The Village Kids Club @ Witham St Hughs

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children know the routine when they arrive at the club. They hang their coats and bags on pegs and sit with staff for registration, listening for their name to be called. Children tell visitors what they enjoy doing at the club.

For example, children say, 'I like to play with the doll's house.'Children persevere at tasks and show a great sense of achievement when they show off their creations. For example, when staff provide children with wool to thread through holes in paper, they give them plenty of time to complete the task.

When children achieve this, they stand tall, show staff what they have done and proudly say 'I d...id it.' Children play cooperatively with others. They are excited to make up their own games outdoors.

Children use numbers on the host school playground to create a number game. They make up their own rules and confidently explain these to other children who would like to join in. Children take turns to lead the game and happily work well together as a team.

Children develop an understanding of how they can keep themselves safe. For example, staff talk to them about the potential dangers when they use the internet, such as not to talk to strangers.

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

Staff attend regular meetings with the provider to help them to reflect on their practice.

They continue their professional development through a range of relevant training courses. This helps staff to support children emotionally. For example, when things changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and when circumstances change in their home life.

For instance, staff help children to understand their emotions, such as what makes them feel happy, sad, embarrassed or surprised. Children say that they are surprised when they get presents for their birthday.When new children start attending the club, they are allocated a key person.

This member of staff supports their individual needs. Staff find out about children's interests and use this knowledge to provide activities they know children enjoy. This helps children to settle quickly into staff's care.

Staff work well in partnership with school teachers from the host school. They find out about what children have been learning during their day at school. Staff use this information to complement children's experiences.

For example, when children follow a theme of under the sea at school, staff provide opportunities for children to play with toy sea creatures and water.Parents comment positively about their children's experiences in the club. They say that staff are helpful, supportive and know the children well.

Parents explain how their children look forward to coming to the club.Mealtimes are sociable occasions when children talk to their friends about their day at school and their interests. Staff provide healthy snacks and children make independent choices about what food they would like to eat.

However, staff do not always support children to understand the benefits of promoting oral hygiene.Staff are good role models for the children. They listen to children and praise their achievements.

Children help to develop the rules and boundaries in the club. Older children say that they need to be kind, to always have fun and to always stay happy. Children behave well, are polite and use good manners.

The manager and staff reflect on the service they provide for children. They listen to children's comments and make changes to improve the experiences they have at the club. For example, older children requested large cushions and these have been added to make a cosy area.

Children say that when they sit on these, it helps them to calm down.Children are creative and show a good imagination. For example, older children use construction toys that staff provide to build an aeroplane and boat.

When children play with small people figures, they use different voices to represent the individual characters.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff know how to identify the signs that may suggest a child is at risk of abuse or radicalisation.

They understand where to report concerns about children's safety. They are also aware of where to report concerns to that they might have about staff working with children. This helps to keep children safe.

Staff ensure that children are safe when they collect them from the host school. For instance, they arrange with school teachers to collect children slightly earlier than parents, to help avoid busy times in the school building and playground. This helps to ensure that children stay together in a group.