Courthouse After School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are very happy, confident and sociable at this after-school club. Staff establish good hygiene practices with children as soon as they enter. For example, they wash their hands thoroughly before entering the main hall.

Younger children settle quickly and excitedly talk about various topics with staff. For example, they discuss the cold weather and remember the snow falling earlier in the week. Staff offer interesting activities for children to choose from, which are based on children's ideas and interests.

All children feel secure and show a true sense of belonging.Staff support children's good behaviour well. For... example, children line up and wait patiently for their turn to serve their own meals.

Throughout the afternoon, the atmosphere is calm and all children make wonderful friendships, regardless of their age. Older and younger children are praised by staff for showing care and attention when they harmoniously play together. For example, they sing popular songs with passion and use the musical instruments as an accompaniment.

Staff are very responsive to children's emotional needs. They are kind and sensitive, creating an environment of mutual respect. Staff, on collection, take time to gather important information about individual children's day at school from the class teacher.

This means that if any child is a little sad, they are able to reassure them and make them feel more comfortable.

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

Leaders are highly proactive and reflective of practice. For instance, after observing staff's interactions with children, they provide feedback to individual staff to help them to improve their existing skills.

Staff are quick to adapt their approach as they take on board leaders' comments. Leaders have a detailed insight into what is working well and what need to be improved. As a result, this helps to continually improve practice over time.

Staff recognise that children attending the after-school club have had a busy day at school. They provide children with ample opportunities to decide if they want to rest or play. Staff fully understand that children relish the freedom to be alone or play with others.

Children greatly enjoy being active outdoors in the fresh air. They show impressive stamina and control when they play with a range of balls and other equipment. Children thoroughly enjoy the nutritious, home-cooked meals prepared for them.

During mealtimes, they discuss their favourite vegetables and know they are good for them. This helps to support children's good health and well-being.Children show extremely positive attitudes to play.

They talk fondly about the activities they like to do when they attend the club. For instance, they delight in designing and making their own models out of recycled items. Children show impressive imaginations as they create and share stories around their models, such as their 'robots' transforming themselves into dinosaurs and racing cars.

Some adult-led activities are very popular and many children wish to participate at the same time. This means that some children who are taking part do not always get staff's full attention to expand their thinking further. Leaders recognise this as an area to improve.

Staff know children well. They hold fascinating back-and-forth conversations about children's experiences and their own. For example, as part of a discussion about pets, children find out that a staff member has snails as pets.

They are curious to find out more, asking relevant questions about the snails' diet, features and habitat. This also helps to increase children's vocabulary and knowledge.The provider has robust systems in place to ensure that staff's knowledge and understanding of safeguarding are current.

This has proved effective, as staff are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse. They know the reporting procedures to follow should they have a concern about a child's welfare. In addition, leaders follow a comprehensive recruitment and induction process.

Leaders ensure that new staff understand the policies and are supported by more-experienced team members. New staff state that this is a highly effective way for them to learn and share best practice. All staff feel valued and part of a caring, cohesive team.

They appreciate greatly the regular checks on their well-being from leaders.Staff form trusted bonds with parents and families. Parents speak highly of the staff, who they say are friendly and knowledgeable.

They appreciate the good communication. Parents enjoy hearing about their child's time at the after-school club. They are impressed with the range of activities that their children participate in.

Parents report that they know their children are very happy, as their children talk proudly about their friends and staff at the after-school club.

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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