Happy Hippos Out of School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are accompanied by school staff to the hall, ready to join the after-school club session. The younger children are immediately attracted to the activities at the front of the hall. Club staff set out specific activities that engage the early years and younger children.

Older children make their way to the rear of the hall, where a wide range of favourite activities are available. They are keen to engage the staff in conversation and share their news about their day or week. The club is well organised to ensure staff have the time to spend chatting to the children and joining in with the activities.

Children enjoy ...this wind down period, creating crafts, playing board games or reading a book in the quiet zone. The atmosphere is calm and relaxed, which meets the children's needs after a busy school day. After snack time, a lot of the children opt to play outside.

The younger children choose to play in the small courtyard space. This is specifically set up to meet their needs, with a play kitchen and house, gardening pots and small-world toys. The early years leader uses a gentle, caring and fun approach to support and encourage the children in their play.

The older children choose to visit the school field and playground. The staff remind the children of the expectations when they visit the outside spaces. The children are happy to cooperate as they tell the inspector what the rules are and why they are set.

This encourages cooperation and behaviour is excellent at the club.

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

Children are keen to talk to visitors. They talk confidently about their time at the club.

They express how much they like attending and share their views on their favourite aspects of the club. They enjoy using the outside spaces and playing sports with the staff. Staff motivate children to join in and exercise in the fresh air.

Children behave well at the club. They demonstrate respect for each other, turn taking and supporting younger children. Children mix with all age groups at the club.

The older children enjoy playing with the younger children and act as role models. Any minor disputes that occur between the children are managed efficiently by staff. They offer gentle guidance and support to enable children to resolve the issue.

Staff work with the children and together they plan and influence elements of the sessions. For example, the children share their views on the menu, which has resulted in some changes. The children have also shared their opinions on the use of electronic devices.

With careful explanation and respectful conversation, they agree on the use of the devices. This partnership working between children and staff has led to children making sensible decisions. The children cooperate with the staff readily and appreciate the need for certain boundaries.

The club is based in the school hall, which is not connected directly to the outside spaces available. The staff are well organised to ensure the layout does not impede the children's experiences. The leaders ensure good staffing levels to safely supervise children in all areas, offering children choice in their activities.

They support children's physical and emotional well-being with a well-balanced variety of activities and excellent staffing support. The key-person system for the early years children is particularly effective at this setting. All early years children have a named key person, who works in partnership with the school nursery staff, school teaching staff and parents.

Staff have developed an effective partnership with the teaching staff of the host school. There is regular exchange of information to help complement and build on children's learning. In addition, they receive daily updates on children to ensure children are well supported at the club.

Parents are complimentary about the club. They report that communication is excellent and that they feel well informed about the activities and the food that their children enjoy. Parents share how much they appreciate the caring, friendly staff.

They comment that their children thoroughly enjoy their sessions and will request to attend more days even on days when parents are not working.Leaders work with the staff in an effective way. Staff appreciate the leaders' ongoing support and praise the 'family feel' when working in the club.

Staff are supported to further their skills with flexible working patterns to facilitate requested training.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff are vigilant in ensuring the areas in use for the session are safe for the children.

This includes checking the school gates due to multiple users of the wider site. All staff attend regular safeguarding training. They have a good understanding of child protection and wider safeguarding issues, such as the 'Prevent' duty.

They have good knowledge of possible indicators of abuse. They know the procedures to follow should they have concerns about a child's welfare. They are knowledgeable of the potential risks that children across the broad age range may face, for example county lines, radicalisation and online safety.

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