Kirkham St Michaels After School Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents

This provision is good • The manager and staff are committed to continued improvement. They strive 'to provide an environment that is safe and where children are happy and learn through play'.

Children are welcomed to express their views and ideas for future learning and these are swiftly incorporated into the club plans. This helps children to feel valued. • Key persons form a secure bond with each and every child.

Rigorous procedures, such as the collection of younger children from school classrooms, contribute towards ensuring that children are settled, assured and happy in their transition to the club. • The consistency of staff between the host school and the club h...elps to ensure that staff have a good knowledge of each child's learning and progress. Staff use this information well to plan a wide range of challenging and enjoyable activities that complement children's learning from school.

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the club. • Managers and leaders invest highly in their whole staff team. Creative opportunities, such as close mentoring, influential supervision meetings and customised training, are focused intently on helping staff to extend on their good knowledge and expertise.

• Partnerships with parents are good. Staff make time to share precise information with parents about their children's day. Parents are very complimentary about the club.

They comment that 'staff provide an inclusive environment where all children really matter'. • At times, staff do not organise and manage some play experiences precisely enough to prevent the few conflicts that arise during play. • Staff do not provide enough opportunities, particularly during the winter months, for children to exercise and release excess energy in line with their preferred play styles.

information about themselves, to talk about those who are special to them and to share

key facts about their wider world. Staff's continued positive praise helps to instil children with high levels of self-confidence. Staff readily involve children in meaningful tasks, such as clearing away and washing their dishes after snack.

This contributes towards the helpful attitudes that children adopt. Staff use effective methods, such as playing simple card games, to promote turn taking. They encourage children to begin to manage their own risks, such as when selecting and carrying additional resource boxes, to further enhance their play.

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