Barracudas (Tonbridge)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are excited when they arrive at the club.

They are enthusiastically welcomed by staff and eagerly make their way to their base rooms. Children who have not attended the club before are introduced to their group leader for the day, who escorts them to their allocated area. On arrival, staff explain the morning routine and introduce them to the children they will spend the day with.

This helps children to quickly settle and to feel safe and secure.Children enjoy the superb range of exciting activities on offer, such as go-karting and fencing. They are encouraged to make independent choices about the activities they ...wish to participate in.

For example, younger children are given a choice of arts and crafts or a ball game in the sports hall. This helps to develop children's creativity and gross motor skills.Children show a good understanding of the high expectations of behaviour and are very polite.

Staff use a range of ways to support children to manage their feelings and emotions, such as reward charts. This helps children to behave well.Children learn how to keep themselves safe.

For example, they are encouraged to think about any potential dangers, such as catching fingers in doors, as they move around the building.

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

Staff provide an exciting and stimulating range of activities that are suitable for the different ages of children. For example, younger children develop their imagination when they make animal masks from craft materials and older children enjoy team building games.

Staff are good role models for children. They are polite and respectful to children and their colleagues. Children listen carefully to adults and act positively when staff ask them to help.

For example, they eagerly clear away resources and toys before moving on to the next activity.Staff make good use of opportunities to talk to children about keeping healthy. This is seen at snack time when staff discuss the importance of fruit and vegetables.

Furthermore, staff build on children's interest in this by discussing the role of vitamins and minerals in food.Staff provide a fully inclusive environment for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The senior management team gather detailed information about children's individual needs from parents on enrolment.

Camp staff use this information to ensure they plan a range of activities and experiences for all children to safely enjoy. Additionally, planning is flexible and tailored to the changing interests of children.Staff form strong bonds with children.

They get to know the children well and quickly establish trusting relationships with them. Younger children have a key person who provides consistency and familiarity for them. This supports children's emotional well-being extremely well.

Children play well together, willingly share resources and are kind to each other. For example, they pass resources to their friends when they can't reach them. Staff have good strategies in place to help children understand the rules and boundaries.

For example, children immediately stop talking and stand still when staff blow a whistle.Managers and leaders always prioritise children's safety. Robust risk assessments for equipment, activities and premises help staff to identify and minimise any potential hazards for children and adults.

Staff thoroughly enjoy working at the club and feel extremely well supported by the management team. They complete comprehensive training as part of the induction process to ensure their knowledge and skills are up to date. Furthermore, some activity leaders complete specialised training in skills such as archery, to ensure their practice follows current health and safety guidelines.

Parents are extremely happy with the care their children receive when at the holiday club. They report that their children get very excited when they know they are coming to the club. Additionally, parents comment on how friendly and professional the staff are.

They compliment the robust enrolment process and measures in place to keep their children safe.

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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