Wickwar Out Of School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children enjoy their time at the club and enter cheerfully.

They are eager to explore the interesting activities and experiences staff plan for them. Staff know the children well and focus closely on children's interests and ages. Children complete puzzles, play games and enjoy drawing and creating things at the craft table.

They have good relationships with staff and chat happily with them. Staff show a genuine interest in the children and what they have to say. Parents comment positively on the club and particularly the staff team.

They say that staff are caring and enthusiastic and they thoughtfully support chi...ldren.Children are well involved in club life. They take care of their belongings, storing these suitably when they come in from school and keeping them tidy, returning their water bottles and coats to their pegs during the session.

They tidy up their snack items and help clean the tables. Staff review processes, implementing new ways to support children, such as a buddy helper system. Children are proud to take on this role.

Children develop their sense of responsibility and independence well.

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

Children spend considerable periods engaged and happy in their exploration outside. They enjoy planting flowers and seeds with staff.

They play imaginatively with their friends, making mixes and creating scenarios with toy dinosaurs. Younger children challenge their skills well as they explore using equipment such as a spinning seat and show good balance and physical skills.Staff are attentive to children's health and care needs and ensure that children are content and their well-being remains high while at the club.

Children follow good hygiene practices. Staff ensure that children are provided with a healthy snack. They have strong processes in place to support any children with food allergies and medical needs.

Children enjoy the social snack time at the beginning of the session, chatting with their friends happily.Staff promote close partnership working. They share information with parents regularly, through messages, newsletters and daily discussions.

There are good links with the host school. Staff ensure that information is shared to help provide consistency for children, including children whose needs and circumstances require additional support.The club's sessions flow well, with children enjoying the freedom to move between the indoor and outdoor environments.

Staff have been working hard to enhance the outdoor community space they use by adding different activity areas, such as the popular outdoor play kitchen. They have also obtained grants to provide a covered space outside and children love using the shelter, particularly on wet weather days.Children behave well at the club.

Staff are kind, respectful and polite role models. They patiently explain and remind children about boundaries in place for their safety and help them consider the needs of the other children. Children share and work together on tasks.

They listen respectfully and change their behaviour, such as moving from playing in the doorway so that others can get past.The manager and business manager lead the practice of the club well. There have recently been some changes to the administration staff, which have affected the organisation of the club's paperwork and some minor aspects of their management systems.

These weaknesses have not affected the practice at the club, however. The manager and business manager are aware of the enhancements needed and are working to implement these.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager works with the business manager to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. She leads induction and supervision processes and supports staff to complete appropriate training. She works closely with the committee to ensure that safeguarding procedures and all policies are kept updated and implemented.

She oversees the deployment of staff so that they can supervise volunteers or newer staff and so that children are kept safe and get the support they need. Staff have a strong knowledge of child protection. They know what to do if they are worried about a child's welfare, including reporting any concerns about staff at the club.