Adventure Clubs Pre-school and Before and After School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children settle quickly and become involved in the wide range of activities provided for them. They are also confident to make further choices from the accessible resources that are stored around the room, to develop their own play.

Children know the routines of the pre-school. For example, as soon as the tidy-up music starts prior to lunchtime, they become busy, engaged and absorbed in the task of returning things to where they belong. Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour.

Children show that they are aware of the rules and fervently remind others about them. They are kind and considerate and can be he...ard praising one another's art work. Children relish opportunities to play in the various outdoor areas that surround the premises and are oblivious to any inclement weather.

Their physical skills are promoted well as they ride bicycles around a track, throw, kick and catch balls, and rock up and down on see-saws. Their small hand muscles are developed in readiness for writing as they make marks to represent their thoughts and ideas using pencils, crayons, felt-tip pens and brushes. Children enjoy developing an understanding of mathematical concepts through song.

They are eager to count and to solve problems as they decide which number is missing. The small staff team knows all children well and parents feel able to approach any staff member to discuss aspects of care and learning relating to their child.

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

Information about children's interests and care needs is gathered from parents when children start at the pre-school.

However, staff do not gain detailed information from them about children's learning at home. That said, once the initial assessment has been completed by staff, the curriculum is planned effectively to meet individual children's needs.Activities are tailored and adapted to provide challenge for the most-able children and support for those who need it.

Staff have a good understanding about how children learn and give them the freedom to follow their own ideas. They skilfully help children to build on the knowledge they have gained from planned activities. For example, children develop their vocabulary as they learn new words through insect activities that they thoroughly enjoy.

They recall that 'metamorphosis' means change and that 'symmetrical' means that the two sides of the butterfly are the same. They say that they have drawn a 'cocoon', and they colour the caterpillar from memory to match the character in the book they have read. Staff are enthusiastic, effective teachers and children are curious and active learners.

Children are very well prepared for their transition to school as they have many opportunities to share activities with staff and children in the Reception class.They develop self-care skills and a 'can-do' attitude as they learn ways to put on their own coats and dress themselves in role-play costumes. They are confident to ask for help when they need it.

Children learn to respect others through activities that introduce them to cultures and traditions outside of their own experiences.Staff benefit from regular staff meetings, supervision sessions with the manager and annual appraisals with the director. They know that they can readily approach the director and generally feel supported in their roles.

Their professional development is encouraged wholeheartedly. However, the manager does not consistently involve staff in the evaluation of practice. Some changes are introduced that have not been discussed with them, and full consideration is not given to the impact of some processes on their workload.

This does not fully promote effective teamwork or staff's well-being.Leaders lack some understanding of all aspects relating to the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. Therefore, key persons are not aware of the requirement to provide every parent with a written summary of the assessments of progress in the prime areas of learning, which are completed for children in this age range.

That said, any gaps in children's development are discussed with parents and advice is sought from outside agencies and childcare professionals promptly, in order to close the identified gaps.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff undertake regular refresher training to ensure that their knowledge about child protection and wider safeguarding issues is up to date.

They are aware of the action to take to protect children if there are any concerns relating to their well-being. Staff teach children how to keep themselves safe when using technology. There are secure controls on all of the pre-school's computers to ensure children's online safety.

Parents are aware of the mobile telephone policy and do not use them while in the provision.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage, the provider must: Due date complete a written summary of the progress check carried out for all children between the ages of two and three and share this with parents.20/02/2020 To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: ninvolve staff more in the evaluation of practice so that they are fully informed about changes that affect them and give full consideration to providing them with a realistic workload develop communication with parents, ensuring that information about children's starting points in learning is gathered from them to inform initial planning and offer suggestions to them to help build on children's learning at home.

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