Playdays

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children enjoy a busy, safe and purposeful time at the club. They arrive eager to join in with the wide range of activities on offer.

Children confidently choose what they would like to do. For example, a group of children play in the sand and some choose to build towers with construction bricks. Children work together and happily chat to staff and each other about what they are doing.

Children have immense fun at this club. They have opportunities to develop their physical skills and coordination. An example of this is when they negotiate space and obstacles as they scoot around the playground on scooters.

Childr...en understand they need their sun hats to protect them when they play outside. During the school holidays, children experience a wealth of outdoor pursuits. The provider, who is a qualified outdoor pursuits instructor, offers activities, such as canoeing, archery, and rock scrambling.

Children excitedly talk about their previous experiences. They state, 'I love to go canoeing, I had never been before and was nervous but it was lots of fun and I've learned a new skill.' Children are well behaved and polite.

They are aware of what is expected of them and follow the club rules well. Children confidently engage with others, particularly those who are new to the club as they say, 'I would like to play with you.' Children have high levels of self-esteem, are self-assured, and develop respect for others.

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

Partnerships with parents are excellent, and parents speak highly of the club and the staff. Parents are informed about their children's time in the club and they know who to speak to if they have questions or concerns. They value the opportunities their children have, and comment 'I do not need childcare in the summer holidays, but they would rather come here than spend time at home as it is so much fun.'

The club is located on a school site. The provider explains how the club work closely with the school staff and share resources, such as the large outdoor area.Staff carefully consider the play environment to meet the needs of all children.

They provide children with a wide range of experiences. There are good opportunities to be outside and active, using shaded areas to protect children on a hot day. Staff provide quieter activities, such as jewellery making or completing jigsaw puzzles.

Children are able to choose what they want to do and confidently make decisions for themselves. Staff accommodate their preferences and ideas well.Information is collected about children before they start.

This enables staff to effectively support new children to become familiar with the club, which allows them to settle quickly. The key-person system for the early years children is well established and helps children to build a sense of belonging. Staff know the children well and support their individual needs, comforting them when needed.

The owner reflects on the club practice alongside managers, staff, children and parents. Together, they decide what improvements they would like to make to keep the club fun and exciting for children. For instance, the provider is keen to train more staff in outdoor pursuits, so children can be offered these experiences more regularly.

This helps staff to build on the knowledge and skills that they have.Staff benefit from regular meetings and ongoing supervision. This provides opportunities for them to discuss any issues and share good practice.

The provider has a good understanding of staff's professional development needs. Staff complete regular training, such as safeguarding, first aid, and food hygiene. Staff work well together.

They comment on how they feel supported by the provider.Risk assessments are completed regularly and, before accessing the outdoor area, gates are checked to ensure that they are secure. The staff deploy themselves very well.

They ensure children are always fully supervised. Children demonstrate awareness of how to make their whereabouts known. For example, they know they must seek permission from staff before going to the toilet.

These practices help to maintain a safe and secure environment to keep everyone safe.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff know the procedures to follow should they have any concerns about a child in their care or the professional conduct of a colleague.

They have good knowledge of the signs and symptoms of possible abuse and neglect. All staff attend mandatory safeguarding training and keep up to date with changes in legislation and policy. There are safe recruitment procedures in place to ensure the continued suitability of staff who work with the children.

Staff are deployed well to ensure good levels of supervision and support for all children. Staff are trained in paediatric first aid and keep this up to date. They record children's accidents and share these promptly with parents.

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