Funtastic Kids @ King’s Academy Oakwood

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children thoroughly enjoy a varied timetable of activities, in both their holiday club and after-school club. There is a strong focus on physical development, with children participating in daily sport sessions, such as 'circuits' and playing netball.

Children report they have a lot of fun with their friends at the holiday club. They create good friendships with each other and behave exceptionally well during activities. Children are proud to share their creative work with staff.

Staff provide plenty of writing and comprehension challenges. Children receive lots of praise for all their efforts, which helps to promote their... self-esteem. Children build on their learning from school, doing creative writing about their weekly topics, such as life under the sea.

Very young children report how much they love learning about all the different topics. They thoroughly enjoy creating under the sea themed rice cakes with broccoli and blue coloured cream cheese to eat. Staff have a strong emphasis on rewarding positive behaviour.

Children are eager to join the daily 'celebration' session. During this time, examples of positive behaviours, such as being kind to others and helping staff, are shared with the group. Children are extremely happy to receive small prizes, acknowledging their excellent behaviour.

They proudly share their achievements with friends, staff and parents after their celebration.

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

The senior leaders are passionate about supporting staff to keep their knowledge and training up to date. They encourage professional development, such as team leading training and courses to learn more about supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Leaders have recently completed safer recruitment training to ensure interview and application procedures offer equal opportunities and embed the message of keeping children safe from the earliest opportunity.Children enjoy opportunities to play music and explore new instruments. For instance, they thoroughly enjoy when a visiting rock music group supports them to learn about rhythm.

They learn how to play modern songs with guitars, synthesisers and drums.Children have many opportunities to develop their fine motor skills and imaginations. For instance, they show great delight as they build and create with giant train tracks.

They construct with straws and develop their creativity with plenty of building blocks.Senior managers are currently exploring how to improve their arrangements for the youngest children to have an allocated key person. During holiday club, the youngest 'VIP' children are assigned a special member of staff.

However, the management team have evaluated this system as not always being effective. Senior leaders want to formalise a new system during their after-school clubs, to further support the early years children to form secure attachments with a named member of staff.Children develop a good understanding of the natural world through a variety of activities.

For example, they join in with planting and growing their own vegetables in the school's planters. Children watch caterpillars as they turn into chrysalises and butterflies, before they free them.The senior leadership team use a variety of methods to evaluate the setting.

They identify any weaknesses in staff knowledge and quickly support staff to gain the necessary training. Feedback from parents is encouraged and the nominated individual follows this up. For example, parents discussed previous concerns about occasional unhealthy food options.

The senior managers acted on this feedback and food choices are now more healthy.Children are encouraged to be independent with personal hygiene skills. Where children need more specialist help with personal care, staff ensure they are trained to deliver this.

This ensures no child is left out from accessing the nurturing and inclusive after-school and holiday clubs. Children's differences are celebrated at the club. Staff explore the culture and ethnicities of children at the club as well as a range of festivals celebrated in different countries.

Parents report the staff communicate with them extremely well. They describe how their children feel safe, and that staff go the extra length to offer sessions when they become available. The only problem they experience is that they would like more places to be made available during the holidays.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff are quick to react to any accidents, offering first aid and plenty of reassurance. They follow up with children to ensure they are feeling alright and share reports with parents in a timely manner.

Staff all confidently explain what they would do if they had concerns about the welfare of children or the conduct of colleagues. They describe a wide range of indicators, which would give them cause for concern. Staff describe the importance of ensuring technology, such as mobile phones, is not used at the club, and the importance of following up any non-attendance to ensure children are safe.

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