S4A Group Ltd @ Lace Hill

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Staff are aware that children need time to rest and unwind after school. As a result, children are able to take part in games and activities at their own pace. Staff offer gentle encouragement and know children well enough to ensure their needs are met effectively.

Overall, activities and games at the club are interesting for children and they enjoy taking part. Outdoors, children show how they can adapt their play using their own ideas. For example, when playing hopscotch, they practise hopping and jumping in different ways, jumping only on odd or even numbers and coloured squares.

Staff ensure that children at the club a...re safe. Children behave in ways that help keep themselves safe, for example, when sliding down a fire fighter pole, they try different ways to do this safely. Staff encourage ample opportunities for children to be physically active.

Team games are a regular activity that brings children together. Children of all ages take part in games, such as dodgeball. They gain enjoyment from competing against each other and show a strong desire to win.

Equally, children show good sportsmanship, they are gracious in defeat and are motivated to keep trying. Staff recognise and praise this. Children are keen to learn new things.

They show interest in making daisy chains from flowers and watch intently, learning how to do this. Their interest and motivation to learn new things is evident as they talk with excitement about linking flowers together by their stems.

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

Staff are good role models for children and show them respect.

In return, children are respectful and kind towards staff and each other. Children arrive after their school day and settle quickly at the club. Staff greet them and show warm and welcoming relationships.

Children's behaviour is consistently good. Staff follow the same general rules as the school, so these are known and understood. Children show that they know what is expected from them, for example they line up before playing outdoors and know that they must not play on the large outdoor equipment.

They understand that the rules are there to help to keep them safe.Staff understand about supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They undertake training and support children well.

This helps to ensure that all children are welcome and included at the club.Children enjoy taking part in planned activities. For example, during the inspection, children carried out experiments to see which liquid cleaned coins most effectively.

This activity engaged children's interest and curiosity. Together, they guessed what might happen and used trial and error to add salt, fizzy drinks and vinegar to their bowls to watch what happened to their coin. Children spent considerable time investigating as the activity was exciting and interesting for them.

Some activities are less well planned than others. For example, some resources for children to play with are not well maintained and this affects children's enjoyment. At the drawing table, some pencils are blunt and felt tip pens do not work.

Some dolls have no clothing for children to practise dressing them and expanding on their imaginative play.Children show confidence at the club and good awareness of each other. They are sympathetic to other's feelings.

Children know what they are good at and talk with confidence about what they do well, such as playing on the gymnastics bar. Their ability to recognise their strengths shows they are developing positive self-esteem and self-awareness.Staff share some information with parents via the company website.

However, staff do not communicate some information effectively with parents to help them to understand about club activities, what children eat for snack and how staff register children electronically to help alleviate any misunderstandings.Staff who work at the club say that they enjoy their work and plan for their career progression. They feel they receive good support from senior staff and have regular training.

Providers have a good oversight of the club and ensure that it runs smoothly.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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