‘Squirrel Club’ Policy Wraparound Care 

Co-op Academy Woodslee ‘Squirrel Club’ Wraparound Care Policy

Contents

1. Aims and Expectations of all Stakeholders

2. Admissions

3. Booking (Times of sessions and Details of sessions)

4. Fees

5. Child Protection and Safeguarding

6. Appendix 1: Registration Form and Parental Agreement

1. Aims and Expectations of all stakeholders

Co-op Academy Woodslee  is pleased to be able to provide the children of our academy the opportunity to attend Breakfast Club and After School Club. These clubs may be attended on a full-time or a part time basis. The sessions can be booked in blocks over extended periods of time or as and when required, however places are subject to availability.

This childcare provision is an extension of Co-op Academy Woodslee  and therefore operates in line with the academy’s ethos and values and high expectations of pupil behaviour.

The Squirrel Club staff members have been appointed for their expertise in childcare and have the necessary qualifications for safeguarding, behaviour management, first aid and food hygiene.

It is the wish of everyone involved at Co-op Academy Woodslee ’s Squirrel Club Provision to provide a happy, stimulating environment in which children are supported to reach their full potential. We believe that a positive partnership with parents and carers is crucial and promotes our aim to maximise the child’s learning and ensure wellbeing and well-rounded development. Squirrel Club is the bridge between school and home and we will do our best to make sure that our provision supports busy family life.

Co-op Academy Woodslee staff will endeavour to:

• provide a safe, stimulating and happy environment

• provide a range of creative, stimulating and meaningful play, recreational and educational

opportunities for your child

• provide breakfast and/or afternoon snacks and drinks

• inform you of any concerns which may affect your child’s health, progress or behaviour

• ensure equality of opportunity in all activities

• be open, welcoming, and available to discuss your child’s individual needs

• contact you if there is a problem with your child’s health, wellbeing or behaviour

• encourage children to take care of their surroundings and others around them

• always ensure confidentiality

• keep you informed about the academy events and activities through newsletters, email and website

•Maintain a professional relationship with all families and comply with the Co-op Academies Trust Colleague Code of Conduct

THE CHILD - I will do my best to:

• be polite, friendly, kind and helpful to others

• demonstrate the Co op Ways of Being and adhere to the Woodslee Way

• respect the feelings and beliefs of others

• be responsible for all resources and help to keep my academy tidy and safe

• ensure a happy environment for all and HAVE FUN!

THE PARENTS – We will endeavour to:

• ensure that our child only attends sessions that are booked in advance online

• ensure that our child is dropped off and/or collected on time by a named adult (over the age of 18)

• contact the academy if our child is going to be absent from a session

• contact the academy promptly if there is a change in adult arrangements or collection times

• support and demonstrate the Co op Ways of Being and our Behaviour Policy

•support and adhere to the Squirrel Club Policy

• inform the academy of any concerns or problems that might affect their child’s wellbeing or behaviour

•Comply with our safeguarding systems and procedures

These expectations are included in our Squirrel Club Admissions Form and must be signed and returned before starting either the Breakfast Club or After School club or Holiday Club provision.

2. Admissions

Co-op Academy Woodslee’s Squirrel Club is only available to children of academy age who attend our academy during term time.

Squirrel Club Holiday provision is available to primary aged children 3-11 who attend other schools during holiday periods only.

Currently our staff/pupil ratios allow for 30 children to attend Breakfast Club and 30 children to attend After School Club. Additional staffing will be considered if demand requires it.

Squirrel Club will operate a waiting list once the maximum number of children has been reached. Places will be offered as spaces become available. We need to ensure the welfare and safety of those attending for safeguarding reasons and cannot exceed staff / pupil ratios. Spaces for siblings are also subject to a space being available and take no priority over children already on the waiting list.

Provisions are organised for the maximum number of children in accordance with the risk assessment carried out by Co-op Academy Woodslee  having regard to the age and needs of the children and the types of activities, referring to the relevant guidance.

Specific Individual Needs

Where a child has a specific need/needs, admission will be based on:

➢ All parties agreeing that the environment is appropriate for the child

➢ Liaison will be arranged with relevant professional support networks if applicable.

➢ The staffing levels can support the needs of the child.

LAC and vulnerable children will be given a place as a priority.

