Before and After School Clubs

St Joseph’s Little Rascals Ltd.

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School
Cedar Road
Chorley
Lancashire
PR6 OJF

Tel: 01257 265998

Club Supervisor: Lorna Wilkinson

Download St Joseph’s Little Rascals Ltd booklet and enrollment forms

Introduction

Our Aims

Staffing

Our Club

Before School

After School

Enrolment and Admissions

Attendance

Dropping Off and Picking Up

Children’s Behaviour

Individual Needs and Illness

Child Protection

Meals and Snacks

Children’s Records and Personal Belongings

Key workers

School Activities

Play Provisions

Parental Involvement and Information

Fees

Enrolment Forms

INTRODUCTION

St Joseph’s Little Rascals Ltd is an in house club run by qualified members of staff. We strive to run our club to the highest of standards.

OUR AIM

St Joseph’s Little Rascals Ltd aims to provide children in its care with a safe, stable, stimulating and caring environment. We aim to develop strong friendships, extend social skills, encourage personal interests, hobbies and respect for each others interests.
We actively promote the development of positive self image and confidence. Through our qualified and friendly staff we provide an atmosphere that makes both the children and parents relaxed, happy and comfortable. We particularly strive to achieve a home from home atmosphere to ensure our children are happy and content. We do not aim to be as structured as school and children will have opportunities to make decisions about their club and the activities provided.

STAFFING

Lorna & Joanne are qualified and experienced within the childcare field and are required to regularly attend courses relevant to their work. Following a successful interview two satisfactory references are required, Criminal Records Bureau checks are undertaken and a 3 month induction period takes place, this involves each member of staff showing evidence of their knowledge of the setting, the policies and procedures, good working relationships with staff and an inclusive approach with parents and children. The staff ratios for the Before & After School Club are currently 1 adult per 8 children up to and including 8 years old. There is currently no specified staff: child ratio for children above this age.

ST JOSEPH’S LITTLE RASCALS LTD

Is situated at the bottom end of St Joseph’s School next to the playground in a large, spacious classroom. Children are kept very busy with our excellent range of toys, equipment and facilities to suit all ages and abilities. The Club has the use of the school playground for outdoor activities.
We are open school term only & our opening hours are 7.30am – 9am in the morning, then 3.10 – 5.45 in the evening.

BEFORE SCHOOL

The before school facility caters for up to 16 children and is open from 7.30am. Children may eat breakfast, catch up on homework, play or generally relax before the start of the school day. Staff will escort children to the school playground or their classroom if in Class 1 at 8.55am. Breakfast will be served up to 8.30 am in order for us to have craft activities before school time.

AFTER SCHOOL

The after school facility will cater for up to 37 children. Staff will be waiting for the children in the designated classroom at 3.10, or in the case of Class 1, they will collect them from their classroom. Once in the after school club children will have opportunity for a drink and snack and a register will be completed for that session. The children will then be able to enjoy all the activities planned for them or activities of their own choosing. We are more than happy to assist children with any homework they wish to complete during their time with us, however we will not insist that any child does their homework in the after school club, this is not the purpose of this facility.

ENROLMENT AND ADMISSIONS

The club operates an inclusive and open door policy to all children and families from St Joseph’s Primary School.

Settling In: We intend to work closely with parents and school alike when settling children into this out of school facility. It is beneficial and positively encouraged that all children visit the setting with a parent/carer prior to taking up their place. This may be when the children come for their taster afternoons or as and when parents would like. Information regarding your child’s interests and hobbies will be gathered from the child, parents and school, however we will not discuss a child’s development or academic ability with school, this is confidential information between parents and school, our role is to provide play and leisure activities.

ATTENDANCE

Children must only attend the Club on the agreed days and times if there are any changes to these parents/carers are responsible for informing both the club and the school. On arrival at the club staff & parents/ carers will sign your child in the daily register, in the after school sessions the person collecting your child is required to sign them out. Parents are required to inform staff at the setting if someone other than a parent is going to collect your child, failure to do this will result in the child not being allowed to leave until confirmation has been gained from a parent. We ask that parent/carers ensure that anyone other than themselves collecting their child is above the age of 16 years; staff will not allow a child to leave with anyone considered to be under this age unless agreed by prior arrangement. Absences will be passed on to the school teacher before the school day starts.

DROPPING OFF and PICKING UP

Access to the Before & after School Club is at the rear of the school premises via the school playground. Parents and visitors can enter club by the side door and ring the doorbell for attention. A member of staff will open the door as soon as possible. Parents/ Carers are asked not to use the main school entrance for collecting or dropping off their children. Children will not be accepted into the club before 7.30am and must be collected no later than 5.45pm. Late pick ups can cause unnecessary distress for a child and parents may be charged additional fees.

