Barracudas (Chelmsford)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision does not meet requirements The provider does not ensure that all accidents are recorded in line with the club's own policy to promote children's health and safety. Nevertheless, children arrive happy and are excited to find out about the planned activities for the day. They receive a warm welcome from staff, who guide them to their base rooms.

Staff encourage children to make independent choices about what they would like to participate in. Children follow clear instructions to divide themselves into groups. They have fun, and they develop good control and coordination as they run at speed and kick and throw balls.

Staff ensure that children... are protected from the sun when playing outdoors.Staff use good manners when speaking with children. This motivates children to do the same.

Staff regularly praise children for their achievements, which helps to increase children's self-esteem. Children show good listening and attention skills. They enjoy listening to staff read familiar stories.

Staff bring these stories to life through engaging activities. Children work as a team and eagerly search for clues. They work out where they need to go to find the next clue that eventually leads them to the character they are searching for.

Children are creative. They skilfully use scissors to cut out paper shapes of their choice, then thoughtfully arrange and attach coloured lollipop sticks to form a rainbow or create their own unique pattern. Children are confident.

They talk about how they enjoy attending the club.

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

Staff have access to guidance to support them to understand their role and responsibilities. Documentation is in place to record children's accidents.

However, not all staff recognise that all types of accidents and injuries need to be attended to and recorded. During the inspection, there were a number of occasions when children fell over on the astroturf during a group game and resulted in minor injuries. As appropriate records were not made, parents were not consistently informed that their child had an accident.

Furthermore, children did not receive appropriate first aid for minor injuries. Despite this, staff's safeguarding knowledge is secure. They are confident in their responsibility to identify and report concerns about a child or a colleague's inappropriate conduct in a timely manner.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour and their respect for others. Children work with staff to devise the club's values. A visual representation of these is displayed in each base room in the form of a flower.

Staff swiftly remind children of the values when needed. For example, they talk to children about the importance of putting up their hand and waiting for their turn to speak so that every child is valued and respected.Parents share detailed information with leaders about their children when they first begin attending.

Staff help children express their interests, likes and dislikes, which are displayed in their base rooms. This helps staff to understand the individual needs of children and develop good relationships with them. Staff adapt their practice to ensure that children remain happy and included in the planned sporting activities and the 'Explore and Play' sessions.

Children learn about healthy lifestyles through physical exercise. They enjoy a wide variety of team games, such as kick rounders and swimming lessons led by a qualified swim instructor. Mealtimes are a social experience.

Children are independent, and they know how to follow a good hygiene routine. Staff show a genuine interest in what children say and use these opportunities to talk to them about the positive impact of healthy food on their body.Children are taught how to keep themselves safe.

They participate in weekly fire drills and site tours. These help them to understand the layout of the environment and what to do in the event of an emergency. Staff are effective in calmly leading children to the emergency evacuation meeting point during a fire-alarm practice.

Children swiftly respond to requests as they leave the building. Staff ensure that all children are accounted for. They use activities such as this to help children to understand how to keep themselves safe and secure.

Staff have access to a range of continued professional development opportunities that are tailored to meet their preferred style of learning and to help build on their skills. For example, they visit other camps to share their knowledge and gain new ideas. The recent introduction of new strategies, such as 'now-and-next' boards, have a positive impact on helping children to understand the daily routine.

Parents are kept informed about the daily activities that their children have participated in, and they receive information about the club's policies and procedures when registering their child. Parents talk about how eager their children are to attend and how pleased they are with the range of activities and experiences that are on offer. They describe staff as 'bubbly' and 'caring'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date keep a record of all accidents and/or injuries and any first-aid treatment given and ensure that parents are informed on the same day.

20/08/2024

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