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Unique Reference Number 512459
Inspection date 31 January 2007
Inspector Rosemary Beyer
Setting Address Badger Hill Primary School, Crossways, York,
YO10 5JF
Telephone number 07779162508
E-mail
Registered person Badger Hill Out Of School Club
Type of inspection Childcare
Type of care Out of School care
About this inspection
The purpose of this inspection is
to assure government, parents and the public of the quality
of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The
inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989
as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where
nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the
School Standards and Framework Act 1998.
This report details the main strengths and any areas for
improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements
included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes
for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National
Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where
nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for
the foundation stage.
The report includes information on any complaints about
the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since
the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever
is the later.
The key inspection judgements and what they mean
Outstanding:
this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality
Good:
this aspect of the provision is strong
Satisfactory:
this aspect of the provision is sound
Inadequate:
this aspect of the provision is not good enough
For more information about early years inspections, please
see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which
is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.
THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE
On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:
The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered
person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care
and childminding.
WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?
Badger Hill Out of School Club opened in 2001. It operates
from the Year 6 classroom and the main school hall. A maximum
of 22 children may attend at any one time. The club is open
each weekday from 08.00 to 08.45 and 15.15 to 18.00 term
time. During the school holidays children are cared for
from 08.00 until 18.00. There are currently 40 children
on the register. The children also have access to the enclosed
school outdoor play areas.
Children attend from the primary school during term time
and from other schools in the area during the holidays.
The out of school employs six staff, of whom two have relevant
qualifications and one is working towards a qualification.
The club has completed the Aiming High Level 1 accreditation
scheme.
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROVISION
Helping children to be healthy
The provision is satisfactory. A written sick child policy
is in place and information is made available to parents
about the exclusion times due to infectious diseases. If
children are taken ill parents are contacted, and children
sit quietly on the cushions in the role play corner until
they arrive. Most of the staff have current first aid certificates
and two first aid boxes are available for use on and off
the premises. Parents give written permission for staff
to seek medical help or advice in an emergency, and an accident
record is kept and signed by parents when they collect their
children. If there are head injuries a separate form is
completed with details of possible symptoms which may require
hospital treatment. Prior written permission is given by
parents for any medication and this is recorded. If children
self-medicate this is also recorded by staff for parents
to acknowledge.
Children are cared for on premises which are clean and well
maintained. Several staff have Food Hygiene Certificates
and others are to undertake the training to ensure all staff
preparing food have the qualification. Hygiene practice
which protects the children from infection is in place,
although this is not consistently applied as the children
do not wash their hands before having their first drink
and biscuits. They remember to do so after using the toilet
and before their later snack, when they wash their hands
in the classroom. The children help to clean and set the
tables with cups and plates at snack time, when they all
sit together for an enjoyable social occasion. Food provided
is suggested by the children and the menu posted on the
wall for them to see. The emphasis is on healthy eating
with a choice of fresh fruit and or vegetables each day.
The children try new things and eat well.
Children have fresh air each day if possible. They use the
school hall if it is free, for physical play, when the school
field and playground are being used by other pupils, or
the weather is too bad to go outside. During the playscheme
there is an expectation that the children will spend as
much time outside as possible. Sporting activities are included
in the programme. Staff have permission from parents to
administer sun cream if needed and also to take the children
on outings both in the local community and further afield.
Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them
stay safe
The provision is good. The children are cared for on secure
premises, with access only to authorised persons. Staff
collect the younger children from their classroom and the
older ones come to the group independently. Any children
staying for after school activities are also collected when
they have finished. The register is completed on arrival
and the time of leaving is noted by parents. Children are
well supervised with at least two members of staff on the
premises at any one time.
Younger children are collected by parents, carers or nominated
persons only, and written permission is provided by parents
for children over eight years of age to leave the group
unaccompanied to walk home alone. Staff always discuss this
with parents and agree depending on the maturity and age
of the child, but no children under eight years of age are
allowed to leave unaccompanied. A well written policy and
procedure is in place for uncollected or missing children,
which includes the notification of Ofsted, the police and
social services.
Children and staff are all familiar with the fire drill,
which is practised each half term. The practises take place
every evening for the chosen week to ensure everyone is
familiar with the procedure, and the details are recorded
in the register and monitored. Children keep fire doors
and exits clear. Electrical equipment is checked twice a
year for safety. All the toys and equipment used are regularly
inspected, and new equipment complies with legislation.
Children use the furniture safely and carefully, moving
chairs with legs down to avoid accidents.
Most staff have current first aid certificates and they
have well stocked first aid boxes for on the premises and
on outings. Parents receive a reminder of telephone numbers
before the trips in case of emergency.
Children are protected by the good
knowledge staff have of child protection and the procedure
to follow if they have concerns. They have had recent training
to support their knowledge. A well written procedure is
in place for staff to follow which includes contact details
and also makes it clear investigations are to be undertaken
only by police or social services.
Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do
The provision is good. The children have a wide range of
resources and activities to enjoy. They are regularly consulted
on the content of the future programme, which is then posted
on the board. A copy of proposed activities, including children's
suggestions, is sent home before the summer scheme starts
to allow them to organise the days they wish to attend.
Children access other resources if they do not wish to do
what has been planned. The group has a very sociable atmosphere
where the children cooperate and enjoy each others' company.