Co-op Academy Woodslee’s Policies apply in the same way as they do during the main academy day and during Holiday Club.

Here is the link to read these policies: https://woodslee.coopacademies.co.uk/about-us/policies/ 

We reserve the right to refuse a child who presents behaviour responses that challenge the safe and efficient running of the club, parents will be informed of this by a member of the Squirrel Club team in the first instance.

A safety plan will be put in place following this conversation and if Squirrel Club cannot meet the needs of the child, Squirrel Club, reserve the right to remove the place.

3 Booking (Times of sessions)

We offer sessional childcare and education for the following:

Holiday Club runs most academy holidays, including Woodslee INSET days. It is open to all children of the appropriate age, including children who do not attend.

*On a day where an outing is planned, no half days are available.

Squirrel Club Sessions

Squirrel Club is located in the academy’s Rainbow Restaurant.

During Before and After School sessions the children have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of activities. These include art and craft, cooking, dough, clay, drawing, painting, using the computer (with filtered internet access), board games, music, role-play. Children will also have time to read with an adult and complete any online homework such as TT Rockstars, Spelling Shed or Seesaw.  We provide ideas and organise some activities, however we do like the children to make their own choice, whilst we simply provide the resources that are needed.

We encourage a sense of belonging, of cooperation, of helping and looking after each other and expect everyone to demonstrate the Ways of Being.

We try to play outside as often as we can, where the children can join in team games or play with a variety of outdoor equipment. Sometimes the children just want to ‘chill out’ with a book or chat with their friends. Sometimes they just need space to play their own imaginary and fantasy games. Every session includes a snack. We have a healthy eating policy at Squirrel Club but we do have ‘treats’, often items that the children have prepared themselves or linked to a specific theme or time of year e.g. Christmas.

Holiday Club

Holiday Club allows children the same facilities and freedom as Squirrel Club sessions, but each week has a theme, with some organised activities relating to it, including Forest School sessions in our brilliant outdoor spaces. The main aim of our Holiday Club is to have fun in a safe and caring environment.  Old clothes are recommended as some activities can turn out very messy! Most Holiday Clubs include at least one trip.  Parents/ Carers will be notified in advance of these and although we often have to make an extra charge (for entrance fees & transport) we do keep this to a minimum.

A snack is provided both in the morning and the afternoon but children need to bring a packed lunch with a drink. Parents can drop off their child any time before 9am and collect their child any time before or at 6pm or 5:40pm unless the children are on a trip, which parents will be advised of in advance.

Booking

As soon as we receive your Registration Form for Squirrel Club your child’s name is added to the appropriate waiting list. We will notify you as soon as a place becomes available or book you in if numbers allow.  We may not be able to provide a place in every session required at the one time but hope that you will eventually obtain all the sessions that you need.

If you indicate that you wish your child to attend Holiday Club their name will be added to ourHoliday Club register. You will then receive details of all our Holiday Clubs via email including a Registration Form and can apply for single days (full or half day) or whole weeks as required. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Contacting Squirrel Club

Phone: 0151 334 1406/ 07808248555

During normal academy office hours in term time (8am – 5pm) the academy office staff will take your message and share it with the staff in our Squirrel Club team.

By email: woodslee-schooloffice@coopacademies.co.uk

Messages via the school office are shared with the staff.

Food Provision

Squirrel Club provide food for your child unless directed otherwise by the parent in writing.

Our Squirrel Club staff are aware of the academy Food Standards and has received the required training in Food Hygiene. The Squirrel Club team will provide food that meets the academy Food Standards.

Allergies, Intolerances and other food requirements

The team will provide for those children who have food allergies, intolerances or other food requirements such as restricted diets, provided the parents/carers inform us beforehand on the registration form.

We are a ‘nut-free’ academy site and cannot serve or allow children to bring nuts or products containing nuts into the academy.

If you wish to provide your child with their own breakfast food or packed snack, then there will not be any deduction in fees for any sessions that your child attends.

Breakfast Club is likely to provide options such as:

• Bread/toast with assorted spreads

• Low-sugar cereal and semi-skimmed milk

• Fresh apple/orange juice

Squirrel Club will provide food options which may include cheese and biscuits, breadsticks, fruit and/or vegetable sticks. Water will be available along with squash.

During Holiday Clubs, we ask that all parents/carers provide their child with a packed lunch.

