Paintbox After School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are safe and secure at this homely and good quality club.

As they arrive after a busy day in school, the air is filled with their chatter and with a buzz of excitement. The provider ensured that the club remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, to support children and their families. Routines have been adapted, such as parents not going into the setting as they usually would.

Children show resilience and take changes in their stride. An effective key-person system helps children to settle. Staff are good role models for children and build nurturing bonds with them.

Children have positive attitudes ...towards their play and engage well in their chosen activities. There are many opportunities for them to develop their creative skills at the craft table. Children use paintbrushes and felt tips to make artwork, such as detailed paintings of fields and sheep.

They follow their own ideas to draw a 'house', and then make this model using construction blocks. Children play with dolls and tell the inspector that 'they are not real, they are plastic'. Outdoors, children demonstrate excellent physical skills and coordination as they play football together and use skipping ropes.

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

Leaders explain their dedication to provide a 'secure and stimulating environment', where children can 'find happiness and safely develop their individual potential'. They identify ways to further improve, such as by enhancing the professional development of staff. Leaders include the views of children, parents, and staff in the self-evaluation of the club.

Staff provide children with experiences that complement their learning in school. For example, children practise their counting skills while playing hide and seek outdoors. They use bright colours to decorate pictures of fireworks, ready for Bonfire Night.

Staff support children to use tools, such as scissors, safely and successfully.Children learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others. For example, staff encourage children to use their home languages in the club, which helps them to feel included and valued.

Children teach others how to count in different languages. They learn about cultures and discuss the make-up of different families. This helps to prepare children for life in the diverse society in which they live.

Care routines are effective. Staff encourage children to challenge themselves through opportunities for physically active play. For example, many children choose to spend most of their time playing outdoors, and trips to the park are frequent.

Children eat a variety of healthy foods and pour their own water. Staff encourage them to be increasingly independent in their care needs, such as when putting on their own coats.Overall, children show good behaviour.

They are curious about visitors. For example, children approach the inspector and ask what his name is, and why he is there. They say that they like to 'play with friends and make new friends' while at the club.

Older children, sometimes, play with younger children to 'take care of them'. However, on occasion, some older children become overexcited, which sometimes disrupts younger children as they play.The club is an important part of the local community, and has been for many years.

Links with the school that children attend support children's continuity of care, during the settling-in period and throughout their time at the club. Parents cannot praise the club highly enough. They say that their children 'love it' and that their 'confidence has grown so much'.

Parents comment that the staff are very much 'part of the family' and are 'warm and nurturing'. Parents value the communication which keeps them well informed about their children's time at the club.Staff morale is high, and the team is long established.

Staff report that they work together very well in a close-knit team. They say that they have 'great joy' by coming to work. The well-being of staff is important to leaders, who provide staff with effective support, in and out of work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The premises are safe and secure. Legal ratios are adhered to, and staff are well deployed to supervise children effectively.

Ongoing risk assessments help leaders check that children are safe while at the club and during trips. Robust recruitment procedures ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff have up-to-date training in first aid and safeguarding.

They know how to keep children protected from harm. Staff understand what to do, should they have concerns about children's welfare or a colleague's conduct. They have a broad understanding of safeguarding issues, such as female genital mutilation and county lines.