Redbourn After School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children come into the club happily and settle to their chosen activity.

Staff greet the children with a smile. They understand the needs of children well and make sure that they all have something that they like to do. For example, children can return to a painting that they started in a previous session, to refine it further.

Staff give children plenty of praise and encouragement for their achievements. This helps to raise children's self-esteem and confidence and children behave well towards their friends and staff. They share resources amicably.

For example, they patiently wait for their turn on the games cons...ole and know how long they can spend on the game at each turn. Staff are patient and kind role models for children, who learn from their good example. Children discuss what they like doing at the club.

They talk about taking part in junk modelling and other craft activities and they enjoy sitting with their friends at snack time. All children know where to put their things as they have a bag in which to store their school bags and other equipment. This helps them to independently gather their things when it is time to leave.

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

The manager of the club has a good oversight of her staff team and of the needs of children who attend her setting. She makes sure that all staff attend core training and understand their roles and responsibilities. Staff have regular supervision meetings with the manager, who in turn is well supported by the committee chairperson.

This means that any emerging issues are quickly identified and managed. Staff comment that they feel well supported and know they can raise any issues with the manager. This helps them to share information to promote children's safety and well-being.

Staff have a good awareness of children's emotional needs and make sure that they feel safe to share their feelings. Children are able to sit in a comfortable chair where they can talk to a staff member about any issues they have had at school. Staff take time to listen to children and promote their emotional well-being.

Minor behavioural issues are dealt with quickly. All children understand what is expected of them as staff encourage them to develop boundaries for the club. Children discuss the rules of the club and have opportunities to amend them or suggest new rules.

Relationships with parents are strong. Parents express how happy they are with the care their children receive. They appreciate the time that staff members take to talk to them about their child's day.

Staff make sure that they gather relevant information from children's teachers so that they can tell parents about their child's full school day. There is a good system in place to make sure that staff know about any issues children have had at school. This helps them to give children any support they need.

Children enjoy their time in the after-school club and have built strong relationships with each other.Staff help children to learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, children can explain how they evacuate the club in the case of an emergency.

They know the sound of the alarm and how to line up to walk outside. They take care when using tools such as scissors, to make sure that they manage resources safely. Older children help the younger ones.

For example, they help younger children to design and make masks and praise their efforts.Children have plenty of opportunities to paint and construct as they explore creative activities. Younger children play with dolls and other toys and act out their own ideas and stories.

All children have opportunities for physical play as they kick balls and play team games outside. Children enjoy sharing their experiences with staff and their friends. For example, they talk about a balloon that was in a tree near school and other children share that they saw this too.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders and managers have a suitable awareness of signs and symptoms of potential abuse and neglect. They understand broader safeguarding matters, such as how to help children be safe while using the internet, and signs of potentially extreme behaviours.

They know how and when to report concerns they may have to relevant agencies. Staff attend regular training to underpin their knowledge and have opportunities to discuss any developing concerns they may have with the manager. Staff understand how to refer any issues they may have with the behaviour of adults towards children, in order to promote children's safety.

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