Little Owl Childcare Limited

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children thoroughly enjoy their time in this inclusive and well organised out-of-school club. They are warmly greeted at the end of their school day by knowledgeable staff.

Children engage in the wide range of activities available to them. There is something for every child to enjoy. A designated area allows children to make a start on their homework, supported by staff.

Some children settle in a cosy reading area, and others role play in the home-corner kitchen. Children are creative, as they make 'dough' bird feeders. They mix the ingredients together and laugh with each other as their hands are sticky with dough.
...r/>Children show high levels of concentration and well-being at activities that meet their individual needs and interests. Children's behaviour is good. Children and staff decide on the rules for the out-of-school club.

Older children enjoy the extra responsibilities they are given. For example, they act as the referee in a throwing competition. Staff involve children in assessing and managing risks.

Children are encouraged to consider potential risks and what actions they can take to keep themselves and each other safe. For example, when a ball lands under a stack of equipment, they discuss how they can retrieve the ball safely. As a result, children are independent and responsible individuals

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

Managers and staff know the children well.

They follow children's lead in their chosen activity and join in with their play. For example, when children read books, staff sit alongside them and ask them questions about the story. They encourage children to predict what will happen next.

This means that children are involved in activities and enjoy their time at the out-of-school club.Staff communicate well with children. Throughout the session, children talk with staff about their day at school and initiate conversations about other topics.

At the beginning of the session, staff tell children what activities are available. They sensitively explain why the planned forest-school inspired session is cancelled. They also explore the impact that the parents' evening, which is taking place at the host school, may have on their session.

As a result, children's expectations are managed well.Children have lots of opportunities for physical play. They have access to a woodland area, where they spend time in nature and explore the natural world.

Even in the indoor environment, children take part in physical games. They take careful aim to throw their ball in to the hoops and cheer as they score points. Children are enjoying being physically active.

Staff support children to develop some healthy habits. Children regularly wash their hands between snack and mealtimes. They are developing their independence as they butter their own wraps at teatime.

They use the tongs provided to fill their wraps with a selection of healthy fillings. However, during registration, all children are offered a biscuit. After eating their biscuit, they are then offered fruit.

As children are eager to go and play, most children choose not to have a piece of fruit. Those who do have fruit eat it quickly so that they can join their friends who are playing. Therefore, opportunities to support children to make healthy choices are sometimes missed.

Managers and staff have a strong partnership with the host school. They meet regularly to discuss important information about the children they care for, such as children's welfare and behaviour. This enables them to share key information to ensure the continuity of care for vulnerable children and children with special educational needs and/ or disabilities.

The provider and the manager are inspirational leaders. They gather the views of children, parents, teachers and staff to continually strive for improvement. Managers and staff work together to identify training opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge.

Regular supervisions, observations and team meetings provide opportunities to evaluate the impact of staff training for children. As a result, managers and staff work extremely well together as an effective, professional team.Parents and carers speak highly of the out-of-school club.

They are complimentary about the range of activities on offer, including science clubs, forest-school inspired sessions, and opportunities to play sports. They feel that the staff genuinely care about and love what they do, and they create a 'lovely environment' for the children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff have a thorough understanding of safeguarding and are alert to signs that could indicate a child is at risk of harm. Staff receive regular safeguarding training and are aware of safeguarding issues, such as how children can be exposed to extreme or radical views. All staff are clear about procedures to follow if an allegation is made against a staff member or if they have concerns about the welfare of a child.

Managers ensure that staff are suitable to work with children, and they have strong systems in place to ensure that children are only collected by authorised individuals. Staff carry out thorough risk assessments to ensure that children play in a safe environment. Children are learning how to assess and manage risks, which supports them to keep themselves safe.

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