Howzat After School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children enjoy the time they spend at the club after their school day, where they can relax and play with friends. They enjoy the wide variety of activities provided and staff fully involve them in in the planning and daily events at the club. Children form close bonds with staff, who are friendly and attentive towards them.

Children eagerly invite staff to join in with their games. Staff encourage children and help them to gain good levels of self-esteem and confidence. Staff have high expectations and are positive role models for the children.

They show respect as they speak and listen to the children and each other. Chi...ldren behave well and display good manners. They understand the routines and what is expected from them.

They take ownership of the club rules and help to decide what these should be to keep everyone safe and ensure that they can play together happily. Staff support children's health well. Children help to plan the snacks and learn how to make healthier choices.

They understand the importance of following good hygiene routines such, as handwashing. Older children support younger children well and clearly explain why food that has been dropped on the floor should not be eaten. Mealtimes are a social event and conversation flows freely.

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

The manager evaluates the service provided effectively. For example, she liaises with the local authority to identify strengths and areas to develop further. She has a good oversight of the club and reviews practice regularly with staff.

This helps them to identify ways to further develop their skills and the provision for children. The manager provides staff with regular coaching, guidance and training to support their ongoing professional development. However, she has not been fully successful in identifying how to organise routines to minimise the time children spend waiting at the start of the session.

This means they experience a slight delay in relaxing and playing with their friends.The manager and staff have a close partnership with the school and know children well. This helps them to complement children's school learning experiences at the club.

Staff work well with parents and the school to exchange information about children's care needs and routines. Parents speak highly of the staff and provision for children. They explain how children like the range of activities provided and ask to attend on days when they do not need to.

Staff provide children with good opportunities to be physically active during the drier weather. This includes using the outdoor provision at the school and the local park. However, staff do not maximise opportunities to use the outdoor spaces during the winter months to provide children with even more physical play experiences.

Children show a strong sense of teamwork as they engage with each other and share equipment. They enjoy friendly competitions as they play games of table football. They use their mathematical understanding as they calculate their scores and work out how many more points they need to beat their opponents.

Children confidently explain the rules of the game. Staff interact with children well and successfully enhance their play experiences.Children benefit from opportunities to be creative and staff provide them with resources to build their favourite film characters.

They have clear design intentions and know what materials and tools they will need to use. They develop storylines as they use construction equipment, such as farmyard scenes and casting magic spells with wands they have made. Younger children observe older children dancing to music.

They copy some of their moves and experiment confidently with their own ideas.Children are well motivated to play and sustain their interest on their chosen activity. They particularly enjoy the opportunity to use laptops and access their favourite programs they use in school.

Staff provide children with opportunities to use their literacy skills. Children enjoy selecting books from the library to read and enjoy drawing and colouring activities. They focus and work with friends as they use a magnifying glass to search for a character hidden in an illustration.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The provider implements safer recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. The manager and staff demonstrate a secure understanding of procedures to keep children safe.

The manager provides them with effective training to keep their safeguarding knowledge updated. Staff know how to report any concerns they may have about a child or a colleague. Risk assessments are effective.

The security of the premises is monitored well. The buzzer entry system enables staff to check a person's identity before they let them in. Staff make daily and ongoing checks to ensure that children can play safely.

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