J’s Out of School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children confidently and excitedly enter the stimulating and well-resourced club. They are eager to take off their coats and start playing.

Staff create a fun and friendly environment. Positive relationships are very evident between staff and children. Staff greet children with affection and a cheerful manner.

This helps children to settle quickly and feel safe and at ease. Staff encourage children to share activity and menu ideas, for example, which helps children to develop a strong sense of belonging and feel valued.Children take part in a wealth of play opportunities.

These expand their knowledge and build on ...the skills and positive attitudes children require for starting, and moving through, school. Staff purposefully plan activities around, for example, the seasons, particular themes and multicultural festivals. They provide an exemplary range of arts and craft activities.

For example, children make jam jar lanterns while learning about Diwali and make feeders as part of their current topic about birds. Children thoroughly enjoy making Christmas tree decorations using clay. They show excellent focus, engagement and perseverance when they encounter difficulties.

Staff plan many activities designed to foster children's social skills and friendships. Children behave well. They play happily and collaboratively, and chat away during activities.

Staff model polite and kind behaviour and praise children for their 'amazing' decorations. This builds on children's self-esteem, confidence and 'have-a-go' approach.

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

Staff incorporate children's interests and what they do at home when planning activities.

For example, children bring in holiday photographs. They look at, and learn about different countries using an atlas. They also engage in activities, such as using sewing techniques to create sea animal cushions.

Staff support children's transitions well in certain respects. They have strong links with the host school because two of the staff, including the manager, also work in the school. However, there is scope to strengthen information sharing with other nursery and Reception staff to fully support children's individual care needs and complement the experiences they receive.

Staff build on children's hand-to-eye coordination and reinforce their early mathematical and literacy skills in fun ways. For example, children play card and board games. They create intricate designs as they thread beads onto pipe cleaners, which they count with staff.

Children brush their piece of clay with water before rolling this out and using cutters. Staff encourage children to place their initials on their clay models once they have completed them.Staff display photographs, information and children's arts and craft creations, for example, on the children's notice board and 'J's Gallery'.

This helps children to feel proud of their achievements and showcases to parents what children do at the club. Children can also reflect on their experiences, such as gardening in the club allotment and watching the yearly show performed by a theatre company at the club.Staff consider the inclusion of children when planning activities.

For example, they rotate baking days so that everyone can take part and accommodate children's special requirements, such as baking vegan biscuits.Staff enhance children's enjoyment through their positive, effective and supportive interactions. For example, as nursery-aged children choose a figure-shaped cutter, staff ask if the circular piece of dough they have rolled is large enough.

After children press down, staff model how to cut around the shape to loosen this when it becomes tricky.The support, training and coaching for staff, has a very positive impact on their practice, as does their qualifications. Staff use responses from surveys and the parent's suggestion box, to help reflect on and inform future practice.

One of the key future developments is to re-introduce the children's council. As part of this, children will design their own website on their new computer and create electronic newsletters.There is scope for staff to improve the organisation of space and daily routines.

For example, staff do not always use all available space to reduce noise levels to support quieter activities, such as looking at books. In addition, staff do not support children's independence and social skills to the highest level during the very busy and lengthy large group tea.Staff provide a healthy tea and encourage good hygiene routines, to help instil messages to children about living a healthy lifestyle.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff closely monitor access to the club to prevent any unauthorised persons from entering and putting children at risk. Staff undertake regular child protection training and the manager distributes safeguarding quizzes to assess and reinforce staff's knowledge.

Staff can identify indicators of abuse and understand reporting procedures, which are clearly displayed. Staff provide high visibility clothing to help children to stay safe while walking to and from school. Staff provide books and display information to help children learn about dangers and how to keep themselves safe, for instance, online.

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