Pathways Holiday Playscheme Lady K

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are very happy to attend, and on arrival they quickly get involved in the activities available in this stimulating play environment.

They are confident, inquisitive, and extremely sociable. The highly qualified staff team use their extensive childcare and teaching knowledge to continually support children in practising the skills they are learning in pre-school nurseries and schools.Children attend different settings during term time.

Some children are pupils in the host school, and some attend other Pathways provisions. Some friendships are already well established, and several children happily develop new relati...onships during the school holiday period. Throughout play sessions, children join in, make friends, work independently and with each other.

Children readily respond to expectations and behave extremely well.Children independently manage their hygiene and personal needs and make choices and decisions about their play. Staff support children in making healthy choices around food and drinks.

Children are physically active outdoors every day. They play 'follow the leader' around the playground behind a staff member. While doing so they have fun as they copy different ways of moving, such as running, hopping and walking backwards.

Children play with a variety of resources that help them to practise their handling skills.

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

Staff ensure that they obtain information from parents about children's individual care and learning needs before the children attend the playscheme. They provide activities in accordance with children's interests.

Children show consideration for others. When the need arises, staff gently remind children that there are times when they need to take turns. Children are aware of simple rules, such as lining up ready to wash their hands before they eat their lunch.

Lunchtime is a social occasion when children hold conversations with staff and others sitting at their table. Pathways procedures ensure that staff are made aware of any dietary needs, so that they can make sure children do not eat any food that would do them harm. Staff discuss the content of children's packed lunches and ask them to choose the healthiest options first.

Children practise pencil control in a variety of ways. They talk with staff about their name cards inside lanyards. Staff suggest that children make their own.

They provide coloured card, scissors, crayons and ribbon. Children choose card in their favourite colour and cut out a square shape. They draw their faces and staff support children in linking letters to sounds as they write their names on the cards.

Staff then help children to fasten ribbon, so that they can hang the card around their necks.Children are creative, and they share their ideas with staff. They decide to build a house with small bricks.

Staff talk with them about the shape of their houses and what different houses look like. Children decide to draw a plan before beginning to build. Staff encourage them to draw the things that they want to put inside their house.

Staff inspire children's imagination. Children play with green play dough and a variety of herbs. They explore and talk about the smell of basil, rosemary, mint and chives.

Children follow the lead of a child who says that he wants to make an allotment. They cut the herbs into different lengths and press them into the dough. Children ask staff about planting seeds.

They know that in order for plants to grow, they need 'water and sunshine'.Children play with toy dinosaurs and use wooden blocks to erect enclosures for their toys. Staff effectively support children's mathematical learning.

Children count the number of blocks that they need and talk about ones that are smaller and taller and how they can make the blocks balance. Some children demonstrate that they can balance on one foot, like a dinosaur.Records, policies and procedures required for safe and efficient management of the provision and to ensure that the needs of all children are met, are well maintained and implemented.

An inclusive service is provided for all children.Parents share very positive views about the provision. They say that their children are very keen to attend each day.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The provider ensures that staff complete training to keep their child protection knowledge up to date. Staff are aware of the signs of abuse and neglect and know the internal and the local referral procedures to follow if they have a concern.

Staff make sure that the premises are secure, so that children cannot leave unsupervised and unwanted visitors cannot gain access. They identify and successfully minimise potential risks indoors and outdoors. The provider ensures staff's suitability through thorough recruitment and selection procedures.

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