Quackers Out Of School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children clearly enjoy their time at the after-school club and parents tell the inspector how children are reluctant to leave the club. Children are happy and have strong social skills. They readily greet visitors and talk about their experiences at the club and at home.

One child made sure to tell the inspector, 'I love Quackers. I love the staff and that I can go outside lots and I get to eat really delicious snacks. I am always hungry'.

Children have adapted admirably to the changes which have impacted their club, following COVID-19 restrictions. For example, in line with the host school's policy, parents are not allowe...d on school premises. Therefore, staff phone and speak with parents on arrival and collection, or step outside to talk to parents if required.

Children show incredible resilience as they know they cannot mix outside their school bubbles. Staff have made adaptations to resources and procedures to keep children COVID-19 safe and explain this to children. For example, staff clearly explain to children how to use dough safely on reintroducing it to the after-school club.

Children are reminded how they need to sanitise their hands before and after use and how it needs to remain within their class bubble.Children are confident, happy and secure and have good relationships with staff and their friends. New children settle into the club well.

Staff pay close attention to their emotional needs, giving reassurance and talk to them about their new surroundings and environment. This helps children form positive and trusting relationships with staff.

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

Professional development is strong.

Staff say that they are very well supported. Newer members of staff value the support that they are given from other members of staff, as well as managers. Robust supervision procedures help to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children and have a strong understanding of their role.

Children form strong friendships and enjoy one another's company as they take part in activities, such as games, crafts and sports. This helps children to build on their social, physical and creative skills. Staff engage with children enthusiastically during meaningful conversations, listening to children's views and opinions.

Children are confident communicators. They behave well and feel safe and secure at the after-school club.Partnerships with parents are strong and highly effective.

Staff ensure that parents remain continually up to date about children's ongoing care. They use effective communication methods to share information with them about children's activities and achievements. Parents are extremely complimentary about the setting and the staff.

Staff work well with the host school that children attend, to support children with English as an additional language. They regularly share information to ensure they meet children's needs effectively.The leadership team and staff reflect on the provision to identify and build on good practice.

They actively seek the views of children and then use the resulting information to plan improvements. The manager reflects on the provision and staff's practice to identify further areas of improvement. For example, the manager recognises they can further improve the ways in which they capture the views of the parents, to plan for future improvements.

Staff have a good understanding of out-of-school care. They ensure that children can relax and socialise with their friends. They balance this well with opportunities for children to engage in stimulating activities that support their formal learning.

Partnership working with the host school is strong. This helps staff to have a better understanding of the needs of the children who attend. Staff exchange information and relay messages from teachers and parents to help with communication and consistency.

They also use what they find out to provide experiences for children which complement their learning experiences at school.Snack time has changed at the club, in line with COVID-19 requirements. Children are not able to prepare their own snack, with their chosen filling as they would have.

The leadership team recognise this restricts children's promotion of their independent skills. However, they still encourage this is in other ways throughout the club, such as children still making their snack choice selection and tidying away within their bubbles afterwards.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The leadership team and staff have a good understanding of their role to keep children safe. They are aware of the possible indicators that could suggest a child is at risk of harm and know the correct procedure to follow if they have any concerns. They have a good understanding of wider safeguarding matters, such as the 'Prevent' duty guidance.

The leadership team implements robust recruitment and vetting procedures. This helps to ensure that staff are suitable to work with the children. A thorough induction process ensures that new staff are aware of their role within the club.

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