The Downley After School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children arrive enthusiastically at this out-of-school club and they are warmly greeted by staff, who welcome them in.

Children's confidence is built from supportive staff, who reassure them. As children settle in, they choose a place to sit to wait for their friends to join them before the manager takes the register. Staff create a friendly, inclusive environment, where children feel safe and cared for.

Staff make adaptations to meet the needs of individual children, to help them settle and enjoy their time at the club. Key persons ensure young children feel understood and cared for. As a result, all children, including t...hose with special educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from their time spent at the club.

Children enjoy developing their physical skills, with gentle support from staff. They kick balls to staff and each other, climb and balance on outdoor play equipment, and enjoy riding bikes as they chase each other around the play area. Children of all ages work in harmony together to construct a building out of large wooden blocks and planks.

Older children support younger children to access the area as they carefully climb over the obstacles. Staff are mindful of children's emotional needs and take care to inform them of any changes at club, such as visitors. They take time to listen to and answer children's questions, taking an interest in what children have to say.

Children contribute their ideas for activities and are very much involved in what happens at the club.

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

The manager gives regular feedback to staff to support the improvement in their work. Staff promote good relationships and robust information sharing with parents and carers from the start.

Parents report that their children enjoy coming to the club, and they welcome the information they receive about their children's day. Links with the local school, which is based on the same site, are very effective. Communication between the school is strong.

This supports a shared approach for children's all-round development.Staff, including those who have recently joined, are knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities to support and protect children. The provider and the manager offer a broad range of training, so that staff can continuously improve their knowledge and practice.

For example, they encourage and facilitate staff to complete relevant formal qualifications. Staff are engaged and interested and report that they enjoy their work at the club. They feel able to share any concerns they may have and state that they feel supported and valued.

Children have great fun as they roll and squeeze dough and decide what they need to add when the mixture is too sticky, such as more flour. They enjoy the club activities provided. For example, they develop their creative skills and concentrate well, following written and picture instructions to make their own play dough.

Generally, children are busy and positively engage in activities during the session. However, there are periods of time when children wait to move on to the next activity and are not engaged in play. At times, they are not offered alternative resources or activities to keep them fully occupied.

Staff promote children's self-care skills and some aspects of their independence. When children arrive at the club, they are encouraged to put their belongings away tidily and follow good hygiene routines, such as washing their hands before having their snack. However, at times, staff complete tasks for children they could manage themselves.

Staff serve children their snacks, for instance, instead of encouraging children's independence. This does not consistently enhance their skills for the future.Staff support children's language and communication skills well.

They engage in conversations with children and listen to their views and opinions. For example, children spontaneously tell staff and visitors about their day. Staff ask children thought-provoking questions and give them time to think and respond.

This helps children become confident communicators and further develops their social skills.The manager and her dedicated team have clear aims for the club. They endeavour to provide a safe space for children to play and have fun, so they want to attend.

The manager says they aim to provide an environment for children where they can develop life skills, such as learning what is appropriate behaviour, being confident and being tolerant of others.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Staff receive safeguarding training and have a good knowledge of child protection issues.

They understand their responsibilities regarding child protection. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child's welfare. The provider and manager implement robust recruitment and induction procedures to ensure staff are suitable to work with children.

Ongoing suitability checks are part of a robust approach to keeping children safe. Staff carry out risk assessments to identify and remove any hazards, so it is safe for children to play. They supervise children well.

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