A care report has criticised Robert Gordon’s College after inspectors found after-school club staff were “unqualified and inexperienced”.
The Aberdeen private school’s after-school club was subject to a recent inspection by the Care Inspectorate.
Inspectors visited the school in February, during the club’s 3-6pm operating hours over three days.
In their report released this week they found well-being and staffing to be “weak”.
The head of Robert Gordon’s College, Robin Macpherson, said he had yet to receive a single complaint about the service since joining the school.
But inspectors believe there is room for improvement.
According to their report, many of the staff at the club were new to their roles—and even to childcare itself.
Inspectors said staff development was ineffective, with gaps that led to inconsistent care for individual pupils.
The report stated: “There was a high number of unqualified and inexperienced staff.
“This meant there was not always knowledgeable, skilled staff to ensure high-quality care.
“Many staff were not familiar with how to engage with children during their play in a meaningful way.
“This resulted in some staff being unsure of what to do.”
High staff turnover also an issue at after-school club
During the inspection, it was also revealed that recruitment processes were lacking and, in most cases, no references for new staff had been provided.
Inspectors said this led to roles being filled by individuals who lacked the necessary skills or who were unsuitable.
High levels of staff turnover had created distance between staff and pupils, the report noted.
Inspectors said: “Children were not supported by staff who knew them well.
“Some staff did not know children’s names, and children were not always familiar with the names of staff.
“This did not promote children to feel valued, safe and respected.”
Some parents told inspectors their relationships with staff were “good, but passive”.
A lack of personalised plans was also highlighted as a weakness, with inspectors noting “staff did not have the knowledge to respond quickly and sensitively to the needs in a child’s life”.
While children had the freedom to choose how to spend their time at the club, inspectors said they could be “further challenged”.
What improvements have inspectors suggested?
Outlined in the care report are several requirements Robert Gordon’s College could adopt to improve the after-school club.
Inspectors say all children should have a personalised plan that is regularly reviewed with families.
Staff should support and extend children’s learning and development, encouraging them to use their curiosity and be challenged.
To address weaknesses in the staff team, inspectors recommended that recruitment follow safe and best practice guidelines.
They said all staff should have the required knowledge, skills and experience to carry out their roles.
Robin Macpherson, Head of Robert Gordon’s College, said: “We take the Care Inspectorate’s feedback seriously and are currently reviewing the findings of the latest report for our Out of Hours Care Service.
“The immediate requirements that were highlighted to the school in February have already been addressed.
“We are committed to meeting the other recommendations outlined in the Care Inspectorate report.
“The Out of Hours Care Service is a favourite among our pupils and parents, and in my time as head of college I have never received a complaint about this service.”
Conversation