The Brambles After School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are happy and settled in this after-school club. They spend long periods of time engaged in their play, exploring their ideas.

For example, when children talk about aliens crash landing in the school playground, staff follow their discussions, asking questions about what happened. This helps children to be creative and make up their own ideas.Staff greet children warmly and make children feel valued.

They plan a range of activities with children's needs and interests in mind. Staff consistently give their full attention to children and develop strong relationships with them. Parents say how happy they are when the...y see their children playing with staff as they arrive.

Staff recognise and celebrate dates and events that are important to children. For example, they make birthday cards and encourage the whole group to sing 'Happy Birthday' on children's birthdays. This helps children to learn about customs and develop a sense of community.

Staff embed rules and routines that support children to know what is expected of them. For example, when staff count backwards from five, children know to stop what they are doing to listen to their instructions. Children generally behave very well and staff address any minor issues quickly.

For example, they ask children to use quieter voices when noise levels increase and explain it is safer to sit down on a chair rather than kneel on it. Staff and children respect each other. Children demonstrate they feel safe as they play calmly.

They chat with each other or sing songs to themselves, feeling free to express themselves.

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

Children play together with friends of all ages. Where there are small disagreements, older children help younger children to solve problems.

For example, older children suggest saying the rhyme, 'Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe' to sort out who will be the grandma as they pretend to go shopping. Staff play alongside children in their pretend play, helping children to connect their thoughts. For example, they pretend to eat food that children have made and make suggestions about what they could have for dessert to extend the play.

Children join in play activities with expression in their voices, developing their language skills. Staff comment on how expensive the food is at the role-play shop and link this to the real world cost of living. Children play along with this and use even bigger numbers to create more drama.

Staff take time to teach children new skills as they play. For example, they show younger children how to cut with scissors correctly and allow them to practise this skill. They model techniques when playing games, so that children develop their physical skills and game tactics.

Staff prepare snacks for children that are varied and balanced. They choose foods with a low-sugar content and make sure that children have access to water throughout the session. Leaders train all staff to have a good understanding of any food allergies and medical conditions that children may have.

Leaders ensure that the after-school club is well organised. Staff state that they are happy working in the after-school club and feel well supported. They understand their roles and responsibilities and work together to ensure the smooth running of the session.

Staff at the after-school club communicate well with staff at the school they are located within. For example, they share information about safeguarding and any additional needs that children have.Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well.

Parents speak highly of staff and the way that all children are included in activities. They appreciate the good communication from staff at the end of each day.Children are confident communicators and speak eloquently to each other.

Staff engage children in long conversations. They introduce new words, such as 'rover', as they share non-fiction space books together. Children enjoy listening to staff read and also spend time looking at books quietly by themselves.

Staff do not always encourage children to be independent and take responsibility for the environment. For example, children leave resources without putting them away and, at mealtimes, children wait at tables to be served by staff. At the end of the session, staff collect children's belongings.

This means that children do not always learn that it is important to look after resources and their independence is not consistently promoted.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

Also at this postcode