Sickness

All Squirrel Club staff members have first aid training. The priority is to provide an environment where children and adults are protected from the spread of illness and infection.

This is achieved in the following ways:

• Parents are asked to telephone the main academy line on the first day of their child being absent with illness and give the reason.

• Parents are asked not to bring their child to the who has been vomiting or had

diarrhoea, until at least 48 hours has elapsed since the last attack.

•Squirrel Club staff will monitor the temperatures of children using a thermometer and call parents to collect if the temperature is too high.

• Parents will be notified immediately to collect their child if they become unwell or they develop an illness whilst at the Squirrel Club. Every attempt will be made to keep the child calm and comfortable.

• Good hygiene practice concerning the clearing of bodily fluids is always carried out.

• Squirrel Club staff follow the academy’s First Aid policy which includes the management of medical conditions and intimate care. This can be found on our website: https://woodslee.coopacademies.co.uk/first-aid-policy/

Medication

The Squirrel Club provision is not permitted to possess, store or dispense medication such as Calpol, Junior Aspirin or other such general medications unless a medical form has been completed and signed by a parent or carer. Details for prescribed medication must be shared by parents on the registration form and academy staff will record in the medication register (located in the school office) if a child has received their medication for that day.

Current Individual Health Care Plan details e.g. for asthma, etc will be shared by the academy with the club supervisor with consent of the parent/carer.

4. Fees

Fees are payable at the start of each half term or Holiday Club, when you will be invoiced accordingly. We also accept payment of fees via Childcare Vouchers.

Fees are still payable for temporary cancellations of a place e.g. for sickness, holidays or a session that is not required.

If terminating a permanent place we require two weeks notice in writing.

If you cancel a confirmed Holiday Club booking less than 14 days before the booked date a 10% administration fee will be charged. Any date cancelled with less than 3 clear working days (Mon-Fri) notice will incur full payment of fees.

Please note if a child or children are collected after the end of any session, there is a late fee of £5 for every 15 minutes.

How to pay

Once registration forms have been completed you will be given access to the online booking system SCOPAY. Parents will be required to set up a ScoPay account if they do not currently have one. (Please speak to the academy office for more information about this system.) Bookings can be made session by session or as block bookings once your account has been credited.

Non-Woodslee parents who wish to pay for a Holiday Club can pay via bank transfer and must use their child’s name as their reference.

Account name:        Co-op Academy Woodslee

Sort code:                30-95-42

Account no:                82197960

Reference:                  EXAMPLE: MCSHANES

Sessions can be booked at any time online and places are subject to availability. It is therefore recommended that parents do not rely on ‘same day’ bookings unless in an emergency.

Refunds will be given if the academy initiates an activity such as an academy trip, sporting event, etc after you have already made a booking with either After academy Club or Breakfast Club. In this instance a credit will be applied to your account.

The academy will endeavour to give parents and carers as much notice as possible regarding these potential activities.

If you no longer require the use of Squirrel Club e.g. you are moving away, your child changes academy, etc. a four-week notice period will be required to qualify for a refund of any remaining monies.

Refunds will also be considered if your personal circumstances change significantly and you no longer require the service going forward. An appointment can be made to discuss this with the Head Teacher.

Childcare Vouchers

Childcare vouchers can be used for our Squirrel Club. Please contact our Admin team either by phone on 0151 334 1406 or by email woodslee@schooloffice.coopacademies.co.uk to inform us of your provider so arrangements can be made.

Registration Forms

Parents and Carers will be required to complete a registration form and a booking form (see Appendix 1) including details regarding medical conditions, allergies, collection permissions and emergency contact details. These registration forms MUST be returned directly to the academy office in a sealed envelope and NOT via book-bags or handed to staff on the playgrounds as they will contain sensitive personal information.

5. Child Protection and Safeguarding

Safeguarding

We use CPOMS to log concerns. Here is our Safeguarding Policy for reference on our procedures:

https://woodslee.coopacademies.co.uk/safeguarding-and-child-protection-policy/

The Designated Safeguarding Lead will be identified on the weekly Squirrel Club Register and they can be contacted via mobile during Holiday Club periods.

Arrival and Departure

Co-op Academy Woodslee Squirrel Club will operate a rigorous procedure regarding the security and safety of all children within our care.

There is a clear procedure in place for both arrival and departure of all children attending these clubs.

