Holywell Out of School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are keen to greet staff at the end of their school day and are happy to arrive at the club. They show strong bonds with staff and form secure friendships with other children of similar and different ages.

Children show a good understanding of the routines in the club. For example, children look for their name on their peg and hang their bags and coats up. Children point to their artwork that is displayed on the walls.

This contributes to children's sense of belonging.Children are kept safe. For example, staff ensure that they wear high-visibility vests when they move from the school to the club and when they play ...outdoors.

This ensures that they can easily be seen in the busy school playground. Staff have high expectations of children and value their comments. Children take an active part in planning activities at the club.

This helps them to be motivated. Children have unique opportunities to decorate biscuits. They develop their understanding of how to mix the correct quantities of icing sugar and water to ensure that the icing is thick enough to sit on top of a biscuit.

Children take turns when they mix the icing and learn to share. They display positive behaviour. Children help to develop the club's values and demonstrate their understanding of these.

They say that they 'keep our hands and feet to ourselves'.

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

Staff work well in partnership with the host school that children also attend. They gather information about what children are learning at school and what they need to learn next.

For example, staff support children to extend their interests in books.Staff find out about children's likes and interests when they first start. This helps them to plan activities and to spend time with children to talk about their interests.

Children settle quickly.The manager monitors staff's practice. However, this is not highly effective enough, to help staff to develop their roles and responsibilities even further.

The manager, leader and staff reflect on the service they provide for children. They actively seek the views of parents and children and use this information to identify ongoing improvements. After they receive parents' feedback, staff increase the range of foods they offer children.

This gives children further choices to promote healthy eating.Staff ensure that parents are aware of children's experiences in the club, even if they do not see them at the end of the day. For example, they provide parents with an information book that shows children's experiences.

Parents comment positively about the club. They say that, 'Staff tailor children's care to keep them focused and interested.' Staff promote good hygiene routines.

Children wash their hands prior to eating, showing their independence. Older children help younger children to follow good hygiene practices. For example, they remind them that they need to wash their hands before they eat.

Staff encourage children to serve themselves food. Children use knives safely to butter bread. They choose fillings to put in their sandwich.

This further contributes to children's independence.Staff spend time with children and talk to them about what they are doing. They listen to children's views and value the comments they make.

Children are confident and keen to share their thoughts and ideas. They tell visitors that they like coming to the club to 'play with their friends'.Children have opportunities to be physically active.

They use the host school facilities, such as the playground, where they play ball games.Children are creative and demonstrate their imaginative skills. They use different resources and tools such as scissors to cut material to make 'gloves' for their 'snowman'.

Children show a positive attitude to new experiences and take pride in their achievements.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager, leader and staff know their responsibilities to safeguard children.

They are aware of the signs of abuse and wider issues, such as children being drawn into extreme views. The manager and leader know to report concerns about children's safety and welfare to appropriate agencies. The management team uses very robust recruitment procedures to make sure that staff are suitable in their roles.

Furthermore, checks are carried out to ensure staff's ongoing suitability to work with children. Staff ensure that the premises are safe and secure. This contributes to children playing in a safe environment.

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