Bayston Hill After School & Holiday Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Staff provide excellent support to each unique child that attends the club. Staff know children very well. Key persons play an active role in the lives of families.

This is through the day-to-day care they provide to their key children, as well as supporting and providing advice to parents. The care provided to children is very good. Staff work closely with staff from the host school to share information about children's needs.

Staff give a high priority to children's emotional well-being. For instance, they provide mindfulness activities and staff give children opportunities to talk about their own experiences and home li...ves through quality interactions. Children thoroughly enjoy the varied range of activities on offer.

They are curious, show high levels of engagement and have vivid imaginations. Staff clearly understand their roles and responsibilities, and they foster children's play well. For example, they join in refereeing a football match, encourage children to dress-up as different professions and play card games with children.

Children's behaviour is good. Staff give children gentle reminders of the club rules and behaviour expectations, when needed. Children have good relationships with each other and play games together, both in a team and in pairs.

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

The provider of the club is also the manager. She organises the club environment, activities and routines to help to give children opportunities to build on their experiences from school. Children have access to the school computer programs and staff give them time to complete homework.

There is a daily opportunity for children to play outside, where they can continue their learning from school, including about nature.The promotion of keeping children safe online is a key strength in this club. Children have opportunities to utilise their knowledge and skills they have learned in school and at the club.

Children can describe how to protect themselves from potential risks to them online, such as grooming. Staff reinforce further messages to the children about how to keep safe when using technology devices, for example, through the posters displayed in the environment.The manager has developed practice since the last inspection.

She has considered how to include the views of children more in the planning of activities and in her evaluation of the club. Staff provide opportunities for children to vote on decisions in the club. This also helps children to become aware of democracy and its value in modern Britain.

An experienced provider leads the club. She provides excellent support to her staff. This helps challenge long-serving staff to broaden their knowledge and skills through professional development.

Less-experienced staff describe positively how the provider has coached them to become more confident, such as in managing minor conflicts with children positively. Staff report positive well-being that the provider supports well.Staff provide activities to help children to understand about the importance of equality and diversity.

This includes supporting children's non-gender stereotype views and play, and promoting an understanding that all children belong in the club. Staff value the customs and traditions of individual children and their families. The provider recognises there is scope to build on the experiences provided to help children to understand further the similarities and differences between their own community and the communities of others.

Staff support children's healthy lifestyles well. There are nutritional snacks provided for children. The daily routines enable children to go outside and participate in games or use equipment, such as skipping ropes that help them to take exercise.

The provider also enhances the provision of exercise during the holiday club through specialist activities, such as dance lessons.The provider encourages staff to utilise their knowledge and skills gained from professional development to provide varied activities, such as activities on how to look after the planet. There are plans to develop this further through the adoption of an allotment patch in the grounds of the host school.

This extends children's experience of how to care for the natural world.Ongoing COVID-19 risk assessments mean parents currently do not enter the club to collect their children. Despite this, staff work hard to help to ensure parents understand the experiences that their children have in the club.

They also share relevant information that is displayed in the club with parents via a secure social media page. Parents talk very highly of the information that staff provide to them about their children's experiences.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The provider is the safeguarding lead for the club and she understands her duties very well. She liaises closely with the designated safeguarding lead and deputies from the host school. This helps to ensure she has the required information to keep children safe in the club and offer the appropriate help to families.

Staff are alert to identify possible abuse and neglect of children, including peer-on-peer abuse. The provider manages safeguarding effectively, including the recruitment of staff to help to check their suitability. Staff are very clear on the procedures to follow should they have a concern about any other person working in the club.

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