Poolside Manor Camp’s at St Mary’s CE Finchley

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children enjoy their time at this welcoming and well-run club.

They are happy and quickly settle into their chosen activities. Staff have positive relationships with the children and are sensitive and attentive to their individual needs, quickly identifying when some children need reassurance or emotional support. There is a strong focus on inclusion.

All children, including those with special educational needs, are welcome. Children take part in a broad variety of well-organised indoor and outdoor activities. They have plenty of opportunities to be physically active.

For example, younger children enjoy participat...ing in dance and movement sessions in the large hall, while older children enjoy challenging activities during a circus skills session. Children are given plenty of time and space to explore their own ideas and interests, and they make strong friendships. They are very kind, share and purposefully engage in their play.

Staff follow the interests of the children. For example, they join in with them in daily swimming lessons and happily bang drums to the rhythm in music and dance workshops. Children behave exceptionally well.

They understand the clear boundaries and high expectations that staff have of them. Staff provide healthy and nutritious snacks for the children to enjoy with their friends. Children show independence with their personal care and at mealtimes.

They demonstrate that they have a good time at the club.

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

Children concentrate and develop their own ways for doing things. Staff support children to keep on trying.

For example, they offer ideas and talk to children about colours and how to develop their own ideas further when they use felt-tip pens to decorate drawstring bags. Children proudly share their achievements with others.Children's emotional well-being is well supported.

Staff are effective key persons. They offer new children reassurance, encouragement and support. New children form friendships and quickly settle into club routines.

Children's transitions from school into the club are managed very well. Staff collect after-school club children from their classrooms. They complete risk assessments and ensure that children are supervised at all times.

Children know how to keep safe and adhere to the rules. For example, they know they are always accompanied to all areas within the school by members of staff.Staff build positive relationships with parents and use effective communication methods.

Staff find out what individual children already know and can do, to build on children's existing skills more effectively. They inform parents about what activities are on offer to their children weekly. This helps to ensure that children benefit from continuity in their care and learning.

Children have very good opportunities to develop friendships and build positive social skills. Children behave extremely well and enjoy spending time talking to each other. They are very confident as they talk about their activities with visitors.

Children seek out staff to show off their creations and interact with unfamiliar adults. Staff offer lots of praise and encouragement for their efforts. Staff are good role models.

There are lots of opportunities for children to gain fresh air and exercise. Children enjoy playing active games with staff inside and outdoors. Staff motivate children to join in with exercise in the fresh air and engage them well.

Children persist at more challenging activities, such as juggling balls during circus skills sessions, and swimming. They demonstrate good coordination and control as they move their bodies.Staff communicate effectively with school staff and other partnerships.

They gather important information about children's individual needs from school teachers regularly. In addition, they share detailed information with one-to-one support workers from outside agencies for children with varying emotional and physical needs. This helps them to recognise potential risks to children's health or emotional well-being and provide activities to complement children's learning in school.

Staff are deployed well so that children are supervised at all times. Staff intervene appropriately to keep children safe as they walk through the school and remind parents to sign the register when they collect their child. Staff understand the procedures to follow if someone they have not met before arrives to collect a child.

Staff attend required training and there are regular opportunities to discuss the opportunities they provide for children together when they prepare for activities in the club. Recent training has included sign language to help staff further enhance their communication with children.The manager and staff have high aspirations for the club.

They continually reflect on the effectiveness of their provision and set achievable targets. Their priorities are focused on children. For example, staff understand the importance of inclusion for all children.

For instance, they ensure staff are expertly trained to support all abilities of children to swim in the pool nearby.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff implement procedures effectively to help keep children safe and secure.

Staff are alert to the signs that may indicate a child is at risk of abuse. There are clear club procedures in place. Staff know how to respond to any concerns about children's welfare.

The provider understands her responsibility to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. She follows an effective system for employment and induction. There are arrangements to check the ongoing suitability of staff.

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