Spring Gardens Out Of School Club Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

The provision is good

Children are happy and confident at this friendly and welcoming setting.

They are excited to take part in the range of interesting and challenging activities on offer. Children form close bonds with staff, who are gentle, sensitive and kind. There is strong support for children's personal, social and emotional development.

Children register themselves when they arrive at the setting as part of an established morning routine. This helps to provide children with a sense of security, ownership and belonging. Staff praise and encourage children as they learn and play.

This helps to promote their confidence and sel...f-esteem. Staff provide good support to children to help increase their independence. Children hang up their coats and bags themselves when they arrive.

They choose which toys or resources they would like to play with next. Staff help children to manage their feelings and behaviour. They use sand timers to help children to understand how to take turns as they play with their favourite toy cars and trains.

Children play imaginatively together as they pretend to be doctors and shopkeepers. They wait patiently for their turn to fill bird feeders as part of an activity in the enclosed garden.

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

Staff have a good understanding of how children develop and the milestones they reach.

They plan activities which they know will interest and challenge the children in their care. Staff support children's learning well by modelling skills and providing clear instructions.Children enjoy good opportunities for exercise and fresh air.

They stretch and climb on equipment outside. Children balance carefully as they walk sideways along beams and make pathways with wooden blocks.Children build strength in their fingers and hands as they make marks with chalks and crayons.

They develop flexibility and coordination as they paint with water and brushes.Staff provide strong support for children's communication and language skills. They introduce descriptive words, such as 'crunchy, soft' and 'smooth', as children fill containers with seeds, cereal and nuts.

They repeat children's words back to them, so that they know they have been understood.Staff weave support for children's mathematical skills through everyday play and activities. For example, children count the number of ice creams they pretend to make and share.

They discuss with staff whether the containers they choose to make musical instruments out of are 'big' or 'small'.Children learn about life outside the setting, such as through nature and listening walks. They take part in trips to museums, nature reserves and the local library.

Children benefit from visiting a local farm, where they have opportunities to pet horses and collect eggs from chickens.Staff have experience of caring for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They attend meetings and provide reports to other professionals involved with children.

Staff have built strong relationships with the adjacent school where children also attend.Parents speak highly of the setting and staff. They praise the staff, who they say are 'helpful, positive and approachable'.

Parents praise the good systems in place for communication and the range of activities on offer. However, senior staff recognise that there is scope to gather more detailed information from parents, to plan more effective support for children when they start at the setting.Overall, staff reflect well on experiences for children and their families at the setting.

However, senior staff recognise there are opportunities to strengthen the processes for gathering parent's views, to help to plan future improvements at the setting.The deputy manager provides strong support to her staff team, who keep their skills and knowledge up to date. All staff work together well as a team.

They are dedicated to their work and committed to providing a good service for the children in their care.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The deputy manager and staff show a good awareness of their roles and responsibilities relating to safeguarding.

Staff know what might give them a concern about a child and the procedure to take to help keep them safe. Staff complete safeguarding training to keep their knowledge up to date. They have a strong awareness of how to teach children to keep themselves safe and healthy.

Staff promote good hygiene routines, such as regular handwashing. They teach children how to sit safely on chairs and the importance of tidying away their toys, so that they do not trip.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: gather more detailed information from parents when children start at the setting, to support children's learning more effectively strengthen the processes for gathering parents' views, to help to plan future improvements at the setting.