Junior Activity Scheme

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is outstanding

Children shine at this incredible scheme. As soon as they arrive, they are greeted by attentive staff who have a deep understanding of their needs.

Very quickly, children explore the environment. Their assigned one-to-one carers provide an unobtrusive yet highly supportive distance. This provides children with independence and freedom to explore and become familiar with the layout.

A wide range of activities support children's interests and talents. Staff have carefully considered children's next steps in learning and considered how to take learning to the children. Staff encourage and support children to make c...onfident choices.

Children access a variety of exciting experiences. For many children, these are new. For example, they show delight as they use the bouncy castle, laughing and smiling infectiously.

The extensive grounds provide opportunities for children to climb, run and swing. Children scream out with joy as they glide along the zip line. They build confidence and courage, repeating the activity with great excitement.

All the while, staff support, guide and encourage children. A trip to the soft-play centre provides a wonderful social experience for children. They build confidence as they navigate the climbing structure.

Staff model safe use of the equipment and stay close by as children explore and immerse themselves in the enlivening experience. Social interactions take place as children form friendships with other children who are visiting the centre. Safety is expertly considered, including any exit points that need to be covered by staff.

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

Children have formed incredibly secure attachments with their one-to-one carers. Meticulous advance planning ensures that staff have a deep knowledge of children. This includes hobbies and interests as well as comprehensive information gathered from parents, settings and other professionals involved with the families.

As a result, teaching and learning is highly personalised to meet every child's individual needs. Children have an active voice. They complete activity assessment cards and add stickers to charts, expressing how they felt about the experience.

Staff use the extensive information about children to provide a wholly enjoyable and positive experience for them. For example, staff carry backpacks with essential items that support children. These include profile cards and 'now-and-next' visuals.

Staff understand how to provide effective support to help children find focus when they become overwhelmed. For instance, they carry bubbles and 'Slinkys' in their backpacks which help children to stay calm.Children receive the highest form of support in managing their behaviour.

Because staff know children so well, they are attuned to the signs that a child may be becoming overwhelmed. They take swift yet sensitive steps to reduce anxiety for children. For example, when children show signs of tiredness, they sit quietly in an open space with their one-to-one carer.

They watch bubbles and focus on their breathing.The scheme provides children with wonderful opportunities to understand about the community. For example, children enjoy a visit from a fire truck.

They develop their awareness of how people help us as they sit in the truck and explore the tools. Children connect this to their play, making siren noises as they use the toy emergency vehicles. Expertly planned community-based trips broadly extend children's experiences.

For instance, they visit a trampoline park and swimming pool.Parents' contributions are highly valued. The manager forges strong and respectful relationships from the point of admission.

Detailed enrolment forms and a taster day to meet their one-to-one carers further develop partnerships and secure relationships. Parents say that they feel fortunate to have a space at the scheme. They value the experiences it provides for their children.

Parents comment that they would be lost without the scheme and their children simply would not have a summer without it. They feel thankful for the respite it provides, with the reassurance that their children are safe, secure and most of all, happy.The inspirational manager leads with incredible passion and drive to provide life-transforming experiences for children and their families.

Planning and organisation is scrupulous. Feedback and reflection is used extensively to drive continuous improvements. For example, daily debriefing sessions reflect on the day and inform any changes to the following day.

The manager has created a highly inclusive environment for staff and volunteers. Information and policies are available in easy access format and training is accessible for all. The manager takes the time to speak to community members during trips.

This helps to develop an understanding of children with autism.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders have ensured an incredibly strong safeguarding culture.

Staff have an exceptional understanding of a range of abuse types and the indicators that may cause concern. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of how to protect children with special educational needs and/or disabilities from harm. This includes helping non-verbal children share their concerns using social stories and anxiety body maps.

Staff demonstrate a thorough understanding of how to distinguish between self-inflicted injuries and those that may have been intentionally caused. There are robust procedures in place for the safe recruitment of staff. Leaders carry out detailed checks for staff, including references and suitability checks.

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