The Big Adventure Club Greendown

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children arrive happy and excited to see staff and their friends at this holiday club.

The staff greet children warmly as they gather to hear the wide range of activities on offer. Staff encourage children to discuss what they want to do, and they listen to everyone's ideas, such as organising group games or choosing a film. Children are confident and eager to join in.

If any child is looking left out, staff very quickly and sensitively support them to join in. Children say that staff are fun and kind and help them to make new friends.Children enjoy the freedom to choose where and with who they would like to play.

...>They are physically active, for example, playing football or dancing in the disco room. There are quiet rooms, where children play board games, read, or watch a film. Staff make activities enjoyable, for instance, by providing popcorn at the 'cinema' or small prizes for the party games.

Children behave well. They follow staff's instructions, to help keep themselves and others safe, for example to walk not run to the bus, and when they are using the bouncy castle. Children play well together.

They share and take turns, and amicably agree the rules of a game. Older children are thoughtful with the younger ones, for example they admire and praise a younger child's drawing.

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

Children benefit from a wide and interesting range of activities and experiences.

For example, they work with specialist sports and street dance coaches, and enjoy meeting animals from a visiting farm. They play with visiting police community support officers, which helps build good relationships. Activities appeal to different ages, for example older children have fun playing table tennis, while younger children like to build with construction toys and role play.

Children enjoy playing with the enthusiastic and caring staff.Children enjoy a good range of healthy, nutritious food that staff prepare. They take account of children's dietary and medical needs.

They encourage children to help themselves to water and fresh fruit throughout the day. Staff give children clear messages about foods that are good for them. Staff encourage children to be active in diverse ways.

In addition to various sports, children have fun, for instance, on bouncy castles, and use technology to find 'geocaches' around the grounds.Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities extremely well. They tailor support to meet their individual needs.

For example, staff help children to communicate by using visual prompts. The directors are dedicated to making sure that the club welcomes all children, regardless of their background or abilities.Staff are positive role models for children, treating everyone with kindness and respect.

They have high expectations and are consistent with how they expect children to behave. Staff offer excellent support for children who have difficulty with this or who are experiencing strong emotions. Children find the sensory room helpful to calm down and to talk about how they are feeling.

Staff are highly alert to children's mental health. They recognise that all the children have experienced difficult times during the COVID-19 pandemic and may have challenging circumstances at home. They encourage children to see mental well-being as part of their overall good health.

For example, children make posters about healthy living and include doing things that make them happy. Staff know children and families well and do all they can to provide support. For example, they offer extra play sessions and provide food parcels.

Staff learned how to support bereaved children, after children lost members of their family to COVID-19.Staff communicate well with parents and keep them fully informed. For example, at the end of each day, staff share children's achievements with parents and the activities they have taken part in.

Parents say their children have fun and enjoy coming to the club.Staff have a comprehensive induction and refresher training at the start of each holiday period. This ensures they understand their role and responsibilities.

Staff say they feel supported by the directors, including support for their overall well-being. The management team regularly provide feedback to staff. They access training to help staff develop their practice further, such as on autism spectrum disorder, so they can support those children more effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders make children's safety and well-being their highest priority. It permeates all they do.

The directors follow safer recruitment procedures to ensure all staff are suitable to work with children. Staff update their knowledge of child protection and safeguarding regularly, including at the start of each holiday period. They explain confidently what they must do if they think a child may be risk of harm.

The directors collaborate with other professionals to help protect children. They encourage staff to whistle-blow if they have any concerns about practice at the club. Managers and staff robustly assess risks in the environment and act to minimise these and help keep children safe.

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