Helsby Link Club

Helsby Link Club Helsby Hillside School, Bates Lane, Helsby, WA6 9LN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23 June 2016 29 April 2014

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This provision is inadequate

 Systems to keep children safe when they transfer from classrooms at the beginning of the club are not robust enough. Practitioners are not sufficiently aware of which children are due to attend.  The safeguarding policy does not meet statutory requirements. Practitioners and parents are not given the information they need about how the use of mobile phones and cameras will be managed in order to keep children safe.  Parents are not given information about the storage of digital photographs. Practitioners take and store photographs of children without parents' permission.  The procedures for administering medication are not robust enough to ensure children's safety.  The manager has not established or implemented effective procedures for keeping children who have allergies to certain foods safe.  Arrangements are not good enough to ensure that food is consistently prepared safely and hygienically.

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This provision is inadequate

 Newly recruited practitioners are not given the support and guidance they need to understand their responsibilities and to implement procedures consistently.  Practitioners are not given the support, coaching and training they need to develop their professional skills, knowledge and effectiveness.  There are no effective arrangements in place to help identify weaknesses in practice. Requirements are not all met and children's health and safety are not assured.

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It has the following strengths

 Children enjoy their time at the club. They talk and relax with friends.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and the Childcare Register the provider must:

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Due Date

 improve systems for checking which children are expected to attend the club each day so that all children can be safely accounted for 08/07/2016

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Due Date

 review and update the policy for safeguarding children so that procedures for the use of mobile phones and cameras promote children's safety 08/07/2016

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Due Date

 inform parents about arrangements for storing digital photographs of children; obtain parents' permission before taking and storing photographs 08/07/2016

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Due Date

 improve knowledge and understanding of medication requirements and incorporate this into procedures for administering medicine safely 08/07/2016

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Due Date

 establish and implement procedures that rigorously promote the health and safety of children who have allergies to certain foods 08/07/2016

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Due Date

 improve procedures for the safe preparation of food 22/07/2016  improve induction arrangements so that new practitioners receive training that helps them to carry out procedures to a consistently high standard 23/09/2016

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Due Date

 implement an effective system for supervising practitioners that promotes continuous improvement in the quality of care and activities they provide. 26/08/2016

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Due Date

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

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Due Date

 evaluate the provision more thoroughly in order to quickly recognise weaknesses in procedures and to drive rapid improvement.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of practitioners' interactions with children during activities.  The inspector held discussions with the manager, deputy manager and practitioners. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of practitioners working in the club.  The inspector spoke to 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 inadequate

Arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. Documents used to record children's attendance do not show which children are expected to arrive at the club each day. This means that children's absence is not immediately investigated. The manager takes the club's digital camera to her home. She stores and prints children's photographs at home without making sure that parents know this and give their permission. This means that children's privacy and safety are not promoted well enough. Procedures for responding to children's health needs are poor. Medicine is stored well beyond the date that it should be used by. In addition, medicine is administered without written permission from parents. Arrangements for providing food at the club put children's health and safety at risk. Children's registration forms include information about allergies to certain foods. However, the manager does not find out about the symptoms, or the likely severity of allergic

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

reactions. She does not find out how to alleviate symptoms or whether urgent medical advice is required. She does not always ensure that information about children's allergies is shared with practitioners. Some of the food served to children at the club is prepared in practitioners' home kitchens. This means that the manager does not check that food is always prepared and stored safely. The manager's procedures for the recruitment of practitioners are generally safe and practitioners attend mandatory training. However, practitioners' professional skills, knowledge and understanding do not improve quickly enough, because induction training and ongoing supervision are not provided. Practitioners demonstrate that they know the action they must take if they consider that a child in their care is at risk of abuse or neglect.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

Weaknesses in leadership and management have a negative impact on the quality of activities at the club. Practitioners demonstrate a limited knowledge and understanding of how children develop their interests and skills. Children arrive at the club and settle to the activity set out for them on the table. They concentrate for long periods on colouring in and decorating photocopies of the English flag. Practitioners do not actively encourage children to choose other activities or to explore. As a result, children do not have enough opportunities to develop their own ideas and games. However, a friendly and attentive practitioner sits with the children and leads them in cheerful conversation.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Weaknesses in leadership and management have a significant, negative impact on children's safety and well-being. However, practitioners establish consistent boundaries for children's behaviour and children behave well. Practitioners encourage children to follow the club's daily routines. For example, children put their coats and bags on the bench when they arrive and wash their hands before they eat. This helps to promote children's independence. Children form and strengthen friendships at the club and this helps to promote their self-esteem and enjoyment. Parents report that children look forward to attending the club.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY338901 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 1041404 Type of provision Out of school provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 4 - 11 Total number of places 42 Number of children on roll 50 Name of registered person Marie Guinness

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 29 April 2014 Telephone number 07881 823052 01928 727466

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reference number

Helsby Link Club was registered in 2006. The club employs five members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate qualifications at level 3, one holds level 2 and one holds qualified teacher status. The club opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 7.45am until 9am and from 3.15pm until 6pm.

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reference number

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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reference number

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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reference number

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reference number

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reference number

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