St Mary's After School Club

St Mary's After School Club Belgrave Avenue, Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 1HT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20/11/2014 06/07/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Children are generally happy, settled and enjoy attending the club. This is because staff are welcoming and interact positively with the children.  Staff set clear boundaries and rules for behaviour for children. As a result, children feel safe and secure and their behaviour is good.  Staff have a sound knowledge of child protections issues. Consequently, they know how to respond if they have any concerns about a child's welfare.

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It is not yet good because

 The provider does not always take all reasonable steps to minimise risks, which does not ensure that the highest regard is always given to promoting children's safety.  The safeguarding policy does not cover the use of mobile phones and cameras in the setting, which is a legal requirement, in order to ensure children's safety.  Staff do not gain sufficient information from parents and other providers to establish the support they intend to offer to complement children's learning and development. This does not help children to make best progress.  The provider's self-evaluation does not take into account the views of staff, children and parents sufficiently, to help drive improvement.

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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 activities in two playrooms and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held meetings with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and children spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

St Mary's After School Club opened in 2003. The club is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a single-storey building in the grounds of St Mary's RC Primary School, Congleton, in Cheshire. It offers care before and after school. The club is open from 7.30am to 8.45am and 3.15pm to 6pm on weekdays, during school term. The premises are used during the day for a pre-school group. Places are offered to children attending St Mary's RC School and other children in Congleton. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The children have access to two playrooms and the school playground. There is a kitchen for the preparation of snacks. There are currently 38 children on roll, six of whom are in the early years age range. There are currently seven staff working directly with the children, three of whom have a Foundation degree, two are qualified at level 3 and two are unqualified.

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must:

 ensure all reasonable steps are taken to ensure children are not exposed to risks, with particular regards to the safety of the steps to the playground

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must:

 establish an effective process to engage with parents and other providers, to identify the support that can be offered to complement children's learning and development in other settings

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must:

 ensure that the safeguarding policy covers the use of cameras and mobile phones, and share this information with all visitors to the setting, to ensure children's safety at all times.

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

 improve upon self-evaluation to clearly identify and prioritise targets for improvement that incorporate the views of parents, staff and children.

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who attend

Children are generally happy, settled and relaxed in the club. On arrival, they quickly choose an activity and begin to play. Children are engaged, stimulated and actively take part in the activities provided by staff. Parents report that children are reluctant to come home as they want to stay and play for longer. This is because staff are welcoming, provide interesting things to do and interact positively with the children. As a result, children enjoy coming to the club before and after school.

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who attend

Staff plan activities provided for children based on their expressed interests or the season of the year. For example, children make snowmen pictures using different materials and media as we approach winter. Resources provided broadly support the areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage, and are selected to stimulate children based on their interests. Staff use open-ended questions to support children's creative and critical thinking. Consequently, children are motivated to take part in experiences and practise their skills.

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who attend

Staff encourage children to talk about their day at school. This promotes language development and confidence in children. Staff have fostered a culture where the older children are role models, who support the younger children in their play. This means children learn to respect difference and how to socialise and play together. However, staff do not gain sufficient information from parents and other providers to establish the support children need to complement their learning and development from other settings, so that this enhances consistency between settings and helps children to make best progress.

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

Staff set out clear boundaries, expectations and rules for children. For example, before playing outside, children are reminded of the areas of the playground the can access, the risk of slipping and to play nicely. Minor disputes between children are quickly rectified with support from staff as necessary. As a result, children behave well and are respectful to each other. Children display manners with each other and with staff, saying 'excuse me' when interrupting a conversation. This is because staff role model manners well and encourage children to be polite.

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

Staff are friendly and approachable to children and parents. Children talk about how safe and secure they feel at the club. They approach staff comfortably if they need help or support. Children regularly take part in fire evacuation practices, which help them to ensure they know what to do in the event of an emergency. However, their sense of safety is somewhat misplaced as staff do not ensure that all risks are effectively minimised to keep children safe. For example, the floor surface of the steps to go outside is a tripping hazard. Children's health and well-being are promoted as they get lots of opportunities to exercise and play outdoors. They clearly enjoy the outdoor space and show enthusiasm and excitement as they make their way to the area of play. They take risks and challenge themselves, for example, as they test their ability to use the climbing wall on the large pirate ship. Staff encourage children to establish hygiene routines by

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

reminding them to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. Children learn how to keep themselves healthy and prevent the spread of infection. During snack time, children are given an opportunity to take on responsibilities to serve snack to children. This promotes independence and builds children's confidence as they learn life skills. Children arrive at the club in different ways, depending on their age. For example, Reception and infant school children are collected by staff and children in the junior classes walk to the club on their own. This further promotes children's independence and increases responsibility.

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

Staff are positive and offers lots of praise to develop children's self-esteem, and this helps them to feel good about what they do. There is a high ratio of adult to children, which means that children can play both outdoors and indoors and are supervised. There are an adequate number of staff who hold valid first-aid certificates and can, therefore, respond to accidents appropriately. Accidents are recorded accurately and shared with parents, which promotes children's welfare.

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provision

The manager and provider have a suitable knowledge of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. However, there are some breaches of the requirements of both the Early Years Register and both parts of the Childcare Register. Staff are suitably vetted and subject to the appropriate checks. There is an induction process for staff that includes child protection procedures. Consequently, staff demonstrate a satisfactory understanding of child protection procedures. However, the safeguarding policy does not cover the use of cameras and mobile phones in the club when children are present. This has a potential impact on the safety of children who attend. Daily registers are completed, recording the time children arrive and leave the club. The manager liaises with school to establish which children will be attending that day and when they are expected, or if they are going to any other after school clubs first. Risk assessment procedures are not robust enough. The

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provision

manager and provider have identified risks but have failed to take appropriate action in a timely manner, for example, to repair the surface of the steps to the playground. This breach of requirement also relates to the Childcare Register.

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provision

The provider and manager hold regular team meetings with staff, including annual appraisals. The provider's self-evaluation identifies areas priorities and plans for improvement. However, it does not take into account the views of staff, children and parents sufficiently. As a result, clear priorities and plans for improvement have not been identified with their views in mind, in order to drive forward improvement to provide better outcomes for children in their care.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are established. The club provides informal feedback daily to parents about the experiences their children have had that day. Parents are invited to complete a questionnaire and they report that they happy with the service provided. The manager liaises with school to communicate any important messages for parents regarding their children's school day and their well-being. However, parents and school are not consulted to enable staff at the club to understand how the club can support children's learning and development requirements.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Not Met

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure that the premises, including floor space and outdoor spaces, and equipment used for the purposes of childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that the premises, including floor space and outdoor spaces, and equipment used for the purposes of childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

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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 EY271661 Local authority Cheshire East Inspection number 856115

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 38 Name of provider M.A.S.K (Mossley After School Club) Limited Date of previous inspection 06/07/2009 Telephone number 07709624993

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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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