The Hartlip Holiday Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are happy, confident and settled at the club. They are excited to join in with the engaging play experiences staff plan for them.

For example, they are keen to join in a large team dodgeball game. Children have opportunities to express themselves through art. They use a wide range of materials to create a picture of their favourite thing about summer.

Children enjoy challenging activities, such as tie dying socks and t-shirts to create unique patterns. They play happily together and take turns and share with maturity. They are polite and behave well.

Children follow the club rules and know and understand ...what is expected of them. Children enjoy physical play. They include each other in a variety of team games, such as running, basketball and football.

Children explore different ways to move in regular activities, such as dance and gymnastics. They enjoy interesting opportunities that require them to have a level of responsibility to use equipment safely. For example, they take part in light boxing where they 'hit' the light targets as they appear on a board.

Children have opportunities to investigate and explore. They are enthusiastic to take part in regular simple science experiments. This includes using bicarbonate of soda to create 'erupting' volcanoes.

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

Staff establish positive relationships with children and get to know their individual personalities well, including their likes and dislikes. This enables staff to plan activities and play experiences that they know children will enjoy. Children are happy and confident during their time at the club.

Children are independent and choose their own play and complete their own tasks with confidence.All staff communicate well with parents and keep them fully informed. For example, at the end of each day staff share with parents what their children have enjoyed doing during their time at the club.

Parents speak highly of the staff and club, and feel that they are kept involved. For instance, they receive information about what the staff have planned for children at the club prior to them arriving so they can talk about them with their children.The manager and staff effectively evaluate their practice together.

For example, at the end of each day they discuss how well they engaged children in their play opportunities. Staff use their findings to support their planning of future activities to help keep children motivated. This includes considering how they can make activities even better.

The manager closely monitors the quality of care and play opportunities staff provide children. For example, she regularly observes staff as they interact and play with the children. The manager shares helpful advice and support with staff to build on their performance further.

The manager states that through discussions with staff and children they have identified that they wish to build on their resources and experiences even further. This includes supporting staff to improve their understanding on how to build further on children's interest in other counties and traditions from around the world.All staff are keen to keep up to date with new information and continue to build on their skills and knowledge.

They complete independent reading and research, and share their findings with each other, including new activity ideas. Staff attend regular training. For instance, they learned how to make the most out of equipment and resources in different ways to interest children in their play.

All staff encourage children to be confident to share their ideas. Staff ask children thought-provoking questions and give them time to think and then answer. Children are confident to communicate their ideas and feel listened too.

They play team games happily, that encourage them to listen too each other and share their ideas. This includes word games, like 'Scrabble' and active games, like 'Twister', where they have to follow instructions.Staff extend on children's ideas well.

For example, children enjoy modelling with a range of materials, such as cardboard tubes. They go on to make models on a larger scale with large materials, like large boxes. They complete friendly challenges to see who can build the biggest or tallest models.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and child protection. They know who to contact for advice and how to report any concerns that may arise.

Staff attend regular training to ensure their knowledge remains up to date. Staff complete detailed risk assessments to help keep children, parents and staff safe. This includes how to help minimise the risk of COVID-19 (coronavirus).

Staff ensure that there are thorough health and hygiene routines implemented to make sure that resources and equipment remain clean. Children know how to keep themselves and others safe. For example, when they climb trees, they think about how they will get back down safely.