Knowle Park After School Care

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are well cared for by friendly staff who warmly welcome them when they arrive.

Children show they feel safe and secure as they happily chat and laugh with friends and staff. They enjoy a wide array of activities, provided by staff that inspire them to explore and practise useful skills. For instance, older children play games with friends that require them to negotiate the rules together.

Younger children engage in imaginative play as they explore the toy animals. They have good opportunities to be active and to rest after the school day. For instance, children can choose to play ball games outside or to relax on ...a cushion and read a book.

Children display good behaviour. They respond positively to the requests of staff, who have high expectations of them all. They make good relationships and are respectful to their friends.

Children receive good continuity of care at the setting, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This is because staff have effective ongoing relationships with parents and the school staff. They regularly share information with parents and liaise with teachers about children's individual needs.

Staff agree strategies with them to help children to settle and promote their well-being.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

The manager meets with staff regularly to discuss their roles and professional development. Staff also meet as a team with their manager to discuss key aspects of the setting together.

As a result, staff report high levels of well-being. This, in turn, helps to promote a happy and harmonious play environment for children.Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the setting.

Staff provide opportunities for children to express their ideas for activities. They gather this information and use it to plan play opportunities that interest and inspire the children. Children clearly express how happy they are to be at the setting.

For example, they say 'I wish it wasn't Friday so that I can come again tomorrow.' Children learn about healthy practices and benefit from a range of healthy snacks on offer. Staff carefully consider children's special dietary needs, preferences and allergies.

Children demonstrate their knowledge of the importance of good hygiene routines. For instance, before eating they say 'You might get a bad tummy if you don't wash your hands.' Children form very good relationships with both staff and their peers.

On occasions, when conflict does arise among children, staff act quickly. They support and guide them exceptionally well. They sensitively mediate and encourage children to consider the feelings and listen to the views of others.

Staff support children to manage their emotions by speaking to them calmly and fairly to help them agree a solution.Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, staff have worked effectively with the school. They have supported and followed the school's strategies in reducing the spread of the virus.

This has helped to maintain a consistent approach to minimising virus outbreaks among children as much as possible.Staff support children's independence skills well. For instance, staff invite children to help prepare the fruit and snacks.

They also encourage older children to 'buddy up' with younger children to help them with tasks. This helps all children to gain useful skills for the future.Staff help children to understand how to keep themselves safe while at the club.

For example, staff remind children not to sit too close to the computer screen as they explain 'you might hurt your eyes.' They remind children that if they remove shoes and wear only socks they may slip on the hall floor.Parents speak very highly of the care their children receive from staff.

Parents use the setting repeatedly for younger siblings as they know the care their older children receive is 'excellent'. They comment that staff are 'kind and supportive' and that they feel well informed about their child's time at the setting.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know and understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. They undertake training to help them recognise the signs and symptoms of when a child may be at risk of abuse. Staff understand the reporting procedures should they become concerned for a child's welfare.

Staff have an awareness of the wider safeguarding issues, such as how children and their families may become exposed to extreme or radical views. Staff are fully aware of the whistle-blowing policy and what to do should they become concerned about the conduct of a colleague. The premises are safe and secure and are only accessed by authorised persons.

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