The Smash Club offers specialist out of school care to children aged 4 - 11, which provides cover for working parents but at the same time is a positive part of a young person's life and experience in its own right.  Our staff will collect children from their schools and bring them to the club, where they will be cared for until parents or carers can call for them.

The club is registered by Ofsted, and meets all the accepted standards over premises, staffing and policies.  It is a project of the Mutley Greenbank Trust, which is a group that has been formed to build up community facilities in this neighbourhood.  St Matthias Church is part of this trust and is proud to add this facility to its Little Angels Nursery, which opened in 1998.

OPENING HOURS

Term time:  The Smash Club opens Monday to Friday, after school till 6pm.  Children may attend any of the sessions, any number of days per week.  Holidays including half-terms: The Smash club opens 8.30am - 5.30pm and children can be booked in for half-days and whole days.

WHERE ARE WE?

We are in St Matthias' Hall, close to North Hill - the entrance is on the corner of Bedford Park and Clifton Place.  We have recently upgraded premises in a really large hall, together with kitchen, toilets and stage.  Lots of excellent play equipment is available specifically for this club.

STAFF/CHILDREN RATIO

Each staff member is responsible for up to ten children in accordance with the Children Act 1989, and at least two staff will always be present.  The maximum number of children at the club will be 24 in the evenings, 16 in the holidays.

STAFF

Play leader: Mrs ...., NVQ. in Play work

Deputy Play leader: ...., NVQ.

Other sessional staff and volunteers

All staff and volunteers are of course checked through the Criminal Records Bureau

THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

An experienced management committee takes responsibility for the Smash Club.  It is chaired by Mrs Jan Parkman, who has been a primary school teacher and is an advisor for extended services such as this club.  Other members are Ms Louise Baxter, the Mutley Greenbank Community Development Worker, Facilitator, Mr John Baskerville (treasurer), Revd Roger Williams (vicar of St Matthias), and a representative parent.

TYPICAL TIME AT THE CLUB

Term-time: Children will be brought to St Matthias Hall and a small snack will be provided.  There will be time for the children to relax after a busy day, and a TV/video is available - but it will not dominate the whole evening.  After a time children will be taking part in a varied range of activities, including sport, art/craft, small games, modeling and so on.  Where children have been given homework, some help can be given.  Gradually parents will be collecting their children, and the club finishes altogether at 6pm.

Holidays:  A number of children will arrive between 8.30 and 9am, and perhaps others later.  At lunchtime some may leave and others arrive.  Parents will be collecting their children as the afternoon ends, with the last leaving at 5.30pm.  The same facilities will be available as in term-time, but there will be the opportunity to go out, either casually up to Freedom Fields Park or on trips to play facilities, the cinema etc.  Snacks will be available morning and afternoon, but children staying all day will need to bring their own packed lunch.

Parents and carers are welcome to visit the Smash Club at any time.

SNACKS

Light snacks will be provided for the children at no extra charge, and of course, we will respect any dietary requirements a child may have.

ILLNESS

Please do not send a sick child to the club.  If a child becomes ill while at the club, we will contact you immediately.

BEHAVIOUR POLICY

Fully occupied children are likely to be well behaved, and we do all that we can to ensure that children do not become bored or restless.  If children have problems, we take them away from the situation and talk it through with them.  If the problem persists, we ask for your support.

COLLECTING YOUR CHILD / SECURITY

Please collect your child by the end of the session.  If children are still not collected half an hour after the end of club, an additional fee of five pounds will be charged, and we will have to inform Social Services.  Where a different adult will be picking up a child, the parents must have informed the club leaders in advance, and told us a password which the collecting adult will know.  The club doors are kept locked at all times, and any visitors have to ring the bell for attention.

FEES

• Seven pounds per evening session, or eight pounds where a pick-up is by taxi (this fixed fee entitles the child to stay as long as is required up until 6pm)

• Six pounds  per evening session (or seven pounds with a taxi) for a second child in the family

• Fourteen pounds per whole day in the holidays , or seven pounds fifty for a half day

• Thirteen pounds per whole day, or seven pounds per half day for a second child in the family

• Sessions should be booked and paid for by Friday of the previous week

• We can advise parents on the working families tax credit, which may part-cover the fees

BOOKED SESSIONS

All booked sessions will have to be paid for.  We cannot guarantee your child sessions if they are not booked, though if space is available we will be able to respond to last minute requests.  Please keep us informed of holidays, etc.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

We want your child to be happy at the club.  If you have any concerns, however small they may seem, please feel free to speak to the play leader, or the chair of the management committee - they will do all they can to help.