Tiddlywinks Out Of School Club (TOOSC)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children bubble with enthusiasm as they arrive for their afternoon at the club, having been brought safely from their classrooms by the club staff. They are spoilt for choice by the vast array of activities available to them.

They thoroughly enjoy mixing potions from gloop and foam, creating forts, painting watercolours and building robots with craft materials. At other times, they enjoy an energetic game of dodgeball outside. Activities change on a regular basis, ensuring that children always have opportunity to experience something new.

Children say that the club is 'magnificent!'.Older children are considerate of the yo...unger children at the club. They talk with genuine pride about how they help younger children settle in when they first start attending.

Younger children are confident and happy in the club. During the inspection, younger children invited older children to come and play with them and help them out. Staff know the children well, and are adept at ensuring positive behaviours in the club.

Children have created the 'golden rules' of behaviour to follow at the club. This sense of ownership contributes to their courteous conduct towards others.

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

Staff at the club know the importance of complementing children's learning at school.

They obtain information from the host school about children's next steps each half term. This is used to great effect as activities and resources are planned to help consolidate children's learning. For example, children are supported in their counting.

Staff also help children to develop their confidence to play with larger groups of children.Staff continually seek the views of children and parents on how to make improvements at the club. This helps to ensure that children always have things to do which interest them.

They also communicate with parents through a half termly newsletter, which keeps parents up to date on forthcoming events.Leaders have exceptionally high standards and are always reflecting on how to further enhance the standards at the club. This has resulted in staff undertaking training on how to support children's positive behaviour and how to encourage boys to be more considerate of others.

Children are provided with a healthy variety of food. They get to choose from lots of fresh fruit such as apples, oranges, pears, and fresh salad. Snack time is a great opportunity for children to show their independence.

Children know to wash their hands before eating, serve themselves and spread margarine on their own crackers. However, while drinking water and juice, that is freely available, the youngest children cannot get this for themselves because the jugs are too large and heavy for them to pour. That said, staff are attentive to children's needs and make sure that children get as much to drink as they need.

Staff help children to learn about the wider world. They are active partners in children's play, talking to them about the seasons and the changes they see around them. Children are keen to find out about far-flung places and the animals that inhabit them, including the Antarctic.

Staff plan and set up activities to follow this interest. Children enjoy confidently sharing new facts, such as it being a desert, and that penguins live there but polar bears do not.Parents are complimentary about how caring and nurturing the staff are and say that the club is a relaxed environment.

This is echoed by the children who say the 'staff are fantastic superstars' and that 'everyone is kind'.Children get to take part in fun and interesting activities all the time. For example, children make their own play dough using flour, water, oil and food colouring.

Younger children learn to measure, follow instructions, be patient, experience new textures and develop the muscles in their hands as they mix the dough.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.Leaders ensure that all staff complete their training in relation to safeguarding.

Staff are confident in their knowledge of the types of abuse and indicators that would cause them concern about a child. The club has a comprehensive safeguarding and child protection policy for staff to refer to. It clearly sets out key contacts should staff need to refer any concerns they have.

Staff share information with parents and children about the 'Prevent' duty, and have age-appropriate conversations with the children on this subject. Strong partnerships with the host school means that staff at the club are aware of any ongoing safeguarding concerns relating to the children they look after. This means that they can put any necessary measures in place to keep children safe.

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