Marlow After School Club @ St Peters

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are safe and secure at the club. They quickly put away their bags and coats when they arrive and happily settle to their favourite activity with friends. Younger children talk and play with older children.

Children understand the clear rules and routines. Staff encourage them to understand risks and think about what hazards there might be. For example, when children run and jump onto large pillows.

Staff know children well and provide activities to meet children's individual needs. Children independently choose from a range of activities, planned to match their interests and abilities. For example, children spend ...time cutting out and making animal cushions.

They choose their own materials and sew features, such as eyes and mouths. Children are eager to show their finished creations and staff share their enthusiasm. This helps to support children's good self-esteem.

Children gain a clear understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles. They enjoy physical play, playing football, and running around the large field. However, during the darker winter months, opportunities to play outside are more limited.

Children have various opportunities to be creative. They particularly enjoy drawing and talk confidently about the pictures they have drawn.

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

The provider and club staff show a commitment to the continued improvement of the setting.

They regularly reflect on their practice and the service that is being provided. Parents and children give feedback, and staff encourage children to be involved in making decisions. The provider ensures that robust recruitment procedures and training opportunities are in place to ensure all staff are suitable to work with children.

Staff have supervision and appraisal meetings, to discuss their practice and ways in which to engage children even more in their play. They say how much they feel supported in their role.Partnerships with the on-site school are strong.

Staff communicate regularly with teachers at the school they collect children from. They establish positive partnerships with them and share ideas. For instance, staff plan activities that support learning from school, such as activities around festivals and celebrations.

Staff have effective relationships with parents, who are very happy with the club. Parents say how much their children enjoy attending the club. Staff build and maintain positive relationships with parents.

They communicate with them daily. For example, they pass on any information to parents about their child's time at the club and information from school. Staff share what children have enjoyed at the club when parents collect them at the end of each day.

This helps keep parents fully involved and informed about their child's day.Children are happy, confident and say that they thoroughly enjoy their time at the club. Staff establish positive relationships with children.

They get to know their likes and dislikes well. Children take ownership during their time there. For example, children confidently make suggestions for future activities.

Staff implement these ideas and this helps children to feel valued and listened to.Staff engage with children, developing meaningful conversations and listening to their views and opinions. They use explanations and gentle reminders to help children manage their emotions and consider others.

This helps children to learn to behave well. Children are confident communicators. They enjoy one another's company as they take part in activities, such as games and crafts.

This helps children to build on their social skills.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The provider and staff place high importance on keeping children safe.

Good procedures are in place for dropping off and collecting children, to ensure their safety. Staff have a secure understanding of how to protect children from harm. They know the procedures to follow should they have concerns about a child's welfare.

Staff attend regular training, as well as meetings, to ensure that their safeguarding knowledge is kept up to date. A robust system is in place to ensure that children are only collected by authorised individuals. Staff regularly monitor and clean the play equipment to ensure it is safe for children to use.

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