Headstart Day Care Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are very happy and settled in this club.

They can choose from a wide range of activities, that are suited to their age group. Younger children role-play cooking together, while older children take turns playing with the keyboard. This helps them build on their social and creative skills.

Children form strong friendships and enjoy each other's company. They delight as they play their favourite game of table football in teams. Others enjoy doing art and craft activities together.

They take pleasure in taking their finished work home.Children are nurtured and well cared for by the dedicated staff team. Staff... act as good role models and have high expectations for children's conduct and behaviour.

As a result, children are well behaved, kind and sensitive towards each other. When planning activities, staff include children to make sure they have something they like to do. For example, children return to making pom-poms they have been working on in a previous session.

Children are given the choice of what fruit they wish to eat. The chef asks what would they like and responds positively to their suggestions.

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

Staff plan exciting science experiments, that engage children as they learn about volcanoes and chemical reactions.

They embed the children's understanding by asking them relevant questions that extend their learning. For example, staff ask the children what they think will happen as they mix two chemicals together.Children have the opportunity to be physically active in the large outdoor area.

They play with hula hoops and balls and run around with excitement. Children also enjoy trips to the local park. Staff help children to learn how to keep themselves safe as they walk in twos and safely cross the road to the park.

Staff remind children to be careful on the stairs when playing inside.Staff manage children's behaviour appropriately. They support children to develop strategies for sharing.

Staff give children lots of praise and encouragement for their achievements. This helps raise the children's self-esteem and confidence. As a result, children play happily together and behave well.

Staff recognise the impact that COVID-19 has had on the children. They recognise that some children find it difficult to settle when they are dropped off at the club. Staff swiftly introduced a 'buddy system' to support the children through this transition.

As a result, children feel reassured by their 'buddy' and settle comfortably.Staff make good provision to ensure the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are met and they are given the same opportunities as other children. Staff work closely with schools and parents.

This ensures the children's needs are clearly communicated, so that they receive the appropriate support. Staff show dedication to developing effective communication strategies and monitoring of SEND children. For example, they have developed 'communication passports', which are used to record the children's likes and dislikes.

The manager and staff work cohesively together to ensure the smooth running of the club. Ideas are shared in regular staff meetings, along with policies and procedures. Staff fully understand their roles and responsibilities.

The manager has a good oversight of her staff team and their well-being is important. Staff receive regular supervision meetings, where they are given valuable feedback about their practice. They discuss training needs and any concerns they may have.

This allows any emerging issues to be addressed and quickly managed. Staff comment how they feel valued and well supported by the manager.Parents speak highly of the club.

They appreciate the flexible hours available and good range of activities, in particular trips out bowling. They say their children look forward to attending every holiday and they always return home with lots of different arts and crafts. Staff are attentive which makes their children feel happy, content and safe.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff have a suitable awareness of the signs and symptoms of potential abuse and neglect, including the risk arising from exposure to extreme behaviours or views. They are clear about when, and how, to report their concerns to the relevant professionals.

The management team are supportive of staff learning needs and adapt learning methods to ensure staff fully understand their responsibilities to safeguard children. They have robust recruitment procedures to ensure staff suitability. Regular risk assessments allow staff to ensure children are safe as they take trips to the park and move between school and the club at collection times.

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