Fort 4 Fun

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children enjoy attending this welcoming holiday club. They develop secure relationships with staff, which helps them to feel happy and safe. Children have access to a wide range of resources and activities, which engage them and support their learning.

Children display good social skills and are imaginative and creative. For example, they confidently share their ideas as they play in their pretend toy shop. Older children are kind and encourage their younger peers to join in.

They share resources happily and take it in turns to play the roles of customer and shop keeper. Children use leaves that they have collected to repr...esent money. They practise their mathematical skills as they count out how much they need to pay for their shopping.

Children respond positively to the staff's high expectations. They understand the boundaries at the provision and behave well. For example, children listen carefully as staff explain the rules to a ball game.

They work as a team and play fairly. Children show an awareness of how to keep themselves healthy and safe. For instance, during hot weather they remember that they need to apply sun cream and drink lots of water.

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

The manager, who also owns the club, is committed to the children. She listens to their feedback and constantly reflects on how she can enrich their experiences at the club. For instance, she ensures that the club outings and workshops reflect the children's current interests.

The club offers children a rich range of experiences, which helps to broaden their knowledge of the world. This includes frequent outings, such as to a safari park, lido and adventure playground. Within the club, they enjoy activities and workshops, which include cooking, dance, art and crafts.

These help them to develop new skills and interests.Children are enthusiastic and show positive attitudes during their play. For example, they listen to staff and follow instructions as they create 'sensory bottles'.

Children concentrate well as they add resources, such as oil and glitter. They make predictions and are curious and excited to discover what will happen when they shake the bottles.Staff are good role models.

They speak to children kindly and are encouraging and enthusiastic in their interactions. This helps to boost children's confidence and self-esteem. However, at times staff do not notice when younger children would benefit from some individual support, to help them make choices or join in with activities.

Children have lots of opportunities for exercise, to support their physical health and well-being. For example, they thoroughly enjoy taking part in a dance workshop, which helps them to control and coordinate their movements. Outdoors, children learn to negotiate space as they play chasing games and ride scooters and bicycles.

Lunchtime is a sociable time where staff sit and engage children in conversations. Staff remind children about eating well and making healthy choices, such as eating vegetables and salad with their main meal.Staff ensure that children have a good variety of experiences throughout the day.

Generally, the club routines run smoothly and there is a lively but calm atmosphere. However, occasionally staff do not organise the transitions between different parts of the day as well as possible. Therefore, children are not sure what they need to do next.

Partnerships with parents are good. Parents are positive about the staff and say that their children enjoy attending. The manager uses parents' comments to help her develop the provision.

For example, in response to parents' suggestions, she has increased the variety of healthy options for children at mealtimes.Staff comment that they thoroughly enjoy working at the club. They say that the manager is very supportive and they form a strong team.

The manager ensures that mandatory training for staff is up to date and that they have a good understanding of their roles.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff have a secure understanding of their responsibilities to keep children safe.

They know the signs that could suggest a child is at risk of harm. The manager and staff understand the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about a child's welfare. They know what to do if they are worried about the conduct of another staff member.

Staff assess risks, to help minimise any hazards to children on the club premises and when on outings. The manager implements robust recruitment procedures. This helps to ensure that staff are suitable to work with the children.

Also at this postcode