The Extra Club @ Wiggles

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are very settled and confident in this club. They have secure relationships with familiar staff, who support them in their play. When children first start at the club, they are gradually settled.

Staff get to know their interests and ensure that their favourite activities are available to help them settle. Children know about new routines and boundaries in place, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and they confidently follow these well. Parents are not currently able to enter the premises, however, staff exchange information when children are collected at the door.

Children have fun and are fully engaged in the activit...ies. Staff are quick to notice any child who stands on the outskirts of play and they draw them into the fun. Children learn to play corporately, share, take turns and begin to understand the rules of games through play.

Young children also learn about number sequence as they play card games. Children's creativity and imaginations are encouraged very well. They build dens from boxes and blankets and make paper laptops, spirals and snowflakes from paper.

Young children also practise their handwriting as they write their names on their drawings.Children experiment with light and dark outdoors. They explore technology as they use handheld and head torches in dark dens.

Children behave very well, for example they talk about sharing and taking turns with the torches and discuss whose turn it is next. Staff use lots of praise and encouragement for children's achievements, which boosts children's self-esteem.

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

Staff provide a wide range of interesting and challenging activities for children based on children's interests.

There is a very good range of resources that children can easily access in each of the playrooms. Children are encouraged to be independent and make choices, which boosts their self-esteem and confidence.Children learn about healthy lifestyles effectively through routines and activities.

They learn about the importance of handwashing at specific times of day, such as before meals. Hand gel is placed around the playrooms to prevent the spread of infection. Hand washing facilities are good, however, the paper towel holders in bathrooms are too high for the younger children to reach to enable them to complete hygiene routines.

Children begin to understand about healthy food choices at mealtimes. A light tea is offered to the children after school. Children help themselves to a selection of hot and cold food, which includes fruit and vegetables.

Mealtimes are a social occasion where children sit in small groups and chat about their day in school. This helps build relationships.Children take manageable risks as they play on the challenging climbing equipment indoors and outdoors.

This boosts children's self-esteem and confidence in their own abilities.Children have good opportunities to play outdoors in the fresh air and run off excess energy after school. The club has recently acquired permission to play in a car park adjacent to the club when it is not in use.

This provides an area for ball games, such as football, to develop children's skills further.The management and staff constantly review and evaluate their practice to make changes that benefit the children. Children's views are taken into consideration effectively and influence the activities and menus.

The management team are currently developing parent questionnaires as a means of gathering the views of all parents.The majority of staff are experienced and well qualified. Management support them to continue their professional development through regular supervision and training courses.

This benefits the well-being of children. Recent training has included play activities and first-aid training, which has also been offered to parents to further enhance the safety of children.Partnerships with parents are sound.

Parents make positive comments about the care of their children. They have access to a website of information and receive regular updates via email and verbal conversations with staff. The staff liaise well with the local schools, that children attend, to promote the ongoing care of the children.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Management and staff have a clear knowledge of their responsibilities to protect children from harm. They continuously update their knowledge through training and discussions.

Staff are highly aware of providing a safe and secure environment for children's play and risks are minimised. Reporting procedures, such as accident records, are maintained effectively. Robust procedures are in place to take children to and from school.

There are good recruitment and vetting procedures in place to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. The manager ensures ratios are adhered to through a well-deployed staff team, who supervise the children effectively. Consequently, children are kept safe.