School’s Out @ St Teresa’s

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Staff place children and their families at the heart of everything they do. Since the last inspection, carefully considered enhancements to practice mean that children's health and safety are promoted well.

Staff gather detailed information about children's unique needs, such as allergies, when they first start to attend. They know children extremely well and use this information to help ensure children's safety. Children arrive at the welcoming club and are eager to talk to staff about their day in school.

Staff greet children with enthusiasm and support them in engaging in a wide range of exciting activities. Children se...ttle quickly and follow their own interests. Children enjoy a range of arts and crafts activities.

For example, staff help them to thread string as they make foxes for the autumn display. Children enjoy playing ball games on the playground and take turns to be in the goal during a game of football. Older children play well with younger children and invite them to participate in their games.

Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children help to create the club rules and, consequently, understand the importance of sharing and taking turns. All children behave very well.

This helps to create a harmonious, fun and relaxing environment. Children remark that they enjoy attending the club and playing with their friends.

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

Leaders and managers are eager to offer a service of the highest quality.

They regularly consult with staff, children and parents when evaluating the quality of service they provide. Children's views are of paramount importance. The club council ensures that children's opinions are shared.

Children make decisions about the activities they would like to engage in when attending the club. This gives children a wonderful sense of belonging and ownership of the club.A successful key-person system is in place to support younger children.

Staff have a robust settling-in procedure and ensure that children quickly build a bond with a key member of staff. Information is regularly exchanged between staff in the club and teachers in the schools that children attend. This means that staff are aware of what children are learning in school.

They provide support for children to practise and refine their skills while attending the club. For example, children are supported to hear the individual sounds in words and attempt to form letters as they write cards.Children have access to a wide selection of activities they can choose from.

When children feel a little unsure of what to do in an activity, staff members intervene to provide further guidance and support. Staff ensure that all children have a friend to play with. The buddy system helps children to form close bonds with others.

When children have minor accidents and become unsettled, staff provide comfort and reassurance.Staff are eager to provide children with opportunities to engage in activities they otherwise may not have tried. For example, regular baking clubs are enjoyed by children, who plan and prepare their own snacks.

Children chatter as they follow instructions and use ingredients to make apple turnovers. They remark on how the cinnamon makes the turnover taste 'more spicy'. In addition, children also participate in gardening and sports clubs.

Opportunities such as these successfully broaden children's experiences.Children are provided with a range of healthy meals and snacks. Detailed information about any allergies that children may have is gathered and regularly updated, to help ensure that only food that it suitable for them is provided.

Children are supported to understand the benefits of a healthy diet. Water is available throughout the session to help to ensure that children remain hydrated.Parents speak very highly of the staff and the service they provide.

Parents are happy that their children attend the club. They say that their children often do not want to go home. Parents feel well informed by the communication they receive from staff.

They value the warm and friendly staff team, who they find helpful and approachable. Parents feel their children are safe and happy in the club.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The managers and staff have a good understanding of their responsibility to safeguard children. Staff undertake regular safeguarding training to ensure that their knowledge remains up to date. Staff can identify signs which suggest a child's welfare is at risk.

They know how to refer any concerns to the relevant authorities in order to keep children safe. A member of staff who holds a paediatric first-aid qualification is always on hand to ensure that any minor accidents are appropriately managed. Furthermore, enhanced training in the use of, for example, adrenaline auto-injectors, helps to ensure that staff know how to respond in more specific medical situations should the need arise.

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