Skip to content

Help us get it right

Sign in (free) to send feedback, so we can tell you when it's fixed.

Early years · Early years inspection (CIF)

Barracudas (Hutton)

Inspected 30 Jul 2015 · published 25 Aug 2015 · URN EY222697

Help us get it right

Sign in (free) to send feedback, so we can tell you when it's fixed.

Original PDF ↗

Summary

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

  • Inspection date verified

    30 Jul 2015

  • Inspectors verified

    Patricia Champion

  • Early years verified

    Good

  • Overall effectiveness verified

    Good

  • Previous overall verified

    Good

  • Postcode verified

    CM13 1SD

  • Name on report verified

    Barracudas Activity Camp

  • URN verified

    EY222697

Page 1 of 5
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

Join free to get a short, plain-English summary of any report.

Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

  • OverallGood
  • Early yearsGood

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+62Positivemore positive than 26% of reports of this type graded Good
OutstandingGoodMetRINot metInadequate

In line with other reports of this type graded Good.

Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.

Praiseeffectiveconfidentstronghappysecureenthusiasticenjoyrespectful
Criticismat risknot alwaysharm

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improve positive critical
  • Findings404w+58
  • What needs to improve37w+50

Strengths

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Concerns

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Next steps

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
5
Words of findings
433
shorter than usual (typical 703)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 43, typical 50
Average sentence
17 words
Next steps
1
typical 2
Hedged sentences
4%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 30%What needs to improve 3%About the inspection 67%

Full report text

Barracudas Activity Camp Hutton Manor School, Rayleigh Road, Brentwood, Essex, CM13 1SD

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30 July 2015 25 August 2009

p.1

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

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

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

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

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

p.1

This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

p.1

This provision is good

 The camp is well run, as the roles and responsibilities of managers and the group coordinators are clearly defined and understood by all. Key persons working with younger children are well qualified and this means they understand how young children learn.  Children are happy and independent learners. The camp provides a very welcoming environment which helps children to settle rapidly and build secure attachments with their key persons.  Very good opportunities are in place for children to engage in a wide and varied range of physical activities. They are enthusiastic in their play and thoroughly enjoy being energetic as they take part in team games and swimming sessions.  Children behave well and are learning about the needs and feelings of others. Staff interact with children in calm and respectful ways and children mirror this in their interactions with their friends.  Safeguarding within the camp is effective as staff show vigilance and have a strong

p.1

This provision is good

awareness of potential hazards. Staff can explain the signs and symptoms of abuse that would alert them if a child was at risk of harm.  The management of the camp is enthusiastically committed to improving the quality of the provision further. Children and parents are regularly invited to share their views and provide feedback to support the self-evaluation process.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff are not always making the best use of the space in the environment to ensure that children consistently have the freedom to develop confident and expressive movements during drama sessions.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 review the use of the environment to enhance children's enjoyment of activities and ensure they have ample space for confident and expressive movements.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the indoor and outdoor learning environments.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the early years manager.  The inspector held discussions with the management, staff and children.  The inspector viewed a sample of the children's records.  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 and from their written responses in the comments book.

p.2

who attend. This is good

Staff give children enthusiastic explanations of what is planned each day to encourage their participation. Children enjoy taking part in the range of sporting and creative activities. They have a positive attitude towards learning new things and are keen to extend the skills they also use in the school classroom. Children listen attentively to instructions, ask pertinent questions and offer their own ideas. They extend their mathematical knowledge as they discuss the scores displayed on a target. They work out how many more points they need to win a game. Staff effectively promote children's reading skills in a variety of ways. For example, games are organised to encourage children to name things that begin with letter sounds. Children also write their names on captions and their artwork for display. Staff provide daily communication and feedback by email to ensure parents are kept well informed about the planned activities and their

p.3

who attend. This is good

children's progress. Parents are eager to say how impressed they are with the camp and how they really value the care and support their children receive.

p.3

good

Children interact warmly with the staff who care for them, and show they feel emotionally secure. Parents provide key information during the registration process and before children start. This gives the key persons good quality information to enable them to provide well for children's individual needs. Staff use physical activities to support children's learning of self-care, safety and understanding of the world. Children learn why it is important to drink water, wear hats and use sun cream in hot weather. There is sufficient space available for children to exercise and develop physical skills. However, staff are not maximising the use of the indoor environments when children take part in drama sessions. Staff effectively manage children's behaviour, which means they fully understand the boundaries and expectations. Children are told about safety in the various areas of the school site and this message is reinforced throughout each day. Prior to every

p.3

good

swimming session, children receive a talk about the safety rules around the pool.

p.3

provision is good

The management of the camp effectively implement the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Managers and staff take effective measures to minimise risks to children and the premises are secure. There are safe and controlled procedures for children's arrival and departure. Children are collected by parents or carers, with confirmation of the password and key fob identification. There are sufficient staff with first-aid certificates on the premises to deal with minor accidents or emergencies. The manager and Barracudas' head office complete regular audits of accident records and risk assessments are reviewed following any incidents. Staff's professional development is well supported through regular performance reviews, supervision meetings and training. The staff constantly reflect on their practice and this means that there is continuous improvement in children's learning and development.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY222697 Local authority Essex Inspection number 992060 Type of provision Out of school provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 4 - 17 Total number of places 200 Number of children on roll 141 Name of provider Young World Leisure Group Limited Date of previous inspection 25 August 2009 Telephone number 0845 123 5299

p.4

Setting details

Barracudas Activity Camp was registered in 2002 and is part of a large chain of activity camps run by Young World Leisure Group Limited. The camp employs 24 members of childcare staff. Of these, seven staff hold Qualified Teacher Status. Specialist staff, such as lifeguards and sports instructors, also work with the children. The camp opens from Monday to Friday, during the school Easter and summer holidays. Opening times are from 8am until 6pm.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

Setting details

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’.

p.5

Setting details

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

p.5

Discuss this inspection

Members compare notes on inspectors and inspections here. Join free to read and post.

Join the discussion