Castle Care Club at Ednall Lane

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements The provider ensures that robust safety checks are completed to transport children from their schools to the club. Staff provide children with a warm welcome when they arrive at the club.

Children quickly become immersed in the wide range of enjoyable activities that staff have set out for them. They thoroughly enjoy the time they spend with the staff and their friends. Children use their imaginations as they join staff in the role play cafe.

They practise their hand and eye coordination in a range of exciting target games, such as pool, table tennis and skittles.Staff are attentive and provide children with nurturing inte...ractions. They use their intuition to identify when children need additional emotional support and ensure they are available for cuddles or a talk as children need.

Children show they feel safe and secure at the club. For example, they confidently join in with their friends for karaoke. Staff provide children with clear expectations and children follow the rules and boundaries.

Children are well mannered at mealtimes and show respect to their friends and the staff. Staff positively and sensitively manage any tensions that arise between children.

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

Leaders effectively evaluate the service they provide and identify aspects of their practice to improve.

For example, they have recently introduced opportunities for children to take the club's teddy bear home, to support their sense of belonging and engagement with parents.Leaders provide staff with effective supervision, coaching and training to ensure the quality of staff interactions with children. Staff receive a thorough induction with a strong focus on ensuring they understand their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe.

Staff are deployed well within the rooms so they can supervise children at all times, including while eating. There is a member of staff readily available to enhance children's play in the various areas.An effective key person system is in place and staff know the children well.

This includes having detailed care plans in place for children's health requirements, such as dietary needs and allergies.Staff value the partnership working with the schools to provide continuity for children's care and to complement their learning in school. They talk to children about their interests in school and provide them with opportunities to explore these further at the club.

Staff know about children's favourite activities and use this information to plan the play experiences. Staff maximise opportunities for children to play and relax from the moment they arrive. They ensure that children have many opportunities to make decisions about what they will do and when they will do it.

For example, children choose when to have their snack and dinner. Children remain very engaged in their chosen play and social interactions throughout.Staff provide children with daily craft activities.

These frequently link to the various celebrations of the local community, such as Eid and Easter. Staff skilfully engage children in conversations while children engage in the crafts, such as discussing their experiences during Ramadan. Children talk about the special clothes they wear at their family celebrations.

Staff plan whole club celebration events which supports children's sense of belonging, such as sharing afternoon tea together. Children have a strong sense of responsibility and inform staff if they have noticed something that is out of place, such as taps left running in the toilets.Staff support children's health well.

They provide them with plenty of opportunities to be physically active, and to reinforce good hygiene routines. Children enjoy the nutritious meals and snacks provided. Water is always accessible.

Parent partnerships are effective and staff engage well with the families who use the club's services. Parents appreciate the communication from staff about their children. They feel that their children are safe and share how they love attending.

Staff spend time getting to know new children and their families during a helpful introduction session.

Safeguarding

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