St Richard's Out of School Club

St Richard's Out of School Club St Richards Catholic Primary School, Sandy Lane, SKELMERSDALE, Lancashire, WN8 8LQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/11/2014 13/07/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Staff have good teaching skills and a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They enthusiastically engage children in purposeful play and consequently, all children make good progress.  Children form strong attachments because staff have a warm and welcoming approach, which helps children settle quickly.  Children's behaviour is good, which is as a result of staff's high expectations. Staff very effectively promote children's confidence, successfully preparing them for the next stage in their learning.  Children are kept safe because staff have a good understanding of child protection issues and are vigilant to ensure the environment is safe and secure.  Managers review the educational programme and effectively support staff through regular observations and constructive feedback. Consequently, there is a clear focus on improving children's learning through good quality teaching.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Information collected from parents as children start at the setting does not always provide staff with the detailed information they require to help them to further plan for children's future learning needs.  Staff do not always consistently use a range teaching strategies and occasionally miss opportunities to use more open-ended questions to extend children's 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 looked at all the areas that children access and observed activities indoors and in the outdoor learning environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager and reviewed policies, including the safeguarding policy and systems to ensure suitability of staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's planning and assessment documents and held discussions with staff at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account comments from parents spoken to during the inspection and written in children's learning journals.

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Information about the setting

St Richard's Out of School Club was registered in 2008 on the Early Years Register and voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. It is run by a private company and operates from rooms within St. Richard's Primary School in a residential area of Skelmersdale. There is an enclosed outdoor play area. The setting provides before and after school care and early years children attend for a variety of sessions. The facility is open each weekday, from 7.45am to 5.30pm, term time only. There are currently 89 children on roll, 47 of whom are in the early years age range. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. There are nine staff employed at the setting, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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

 enhance the depth of information gathered from parents about children's learning and development on entry to the setting in order to further enrich the planning process

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

 extend the use of a wider range of teaching strategies, for example, by encouraging staff to use even more open-ended questions and a variety of comments to further extend children's learning.

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who attend

Children make good progress in relation to their starting points because staff provide a wide range of interesting and challenging activities, which cover all areas of learning and development. Furthermore, staff skilfully engage children in purposeful play. They enthusiastically play alongside children and effectively extend their learning through talking about what they are doing. For example, children enjoy imaginative play in the home corner and staff engage them in conversations about what they are pretending to eat. As children select cutlery for their pretend meal, staff encourage them to match the colours. Children have opportunities to develop their creative skills as they select from a well-organised variety of resources to make pictures or models. Staff are on hand to support them in using scissors to cut sections of ribbon or choose an appropriate method to stick it to the paper. Outdoors, children collect water from a water butt in various sized

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who attend

containers and carefully transport the water to the top of a ramp, where they pour it down the guttering. They delight as the water trickles down and staff enthusiastically praise and encourage children, making comments about how the water is washing away the mud and leaves. However, occasionally, staff miss opportunities to extend children's learning further by using questioning that can be answered in different ways. Children select the resources they want to play with in the sand and use a wide range of utensils to make marks. For example, they use chalks on large sheets of paper outdoors and staff talk to them about what they are drawing and the colours they have chosen. As a result, children are developing many of the skills they will need for their next steps in learning, including school.

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who attend

Staff frequently use mathematical language as children play. For example, they count the blocks on the tower as they build together and children enthusiastically count the pieces of fruit for their snack. As a result, children are developing a good understanding of mathematical concepts and basic numbers. Children's communication skills are also fostered well during play. Staff consistently repeat key words and phrases to clarify meaning successfully and routinely extend children's short responses into longer sentences. As a result, children are becoming confident talkers who are beginning to express themselves. The setting has printed words and numbers displayed on storage containers and on the walls. Furthermore, children have access to a wide variety of books and they enjoy sitting in the cosy area to share the stories with staff. Consequently, children are beginning to develop a love for books and to understand that print has

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who attend

Staff are skilled in planning to meet children's individual needs. Observations are recorded in children's learning journals, which are available for parents to look at any time. Regular assessments are carried out, including the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years, which enables staff to plan for the next steps in their learning. There are excellent partnerships with staff at the school where the setting is based. Staff share learning journals and regularly meet to discuss the progress of children. Partnerships with parents are developing well. A range of useful information is collected from parents as children start at the setting. However, staff do not always gather the extremely detailed information they need to have an extensive knowledge of children's starting points to enrich the planning for their individual learning and developmental needs. Staff share information about what children have been doing during the session

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who attend

and they are beginning to support parents in a variety of ways to continue children's learning at home. For example, staff use e-mails to keep parents informed and further information is shared at organised events, such as coffee mornings. Parents spoken to on the day are very pleased with the progress their children are making, particularly in their personal and social skills.

