Four Out-of-School Settings who deliver holiday clubs and wraparound childcare support for children in Hounslow have been honoured with a prestigious award last week.
Published: Wednesday, 4th September 2024
The awards ceremony, which took place at Grasshoppers Rugby Football Club, recognises childminders and out-of-school providers who have been registered with Ofsted for at least six months and have been rated as ‘Good’, ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Met’.
The providers offer holiday clubs, breakfast, and after-school clubs – along with Hounslow’s Holiday Activity and Food programme (HAF) for children and young people during term time and school holidays.
Three of the awardees, Skillz4Life Sports Coaching, Star Player and Let’s Leap, have been offering HAF activities in Hounslow for children and young people during the school holidays. Another awardee, Wonder World Wraparound Care, has been hosting breakfast and after- school clubs for students from Westbrook Primary School in Heston, Hounslow.
The awardees are recognised for their effective continuous improvement, allowing them to showcase high quality practice and reflection during their Ofsted inspection. They will also be able to show parents the developments and improvements they have made.
Councillor Samia Chaudhary, Cabinet Member for Education, Children, Skills, and Employment at Hounslow Council, said:
“I would like to congratulate this year’s awardees. In Hounslow, we have an excellent success rate for quality, with most of our providers either recognised by Ofsted as ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’. Hounslow Quality Childcare Award can ensure our providers are offering excellent experiences of education and care for families and inspiring environments for our children and young people to learn and play.”
Hounslow’s Quality Childcare Award is in its second year with three providers receiving the award since its launch in January 2023. Mona Mirza from The Learning Tree Holiday Club, one of the award-winning providers in 2023, said:
“The award helps us differentiate ourselves from other holiday club environments. It has validated the club’s innovative approach, giving families confidence in the service provided. In addition, Hounslow Council’s Early Years Advisory team has been instrumental in supporting us through the early years quality improvement support programme. Their guidance has contributed significantly to the club’s compliance, evolution, and popularity, as demonstrated by its 100% occupancy rate in activities and programmes.”
To become an award provider, participating childminders and Out-of-School Settings will take part in a comprehensive childcare quality improvement programme supported by the Council’s Early Years and Childcare Improvement Advisors. The programme ensures that providers evaluate how they are working, review their current practices, plan improvements and celebrate achievements.
Providers must submit a reflective audit followed by quality-assurance reports to the Council’s Early Years and Childcare Improvement Advisors. Receipts of the award may promote their entitlement for three years.
