Olivers Lodge - Colchester

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children thoroughly enjoy their time in the club. They happily leave their classrooms with the staff member who collects them.

Children chat with each other and staff as they walk to the main hall. They engage in activities that staff provide, based on their interests and what they have been learning about in school. Children build meaningful relationships with each other.

They eagerly share stories about their day with their friends and visitors to the club.The staff are positive role models and are respectful to the children. This leads to the children being kind and caring towards their friends and the staff.

C...hildren know what is expected of them and are well behaved. On occasions, when children need to be reminded about the rules, the reasons behind them are explained. This ensures the children understand why the rules are in place and learn how to self-regulate their behaviour.

Staff are sensitive to children's individual needs and spend time supporting children who need a little longer than others to settle when they first start. Older children show concern for these children and try to reassure them and encourage them to join in.

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

Children sit together at mealtimes and staff use this time to have meaningful conversations with them.

The staff are interested in the children and want to get to know them better. They encourage the children to discuss the hobbies they enjoy. This prompts other children to ask their peers questions to gain more information and leads them to share their knowledge and experiences.

The children listen to each other respectfully and follow the rules of conversation, for example, they do not talk over or interrupt each other. The style of questioning that staff use is natural and they adapt their ways of communicating to suit the ages of the children. This helps children to develop their communication and language skills.

The children display positive attitudes to their learning and participate fully in the activities on offer. During free play, a group of children choose to complete their homework or sit quietly reading their school books. Activities are planned so that they are suitable for children of all ages.

During group activities, the children work together and communicate their ideas effectively. Staff support the younger children to share their ideas and encourage the older children to respect their views. The children are aware of the similarities and differences between themselves.

They proudly tell their friends about their nationalities and the languages they speak.Parents report on their experiences at the club positively. They speak of the friendly and approachable staff and the good communication they receive from them.

Parents state that their children enjoy their time at the club. They feel the children settled well when they began attending due to the support from the staff, which was tailored to their needs. Partnerships with the host school are strong.

The staff have a positive relationship with the teachers. They speak to them when they collect children from classrooms so they have information about the children's time at school and any additional support they may need to provide.The staff team works collaboratively and communicate effectively with each other.

Staff receive ongoing support from the manager in the form of regular staff meetings and supervision meetings. The manager uses these opportunities to discuss with staff any training needs they have or any support they require. Staff are offered frequent training and development opportunities.

Staff are fully aware of their responsibilities regarding keeping children safe. They ensure the indoor and outdoor areas are safe and secure before the children access them. Staff assess risks continually and act accordingly throughout the session.

Changes have been implemented recently to ensure the premises are secure and procedures are in place to prevent children leaving unnoticed.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff team understand their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe.

They know the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child's well-being. They know how to report concerns to an appropriate professional. There is a robust recruitment and induction procedure in place.

Staff complete regular safeguarding training to keep their knowledge up to date. Safeguarding is discussed during supervisions and at staff meetings. Staff are aware of safeguarding issues such as female genital mutilation and county lines.

Also at this postcode