Breakfast Club- Arrival to Squirrel Club

Children of all ages must be dropped off by an adult or person over 18 years of age at the EYFS entrance.

Children in Year 6 may arrive unaccompanied provided signed written permission is given and agreed with the academy prior to their arrival.

Non Woodslee children must be dropped off and collected by an adult during Holiday Club.

Arrival can take place up to 8:30am. At the beginning of each Breakfast Club session there will be a formal register taken. This will subsequently be handed to the admin team who will cross-reference pupils in attendance at that session against the online bookings made.

Pupils who have not booked into this session in advance will be billed and further attendance not allowed until the debt has been paid.

Non-Arrival for Breakfast Club

Non-arrival to the Breakfast Club will result in a call being placed to a parent or carer to ascertain the whereabouts of a child. The Breakfast Club is an extension of the academy day and the child’s absence could be considered a safeguarding concern. Monies will not be refunded for absence.

Departure from the Breakfast Club into the academy day

Children will be released from the Rainbow Restaurant by the Breakfast Club staff at 8:40am, younger children are escorted to their classrooms.

After School Club

Arrival to Squirrel Club

Pupils will be escorted from their classroom to Rainbow Restaurant by a member of staff where they will be registered. EYFS and KS1 pupils finish their school day at 3:20pm and KS2 at 3:30pm.

Children attending extra-curricular clubs (either run by academy or external staff) will be escorted to the After-academy Club by the extra-curricular club leader.

If a child has been booked into Squirrel Club, parents/carers must inform the academy by no later than 2:30pm if their child will not be attending that day. This is to ensure the safeguarding of your child.

At the beginning of each Squirrel Club session there will be a formal register taken. This register is shared with the administration team who will cross-reference pupils in attendance at that session against the online bookings made.

Pupils who have not booked into a session in advance will be billed and further attendance not allowed until the debt has been paid.

Mobile Phones

As staff we follow our Co-op Academies Trust Acceptable Use policy. Children are increasingly using mobile phones as a way to communicate with their friends and families, particularly if the child is in Year 6 and making their own way home. During school time, these phones are switched off and  locked in the office.

At Breakfast and after school Squirrel Club sessions, mobile phones are to be given to the Squirrel Club staff and they must be switched off.

During Holiday Club sessions, mobile phones are not permitted or required as children are to be collected and dropped off at the academy by an adult.

Non-Arrival for After School Club

In the event of a child not arriving during this time the following procedures will be put into place:

• The designated member of staff will contact staff from the relevant class, clubs and the academy office to ascertain attendance at academy that day.

• The office staff will contact the named Parent to ascertain the whereabouts of the child.

Departure from Squirrel Club After School and Holiday Club

The After School Club has a procedure for collecting children that is agreed and known to the parents, children, staff and academy staff.

Children must be collected promptly at the end of your booked Squirrel Club session by either the parent or a person named on your collection permission form. We will not release children to any siblings or children under the age of 18 years.

When collecting your child from the school building please use the doorbell to gain the attention of a member of staff, your child will then be brought out to you, please wait by the entrance for your child unless invited in by a member of staff.

Parents and authorised adults must sign the collection register before leaving the building.

For ‘first time’ pick up, an authorised person will be required to provide a suitable form of

identification as After School Club staff will not necessarily know who adults are in the first

instance. If a person is added to the authorisation list later, they must be introduced to the

staff and their name added to the collection permissions form.

For the safeguarding of your child the academy reserves the right to refuse to release a child to someone who is not on the collection permission form unless we have had verbal permission via a member of staff or the academy office or in written form e.g. a signed note or email to the academy office.

In the event that it is not possible for any of the authorised persons to collect a child and someone else is sent, the following procedure must be followed:

• The manager must be contacted and a full description of the person including their name must be provided.

• To establish it is the named Parent/Carer the manager will ask you to confirm the previously agreed password.

• When the person arrives, identification will be checked, and the password will need to be provided and confirmed.

The last pick-up and hand over times for after-academy care is 6:00pm/ 5:40pm.

Non-Collection of a Child from Squirrel Club

In the event that a child is not collected from Squirrel Club after school or Holiday Club by the end of the session, the staff should:

• Establish if a message (email/mobile phone) has been left by the parent/carer

• Try to contact the parent/carer. Appropriate messages must be left asking for them to contact the club immediately.

