Beehive Out of School Club Long Life Learning Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children arrive at the setting, after a short walk from the on-site nursery, happily and confidently. Staff give children a warm welcome. All children are keen to start playing and learning immediately.

They cooperate well with their friends as they make independent choices from a wide range of stimulating resources. Children share and take turns, supported by gentle reminders from the kind and caring staff. Their behaviour is good and they are enthusiastic learners.

Staff have high expectations of children, overall. However, during group times, children are not as fully engaged and are distracted by the significant no...ise levels in the room. Staff ensure that children feel safe, giving them plenty of reassurance, encouragement and praise.

They make sure that children practise ways to look after themselves. A large display celebrates children's ability to be independent, including dressing themselves, washing their hands and helping with everyday tasks. Staff prioritise children's emotional well-being.

For instance, they read stories to children about feelings. Staff teach children to breathe in as they pretend to smell flowers and breathe out as they 'blow bubbles'. This helps them to relax and feel comfortable.

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

Staff say that they feel very well supported by the manager, who prioritises their well-being. One recent professional development activity was chosen to target further improvements to children's good communication and language skills. For instance, staff focus carefully on allowing children enough time to think and answer questions.

They introduce new words, repeating them clearly.The manager and her team are determined to offer high-quality provision and an inclusive environment for all children. They reflect on their practice together, taking account of parents' and children's views, and make some changes.

Partnerships with parents are effective and help to ensure a consistent approach to children's care. Parents appreciate the daily meaningful exchanges of information with the friendly and approachable staff. They say that their children look forward to coming to the setting and talk excitedly about their experiences there.

Staff are passionate about helping families, for example, when children are toilet training.The manager and staff work closely with the host school. They take notice of what children are focusing on at nursery and plan to complement their experiences and achievements.

Children are well prepared for the move on to school. Teachers visit them and help to support a smooth transition. However, relationships with settings elsewhere are not as firmly established.

Children enjoy a wealth of stories and rhymes, which help them to develop an early interest in literacy. They take home book reviews to complete with their families. Children help to make story sacks about their favourite fairy tales, such as 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears'.

However, large-group times are not as well organised to enable children to concentrate and listen.Staff are consistently positive role models. Children say 'please' and 'thank you' spontaneously and help each other with tasks.

They form firm friendships. Children have opportunities to help raise money for their community and to meet different people who visit the site, such as older residents.Children delight in using fun resources, such as tape measures, scissors and gold card.

They solve problems and test out their ideas as they decide to make, for example, belts for staff and themselves. This helps children to explore and investigate what they can do. They persevere well.

Children use their small muscles to skilfully cut the card. They work together to measure the length that they need to go around their waists. Children name the shapes that they are using to decorate their creations and count and recognise numbers on the tapes.

Activities like these support children's early mathematical skills effectively.Children enjoy outdoor play daily. They benefit from exercise and fresh air and develop their physical skills, such as balancing on low beams, climbing the steps of a slide and pedalling tricycles.

Children follow good hygiene routines and have easy access to drinking water.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager uses a variety of methods to ensure that staff are aware of safeguarding procedures.

For example, she sets up question-and-answer sessions to support their understanding of how to identify and report any concerns about children's welfare. All staff complete mandatory training at regular intervals and benefit from annual updates to their knowledge. The manager ensures that children are supervised closely during play and for the short walk from the adjoining school.

Children learn about road safety and recognise the importance of holding onto a long rope to keep together on their journey. Staff carry out regular checks to keep the environment indoors and outside safe and secure.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: review organisation of group activities to ensure that all children are engaged and concentrate well strengthen links with other outside providers that children attend to support their moves between settings.

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