Cherry Tree Kids Club at Gravel Hill Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Staff collect children from their classes at the end of the day using a 'walking bus' system.

Children excitedly come out of class greeting the after-school club's staff. They share details about their day and show staff the art projects that they have completed in class. Staff provide a safe and secure environment in which children feel confident and develop high levels of self-esteem.

Children make requests at the start of the session to sing a song they have learned to their peers. They stand up and sing and when finished they are rewarded with claps and cheers from their friends.Children's behaviour is good.

T...hey develop strong friendships with each other. Children work cooperatively as they build a model using construction materials and share their ideas. Staff have high expectations and children clearly understand the rules and boundaries in the club.

As staff talk to children about what they will be doing during the session, children are able to share with others the rules for each activity. The support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is excellent. Staff work extremely closely with the school staff to develop consistent strategies that allow children to get the most out of every session they attend.

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

Staff know children well. They provide activities and experiences that build on children's interests and developmental needs. Staff work closely with teachers at school to ensure that they provide activities that complement the curriculum in place within school to meet the next steps of individual children.

Staff provide children with a wide range of opportunities and experiences that keeps them engaged and focused from the moment they come into the club to the moment they leave. Children navigate the experiences, from making hungry caterpillars at the craft table, to playing bat and ball or curling up on a cushion to enjoy some quiet reading with maturity and independence.Older children enjoy the extra responsibility staff give to them.

They help and support younger children with activities or tasks they find difficult. Older children set out the cups and fill them with water ahead of teatime. Children run a lending library to provide other children with greater access to a greater variety of books.

Children take responsibility for signing books in and out.Children are articulate and happily share what they like about coming to the club. They enjoy going out into the playground to play football with their friends.

Children also like the range of activities staff provide. They proudly show scrapbooks containing examples of past work and activities they have enjoyed. Children point out which pictures they drew or why they were dressing up.

Staff promote healthy lifestyles to children. As children come in and self-register, they enjoy a fruit snack before beginning activities. Children help to serve their own tea, choosing fillings for their rolls and staff encourage them to add salad items, such as cucumber or peppers.

Staff plan cooking activities to encourage children to try new tastes and textures.Partnership with parents is good. Parents speak positively about staff at the club, describing them as warm and caring.

They feel that communication is good and particularly like the variety of activities and experiences their children get to participate in daily.Staff report that they feel their well-being is supported by leaders. Leaders use daily briefings to ensure that all staff are up to date with any relevant information relating to children attending the session that day.

More formal appraisals and supervisions on a termly basis allow for more focused discussions around how each staff member's professional development can be promoted further.Leaders and staff are reflective and take into consideration feedback from parents. For example, the club used to only do baking activities on Fridays.

However, when parents asked if this could be changed so more children could participate, staff adapted and now offer baking on different days each week so all children get a turn.

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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