Our latest Ofsted report:

Inspection report for early years provision
Unique Reference Number EY297010
Inspection date 08 February 2006
Inspector Rosemary Beyer
Setting Address Clifton Without Junior School, Rawcliffe Drive, York, North Yorkshire, YO30 6NS
Telephone number 01904 624568
E-mail
Registered person Kool Kids 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?
Kool Kids was registered in February 2005 to serve Clifton With Rawcliffe Federation schools and is managed by a voluntary committee of parents. The out of school group meets in the art and computer rooms of Clifton Without Junior School in Clifton, a suburb of York and is open Monday to Friday, term time only, from 15.00 until 18.00. Children are aged 4 to 11 years. They also have access to the school hall, the Forman Room and the outside playground and field.

The group is registered to care for 22 children and currently has 51 on the roll. There are six staff working with the children, half of whom have Level 3 Playwork qualifications and the other staff are studying at York University.

Children with special needs attend the group and staff undertake the necessary training to ensure their needs can be met. No children with English as an additional language are attending at present.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROVISION
Helping children to be healthy
The provision is satisfactory. Children are developing good hygiene practice to prevent the spread of infection. They wash their hands after personal care, before food and before baking activities. Tables are cleaned with anti-bacterial cleaner and fruit washed before use. Children make suggestions for snacks to be provided and are encouraged to eat healthily by having fruit available each day, although some are not very keen. They know they need to eat a balanced diet to be healthy. Children make bread rolls, which they then fill as sandwiches some evenings. They also enjoy making pizza.

Most staff have first aid certificates; however, some need to be renewed in the near future. They check the first aid boxes regularly and ensure the walkers have the smaller kit in the rucksack. Prior written permission is obtained for medication and recorded appropriately and the accident book is also completed as required. Information about any health problems or allergies is included on the information sheets. Allergies are posted on the notice board in the kitchen.

Children enjoy physical activity on a regular basis. They use the school hall, or the outside areas when the weather is good. Some children walk to the setting from the sister school in the area. They all enjoy indoor hockey, cricket, badminton and parachute games depending on the weather.

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe
The provision is good. Children are all aware of the fire evacuation procedure which is regularly practised, with drills held when new children or staff attend to ensure they become familiar with it. Staff names are to be included in the recording to enable proper monitoring of the practices. An evaluation form is completed each time. Fire equipment is in place and serviced annually by the school.

When walking to the setting from Rawcliffe School, the children are well supervised as a 'walking bus', with yellow jackets. Staff at the school and from the setting check the collection lists to ensure all the children are included. Children at Clifton Without School are also included on a list and collected by the setting staff. The register is completed on arrival to ensure all children are safe. Parents sign their children out when they leave. The procedure to be followed for lost or uncollected children is made available to parents.

Staff complete risk assessments of the rooms used and the outside play area. They also check resources and equipment as they are used. Children access toys safely and are very conscious of the need to keep the rooms safe to prevent accidents. They keep the space between furniture clear to ensure easy access for all.

Children are protected through the staff's good knowledge of child protection procedures and the comprehensive policy which is in place. This is regularly reviewed in line with local guidelines and has recently been updated to include detail of the new Area Safeguarding Children Committee.

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do
The provision is good. Children are able to use a wide range of resources and materials. They can make suggestions for activities in which they are interested and planning includes their ideas. The programme is adaptable to take account of any special opportunities which may arise, such as, the availability of the hall which is used for indoor hockey, cricket, team games, parachute games or badminton. If the children do not like the activities provided, they are able to select other resources.

The children are able to use the school computers for the last part of the session, which they thoroughly enjoy and they are all developing their confidence and computer literacy well. They also use the school library and sports equipment.

Baking is a very popular activity, particularly making bread, buns or pizza for snack time. Making chocolate truffles and Valentine's Day fridge magnets from plaster of Paris are also much enjoyed. Children also take part in craft activities, such as, origami, pompom making, drawing and painting. The children are currently developing a musical production which they have created themselves and includes everyone who attends, even the staff.

Helping children make a positive contribution
The provision is good. Children with special needs are welcome to attend the group. Staff undertake training to ensure the children's individual needs can be met, with information available about dealing with discrimination in settings. All the children are aware of the need to be inclusive and are very supportive and considerate of each other whatever the differences between them.

Celebrations and foods are used to widen children's awareness of the world and different cultures and customs. They have recently celebrated Chinese New Year. No children with English as an additional language are attending at present, but all would be welcome.

The group is run by a committee of parents, who take responsibility for the review of policies and procedures. An introductory letter is sent out when an interest is expressed to join the group and informal visits welcomed to see how the group runs. A registration form and the necessary permissions are completed before children start to attend. Parents are welcome to make comments about the setting or attend if they have special interests or skills which the children might enjoy. They sign to agree to attend and abide by the policies and procedures of the setting.

The children are all settled and have very good relationships with each other and the staff, who know them well. One child attending for the first time was included and made welcome. They enjoy attending the group, some children coming as a treat rather than because they have to do so. A comment book is available for the children to complete and they can make suggestions for snacks, activities and equipment the group should acquire. They also create the setting's house rules which govern their behaviour. The children relate very well together; older ones giving advice about the computer, craft activities, table top games or behaviour to the younger children. They all behave very well and are very quiet when engrossed in the activities provided, with conversation muted while they are all concentrating. Snack time is a very social time, with children sitting together and chatting to staff and peers.

Any complaints received by the setting are currently recorded after discussion at committee meetings, so available to parents. The recording procedure is to be amended in line with new Ofsted requirements and the telephone number to be included as well as the address.

Organisation
The organisation is good. Staff currently employed are qualified or working towards degrees at York University. The committee takes responsibility for the employment of staff and the checks required; an induction procedure has been developed. Staff are encouraged to continue with in-service training and a special needs co-ordinator is to be employed to ensure all the needs of all the children who attend can be met.

All the necessary documentation is in place, although the complaints procedure needs to be amended to record complaints separately, instead of in the committee minutes, and make them available to parents and for inspection.

Improvements since the last inspection
This was the first inspection.

Complaints since the last inspection
There are no complaints to report.

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):

maintain a record of complaints which is available to parents and for inspection
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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