PH Camps - Kimpton

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children enjoy coming to this camp where staff encourage them to be physically active.

They enjoy a range of sports and interesting games and spend a lot of time outside, benefiting from the fresh air. Staff fully understand the ethos of school holiday care. They are enthusiastic and welcoming and offer children fun activities that support the formal learning children receive elsewhere.

Children feel safe and secure as staff work hard to get to know their likes and personalities in a short space of time. Staff ensure that children are given choices about what they would like to do, and this includes construction alongside ...art and craft activities. Staff have high expectations and are good role models.

They demonstrate respect for others as they listen to the children and each other. As a result, the children are well behaved and older children willingly help younger children, for instance with art and craft activities. The camp environment is safe and secure.

Staff are very vigilant and supervise children effectively. They have a good understanding of keeping children safe. For example, they undertake regular head counts to ensure all children are accounted for.

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

Children's physical development is promoted very well. They spend the majority of the day being active and playing outside. Staff introduce fun group games, such as 'gladiator' and 'capture the flag', where children learn to work as part of a team.

Children cheer for their team mates and shout encouragement as their friends run to get past opposing players.Children participate in fun, challenging art and craft activities, such as making wooden spoon bat puppets and papier mâché pumpkin baskets. However, staff do not always plan these activities as well as they could to help children know what is expected of them and to ensure younger and/or less able children are given the full support they need.

Staff plan introductory routines, such as ice-breaker sessions, to help children feel welcome, settled and secure at the camp. A friendly ethos is strongly promoted by staff, and children of all ages come together to form friendships early on. Children develop positive attitudes to each other, and staff encourage an inclusive approach where everyone is treated equally.

Staff feel well supported in their roles. They attend regular training and are encouraged to suggest opportunities for their own professional development. For example, some staff recently requested basic sign language training to help interact with children who may struggle with verbal communication.

Children are encouraged to develop healthy lifestyles. For example, staff talk to them about the fruit and other nutritious food they have brought for snack. Staff are vigilant in checking that the food children bring does not impact on any allergies children may have.

Consistent routines, such as encouraging children to wash their hands before handling food, help them to adopt good hygiene practices.Staff interactions with children are warm and positive. They give children lots of praise and encouragement for their efforts and achievements.

This helps to build their confidence and self-esteem. For example, when some of the youngest children manage to write their own names, the manager responds with 'wow' and 'well done, that's amazing'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff attend regular training which benefits their practice, such as on child protection and wider safeguarding issues. Staff have a good knowledge of all aspects of safeguarding, including the procedures to follow to protect children's welfare. The provider implements safer recruitment procedures to help ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

The provider is developing on-site staff observations and regular appraisals to ensure that staff's ongoing suitability is monitored. Staff undertake effective risk assessments. For example, they deploy themselves well to ensure children are closely supervised outside and conduct regular head counts when children move from one area to another.

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