Barracudas (High Wycombe)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are happy and confident in the club. They arrive eager to play and benefit from the warm welcome from staff, which helps them to feel safe and secure.

Staff demonstrate they know the children well. They are attentive to them, and they provide a well-organised environment to enhance and challenge learning and skills. Children have a wide range of activities that support their learning, curiosity, and physical development.

For example, children have opportunities to do sports play, explore scientifically, develop skills in arts and crafts and ride on motorised vehicles. Staff ensure that children access the outdoor ...area daily, this allows them the freedom to play more vigorous games, such as football. Activities such as these, helps the children to greatly improve their physical development and coordination.

Children behave well and friendships are flourishing. Staff work hard to create a welcoming atmosphere for the children, which enables them to maintain respect and consideration to others. For example, children are encouraged to put their hands up before calling out answers in group time activities.

Children are helpful and treat each other with kindness and respect. For instance, they pass each other equipment when they have finished their turn and hold their friend's hands as they swim and play games in the pool.

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

Staff plan and provide an entertaining and fun filled day for the children to enjoy.

Children are able to make choices about what they would like to do as the staff run two sessions parallel to each other, this enables children to be engaged as they make decisions on their play. Children have a good amount of time to relax in between these sessions, which allows them to play imaginatively, read books and explore with arts and crafts.Staff are confident in how to support the children.

The key-person approach is effective as all early years children are allocated a specific adult, who knows the children well from the regular communications they have with parents. Staff demonstrate a good awareness of how activities are supporting children's development and successfully they interweave learning into activities to help all children to achieve.All children show they are happy and are settled in the club.

They are eager to join in activities and show excitement as they play and explore. For example, children have great fun as they pretend to hunt for creatures under the sea in a drama session. Staff support children's self-confidence well as they give the children a good amount of praise and encouragement as they play, interact and communicate with them.

Staff help support children's development of personal hygiene and healthy lifestyle choices well. For instance, they talk to children about the importance of washing their hands before and after eating and they discuss the importance of eating fruit and vegetables. Lunchtime is well managed.

However, snack time is less effective in maintaining a consistent approach to promoting children's good health. Staff support children's independence skills well. For example, they encourage children to have a go at opening packaging before they do this and to help tidy up.

Parents speak highly of the staff and the activities provided at the club. They comment that their 'children are happy' and that they value the regular communication provided online, in literature and verbally. Staff understand their roles and responsibilities to work in partnership with providers involved in children's care and education.

Leaders and staff work well together to ensure the smooth running of the club. A good amount of planning is undertaken on activities and themes for the week to ensure children are well entertained. Staff benefit from regular training and supervision opportunities to help enhance their skills.

Staff comment that they are well supported, enjoy working at the club and receive consistent guidance to help them fulfil their roles and responsibilities and maintain the club procedures.

Safeguarding

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

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