Cornerstone After School Club

Cornerstone After School Club

Unique reference number (URN): 2762276 Address: St. Helens Church Hall, St. Helens Court, Rainham, RM13 9YU Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 16/11/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Fasiku, Adesola Odunayo

p.1

Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

p.1

Inclusion Expected standard

In general, the club promotes an environment where children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive support to participate and access activities and resources. Staff work closely with parents and carers to gather meaningful information. This enables them to support smooth transitions for children into the setting. Leaders are committed to identifying and assessing children's needs early so that provision can be adapted. For example, to support children who have limited mobility, staff are deployed to remain close to them and help them to move around safely. Staff monitor children's engagement and adapt provision, as needed, to promote their participation. They use praise and encouragement to contribute to children building relationships and playing alongside others.

p.2

Inclusion Expected standard

Targeted support ensures children feel included and able to join in routines and activities. Typically, children with SEND receive time and support to move freely and select the toys and resources they want to play with. Parents value the way staff support their children's individual needs. They appreciate the sensitive approach taken to welcoming them to the club. Parents explain that their children settle quickly, feel comfortable in the environment and look forward to attending.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Leaders do not yet demonstrate effective strategic leadership of behaviour, attitudes or routines. Although the environment offers a range of activities, inconsistent staff interactions limit children's learning and social development. Positive relationships are not consistently modelled by staff, so children do not always receive appropriate guidance. This affects children's confidence to manage their emotions and build respectful interactions with others.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Daily routines are in place, but limited explanation and reminders from staff means children do not fully understand expectations. As a result, children repeat the same actions and struggle to regulate their emotions. Leaders promote regular attendance, with children who attend consistently benefiting from familiar routines. However, the lack of consistent structure limits the impact of this.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Approaches to supporting children's behaviour are not yet effective. Staff rely on commands or consequences rather than supportive guidance. They do not consistently or clearly explain and reinforce rules. When children upset others, staff's responses focus on children saying sorry, rather than helping them understand the impact of their actions.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Younger children receive appropriate support. They benefit from secure relationships with staff, who are attuned to their needs. Younger children receive support to access resources and benefit from both adult-led and free-play activities. Mealtimes are an opportunity for children to learn about healthy foods and develop their social skills.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Leadership of children's welfare and wellbeing is not yet effective. Staff do not have the training and knowledge to promote and support children's positive behaviour. Staff are kind and offer reassurances, but their interactions lack the skills needed to engage children meaningfully. This results in inconsistent support for children's emotional wellbeing.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Although staff are present, they do not actively support all children's play. For example, when children need help with sharing or turn-taking, staff speak to them, but this is not effective in supporting children to adapt their behaviour. This indicates that strategies used are not effective in guiding children or helping them to understand expectations. This means children do not always respond well to instructions, such as when they are reminded to follow rules that are put in place.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Children work together on shared activities and show growing confidence in group situations. For example, they form small groups for team games, problem-solving together. Children generally respond well to established routines, such as handwashing and tidy-up times. This supports smooth transitions and children's increasing independence. However, at times, some children struggle to move on from activities due to lack of support from staff. This leads to disagreements and moments of frustration.

p.3

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leadership and governance are not fully effective, so children do not benefit from high- quality provision. Self-assessment does not lead to meaningful action to drive forward improvement across the club. Although the environment offers some structure, leaders do not provide the strategic direction needed to secure consistent practice to promote children's welfare and wellbeing. Staffing arrangements are stable, but this does not lead to effective support for children. Staff's understanding of children's needs vary and expectations are not consistently promoted.

p.3

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders not demonstrate a purposeful vision for improvement, and opportunities to promote best practice are not embedded. Systems to monitor staff performance and identify professional development needs are in place, however, they are not used effectively. Supervision sessions lack the effectiveness required to improve staff practice as leaders do not provide clear guidance to raise quality.

p.3

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders do work closely with parents and carers to ensure children's needs are supported. They also work closely with the local authority development officer to access training and support. Leaders explain how they access funding to reduce barriers to attendance ensuring all children, including those who may be disadvantaged, can take part.

p.3

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Overall, leaders aim to foster a positive culture that prioritises children's welfare and wellbeing. However, this is not reflected in practice as they have not addressed key weaknesses in the use of assessment and supervision of staff. Therefore, the club lacks the clear direction needed to improve provision and practice.

p.3

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

p.4

Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.4

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

p.4

Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.4

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children are active and busy at the out-of-school club. They choose the toys that they want to play with, such as ball games and creative activities. However, children's needs are not consistently met because the quality of interactions between staff and children is variable. This has a negative impact on children's ability to follow rules and boundaries, which makes it difficult for them to understand expectations. There are no clear strategies for managing older children's unwanted behaviour, making it difficult for them to develop positive social skills. A lack of meaningful engagement from staff means children often rely on each other to manage play, leading to raised voices and difficulties sharing. Staff sometimes interrupt children's play or restrict them from accessing activities and resources of their own choosing. Daily routines are established, however, limited explanations from staff means

p.4

What it's like to be a child at this setting

children do not always understand what is expected of them. The environment, while safe, lacks effective organisation. This results in frequent interruptions to children's play. Despite this, children laugh and play together, creating their own games and managing their own play.

p.5

What it's like to be a child at this setting

Nevertheless, staff are warm and attempt to guide behaviour with sensitivity and care. With support, younger children behave positively and move confidently through the environment. They explore freely and develop curiosity. For example, children learn to recognise the difference between their left and right side, and that fruit and vegetables contribute to them being healthy. They respond positively to staff, who offer consistent praise and encouragement. Older children laugh and play together, creating their own games and managing their own interactions with each other. Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance and follow up any absences promptly. Overall, children enjoy themselves, but inconsistent staff guidance and limited purposeful interaction, reduce the quality of their play experiences.

p.5

Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

p.5

Action Completion Date

fully develop and embed behaviour management strategies so expectations are consistent and explained to children 30/06/2026

p.5

Action Completion Date

provide targeted training to strengthen staff interactions with children, ensuring communication is effective and appropriate to support understanding of expectations 30/06/2026

p.5

Action Completion Date

enhance current methods of staff development and supervision to improve their practice and raise the quality of teaching to a consistently high level 30/06/2026

p.5

Action Completion Date

strengthen the nursery's self-evaluation processes so leaders can securely identify areas of further development 30/06/2026

p.5

Address:

St. Helens Church Hall St. Helens Court Rainham RM13 9YU

p.6

Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.6

Address:

Registered person: Fasiku, Adesola Odunayo

p.6

Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 03:00 - 06:00

p.6

Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the after-school club manager and her deputy during the inspection.

p.6

About this inspection

We carried out this inspection 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.6

Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

p.7

Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

p.7

Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

p.7

Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

p.7

Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.7

Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

p.7

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8