GROWING vegetables and fund-raising for charities has proved a recipe for success for an out-of-school club in Derby that has just been rated as "outstanding".

Allestree School's Out Club had previously been rated as "good" by Government inspectors, so staff are celebrating getting the top grade.

Elaine Poulton, of the Office for Standards in Education, visited the club which has been meeting in St John's Church hall, Birchover Way, for seven years.

Her newly-published report has delighted Amanda Hudson, who started the group.

She said: "We took on board what was said during the last visit when we were 'good' and it has paid dividends.

"We improved our staff appraisal system and also began to grow our own vegetables and fruit – the children have enjoyed looking after them."

The club, which can take up to 77 children, currently has 70 youngsters aged from three to eight.

It opens five days a week during term-time from 7am to 9am, when children are taken to school, and from 3pm to 6pm, when staff fetch them from school.

While they are at the club, the children can join in a range of activities including arts and crafts, cookery, sports, gardening, environmental activities, fun science, fund-raising for Haiti and even lively disco events.

Ms Poulton said that the children make "significant progress" in their learning and development because they are supported by experienced and professional workers.

She also praised the "very strong" emphasis on identifying children's individual needs.

She said that staff make a "360-degree evaluation of the service they provide" and strive continually to improve the benefits to children.

The report notes that children are eager to attend the club and that staff know them and their families exceptionally well.

"We care and want to do something" is the children's motto and this is reflected in their sponsorship of a polar bear, making craft items to sell and raise funds for children in hospital, and plans are in place to hold a festival night to raise funds for the Haiti Earthquake Appeal.

Children are allowed to choose their own activities – such as imaginative play, table football or reading books.

Mrs Hudson said: "Our club promotes children's choice so all children are in charge of what activities they would like to do, which creates happy, independent, confident children."