The Squirrels Club

The Squirrels Club Coppice Primary School, Trinity Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B75 6TJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 2 June 2015 10 June 2009

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

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: Inadequate 4

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

The setting does not meet legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is inadequate

 The provider does not demonstrate a secure understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements. Consequently, children's safety and welfare is compromised. Self-evaluation has not been effective in identifying areas where improvements are required.  Children are not effectively safeguarded because those with safeguarding responsibilities do not fully understand their roles, and policies and procedures are not understood by all staff.  Records and documentation are not easily accessible for inspection. In particular, there are no first-aid certificates available on site.  The monitoring of staff's performance is not consistently implemented to accurately identify training needs, in order to improve the quality of the provision.

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It has the following strengths

 Partnerships with parents are strong and they comment positively about the setting. Staff build strong relationships with all the families that use the provision. This enables them to get to know children extremely well so that they can support their individual needs.  Children's behaviour is good. Children of all ages play well together because there are clear boundaries and expectations set by staff. All children value and respect one another because staff model this behaviour well.  Children are involved in planning. They write down their ideas about the activities they enjoy taking part in. This gives children a sense of ownership of the club and promotes their independence.  Staff provide children with a wide range of experiences that support their all-round development. This successfully prepares children well for the next stage in their learning.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage the provider must:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 ensure that the practitioners designated to take lead responsibility for safeguarding children complete up-to-date training and have a good understanding of their role, in order to identify, understand and respond appropriately to any specific safeguarding issue as required  implement safeguarding policies and procedures rigorously at all times so that all staff fully understand their roles and responsibilities, including having accurate contact numbers available and a clear procedure to follow in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff  ensure all required documentation is organised and available during inspection, including first-aid certificates that are up to date  develop the system for performance management to ensure that all staff receive regular supervisions that provide them with opportunities to evaluate their practice, identify training needs and support their ongoing professional development.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 implement policies and procedures with regards to safeguarding children, to ensure that they are protected from abuse or neglect (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that all staff are trained on the written statement of procedures to be followed to safeguard children from abuse or neglect (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that practitioners designated to take lead responsibility for safeguarding children, provide support and guidance to all staff in relation to any child protection matters (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  implement policies and procedures with regards to safeguarding children, to ensure that they are protected from abuse or neglect (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the indoor environment and the outdoor play areas.  The inspector took account of the views of staff, children and parents spoken to on the day.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.  The inspector looked at a sample of records and policies relating to children's welfare, health and safety.

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who attend. This is good

Children are happy and confident when they arrive at the club. Staff take part in detailed discussions with children about what they have enjoyed doing at school and where they have been on their holidays. Staff provide a wide range of activities that follow children's interests. This means children are engaged and motivated in their learning. Interactions between staff and children are good. They join in with children's chosen play and question them to develop their ideas and imaginations. Children enjoy building and constructing with coloured, interlocking bricks. They concentrate on tasks and take pride in their achievements as they create their models. Children spend time drawing and excitedly talk about who they are giving their pictures to. Staff regularly share information with parents about the activities that take place in the club. They find out what children are learning in school and provide many opportunities to complement their learning further.

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inadequate

Children's overall welfare and safety are not assured because the provider and staff do not demonstrate a secure knowledge and understanding of the early years requirements. Documentation is not available to ensure all information about staff can be viewed at inspection. This means it is unclear if the provision meets requirements. For example, there are no certificates available to demonstrate that staff have attended first-aid training. Daily safety checks are carried out by staff to identify any risks to children's general safety. Children are confident and self-assured individuals. Key persons work with parents and teachers to support children to settle quickly, which effectively supports their emotional well-being. Children have many opportunities to be physically active as they play outdoors. They enjoy group games, such as cricket and football. Children of all ages join in and work well together in teams, which helps them to learn about rules and

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inadequate

promotes their self-esteem. The club provides extra-curricular activities, such as tennis and dancing to provide children with even more opportunities to develop their skills.

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provision is inadequate

The provider has failed to meet all of the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result, children's well-being and safety are compromised. The provider has recognised weaknesses in practice, although she has not done anything to address the issues to ensure continuous improvement. Children are not effectively safeguarded from harm because the safeguarding policy and procedures do not include up-to-date contact numbers for making a referral. The designated person who has the lead responsibility for safeguarding has not completed up-to-date training and does not have a good enough understanding about their role. Although staff demonstrate their understanding of the known indicators of abuse, they are unclear of their individual roles and responsibilities in reporting concerns. In addition, staff do not understand the procedures to follow if an allegation is made against another staff member. The provider and an assistant have level

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provision is inadequate

3 qualifications and they use their knowledge and skills to ensure children are provided with suitable opportunities. Other staff are working towards qualifications and are developing within their roles. However, the provider does not complete regular supervisions to ensure that all staff performance is monitored. As a result, staff do not receive the training and support needed to enhance their knowledge and skills further. The recruitment procedures for new staff include obtaining a Disclosure and Barring Service check and references prior to working within the club. This helps to ensure that their suitability is checked.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 229108 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 864422 Type of provision Out of school provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 3 - 11 Total number of places 72 Number of children on roll 115 Name of provider Suzanne Thelma Bullock Date of previous inspection 10 June 2009 Telephone number 01216758298

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Setting details

The Squirrels Club registered in 1993 and is based in Coppice Primary School in Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield. The club is open from 8am to 9am and from 3.25pm to 6pm during term time, and from 8am to 6pm during school holidays. The club employs six members of staff, of whom two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3.

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Setting details

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

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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Setting details

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Setting details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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