Smiles Childcare Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children greet staff with huge smiles when they are collected from school, and they eagerly talk about their day. They form secure bonds with the staff working at the out-of-school club.

Staff get to know each child well and value their ideas and feedback. Children talk to staff about what activities they would like to do at the club. Older children write ideas down on a whiteboard, which staff use to plan for future experiences.

Children behave very well. They are kind and caring towards their peers. For instance, older children offer support and read stories to younger children.

As a result, children develop lov...ely friendships with one another. Children have lots of fun at the out-of-school club and are very happy and settled. They are independent and confidently choose and serve their own snacks upon arrival.

The environment is inviting and well organised. Staff encourage children to select toys and resources freely. Children imaginatively use cardboard boxes and other craft resources to construct their own 'winter garden'.

They enjoy working together in small groups and socialise well. However, at times, the noise levels increase. This makes it difficult for children to concentrate and engage more deeply in their play and conversations.

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

Staff plan activities to allow children to revisit and build upon previous learning. Children display high levels of self-control and persevere to solve problems, even when they face challenges. They celebrate their achievements as they finish building a model 'football pitch' after a number of weeks.

Staff are sensitive to children's needs, which promotes their emotional well-being effectively. They spend time with them and find out about their family life, care needs and interests. In turn, children thrive with the help of the positive interactions of the warm and caring staff.

Children are keen to join in and are proud of their achievements. They extend their own learning after independently making play dough. They add glitter and food colouring and talk about how the dough has changed, before using shape cutters to make patterns.

Managers are committed and passionate about what they do. Self-evaluation is in place and managers work together to evaluate the quality of practice at the club. They are aware of the strengths of the provision and seek the views of parents and children to see if there are any improvements they could make.

Since opening, they have developed the environment so that children can both relax and continue their learning after school. However, there is scope to review the organisation of activities and consider ways to reduce the level of noise, to further promote children's concentration and engagement in play.Staff support children's understanding of how to make healthy eating choices well.

They provide children with a healthy diet and ensure that water is accessible during sessions. Children benefit from regular physical activity and fresh air in the outdoor environment at the club.Staff have high expectations of children and assign them small tasks to do.

As a result, children follow instructions well. For example, they hand out plates to other children at snack time. This helps children to gain a sense of responsibility.

Staff are well supported in their roles and morale is high. Managers are planning to nurture staff's well-being further by giving them access to counselling services. Staff receive targeted support through a good use of supervisions and regular meetings.

They evaluate their performance with managers, set targets for the future and discuss any training needs. However, managers have not fully explored ways for staff to share their expertise with others, to help elevate the quality of practice throughout the club to the highest possible level.Partnership working is strong.

Staff at the out-of-school club have developed a positive relationship with staff at the host school. They communicate regularly to promote continuity in children's care and learning. Parents are really happy with the service provided.

They comment that staff are 'lovely', children have 'great fun' attending and the range of activities provided are 'brilliant'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The provider has a robust recruitment and vetting procedure, which helps to ensure that staff are suitable to care for children.

Staff supervise children well. They deploy themselves effectively during sessions to provide children with the support they need. Staff complete robust risk assessments and remove any identified hazards.

This helps to provide a safe environment for children to play. Managers and staff have a secure understanding of the out-of-school club's safeguarding procedures and understand their role in acting on any concerns. They attend regular training updates and know where to report any concerns about children's safety or welfare.

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