The older children are very supportive of younger ones,
helping them in their games and giving advice if needed.
During the game of 'Beetle' all the children took turns,
and happily played to the rules even though it took a long
time for anyone to start drawing their shapes.
Different customs and cultures are celebrated in the group
with visitors providing information about how or why particular
festivals are in place. Chinese New Year and Divali are
celebrated each year and children use food and craft activities
to learn. Information about other cultures and customs is
readily available.
Some children use the quiet corner
for homework or to read. It contains felt cushions made
by the children during the summer holidays. They had visits
from artists, sports instructors and also from Zoo Lab,
with a range of animals for them to see. The children enjoyed
making the felt and then creating the colourful cushions,
complete with a badger and summer flowers in the decoration.
The photographic record shows them confidently handling
the snake and other animals.
Helping children make a positive contribution
The provision is good. The children behave very well. They
have created their own house rules, in discussion with staff,
which are posted on the screen. They are cared for in a
very positive encouraging environment where they know what
is acceptable and good manners are valued. The staff treat
all the children with equal concern and respect. In addition
to the general rules, a procedure for bullying has been
developed and although it has not been implemented, an exclusion
or suspension procedure is in place. All the children know
each other well, and they cooperate when using resources
or playing games together. Snack time is a very social occasion,
with children chatting together with the staff about what
has happened during the day or proposed activities both
in and out of the school.
Parents are very pleased with the care their children receive,
some have difficulty getting them to go home, and others
attend when they do not really need to do so. They like
the activities in the group and being with their friends.
Before children start to attend, parents visit the group
and are then welcome to drop in at any time to see if the
group is meeting the needs of their children. They complete
a comprehensive registration form to ensure staff have sufficient
information about the children including likes and dislikes,
allergies and home circumstances. They also agree to keep
staff informed of any changes which may affect the children,
although they do not always remember to tell staff of changes
in attendance. This does however ensure the missing child
procedure works effectively. A written complaints procedure
is provided, including Ofsted contact details. They say
staff are approachable and they can discuss any concerns
with them.
The children themselves are happy to attend the group. They
enjoy the range of activities on offer and like being able
to make suggestions for the future programme. They also
like the fact they can choose the snack menu.
Children with learning difficulties and disabilities are
welcome in the setting, where the premises and resources
are available or adaptable to meet their needs. Staff have
undertaken training to support children with different requirements.
A comprehensive written equal opportunities policy is in
place, which is made available to parents. There is also
a racial harassment procedure available if needed. Resources
and books have been developed to raise children's awareness
of diversity. There are few opportunities locally to learn
about other cultures and customs, so the staff have used
the internet and the university as sources of information
to successfully support the activities offered. Children
with English as an additional language are welcome in the
group, and both they and their parents are helped to settle
and become involved. Some dual language books are available,
and the children have developed a poster with 'Welcome'
written in many different languages. All the children and
parents are treated with equal concern and valued as members
of the group. The children are aware that their families
are all different, with older ones explaining to younger
children what a 'step dad' is.
Organisation
The organisation is good. Robust systems are in place for
the employment of new staff, whose qualifications, experiences
and references are all checked, and police clearances obtained
before working with the children. They have an induction
period, and a checklist is completed to ensure they have
a sound grasp of the policies and practice of the group.
All the staff have first aid and Basic Food Hygiene certificates.
They are also required to undertake child protection, equal
opportunities, Data Protection and health and safety training.
Volunteers who visit the group must be over 16 years of
age and also have current police clearances. All are made
aware of the confidentiality policy which is in place.
Children's presence in the group is noted by staff on arrival
and then parents sign the register when they collect their
children. All visitors and staff are noted in the book.
The staff present ensure children are well supervised.
The group has well written and user-friendly policies and
procedures in place, which are regularly reviewed, to ensure
the safe and efficient management of the setting. The certificate
is displayed on the notice board and the conditions of registration
respected. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the
range of the children for whom it provides.
Improvements since the last inspection
At the last inspection the staff were asked to develop the
resources and activities available to children to promote
equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice. Since
then the equal opportunities policy has been developed and
staff have attended training and obtained information to
support children's learning. They have a good range of resources
to celebrate different festivals and obtained information
from the internet and the local university. They have also
taken steps to ensure children and parents with English
as an additional language are made welcome in the group
by the use of posters and dual language books.
The statement about the care of children with learning difficulties
and disabilities has been developed in line with current
legislation as requested, and all staff have undertaken
training to raise their awareness of how it is to be implemented.
The contact details for any child protection concerns have
also been updated.
The group was also asked to produce a record of any medication
administered, which was acknowledged by parents in writing.
This has been done, although not yet used.
Complaints since the last inspection
Since the last inspection there have been no complaints
made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take
any action in order to meet the National Standards.
The provider is required to keep a record of complaints
made by parents which they can see on request. The complaints
record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.
THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE
On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:
The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered
person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care
and childminding.
WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?
The quality and standards of the care
To improve the quality and standards of care further the
registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):
Ensure consistent implementation of hand washing procedures
in the setting.
Any complaints about the inspection or the report should
be made following the procedures set out in the leaflet
Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints
about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare
and early education (HMI ref no 2599) which is available
from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk
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