CHILDRENS BEHAVIOUR

Children are encouraged to behave appropriately whilst attending the club. We encourage them to show respect for their peers, staff, toys and equipment. They are encouraged to apologise when they have done wrong and try to put it right. Bad language, inappropriate behaviour such as destructive, abusive or bullying will not be tolerated. Any display of such behaviour will make it necessary to speak with parents to discuss strategies and sanctions to correct the behaviour. Should agreed strategies be unsuccessful the Club will have no alternative but to terminate the contract and cancel the child’s place. NO child in our care will be subject to any form of physical or humiliating punishment. We expect parents to respect our behaviour policy and work in partnership with the setting to correct any unacceptable behaviour.

INDIVIDUAL NEEDS and ILLNESS

The club will endeavour to meet the needs of all children regardless of their gender, race, culture or educational/medical needs and were necessary we will seek appropriate advice and training prior to the child attending. Lorna & Joanne have both got an up to date certificate in paediatric first aid. Should a child have specific medical needs the club and parent/carer will need to complete a ‘Care Plan’, this will detail the specific needs of the child and the approach staff must take to ensure continuity of care and will include such things as Asthma and the use of inhalers. For all administration of medication a consent form must be completed and signed by the parent/carer. Medications must be kept in a lockable cabinet whilst on the premises, therefore children must be aware to hand this to a member of staff for safe keeping.

Should a child become unwell whilst attending the Club at any time of day, parents or the additional emergency contact person will be contacted and the child must be collected as soon as possible.

CHILD PROTECTION

Every childcare setting has a duty to ensure that each child attending their establishment is safe, healthy and developing to their full potential. In order to support this the club has adopted the Lancashire Children’s Centre ‘Safeguarding Children’s Policy’.

MEALS AND SNACKS

Children who attend our before school club will be provided with a healthy breakfast of cereal, toast or crumpets (occasionally) , after school children can enjoy a healthy snack such as toast, crumpets, fruit, scones, croissants, yoghurts etc. During both sessions children will be able to access a drink of water, milk or fruit juice.

CHILDRENS RECORDS and PERSONAL ITEMS

We are required by law to keep records about all children that attend our setting. These records may include any behavioural or child protection issues but will mainly consist of the enrolment pack that parents complete, any accident/incident forms and medication forms. All parents are entitled to view their child’s records at any time upon request.
Children who wish to bring their own games, toys or other items to the Club do so at their own risk. Staff are not responsible for the ‘safekeeping’ of these items. MOBILE PHONES are strictly prohibited and will be confiscated from the child and handed back to parents.

KEYWORKERS
Each Early Years Stage child will be allocated a ‘Key worker’ at the club, this person is a member of staff and has several responsibilities towards your child. They are there to provide support and guidance for both the parents and child and to ensure that your child’s interests and needs are being met in the best way possible.

SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

We appreciate that St Joseph’s have many of their own after school activities such as, gym club, cookery club etc and we would in no way discourage parents from allowing their child/ren from attending these. As we are situated in the school we are more than happy to collect your child from their activity when it finishes, all we ask is that you give prior warning to your child/ren attending these clubs.

PLAY PROVISIONS

Learning through play and hands on experiences and activities are the focus of our Club. All play activities and provisions are planned in accordance to the children’s needs, age, preferences and abilities. The activity room is divided into many different areas with each area providing different activities for your child to enjoy.
Such provisions include a craft area for drawing and creative activities such as painting and creating models from recycled materials and creating wall displays. The construction area includes a dolls house, cars and garage and building materials such as Lego, Duplo. Our Role Play area changes its form regularly according to the theme of that time, it could be a doctor’s surgery, hairdressers or shop, we let the children decide. Many table top activities are available and children can choose what game they would like to play, monopoly, scrabble, dominoes, or which jigsaw they want to complete. The book box has a wide range of fictional and non-fictional books and a sofa for relaxing on. Children also have access to modern technology in a varied form, including the computer suite where internet access is used but monitored. The children also have access to the x-box and wii, but these are monitored and a set time is given per child, so that each child gets a the chance to have a go. They will have opportunity to contribute to and produce the Club newsletter putting together articles and Club information.
The play provisions mentioned are not exhaustive of the clubs resources and we endeavour to update and add to them throughout the year.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT and INFORMATION

Parents are welcome to actively get involved with the club on a voluntary basis in any way they can. This can be from regularly donating recyclable materials for craft activities to helping with any ideas or suggestions that you might have. We will keep parents informed of the activities and development of the club through a variety of sources such as monthly newsletters, parent’s information boards and day to day contact.

FEES

Fees are payable weekly, monthly, half termly or termly in advance, by cheque or cash, Standing Orders can be arranged if preferred. In the case of fees not being paid in excess of 3 weeks the club reserves the right to cancel the place with immediate effect. Reduction of fees is applicable in the following circumstances; siblings will be given a 50pence reduction per session.
Although booking in advance, should your circumstances change you will not be charged for those sessions & any monies owed will be carried forward to the next session.

Fees are currently as follows;

SESSION TIMES