Holiday Club
ST HELEN'S HOLIDAY CLUB
FULL TIME during all holidays (excluding bank holidays) from February - October
The Club Classroom, St Helen's Primary School, Alveston BS35 2QX
A few photos from Summer 2020 - sports week!
HOLIDAY CLUB HOURS MOBILE: 07935 055351
Ofsted inspection 2018:
As OOSC manager, on 29th August I was fortunately at home to receive ‘the phone call’ saying we were to be inspected on Thursday 30th August at 7.30am! Luckily, Mandy Tomlinson who was having a well-earned break after running the holiday club over the summer and Hannah Meade, After School Club leader, were available to drop their holiday plans and join me at the club for a very rigorous inspection. The inspector, Amanda Burn was known to me from our Outstanding inspection at St Mary’s Bradley Stoke Club in March and was obviously expecting the same high standards. She was not to be disappointed!
The inspection report highlights so many positive aspects of the club:
The ‘skilful staff thoroughly enjoy devising new and challenging activities, which are highly motivating and beneficial for the children’. Mandy, Hannah and the team are ‘successful at creating routines which support and meet children’s needs to a high level’.
The team ‘respect and value all children as unique individuals’
‘Children’s behaviour is exemplary’
‘Opportunities to develop physical, creative and problem-solving skills are excellent’
‘Staff get to know, understand and listen to children extremely well. They demonstrate great respect for children’s thoughts, ideas and choices’
The inspector and myself were required to complete a joint observation, so Viv Heyes led an exciting slime-making activity with Stuart where ‘staff praise them for taking the initiative and children thank them too, which adds to their confidence’.
For me, the phrases which sum up our ethos at OOSC are:
‘Positive and effective relationships and partnerships are at the heart of the provision’
‘Everyone is included, and all exude great happiness, emotional well-being, independence and self-confidence’.
Many thanks to the parents who were interviewed on the day and the amazing feedback we received.
Thank you to Mandy, Viv and Freda for all their hard work devising exciting activities for the children over the summer and on the day of the inspection. For Hannah who came over from Wales to be rigorously interviewed about the amazing After School Club she leads; Stuart, Abbie, Lauren, Teresa, Renata, Ruggiero, Georgia, Mia, George, Robyn and Sid (the summer holiday club team), plus Jenny, Elaine and Anya (after school) who all make the holiday club and after school club such a great place to be!
Please note the number quoted on the report of 173 relates to all children registered with the after school and holiday club and the inspection is only completed on children in the 4-8 age range. The number of places available relates to 25 holiday club places we have available, whereas after school club accommodates 30 children.
Cath Purchase
OOSC manager
Ofsted (2015) commented:
‘Staff are skilled and knowledgeable about the children’ who have ‘stimulating experiences’ and ‘encourage their independence and social interactions’
The children ‘behave exceptionally well’ and are ‘fully involved in preparing club rules’
Staff ‘encourage children’s risk taking’ and ‘encourage children to make independent choices about their play’.
There is ‘an abundant range of stimulating toys’ and ‘children benefit greatly from a well-equipped outdoor environment’
‘staff encourage children’s understanding of safe practices exceptionally well’
Children ‘have a good sense of belonging’
The children ‘comment positively on how they like meeting new people and the friendliness of the staff’
The holiday club has use of all the school's outdoor facilities and is run by our team of qualified and experienced OOSC staff. The cost is as our Welcome letter
We accept Childcare Vouchers. The cost includes all activities, insurance and regular drinks and snacks. We will be outside as much as possible!
Children must bring their own packed lunch with NO NUT PRODUCTS but we provide regular drinks, snacks and breakfast before 9am.
We require the Child Registration form to be completed for each child attending the Holiday Club. They are available under 'My Bookings' to logged-in customers.
HOLIDAY CLUB HOURS MOBILE: 07935 055351
Holiday club Supervisors and Playworkers : Mandy, Robyn, Marina, Viv, Cath, Sarah, Robyn, Chaiye, Sid, Luke, Bailee and Charlie
Fees
NEW Fees for October 2021 Holiday club:
This holiday we will be offering a full day to our registered users:-
Long Day, 8am-5.30pm at £29.50 including
- flexible drop-off and collection,
- all activities and insurance
- a breakfast of cereal, toast and fruit juice (available before 9am)
- an evening snack of toast and fruit
NOW ALSO Including lunch for £31.50
If paying by childcare voucher we require payment by the session date. Please remember Childcare voucher companies take up to 5 days to process payments.
We accept payment by credit/debit card, PayPal or employee childcare voucher transfer provided you have registered with us to accept them.
