W.A.S.P.S. (Wheathampstead Afterschool Playscheme) After School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children enjoy the time they spend in the after-school and holiday club. They embrace the activities planned by the caring and friendly staff and create their own games with their friends using the wide range of resources available.

For example, children create a savings bank out of hollow wooden blocks. They collect leaves to use as currency, which they use to pay for rides in a large cart.Older children are very supportive towards their younger club members, acting as positive role models by demonstrating traits, such as kindness.

Children's good behaviour contributes to the relaxed atmosphere. Any minor disputes are qui...ckly resolved by the children themselves, or through gentle reminders from staff. This helps younger children develop the skills they need to regulate their emotions.

Children vote for the film they would like to watch as a group, helping to strengthen their experiences of democracy.Young children welcome adults to join their games. Staff encourage children to explore new ideas by expanding their games further.

For example, after they have made a very long chain from large links, staff help children to compare their height with their friends by measuring themselves against the chain. More children quickly gather to join in the experiment.

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

Since the last inspection, the management committee and manager have worked hard to make significant improvements.

For example, committee members now have a far greater understanding of their roles as employers and leaders. They have a clear understanding of the statutory requirements that leaders and staff must follow, helping to hold the manager and staff to account. This helps to strengthen the quality of the provision.

The manager and staff have established good links between the club and the schools that children attend. The manager gathers information from teachers to help identify what children in the early years already know and understand. Staff use this information to help support children's progress while they play.

Staff interact very well with children. They skillfully judge when to join in children's play and explorations and when to let them negotiate, explore and develop their own thoughts and ideas on their own and with friends. This contributes to the harmonious atmosphere and positive relationships children have with their friends and staff in the club.

The manager holds regular team meetings and discussions with staff. This helps her identify when staff need to refresh and expand the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary for their roles. Staff are motivated to continually develop their professional curiosity by completing online courses.

Members of staff who also work in schools share new information they gain in their additional roles with the team, helping to strengthen knowledge even more.Children feel they are valued in the club. Staff thank children when they volunteer to wash the cups after snack time.

Children are keen to help to give out lunch boxes and to tidy away toys when necessary. Children say they enjoy attending the holiday scheme and after-school club. They report that they like to choose what they do.

Children say they love to run and play in the garden.Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They work closely with parents to help ensure appropriate care and communication are consistently provided, helping children feel secure in the club.

When parents arrive to drop off or collect their children, staff talk to them about what children have been doing, levels of tiredness or any other important information that needs to be shared.Children enjoy the themes and activities staff plan for them. For example, they concentrate while they learn to make different stitches during a sewing activity.

Other children make their own patterns and designs while they make mosaic tiles using small squares. Younger children continue this idea while they create repeating patterns on a peg board. This contributes to the high levels of engagement that are evident throughout the day.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and her staff have a clear understanding of their roles to safeguard children. Staff know how to identify, record and report any concerns they may have about children's welfare.

Those with lead responsibility for safeguarding maintain close relationships with designated safeguarding leads in the schools that club members attend. This helps to ensure key information needed to keep children safe from harm is appropriately shared when necessary. As a result, children's well-being is effectively supported.

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