St Clare’s After School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Transition to the club is seamless. Staff collect children from outside of their school classrooms and walk with them to the club.

This helps children to feel settled and assured. Staff take time to ask children about their day at school. They take a special interest in the events, such as 'Bishop's Fund Day', that children are eager to talk about.

This contributes towards the positive relationships that are formed between children and staff. Children know the club routines. They sanitise their hands on entry to the club and hang up their own coats and bags independently.

Children make healthy choices about the fo...ods they will eat for snack. They are clearly very happy and have a great deal of fun at this welcoming and inclusive club. Staff plan a broad range of play and learning experiences that complement children's learning from home and school.

Children use the wide range of available role-play resources to create a 'bakery'. They demonstrate their understanding of the role of a baker when pretending to make 'pancakes'. Children are sociable.

They sit at their class tables with their friends from school and engage in meaningful conversations. Children demonstrate that they feel safe at the club. They show confidence to speak to visitors who they are less familiar with.

Children build on their counting skills from school. For example, they quickly work out how many children are having milk to drink at snack time. Children are extremely thoughtful and considerate individuals.

They use phrases, such as 'excuse me', to respectfully gain the attention of others. Children compete fairly and in a friendly manner during games, such as table football. They demonstrate an increasing ability to take turns during play.

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

The innovative staff teach children new skills that they will remember and use throughout their lives. Children enjoy creating a pattern when designing items, such as a hand puppet, skirt and teddy bear. They measure materials accurately and persevere when attempting to sew these together to create a desired effect.

Children acquire life-long skills that aid their future development.Partnerships with parents are good. Staff make time to share information with parents about what children have been doing at the club.

Now that the COVID-19 restrictions have eased, staff are looking at safe ways to reintroduce parents in to the club, to help them to feel more involved. Parents comment very positively about the club and staff. They say that 'children love attending' and that 'staff are fantastic'.

The thoughtful staff encourage children to have a voice. Older children are keen to take on responsible roles, such as club committee members. They gather the views of younger children and show confidence to put forth their ideas, such as to introduce more exotic fruits at snack time.

This is swiftly acted upon by staff and helps all children to feel strongly valued.Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. They use effective prompts, such as 'hands up', to gain children's full attention.

Children are responsive and listen carefully to staff. They demonstrate an understanding of the rules in place. For example, at snack time, children are quick to discourage their friends from swinging on their chairs.

They gently explain the consequences that their actions could have. This helps to keep themselves and others safe.The whole staff team work together very well.

Staff make time each day to share their ideas and to discuss the safe and effective running of the club. The manager engages staff in some supervision sessions to monitor their ongoing performance. However, since the onset of the pandemic, these sessions have become more infrequent.

Furthermore, continued professional development is not yet highly focused, to help staff to build on their good practice.Children show interest in the good range of books that staff provide. They read to children with great enthusiasm and encourage them to identify and read words that they know children have learned in school.

Children listen to stories with increasing attention. They gladly take turns and willingly select books to read to staff. Children show confidence to sound out new words, to build on their early reading skills further.

Children express a sheer desire to play outside in the extensive outdoor areas each day. However, at times, staff do not fully facilitate this, to build on children's preferred play. That said, continued improvement plans are currently focusing on redeveloping the natural garden areas.

Staff intend to engage children in more hands-on experiences, such as planting vegetables, to build on their awareness of how things grow and change over time.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager promotes a culture of safeguarding across the club.

She ensures that all staff complete training in relation to safeguarding children. Staff have access to a wide array of safeguarding information within the club. They review regular safeguarding updates, to help to keep their knowledge up to date.

Staff are alert to the indicators of abuse. They have a good knowledge of the procedures to follow in the event of a child protection concern. The manager understands her role and responsibility to liaise with professionals from other settings that children attend, to help to promote children's care, safety and welfare.

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