St James The Great After School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children settle very quickly and keenly find activities they enjoy. The youngest children are assigned a key person so that they can be supervised closely.

Children who have English as an additional language are allocated a 'buddy' to help promote their home language and to celebrate their uniqueness. Children build very positive relationships with staff. When they first arrive, children very enthusiastically greet staff with a 'high five' and politely say 'good afternoon'.

Children show very positive behaviour. They are extremely motivated and keen to join in and have lots of fun. This shows that children feel safe and th...ey are emotionally secure.

Children eagerly participate in a wide range of activities and experiences. Staff have very high expectations for all children. Older children keenly learn new skills, such as table tennis.

They successfully develop excellent techniques and compete in out-of-school table tennis competitions. Younger children play imaginatively, such as when they dress up and pretend to be a vet. Parents comment very highly of the out-of-school club, experiences provided and the staff team.

They welcome online activities provided during the national lockdown, such as bingo and quizzes. This helped children to keep in touch with each other and to help settle on their return.

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

Children have many opportunities to help promote their good health and physical exercise.

For example, outdoors, children enthusiastically play ball games and skilfully jump over a skipping rope. They actively climb fixed climbing apparatus and learn how to safely ride bicycles and scooters on a large sports field. Children are physically active.

Children enjoy a light tea, such as pitta bread, chicken and salad. Younger children drink plenty of water to help keep them hydrated and develop healthy habits. However, older children choose from a range of flavoured drinks.

Staff value children's views. Children eagerly choose from a variety of healthy snacks to help promote their confidence and independence.Interactions between staff and children are consistently good.

Staff confidently encourage children to share their thoughts and ideas. Children excitedly talk about trips to Jamaica, Spain and Lithuania to visit grandparents. Staff respond keenly and enthusiastically to children.

They are very good role models and eagerly join children in their play.Equality and diversity is promoted very well. Staff provide many opportunities to celebrate children's backgrounds, similarities and differences.

For example, children learn about Polish Donut Day and Chinese New Year. Children sing happy birthday and eagerly blow out candles to celebrate birthdays. This helps children to value diversity and to develop a positive sense of self.

Staff keenly encourage children to join in and have fun. Children very enthusiastically play table tennis, use walkie talkies to excitedly talk to their friends and hide in tents. Staff consistently praise children for their efforts to help promote their sense of achievement.

Children demonstrate consistently good behaviour and enjoyment.Self-evaluation is of high priority. Daily conversations with staff help the manager share her vision and to value staff's views.

They successfully identify strengths and areas for development. The manager effectively monitors staff performance and to ensure all activities are safe for children.The manager prioritises children's safety.

She liaises closely with teaching staff at the school children also attend and parents to help promote children's care and safety. Suitability of staff and safe recruitment helps ensure all staff are suitable to work with children. Staff access training, such as paediatric first aid and safeguarding.

Nevertheless, staff to not regularly access other training to help update and develop their skills to further support their continuous professional development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff team access a range of safeguarding training to keep their safeguarding knowledge updated.

They have sound knowledge of the correct procedure to raise their concerns about a child's safety, such as to Croydon local authority and the school designated safeguarding lead. The manager and staff know what to do if they suspect a child is at risk of harm or abuse, such as county lines and gangs, and female genital mutilation. Four members of staff hold paediatric first-aid qualifications so that a first aider can respond quickly in an emergency.

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