Benhilton Kids Zone

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children happily arrive at the after-school club and independently hang their coats on pegs and put their bags away. Staff create a welcoming and friendly environment and warmly greet the children and ask them about their day at school.

Children have a strong sense of belonging and are confident to talk about their school day, friends and family. They have developed strong relationships with staff and each other. Staff provide stimulating activities that capture children's interests.

Children are keen to take part in creative activities. For instance, they access paper plates, paints and pipe cleaners to create pumpkins fo...r Halloween. They work well together, sharing materials and discussing how they will create the pumpkin's eyes with the various materials that are provided.

Children are keen to share their creations with staff and the other children.Children have lots of opportunities to develop their physical skills as they can access the outdoor area daily. For example, younger children thoroughly enjoy building on their balance and coordination skills as they access the climbing frame.

Older children enjoy activities, such as hopscotch and swing ball. Children's behaviour is good. Staff work closely with children at the beginning of the school year to help create ground rules.

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

Children's literacy skills are promoted well as they have access to a well-resourced book corner and writing table. They use a range of writing materials to create marks and complete word searches and I-spy sheets.Staff interact well with children during activities.

They encourage children's language as they ask them open-ended questions to promote their thinking. For example, during a pumpkin activity, they were asked, 'What colours do we have to mix to make the colour orange.' Staff act as children's cheerleaders as they provide them with ample encouragement and praise.

This promotes children's self-esteem and helps them to concentrate and persevere at activities.Children are supported and encouraged to develop good levels of independence. They choose their own activities and take care of their own personal care needs.

For example, they eagerly help themselves to sweetcorn and soup to complement their pasta.Staff plan activities that enable children to use their imagination as they engage in small-world and role-play opportunities. Younger children access action figures, which they take on 'adventures'.

Older children use their imagination to create various models with stickle bricks.Staff support children to understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Children are aware they must wash their hands as they arrive at the club and before teatime.

Children have access to nutritious meals that cater to their individual dietary needs.Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff work closely with parents to help them in obtaining statements for their children's ongoing progress.

They work in collaboration with outside professionals as they share information about children's needs. This promotes positive outcomes for children.The manager and the staff have developed good partnerships with parents and the local schools they collect from.

They regularly exchange information about children's specific needs with the teachers and the staff. This helps to ensure that the children obtain consistency in their care, support and activities. Parents comment that staff are approachable and that their children love attending the setting.

The manager understands the importance of self-evaluation and seeks the views of the staff, the children and the parents. This supports her to identify plans to make improvements. For instance, after parents' comments about the timing of teatime, it was rescheduled to an earlier time.

This has improved arrangements for parents collecting their children.The manager supports the ongoing professional development of her staff effectively. Staff regularly receive ongoing support via supervision and team meetings.

The manager ensures that members of staff compete mandatory online training on food safety, first aid and fire safety. However, she has not considered broadening training opportunities to develop staff's practice to an even higher level.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The manager implements robust recruitment and induction procedures to check staff are suitable to work with children. Staff keep up to date with safeguarding issues by completing regular child protection training. They know their roles and responsibility to follow procedures and report any concerns when they are worried about a child's welfare.

Staff demonstrate they are familiar with the signs and symptoms that indicate that a child is at risk of radicalisation, physical abuse and neglect. The premises are safe and secure, and children's safety is given priority. For example, children wear high-visibility vests while on the school run and are taught how to cross roads safely.