Castle care Club at Meadows School

Castle Care Club at Meadows School Meadows School, Stourbridge Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B61 0AH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 October 2015 27 January 2009

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 The setting benefits from a strong management team who are very supportive of their staff. Staff work very well together. This is reflected in the smooth running and calm atmosphere within the setting.  Staff are well qualified. They regularly attend training to further develop their knowledge. The high quality of the workforce is evident and is reflected in the interaction and support given to children.  Children benefit from time spent outdoors. They use a variety of equipment, such as bats and balls, space hoppers, balancing tubs and pogo sticks. They learn about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. They go outdoors in all weathers and enjoy healthy snacks.  Partnerships with parents are strong. Parents speak highly of the staff. They are happy that all staff know their children well and are pleased with the activities that their children enjoy.  Recruitment procedures are robust. The registered providers have many years

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This provision is good

experience in recruitment. They are fully aware of their responsibility in ensuring that all staff working with children are safe and suitable to do so.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not make sufficiently sure that younger children who are new to the setting are fully aware of the range of toys and activities available to them.  Staff do not provide younger children with the opportunity to relax or spend time quietly when they wish to.

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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

 provide more information to younger children that helps them to make informed choices about the activities they take part in and the toys they are able to play with when they first join the setting  provide more opportunities for younger children to relax and spend time quietly if they wish to do so.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of activities indoors and outside.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the setting's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting.  The inspector spoke to children and a small selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff are fully aware of their role and responsibility to protect the children in their care. They have all attended safeguarding training. The management team have developed an in-depth questionnaire to enable them to regularly test staff on their safeguarding knowledge. Senior managers are forward thinking. They regularly reflect on the practice within the group to ensure that they continue to move forward and sustain improvement. Staff have forged close links with the schools that children attend. Premises are used exceptionally well. Staff are effectively deployed. They make sure that children can move safely throughout the setting.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Children thoroughly enjoy the time they spend in this busy, friendly and welcoming setting. They are able to take part in a wide range of exciting and interesting activities that are totally suitable to this type of provision. They decorate cakes to take home, using a variety of different toppings. Staff make a range of different coloured play dough which children expertly mould into dinosaurs and pumpkins. Children thoroughly enjoy creative activities. They paint, cut and stick to make pictures. Children develop their imaginations as they play in the role-play area. They pretend that their dolls are poorly. They make pretend plasters, which they stick onto the dolls before wrapping them in blankets and wheeling them outside in a pushchair. Staff help children to evolve the role-play area as they play. It is soon transformed into a restaurant with children using toy tills and writing down the food orders of their friends. The manager discusses children's next steps in

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

learning with the school. Staff then plan activities which reflect the school topics and continue children's learning within the group in a fun way.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children show a sense of belonging. They form positive relationships with staff and their peers. Older children support younger children and teach them how to play games, such as snooker and other table top games. Children's self-esteem and confidence is built very well. Staff provide continual support, encouragement and praise. The key-person system clearly works in practice. Key persons provide children with support when they first start at the setting and with a familiar adult to relate to behaviour is exemplary. The overall atmosphere within the setting is very calm. Any unwanted behaviour, although rare, is dealt with calmly and without fuss. The manager works very closely with the school behaviour management team. This ensures that all strategies applied within the setting are consistent with the school policies. Children learn to respect each other. Resources and activities reflect and value the diversity of children's backgrounds and experiences.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff teach children how to play safely. For example, they explain to them the importance of using the snooker cue in a sensible way and holding it correctly so that they do not poke other children with it. They learn about risk taking and how to keep themselves safe as they play. Staff support children well as they learn new skills, such as jumping on pogo sticks.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY290044 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 861361 Type of provision Out of school provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 4 - 12 Total number of places 70 Number of children on roll 107 Name of provider Castle Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 27 January 2009 Telephone number 07977 028088

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Setting details

Castle Care Club at Meadows School originally opened in 2003 and changed ownership in 2004. It is one of six settings owned by Castle Care. The setting employs 10 members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The setting opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 8am until 9am and from 3.15pm until 6pm. The setting occasionally operates a holiday club from these premises.

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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

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Setting details

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