Fees for bookings cancelled within a week of the session date are non-refundable. NO BOOKINGS MAY BE ACCEPTED ONCE WE REACH OUR DAILY MAXIMUM NUMBER of 25
Welcome Letter
Dear Parents
Thank you for your holiday club booking (or interest in booking!). For those of you who have previously attended the club, you will know some of this information already but please take time to remind yourself of the requirements of the club. Our emphasis is on children having FUN in a safe, secure environment!
LOCATION / ACCESS
The holiday club is located at the rear of St Helen’s school in Alveston, and we are lucky to have use of our own club room plus the school's outdoor areas, all-weather pitch and wooded area. St Helen’s school is situated just off the A38 in Alveston, next to the church - postcode BS35 2QX. Access to the holiday club is via the lower playground. The club room is situated to the rear of the school, through the main playground and past the outdoor covered area. This holiday we will not be able to welcome parents into the club room. We request that parents bring children to the lower gate of the playground, accessing using the code in your confirmation email. If the staff member is not outside, please ring the doorbell in the covered area. Drop-off and collection times are flexible; drop-off is from 8am with collection before 5.30pm.
WHAT TO BRING
Children may need to bring an extra pair of old outdoor shoes or wellies if the wooded area is likely to be wet and muddy. A change of clothes may be required plus water bottle, labelled suncream and a hat is also required. Children will need to be able to apply their own suncream. Please send children in casual clothes and shoes that you do not mind them playing in (no flip-flops please) - that's why they are with us! This holiday we request children bring their own lunch please, this will need to have no nut products. The children will have the option of breakfast (until 9am) and regular snacks and drinks throughout the day (see below) so please do not send them in with sweets or chewing gum as it leads to competitive behaviour and we will have to ask children to hand in their snacks to a member of staff for the child to take home at the end of the day.
Children will NOT need to bring computer games, tablets or mobile phones - we have all your contact details and if you need to contact us for any reason please ring the holiday club mobile number below. Spare clothes/ muddy boots may be left at the club if required. Children may bring their own scooters, with own helmets.
FOOD
There will be breakfast provided between 8am and 9am consisting of cereal, toast and fruit. There will be a snack mid-morning of fruit and drinks, and the children will eat their picnic lunch in the undercover picnic area 12-1pm. NEW from OCTOBER 21 for an extra £2 a healthy lunch will be provided. We will provide a light snack in the afternoon of toast and fruit and drinking water will be available all day. We will have all your child's medication information on site, but please let us know if they have any food allergies or concerns on the New online Registration form. This is available for completion, following login here.
ACTIVITIES
We will be spending much time outdoors this holiday. Children need 'down time' in the holidays and we will provide opportunities for them to relax as well as play. There will some structured activities on offer such as cooking or craft, as well as outdoor activities in the woods.
We are committed to providing an environment where children take ‘managed risks’ and learn new experiences. We encourage children to carry out these activities under close supervision.
Please note:
- All activities will be closely supervised by experienced club Playleaders with a high ratio of children to adults.
- All areas will be risk-assessed daily before children use them.
- Children may not use their own bikes or skateboards, but may bring own scooters with helmets
- A first aider will always be present with the club phone, contact details and a first aid kit.
STAFF
The staff you will meet at the club are experienced OOSC staff members from our clubs at St Helen's, St Mary's, Frenchay, Charlton Wood and Thornbury: Mandy will be leading the sessions with Viv, Robyn plus our team of playworkers. There will always be at least one qualified Paediatric first aider on site.
FEES / BOOKINGS
If you wish to make additional bookings the best way is online at www.oosc.co.uk
Bookings may usually be made in this way up to 24 hours before the session. However if we reach our limit of 25, the booking will be unavailable. If you are having any difficulty with booking online, please give us a call or email.
Please be aware we cannot accept children at the holiday club without payment in advance. Please do not put the staff in a difficult position of having to turn children away.
Due to the necessity to maintain staff ratios and the difficulty filling session places at the last-minute, fees for bookings cancelled within one week of the session date are non-refundable.
Please remember collection is before 530pm and collection after this time is fined at £3 per child, increasing by £3 every 5 minutes.
PHONE CONTACT:
Please contact 07935 055351 during club hours or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any further queries.
If we have not received this already, please complete our New online Registration form. If your children are new to the club it would be lovely if you could complete an ‘All About Me’ sheet with them so we can develop their interests at the club.
Kind regards
Cath, Mandy and the OOSC Staff team
PS Don’t forget...We take Childcare Vouchers
