The Phoenix Centre

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements The procedure for collecting children from school is clear and practical. Children greet the out-of-school club staff cheerfully and everyone knows what to do. Following the well-established routine helps staff to keep children safe.

For example, children line up in pairs, so that older children hold hands with younger ones. Then the group proceeds safely and sensibly along the route to the club. Managers and staff create a lively, purposeful atmosphere.

They encourage children to play freely within a structured environment. For example, children negotiate rules for role-play games. This involves them listening to each oth...er's ideas and agreeing how to progress the game together.

Children show that they feel secure.Parents and carers are pleased with how the staff help new children to settle in at the club. They say that children enjoy the varied activities and like to bring home the things that they have made at the arts and crafts table.

Staff involve children in making decisions. For example, children elect a 'pupil voice committee' that puts forward their ideas and views. This helps children to understand democracy and to undertake shared responsibility.

Children become confident, well-behaved members of the busy club.

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

Managers' vision for the club is clear and they communicate their intentions to staff effectively. Managers and staff bring their individual personalities and experiences together to form a caring, motivated team.

They work effectively to promote children's physical and emotional well-being. Children welcome the staff's friendly, supportive company.Managers make sure that staff understand their responsibility to protect children from abuse and neglect.

For example, staff meetings include discussions of safeguarding scenarios. This helps staff to feel ready to apply their knowledge in a timely way, if they feel that a child may be at risk of harm. Managers unfailingly follow well-established systems for vetting and inducting new staff.

This helps to protect children's welfare.Managers seek and welcome the views of parents and staff. Their evaluations and action planning help the team to continuously improve the club.

Managers update their assessments of risk in a responsive way. When they realised that the familiar school crossing patrol was no longer in place, managers revised and modified the route. This helped to ensure that staff and children travel to the club as safely as possible.

The pupil voice committee put forward children's suggestions for snack time food. Staff worked with them to consider whether the ideas were in line with the club's healthy eating policy. This exercise helped children to learn the importance of eating a varied, balanced diet.

Staff encourage children not to eat too much at snack time, because they will eat again later at home. Children, therefore, learn to eat enough but not too much.Staff help to reinforce and extend children's learning.

Children have fun playing snakes and ladders and this gives them practise in using numbers. Children take turns and this teaches them to follow rules. They experience winning and losing.

This helps children to recognise and manage their emotions. Children work cooperatively to use interlocking bricks to construct a tall, intricate building. The project involves talk, imagination and teamwork.

Staff know how to playfully spark children's ideas. Children are delighted to discover a toddler-sized teddy bear seated at the snack table. They look after him and make sure that he has enough to eat.

They involve him in their games. The introduction of the teddy bear promotes children's imagination and adds to their enjoyment.Staff take turns to plan and offer daily art and craft activities.

Children look forward to the opportunity to work quietly and thoughtfully. Staff provide sensitive guidance to help children to learn and develop new techniques. For example, children experiment with using forks to apply paint to paper.

They discover the interesting effects and textures that this creates.

Safeguarding

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