Ultimate Activity Camps At Dean Close School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children enjoy their time at the camp. They separate from their parents with ease and are keen to enter and choose their activities, showing they feel safe and secure.

Staff welcome the children, introduce them to others and ask them their news. Staff listen and show interest in what children have to say about their family time at Easter. Children show they are comfortable with the friendly staff and willingly share their news and engage in conversations.

Children attend different schools and develop their social skills as they make friends with other children. They work together cooperatively, such as when building with c...onstruction bricks and sharing the pens when drawing their pictures. Staff organise a wide range of activities for the children that they show interest in and want to join in.

Children have plenty of opportunities for physical games, such as treasure hunts, arts and crafts activities and free choice. Children enjoy listening to stories and are keen to talk about what is happening in the pictures. They ask questions and other children contribute to the answers, showing they are confident speaking in group situations.

Children thoroughly enjoy joining in with outdoor games. They hunt for treasure and are keen to show staff the coloured cones they have found. In between the hunts, children play other games.

They transform from a rock into different animals, such as frogs, dinosaurs, and giraffes. They move their bodies in various ways and negotiate space well.

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

Staff report that they feel supported by the head office team, who visit the camp on a weekly basis.

They report that they receive feedback on their practice, and this helps them identify their strengths and areas for improvement. Staff say that they can seek advice from the head office team, such as for managing more challenging behaviour. They report that they have opportunities to develop their skills by working with different age groups, for example.

Children behave well overall, and any challenges are managed sensitively by staff. They help children learn right from wrong and to use their 'kind hands' and 'listening ears'. Staff help the children negotiate any minor disputes, make the right choices and praise children when they follow the rules, to support their self-esteem.

Children have lots of opportunities to develop their physical skills. They regularly participate in sports activities outside, such as football, mini tennis, dodge ball and go swimming in the pool every other day. Staff help children learn about the importance of exercise.

Children bring their own snacks and lunches to the camp and their water bottles. Snack time is a sociable occasion when staff sit with the children and chat to them. Staff remind children to take their bottles outside, so they can have regular drinks.

Children know they need to wash their hands prior to eating to 'wash off the germs'.Staff receive induction and training to help them understand their roles and responsibilities to keep children safe. They understand the safeguarding policies and procedures, including who to report child protection concerns to and they adhere to the mobile phone policy.

Staff follow the risk assessments for specific activities and help children learn about the need to follow the rules to help themselves stay safe.Partnerships with parents are positive. They report that their children enjoy coming to the camp and the activities provided.

Parents say that communication with staff is good and that they know what their children have done during the day. Staff work closely with parents to share information to meet children's specific individual needs.Children say that they like coming to the camp.

They report that they enjoy playing with their friends and particularly enjoy hopscotch and building with the construction materials.

Safeguarding

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

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