Children All Together (CAT Club)

Children All Together (CAT Club) c/o Ace Room, Buttsbury Junior School, Norsey View Drive, Billericay, Essex, CM12 0QR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24 February 2015 20 March 2009

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is good

 All children are engaged and motivated in their play and access a variety of fun and enjoyable activities. Consequently, children thrive in the club, show high levels of confidence and build strong relationships with their friends and staff.  The club has very positive partnerships with parents and the schools the children attend, which helps to provide children with continuity in their care and learning.  Children are consulted about many aspects of the club. The younger children are invited to join student council meetings to decide future activities and choose new resources. They also become buddies to help new children settle into the club.  Children are safe at the club, as staff understand and implement the effective safeguarding policies and procedures and supervise children well. There are very reliable and safe procedures for taking and collecting children to and from their school classrooms.

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This provision is good

 Children are polite and effectively learn about keeping themselves safe. This is because staff consistently ask them to think through the consequences of their behaviour. As a result, children respect each other and play harmoniously.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The staff do not always make the most of the opportunities for gathering information from parents about their children's skills and abilities, to enhance the planning of activities and experiences right from the start.  The system for monitoring staff practice is not as effective for the apprentices as it is for the more experienced members of staff.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 increase the information obtained from parents when children join the setting, to ensure that experiences are closely matched to the youngest children's interests and capabilities right from the start  extend the monitoring of staff performance to ensure that the apprentices have a more targeted programme of training opportunities for their ongoing professional development.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the indoor learning environments and accompanied staff as they went to collect children from their classrooms in the infant school.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the provider.  The inspector held discussions with the provider, staff and children.  The inspector viewed a sample of the children's development records in the observation books.  The inspector saw evidence of the suitability and qualifications of the staff, self- evaluation, risk assessment and policies and procedures.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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who attend. This is good

Children enjoy themselves at the club, as they are able to engage in a wide variety of activities of their choice. They enjoy the variety of arts and crafts, and work together to decorate the rooms, proudly displaying their results. Staff sit with the children to provide support, helping them develop their memory and mathematical skills as they play games. They use careful questioning to encourage the children to think through how and what they want to do. Key persons use regular observations and tracking of children's learning to accurately plan their next steps and monitor their progress. Staff help children with their school homework, listen to children read and help them develop their knowledge of sounds and letters. As a result, children continually develop the skills they need in the school classroom. Parents are kept fully informed about their child's experiences through daily conversations, newsletters and notices that are displayed in the club rooms.

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good

The environment is warm, friendly and very welcoming. The club has a very good variety of toys, resources and equipment to meet the needs of the different age groups of children. Key persons get to know their key children well and form a secure bond with them. However, although staff gather information about children's medical and dietary requirements, they obtain less information about children's interests and capabilities when they join the club. This means that key persons do not always have all the information they need to plan individualised care routines and activities for the youngest children, right from the start. Independence skills and healthy lifestyle choices are promoted well. For example, children help themselves to a choice of cooked vegetables at mealtimes and pour their own drinks. The provider recognises the importance of outdoor play. Children use the school playgrounds, whenever they can, for exercise and energetic play. There are

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good

exciting plans to renovate the club's outdoor area with an all-weather play surface to enable children to access a wider range of outdoor activities throughout the year.

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provision is good

Management and staff have a secure understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. All staff have completed the essential suitability checks and there is a detailed induction when new staff join the club. This means that staff are fully aware of their role and responsibility in safeguarding children. The staff also effectively promote children's safety and well-being by maintaining risk assessments, in relation to the premises and outdoor areas. The provider monitors the provision and has actions plans to ensure that continuous improvements are made. The experienced members of staff regularly attend training events to update their knowledge and skills and to gain fresh ideas for activities. However, there is room to develop the monitoring and evaluation of practice, to ensure it is consistent and even more focused on developing the skills of the less experienced staff.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY370582 Local authority Essex Inspection number 858009

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 42 Number of children on roll 200 Name of provider Carol Ann Rogers Date of previous inspection 20 March 2009 Telephone number 07929 043236

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Type of provision

Children All Together (CAT Club) was established in 1997 and moved into the current premises in 2007. The out of school club is privately owned and serves children attending three schools in the Billericay area. The club employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds Qualified Teacher Status and seven staff hold early years or play work qualifications at levels 2 or 3. The club opens from Monday to Friday, during school term times. Sessions are from 7.30am until 9am and from 3pm to 6.30pm.

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Type of provision

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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Type of provision

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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