• A member of staff must remain near the telephone in order to receive the communication.

If the child has not been collected by the end of the Club’s registered session and contact with the named parent has not been established the staff must contact other authorised collectors from the registration form.

The staff must inform the Head Teacher or one of the other designated safeguarding leads.

After all avenues of contact have been exhausted and the Club has not received any contact from the parent or authorised collectors, the Head Teacher (or other designated safeguarding leads) will make the decision to contact Wirral Children’s Services.

At no time will a staff member be permitted to take a child off the premises unless instructed to do so by either the Head Teacher or a Designated Safeguarding Lead and only with verbal permission of the parent.

Contacting Squirrel Club

Phone: 0151 334 1406/ 07808248555

During normal academy office hours in term time (8am – 5pm) the academy office staff will take your message and share it with the staff in our Squirrel Club team.

By email: woodslee-schooloffice@coopacademies.co.uk

Messages via the school office are shared with the staff.

Squirrel Club Registration Form

Co-op Academy Woodslee

Croft Avenue

Bromborough

Wirral

CH62 2BP

Headteacher: Ms S Mcshane

Telephone:0151 334 1406

Email: woodslee-schooloffice@coopacademies.co.uk

Website: https://woodslee.coopacademies.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoopWoodslee

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coopacademywoodslee/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/coopacademywoodslee/

We collect data and use pupil personal data when the law allows us under the Education Act 1996 and subject to Article 6 &9 of the General Data Protection Regulation to comply in the main with a legal obligation. Where data is not mandatory, we will always seek your consent. Any data sharing will only be in accordance with our policies and processes – further information can be found on our Privacy Notice.

Child’s Details

Date of Registration:  

Parent/Guardian details 

Emergency Contact Details (Please provide details of TWO people if we are unable to get hold of you)  

Child’s Doctor  

About your child  

Permissions and Consent  

Parental Agreement  

Please read the following statements and sign the declaration and return to the Squirrel Club Manager or to a member of the  Squirrel Club team.  

I) General

1) I agree to my child attending Squirrel Club at Co-op Academy Woodslee

2) I agree that during school hours I will email the Squirrel Club Manager via the school office with any queries or amendments. I understand  that failure to do so will result in being charged for pre-booked places.  

3) I agree that if my child is absent from school, I will inform the School Office if they were due at a Squirrel Club club  (before or after school). I understand that failure to do so will result in being charged for pre-booked places.  

4) If for any reason I find I am unable to collect my child I will contact the club as soon as possible to make  alternative arrangements.

2) Expectations

1) I agree that my child will be expected to play safely and within boundaries advised by staff and the Behaviour policy. Should my child repeatedly behave in an inappropriate manner I accept that I  may be asked to collect my child from the club.

2) Should any issues arise I agree to meet and discuss them with the Squirrel Club Manager at a mutually convenient  time.  

3) Medical

1) I agree to my child receiving medication as instructed and any emergency dental, medical or surgical  treatments, including anaesthetic or blood transfusion, as considered necessary by the medical authorities  present.

4) Financial

1) I agree to give at least 4 weeks’ notice if cancelling a place at the Squirrel Club provision. Exceptional circumstances  will be at the discretion of the Beehive Manager or Bursar.

2) I will collect my child from the Squirrel Club provision by 5.45pm at the latest. I understand that failure to do so will  result in being charged a £10.00 penalty. Exceptional circumstances will be at the discretion of the Squirrel Club Manager.

3) In the circumstances where my child goes to an after school activity and then attends WAC, I accept that I will  be charged for the price of the full session booked, including their time spent in the after school activity. This  is in the event that if an activity is cancelled the child’s place will have been reserved.

4) I will pay my fees promptly at the time of booking a place and should there be any issues, discuss it promptly  with the Squirrel Club Manager.

5) If for any reason I should fail to pay my fees at the time of booking (unless paying via Childcare vouchers), I  accept that the following procedure will be applied:

a) Two weeks after the initial booking, an informal reminder for payment will be sent.

b) Failure to respond to this reminder within two weeks will result in formal procedures commencing. c) Failure to respond after formal procedures will result in my child no longer being able to attend the  Squirrel Club provision.

(One copy  of the parental agreement to Squirrel Club and one copy for parents to keep)