Dainty Little Hands@ Woodthorpe

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are confident and comfortable in this nurturing and welcoming environment. In the mornings, they enjoy a relaxing start to the day, and in the afternoons they enter ready to have fun after a busy day in school. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, children have found it more challenging to settle into new routines.

They are encouraged to talk about their well-being and express how they are feeling. If children are anxious, sad or unsettled, staff encourage them to select a statement for the session. This helps to give children a boost and support their emotions.

Children enjoy a weekly routine of structured experiences on... offer. Each evening, they have the opportunity to choose to take part in the planned activity or to select from a good range of resources. In addition, staff are keen for children to share their views.

Children place notes in a suggestions box, giving their ideas for activities and experiences while at the club. They also like to socialise with their friends from different year groups and decide what equipment to take outside to play and create games with.

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

Leaders, managers and staff have a clear vision for their club.

They work well together and are dedicated to providing a high-quality service for children and their families. Effective supervision arrangements ensure that all staff understand their roles and responsibilities. They access varied training and conduct their own research to enhance their skills and support their professional development.

Leaders, managers and staff value one another and adopt a culture of mutual respect. This helps to provide a positive and inclusive atmosphere for adults and children.Parents are delighted with the care their children receive.

They are very complimentary about the staff and comment that staff are always smiling and willing to go over and above for the children. Parents explain how grateful they are to staff who have helped their children to settle into school so well.The manager and staff work closely with the staff in the host school.

They exchange relevant information about the children and ensure that parents are kept up to date with any changes or news. There is also good communication regarding any vulnerable children and families, to ensure that consistent support is available when needed.Children are caring and considerate of one another.

Younger children follow the guidance from older children, who are happy to look after them. They play well together and enjoy board games and competitions across the different year groups.Staff are good role models and adopt a similar approach to behaviour management that is in place at school.

Children and staff create rules together for the club and all sign to agree to the expectations of conduct. To attract children's attention, staff call out 'OK, everybody freeze' and children respond by saying 'macaroni cheese' as they stop what they are doing to listen to staff. Children receive plenty of praise and encouragement and are pleased to show their achievements.

They use good manners and are polite and confident when speaking to staff and visitors.Children are independent and aware of their own safety. They ask the staff when they need to go to the toilet, and wait to make sure that they are supervised to travel to the bathroom appropriately.

Outside, children know to stay away from the car park and remain on the safe side of the barriers. They also know to wait for staff to fetch balls that have rolled too far away.Children follow good hygiene practices.

They automatically sanitise their hands as they enter the club, and staff ensure that the environment and resources are kept clean. Children make healthy choices at mealtimes. Staff prepare healthy food options and children eat well.

Children also enjoy plenty of fresh air and exercise, which helps to promote their good health.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The club is a safe and secure environment for children.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, staff ensure that procedures are followed to reduce the risk of infection. Staff wear face coverings and request that the inspectors do the same. When parents arrive, they wait outside for to children gather their belongings and be brought out to be collected.

Robust recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to ensure the staff are suitable to work at club. Leaders, managers and staff keep their knowledge of child protection up to date and communicate with the host school as appropriate. They understand their responsibilities to assure children's safety and to record and report any concerns about a child's welfare or a colleague's conduct.

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