Stage. Feedback from parents is always valued and parents are complimentary. They fully support the tireless work of the committed staff team. At the inspection, a parent highlighted the club's strong features, including staff's responsiveness and flexibility, which enables her to continue training and working unsocial hours with varying shift patterns.

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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. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 312362 Local authority Tameside Inspection number 876899

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 111 Name of provider Skools Out Ltd Date of previous inspection 23/06/2009 Telephone number 01457 832 361

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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

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’.

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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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