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

Children are happy and confident. They are eager to engage with activities as staff offer encouragement through meaningful praise and support. Staff successfully meet the needs of each child and value them as individuals. As a result, children's emotional needs are very well met because staff have built secure, responsive attachments with them. Staff talk to parents during the settling-in process to find out about children's likes and dislikes and incorporate this into their planning. The setting is very well maintained and organised. The wide variety of toys and resources cover all areas of learning and they are attractively displayed or stored, so that children can independently access them. Furthermore, children choose when to have their snack and serve themselves with appropriate support from nearby staff. Consequently, children demonstrate that they are already independent learners.

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

Children's behaviour is good because staff have a positive approach towards behaviour management. Staff calmly intervene in minor squabbles by giving children helpful language to use to enable them to share and diffuse issues quickly and effectively. Furthermore, staff are good role models and remind children to use good manners. They promote friendships between children by encouraging them to play alongside each other and they talk about how others might be feeling. Staff skilfully use children's home experiences to extend their knowledge and understanding of a range of cultures. For example, children's interest in weddings is effectively extended by staff as they help children investigate the various rituals, clothes and food of different cultures and religions. Consequently, children learn to respect and tolerate lifestyles that are different from their own. Staff remind children how to keep themselves safe, for example, by explaining that

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

they must stand back when the shutters to the outdoor area are being operated. Children are provided with daily opportunities to access fresh air and exercise in the large outdoor play area. While outdoors, children run about, climb on the climbing wall and use large wheeled toys. As a result, they develop good physical skills. Children take small risks, appropriate for their age, for example, they ride down the ramp on large wheeled toys, negotiating the space and avoiding bumping into other resources.

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

Staff effectively promote healthy lifestyles. They provide healthy snacks for children to choose and talk to children about the benefits of eating healthily, both at snack time and during play. Children are supported to wash their hands at appropriate times during the day and staff sensitively support children as they visit the bathroom. Because of this, children are beginning to develop healthy habits and independently manage their self-care needs and therefore, are developing the skills they will need when they go to school. Older children are supported to become emotionally ready for school. Staff work closely with teaching staff to support children through their move and talk enthusiastically to children about what to expect. Children visit the classrooms to meet the teachers and, as a result, are well prepared for their move to school.

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provision

Managers have a very good understanding of their responsibilities to ensure practice meets the safeguarding and welfare, and learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They follow robust systems to ensure staff are suitable to work with children. Induction procedures provide new staff with information about safety, evacuation procedures and roles and responsibilities. Staff attend regular safeguarding training so are very confident about identifying and reporting child protection concerns they may have about children in their care. A very effective range of policies supports their work and these are reviewed regularly and shared with parents. Staff conduct regular risk assessments and remove any hazards, where appropriate. Access doors are kept locked and there are systems in place to monitor visitors. Accidents are accurately recorded and shared with parents and staff follow well-developed procedures to ensure medication is

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provision

administered safely. All members of staff have a current paediatric first-aid certificate. As a result, children are very well safeguarded.

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provision

Managers and staff continually evaluate the provision, taking the views of parents and children into account. As a result, there are clearly focused improvement plans in place. The staff team is well qualified and demonstrate a good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are supported effectively by the manager, who regularly observes their practice and gives constructive feedback to help them improve their teaching skills. Staff have attended appropriate training courses, which have had a positive impact on their knowledge and skills. The manager monitors the educational programmes well to ensure children are making good progress. Activities are planned to ensure children are suitably challenged and are based upon accurate observations and assessment.

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provision

Staff use a variety of strategies to engage parents. Displays in the entrance areas inform parents about staff, snacks, the Early Years Foundation Stage and activities that children are participating in. Parents spoken to during the inspection express their satisfaction with the setting, especially the way their children are progressing and have made friends. Staff have established good links with external agencies and other professionals to ensure that children's individual needs are met by receiving appropriate intervention and support. The nursery also works in close partnership with the school in which they are based. Staff across the two settings effectively use the same systems to observe, assess and plan for children, therefore, continuing their learning journal and providing continuity for children who attend both settings. This further supports children's learning and promotes effective transitions.

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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 EY386890 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 878971

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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 89 Name of provider St Richard's Out of School Club Date of previous inspection 13/07/2009 Telephone number 01695 722 346

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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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