Explorers Link Club

Explorers Link Club Penketh South Community Primary School, Finlay Avenue, Penketh, WARRINGTON WA5 2PN

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Inspection date 23 January 2019 Previous inspection date 16 March 2016

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Not Applicable

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This is a provision that requires improvement

n Although the manager has daily discussions with her staff team, she does not have effective arrangements in place to carry out staff supervision meetings to help support their professional development and further support children's emotional well-being. n The provider does not have a clear understanding of Ofsted's notification requirements and has failed to notify Ofsted of a change of manager at the setting. n The manager does not use self-evaluation effectively to ensure that parents have an opportunity to share their opinions and contribute to making improvements to the provision.

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It has the following strengths

n Staff build good relationships with parents. They share information with parents daily about the activities and routines their children take part in. Parents are positive about the care their children receive and they comment on the happy and approachable staff team. n Staff have developed close partnerships with the on-site school that children attend. Together they share information that helps to provide children with consistency in their care and learning. n Staff are kind to children and encourage them to be considerate towards each other. Children of different ages play happily. For example, older children help younger ones learn the routines and where personal belongings are kept.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date ensure that the provider fully understands the notification requirements of the early years foundation stage framework, particularly regarding a change of manager and adheres to these 27/02/2019

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

ensure that effective arrangements for staff supervision meetings are put in place to support their professional development and to improve their personal effectiveness. 27/02/2019

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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

n improve the self-evaluation processes to include the views of parents and to identify weaknesses in the provision more effectively.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed the activities indoors and outdoors and the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector talked to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the club manager. n The inspector held a meeting with the club manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the club. n The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

The provider has failed to notify Ofsted of a change to the manager, this is a breach of the welfare requirements. However, the provider has carried out recruitment procedures with the new manager to assess her suitability for this role. The provider and new manager have regular meetings to ensure a smooth handover is achieved. She has a secure knowledge of safeguarding and how to keep children safe and who to contact if she has a concern about a child. She also ensures that her staff team are fully up to date with safeguarding training and aware of their responsibility to protect children. All the staff have completed recent training on wider safeguarding issues and are alert to behaviours that would put children at risk of harm. Staff are first-aid trained and they complete risk assessments and safety checks on the resources and areas used by the children to keep them safe. There are some arrangements in place for the induction of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

new staff. However, appraisals and supervision meetings are not used effectively to identify areas where individual staff can improve their personal effectiveness and support the children's emotional well-being. The new manager has made some good improvements to the club. For example, she has made the resources more accessible to the children, she promotes their independence and has introduced the provision of healthy menu choices.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff make regular observations of children's engagement and enjoyment in their activities. They use this knowledge well to plan future activities and develop children's self-confidence. For example, staff encourage children who are shy or cautious in their play to join in group games or read stories together. Children enjoy exploring their imaginative skills as they make animals from the 'junk modelling' resources. They use good hand and eye coordination as they cut the tape for the tiger's stripes. Children estimate the length of box they would need to make a crocodile and count how many teeth the crocodile will have.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Children's well-being is not always effectively promoted due to weaknesses in leadership and management. Staff gather information from parents when their child first starts and their opinions for improvements to the club. However, this self-evaluation process is not fully embedded and the priorities for improvement are not shared enough with parents. Nonetheless, the key-person system supports children to form strong relationships. Staff model polite interaction and children copy this behaviour with their friends. Children enjoy well-balanced snacks and recognise healthy foods, such as fruit and vegetables. They enjoy serving themselves and have access to fresh drinking water at all times. Children follow suitable hygiene routines and tend to their own personal needs successfully. For instance, they are encouraged to independently wash their hands before eating snacks and after they use the toilet.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY394947 Local authority Warrington Inspection number 10074265 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Out-of-school day care Age range of children 3 - 10 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 53 Name of registered person Lowe, Linda Anne

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 16 March 2016 Telephone number 07759 310 435

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reference number

Explorers Link Club registered in 2009. The club employs three members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The club opens from 7.45am to 8.45am and 3.20pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday, during term time only.

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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.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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