Dainty Little Hands @ Brownmead

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements On arrival at the out-of-school club the children happily choose what they want to play with.

Activities have been set up for them by staff, and children know that they can choose and select other resources for themselves. The atmosphere created by staff is very welcoming. Children behave well and play cooperatively.

They have helped to decide upon the behaviour rules for the club. Staff acknowledge when children are being helpful, and their praise helps to boost children's self-confidence and self-esteem. The relationships between staff and children are very good.

Younger children happily join in with games that ...are led by older children. Children communicate confidently. Teatime is a social occasion, when they hold conversations with staff and their friends.

Staff provide healthy food choices and children talk about their preferences as they select what they want to eat. After tea, children are keen to play outside. They have access to large equipment that enables them to develop their physical abilities.

Children play with toys and tools that help them to improve their handling skills, and, consequently, improve their writing skills.

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

Children are encouraged to practise the skills they are gaining in school. The provider has drawn up a plan that identifies 16 types of play for staff to consider when providing activities and resources for children.

Communication between the out-of-school club staff and the Reception class teacher is good. Staff are aware of activity themes in school and extend this in the club if children express an interest in doing so. They also talk with children about their individual interests.

Some children decide to make face masks. They are able to use scissors to cut out the shape of their masks, and they create a design using pencil crayons, glue sticks and different coloured feathers.Staff support children's creativity and literacy abilities.

For example, every child creates their own design for a placemat to use at teatime. Children are asked to add their own name and staff then laminate the placemat, so that children can use their mat every day. Staff help the children to practise their reading skills, for example children sometimes ask staff to look at their school phonics book with them.

Staff then provide feedback for the teacher.Children extend their mathematical learning, for example, when they play board games and other table-top games that involve counting and problem-solving. Children recognise the pattern of dots on a dice when deciding how many spaces they can move a counter while playing a board game.

Group games help children to understand the need for rules, and children learn to cooperate with each other.Every day at teatime, children talk about the favourite part of their day. They laugh when they say that the favourite part has been 'coming to club'.

They talk about the club with children who are attending for the first time, and this includes an acknowledgement of the club slogan which is 'What did you do well today?' Children are keen to be physically active. They climb and play ball games. Staff create an obstacle course, and children happily compete against each other.

Procedures for recruitment, selection and induction meet requirements. Processes for staff supervision, performance management, training and ongoing professional development are good. Staff regularly access training and then discuss its value.

Policies and procedures required for the safe and efficient management of the provision and to ensure that the needs of all children are met are implemented successfully.Staff work in partnership with parents and school staff to ensure that information is shared, and children's needs are being met. Parents say that their children are very happy to attend.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff complete training and they are aware of the signs of abuse and neglect. They know the internal and the local referral procedures to follow if they have a concern.

Staff understand their responsibilities to prevent children being drawn into situations that may put them at risk. The premises are safe and secure, so that children cannot leave unsupervised and unwanted visitors cannot gain access. Staff identify and successfully minimise potential risks indoors and outdoors.

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