Dane Bank Kids Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are energetic and enthusiastic as they arrive at the club. They gleefully describe that they enjoy a vast range of activities.

Children have lots of opportunities to be active throughout the session and have open access to the outdoor play area. They learn about the environment, how to grow herbs or explore the forest garden. Children learn about different cultural festivals, such as Eid, Christmas and Chinese New Year.

When there is a birthday, staff and children sing the 'Happy Birthday' song accompanied with an artificial cake and candles. Children have access to areas where they can relax, sit quietly or chat ...to their friends. Alternatively, they can be involved with the bustling range of activities available.

Staff, children and the manager have regular meetings to share their views and ideas. This helps children feel empowered, as they have excellent chances to make choices. For example, children elected to have an outdoor stage created following the highly successful theme about the 'Greatest Showman'.

Children gain high levels of self-confidence as staff support them to produce shows. They use an extensive range of props and microphones, as they sing their favourite song or act out film scenes. Staff work positively to strengthen children's good behaviour and are good role models.

Children and staff agree the club rules, such as being respectful to each other and understanding behaviours that may upset their peers. They proudly display these in the club.

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

Managers regularly review staff's performance through appraisals, informal discussions and team meetings.

Staff have access to training events offered by the school, such as sign language and working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, the club offers inclusive care for all children. Parents comment that they value the dedication of the staff team.

The staff and manager are highly committed in providing an extremely stimulating and welcoming environment. They work closely with the school to compliment learning. For example, younger children make chocolate moulds of their feet to mirror the shape of 'The Gruffalo's' feet.

This is in line with the current focused reading book for the school term.The club is an integral part of the community and the school. The manager and staff attend the school's open days and provide prospective parents information packs about the club.

Prior to starting school, new children can attend taster sessions. This ensures that they are familiar with the club and emotionally prepared for the extended school day.Parents value the club greatly and commend the staff and managers for the excellent care offered to their children.

Their views are evidenced in the manager's evaluation of the service. Parents' recent suggestions about the entrance area has resulted in comfortable seating areas being provided and the programme of events and activities being more widely publicised. Parents actively participate in social events and help raise funds for charity and various good causes.

For example, they buy goods from a takeaway coffee and cake service. Parents also take part in a charity football match.Children's consolidation of learning is evidenced through the activities of the club.

For example, children recently completed a topic about Burns Night, in acknowledgement of the poet Robert Burns. Food tasting and craft ideas were provided by the staff, to extend the children's experiences and to help them to gain a deeper understanding about this theme.Staff created a designated mark making and mathematical area to help contribute to younger children's writing and numeracy skills.

These include a range of resources for children to use, such as calculators, wipe clean whiteboards and markers. Children use these to test each other's mathematical knowledge. This helps their confidence with these tasks and they frequently become playfully competitive.

Children freely socialise around the self-service snack area. They are provided with nutritious healthy snacks including vegetables and fruit. Younger children clearly demonstrate independence and an understanding of their own personal hygiene.

For instance, they do not need to be reminded by staff to wash their hands before eating or after playing in messy activities.Staff know the children extremely well. They support children of all ages to take part in an excellent range of activities.

Older children mentor the younger children. They join them in the role-play area or support them in the book area as they relax to read a book together. This creates an environment where children are extremely happy and secure.

Managers and staff are highly committed and regularly review the provision. This means they are constantly developing the club to consistently raise standards for all families who attend.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff have a robust knowledge of indicators of abuse and have a clear understanding of how to report concerns about a child. The manager ensures that all staff maintain up-to-date training including wider safeguarding matters, such as the 'Prevent' duty. All staff are confident to initiate the child protection procedures.

In addition, staff are clear about their responsibility to report any concerns they may have about a colleague. Leaders ensure that the setting's safeguarding policy is regularly reviewed, and any relevant changes linked to new legislation are included. The club has effective arrangements in place to ensure that children are safe online.

Also at this postcode