The Play Stop

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements The club closed a couple of times due to COVID-19. Initially, on reopening, children stayed in small groups to help prevent any cross contamination. They adapted well to this change.

However, children are pleased that they are now only separated into two groups, infant and junior children, because they enjoy socialising with children of different ages. Parents comment that their children are keen to attend. Children choose what they would like to play with and whether to play indoors or outdoors.

Children have an active role in the club. They take responsibility for tasks, such as setting up the club, which helps to increa...se their levels of confidence and self-esteem. Children form secure relationships with staff and demonstrate that they feel happy, safe and secure at this club.

They help to make the club rules and agree their code of conduct. They behave well and speak respectfully with each other and staff. They are encouraged to talk about and respect the viewpoints of others.

Children are confident communicators. They talk to each other and staff while playing cooperatively. This helps them to build good speaking, listening and social skills.

Children draw, write and enjoy craft activities. For example, at the inspection, they cut and glued materials to make cards for Valentine's Day and for Easter. Staff help children to spell words as they write messages in their cards.

This enables children to refine their literacy skills.

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

When they first start, children are paired with an older child as a buddy. The buddy supports children to become familiar with routines and to find places, such as the toy cupboard, toilets and where to place their belongings.

This support helps children to settle quickly and builds their confidence.Staff work closely with parents to identify and understand children's needs before they start at the club. They hold meetings with parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

This helps them to gather information known by parents and other professionals working with them. They discuss and agree any special requirements or adjustments that may be needed to support a child.Parents spoken with at the inspection provide positive feedback.

Information is exchanged with parents at the door as they collect their children or by phone and email. Parents are provided with a club telephone number that they can phone and send text messages in and out of hours. Parents can ask to read the policy file on site or request a copy of a policy by email.

Where individual arrangements are made for managing children's behaviour, these are discussed and agreed with parents and made known to all staff. This helps to provide consistency and support for children with SEND.Children's physical health is well promoted.

Children use a range of sports equipment and engage in a variety of physical activities, such as playing football in the ball area, running on a track and balancing on tyres.Children practise good hand hygiene and talk about how to keep safe, including on the internet. Newsletters are sent to parents by email and include links to information on topics, including mental health, oral hygiene, and how to keep safe in the sun.

This helps to keep everyone involved with children informed about safe practices.Children make decisions about the club. Activities that they have chosen are set out for them, such as modelling clay and table tennis equipment.

Children show their club display board and explain that they chose the theme of spring and how they each made parts of the display.Children's views are gathered on a range of aspects. For example, older children survey younger children to gather ideas for the snack menu.

Children are asked about their favourite fruit, vegetable and snack and what they do not like to eat. This information is used to alter the three-week menu to meet children's needs. Following a recent survey, watermelon has been added to the menu.

Leaders observe staff practice and meet with them regularly to provide feedback on their performance. They are beginning to link training more closely to the needs of staff and the club to strengthen staff practice.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Suitable recruitment and vetting procedures help to check the suitability of staff. All staff know the signs that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. They understand how to identify and report concerns.

Fire risk assessments are completed regularly, and evacuations practised and evaluated. Children learn how to identify hazards and are involved in conducting risk assessments. Older children help younger children to check boundaries and identify and record any concerns on a hazard sheet.

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