Mary Swanwick Out of School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children happily arrive at the end of the school day after staff collect them from their classrooms. They complete familiar routines, such as putting their bags away, and sit down to discuss the activities available. Staff encourage children to ask for specific activities to develop their confidence in following their own ideas for learning.

They excitedly speak about their favourite activities, such as playing games together. The club provides a wide range of activities and use children's interests to plan these. There are opportunities for children to complete quieter tasks, such as mark making.

If they prefer, they can ...access activities to develop their physical skills on the school playground, such as ball games or a large climbing frame and slide.Children behave well and are polite to each other. They share, take turns and help each other in activities.

Children form strong friendships and mix well with children of different ages. They hold meaningful conversations, respectfully listen and comment on their friend's ideas and opinions. Children build on the social skills that they are developing at school.

Staff have well-established methods to support children's understanding of staying safe. For example, staff place fences on the playground to show children how far away they can go.

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

The staff team know the children well and are clear about how they intend to support children's learning at school.

They gather information about children's individual needs and interests from parents and teachers. Staff then plan activities to ensure children have fun, socialise and are physically active.Staff listen to children and value their views.

They interact with children throughout the session to promote their communication and language skills. Children relish the opportunity to play games with staff. For example, they ask each other questions to guess a word as they play hangman.

Staff talk to them about letter names and explain which are vowels.Children make independent choices about what activities excite them. Staff encourage children to play cooperatively together at their chosen activities.

Children laugh and giggle as they help to fit the train track together. They take turns with their friends to drive the train and use their imagination to put roads and shops next to the train track. However, staff do not always enable children to solve their own problems.

For example, staff suggest how children can complete the train track without enabling them to think for themselves.Staff promote children's independence and self-care skills well. For example, children take off their own shoes before climbing into the sand pit.

Children decide whether they play inside or outdoors. They enjoy a lot of time outdoors and benefit from actively playing with their friends in the outdoor role-play area. They make each other cups of tea and sit sociably at the table, pretending to have a tea party.

Each young child has their own key person to help promote their emotional well-being. The key person knows each child well and recognises when a quieter child needs sensitively guiding to explore activities available at the club. Staff build very positive relationships will all children to help promote their well-being.

The children are well behaved. They listen to staff and follow instructions very well. When children say please and thank you they are praised for using good manners.

Children respect the environment and tidy up themselves. They clear the table after having a sociable snack together. Children enjoy trying water melon that they had previously requested.

Staff build good working relationships with the school and parents. Effective systems of communication mean that parents can see information about what their child has been doing in the club. Parents are very happy with the service provided and feel that the staff are friendly and approachable.

The well-being and professional development of staff are important to the provider. Staff receive a thorough induction and complete mandatory training, including safeguarding. Regular supervisions and appraisals enable further training opportunities to be identified and accessed.

Staff work well as a team to support each other.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff team demonstrate a good awareness of their safeguarding responsibilities.

They can confidently discuss the signs and symptoms that might indicate that children are at risk of harm. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the safeguarding procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child, or the conduct of a colleague. Staff effectively risk assess the indoor and outdoor environments to keep children safe.

Children are supervised well by staff when they are at the club. Staff deploy themselves effectively in the areas children use. They take an attendance register daily, so they know how many children they are caring for at one time.

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