Fish Montgomery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are excited as they arrive at this fun and nurturing club. The enthusiastic staff greet them warmly and ask about their day at school.

Children are keen to chat to staff and share information about what they have been learning. Children show they feel safe and settled. They ask staff to join them, and enjoy playing alongside staff and their friends, showing the good relationships they have developed.

Staff plan activities and provide resources based on the interests of the children who are attending that day. They ask children what they would like to do at the start of the term and include their ideas for activiti...es in the planning. Children quickly become engrossed in their play, choosing from the stimulating activities and resources.

Children follow the routines of the setting well. For example, they wash their hands independently before eating and when coming in from the outside areas. They know to line up sensibly, so staff can count them when they are leaving the main area to go outside to play.

Staff model positive social skills and kindness. They show a genuine interest in the children and enjoy joining them in their play. Children play harmoniously together and are very well behaved.

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

Leaders and staff are ambitious and hold a shared vision for the club. They focus on continuously improving and providing the best possible environment for children. They include the views of children and parents in their self-evaluation and implement changes to benefit the families in their care.

For instance, they developed their online booking system to gather better information about children and communicate more effectively with parents.Staff have a positive relationship with the host school. The manager works at the school and regularly speaks with the children's teachers throughout the day.

Staff collect the children from their classes and discuss important care and learning information about the children. They use these interactions well. For example, they praise children who have been helping a teacher that day, which supports their self-esteem and positive self-image.

The key-person system works well and staff work closely with parents. They take messages from parents in the morning and share these with teachers. They pass on information about the children's day with parents at pick up times in the afternoon.

Parents say staff provide good care for their children. They speak highly of the staff and the range of exciting activities offered at the club.Children are highly independent.

They pour their own drinks and prepare their own food. Staff support younger children's skills, when needed, with lots of encouragement, prompts and praise. Children take pride in being able to do things for themselves.

For example, they show staff how well they have spread their own jam and butter on toast. They work with staff to gather items for snack time and say they enjoy 'working as a team'.Leaders support staff well.

They offer a thorough induction for new staff to develop their knowledge. They provide all staff with ongoing training and coaching. For example, leaders observe staff on a termly basis, set specific targets and find training to develop staff's skills.

Staff share best practice with their colleagues to ensure consistency in the quality across the club.Staff recognise and celebrate the different cultures of the children who attend. They encourage children to share information about foods and festivals that are important to them.

Staff teach children about similarities and differences between themselves and others. For example, they talk about what foods children like and children learn to respect the preferences and ideas of others. This helps to prepare children for life in the diverse society in which they live.

Staff promote children's health. They provide healthy snacks and teach children about healthy foods. For example, children learn about needing to eat their '5-a-day' while making smoothies and soups in the club kitchen.

Staff offer daily physical activity outside. Children enjoy these opportunities in the fresh air. For instance, they laugh with staff as they race on obstacle courses and scooters.

They run and play hide and seek with their friends.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders complete robust recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

Staff attend regular safeguarding training that includes relevant information about child protection issues in the local area. Staff understand how to safeguard the children in their care. They know how to identify the possible signs and symptoms of abuse.

They are aware of the correct procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child's welfare or the conduct of another member of staff. Staff complete daily risk assessments to ensure the premises and resources used by the children are safe. Staff use information about children who have food allergies, to adapt menus, so children only eat foods that are safe for them.

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