Barracudas (Letchworth)

Barracudas (Letchworth) St Christopher School, Barrington Road, Letchworth Garden City, SG6 3JZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11 August 2016 Not applicable

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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 Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This provision is inadequate

 The provider does not take all reasonable steps to ensure the premises are secure. Gates and doors are left open into empty rooms and the unmanned reception area. This means that unauthorised persons could enter the premises and children can leave the premises on their own.  Some members of staff have no knowledge of how to report any safeguarding concerns to relevant agencies outside of the Barracudas association. Nor do they know where to find any information for contacting the Local Safeguarding Children Board or the Local Authority Designated Officer for safeguarding.  Some of the organised activities are not age appropriate and are too long to hold the engagement and attention of children. Some staff do not recognise the signs that children are becoming restless and this leads to deterioration in children's behaviour.  On occasions, children are left waiting for unrealistic amounts of time, such as when

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This provision is inadequate

queuing outside the bathroom. Furthermore, staff do not always respect the choices children make regarding their own personal needs and activities.

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It has the following strengths

 Children enjoy the explore and play sessions. They engage well in drawing pictures with precise detail, writing letters and making books. Staff provide them with the resources they need, such as tape and glue.  Parents report that their children quickly settle and make new friends at the club. They speak highly of the friendly staff and the activities they offer to their children.

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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

 ensure all reasonable steps are taken to prevent unauthorised persons entering the premises and children being able to leave unaccompanied 25/08/2016

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Due Date

 make sure all staff know how to report any concerns relating to the welfare of children to the relevant statutory bodies 25/08/2016

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Due Date

 provide children with a wide range of age-appropriate activities which keeps them motivated and interested. 25/08/2016

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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

 help children to become more independent in meeting their personal needs and enable them to make more choices about their play.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities, both indoors and in the outside areas, and talked to the staff and children at appropriate times.  The inspector discussed the activities on offer with the managers and held a meeting with them.  The inspector looked at a range of documents, including the registers, policies and procedures including the safeguarding policy and procedure.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability of staff working with children.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and of the club's self-evaluation.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. Children are not protected, because unauthorised persons can access the premises undetected and children could leave the premises unaccompanied. Assessments of risk are not specific enough to ensure the site is secure. In addition, the provider has not ensured that all staff know how to report any concerns about children's welfare or about other staff members to relevant statutory bodies. However, staff have knowledge of how to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse, and know how to report concerns to the designated person within the setting. Recruitment procedures are robust with all necessary checks being made on new staff members. The club managers routinely observe staff's practice and set reasonable actions to help staff to continuously develop their skills. Staff have opportunities to extend their knowledge and understanding through attending the annual training and induction day.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

This helps staff to understand any changes to practice and to develop knowledge on new legislation.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Children demonstrate their good reading and mathematical skills. They enjoy reading books and discuss length as they use string for activities. Children enjoy some imaginative play during the 'explore and play' session. For example, they pretend to be doctors and take turns to be the patient. All children on the camp are given opportunities to choose from the daily activities available. This helps them develop some of the skills they need in school. However, many of these activities do not inspire the youngest children to be actively involved. For example, the treasure hunt is based on words and writing. Some of these words are made up and make no sense to the children. Staff leading the treasure hunt do not identify when children are becoming disengaged and restless. This results in the early years manager suggesting to staff members that the children need to do something else. Staff gain useful information from parents and children when they start at

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

the club. They find out what they can do and what their interests are. Staff observe children's play through the activities they engage in, and share their observations with parents.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

The provider has failed to meet some of the safeguarding and welfare requirements, which compromises children's safety and well-being. Some staff do not effectively organise the transition from one activity to the next. This results in children waiting around with nothing to do. For example, all twenty-three early years children are taken to the bathroom at the same time. This results in children standing in the corridor unengaged in activities. Furthermore, some of these children express to the staff that they have just used the bathroom. However, they are told they must go again and try. Consequently, children become restless and move around and staff tell them to stand back in the line. Following this, staff ask children to make a choice of their next activity. Children quickly make their decision and join their chosen group. However, staff then discuss the practicalities of running the groups and children are then asked to change their minds.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

This causes children confusion as they move from one group to another. When children are freely playing, they take turns and share resources well and are polite and courteous to each other. Staff help children learn about healthy lifestyles. They use a daily tally chart to see how many different types of fruit they are eating. Children have many opportunities to use their physical skills, such as in the swimming pool and during outdoor activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY491826 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1021976 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 - 15 Total number of places 150 Number of children on roll 163 Name of registered person Young World Leisure Group Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 0845 123 5299

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reference number

Barracudas (Letchworth) was registered in 2015. The club employs 19 members of staff. Of these, the manager holds a relevant early years qualification and the early years manager holds qualified teacher status. The club opens for four weeks of the summer holidays from 8am 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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