Play 4 Ages Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements All children are happy, confident and settled.

They enjoy their time at the club and are excited to attend after school. They happily come into the club and greet staff warmly. Children are eager to join in with the activities that staff skilfully plan for them.

Children are confident to communicate their thoughts and ideas. For example, as they play with dinosaurs and fairies, they create their own narrative that they confidently share with their friends. They bring their fantasies alive as they play.

For instance, they use cardboard boxes to create their idea of a dinosaur cave. Children gain good social skills ...and develop meaningful friendships. All children behave well and are polite.

They follow the rules and know staff expectations. Children enjoy physical play. They include each other in a variety of team games, such as ping-pong and basketball.

Children gain a secure understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles. For instance, they independently follow good health and hygiene routines and learn about the importance of washing away germs. Children access fresh air and exercise daily, and understand the benefits of exercise.

Children have good opportunities to be creative. For example, they enjoy sewing activities to create pictures.

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

Staff establish positive relationships with children.

They get to know their individual personalities well. They know what individual children like and dislike. This enables them to plan experiences that they know will engage children in their play opportunities.

Children have a good sense of belonging and positive well-being and self-esteem. They enjoy their time at the club and take ownership during their time there. For example, they independently make choices in their own play and confidently request new resources and activities.

Staff are happy to listen to children and implement their ideas into the club plans.All staff establish positive relationships with parents and keep them fully informed. For instance, they share information about their child's day at the club and pass on any information from teachers about their time at school.

The managers and staff build and maintain positive partnerships with the teachers at the school where they run the club. They complement the activities taking place in school. For example, staff help children to prepare for their upcoming spelling test.

This helps staff to provide children with consistency between the club and their class experiences at the school.Managers and staff effectively evaluate their practice together. For instance, at the end of each day, they talk about how well they engaged children in their play experiences.

Staff use their findings to support their future activity plans. The managers highlight that they wish to further develop a cosy area where children can go to engage in quieter activities and relax.The managers closely monitor the quality of care and play opportunities that staff provide children.

They regularly observe staff as they interact and play with children. Managers provide staff with helpful advice to support their future performance. All staff complete regular training.

They are keen to keep up to date with new information and continue to build on their skills and knowledge. For example, they recently learned about how to support children's mental health and emotional well-being.Staff help children to have respect and understanding of other peoples' cultures and beliefs.

They learn about festivals celebrated from around the world, such as Diwali and traditional Mexican celebrations.Staff praise children's achievements, and in turn, the children challenge and praise each other with maturity. For example, they create races of who can complete a puzzle first.

Children are resilient and keep trying even when they do not succeed the first time. For instance, they continue to try and complete a cube challenge. They tell their friends with determination, 'I will do this'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.All staff, including the managers, have a secure knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and child protection policies. They know who to contact for advice and how to raise and follow up any potential concerns.

Staff complete detailed risk assessments to help keep children, parents and staff safe. This includes how to help minimise the risk of COVID-19 (coronavirus). Staff ensure that there is a thorough cleaning routine in place.

Children take an active role in risk assessments and know how to keep themselves and others safe. For example, they use challenging equipment, such as large climbing walls and firefighter poles with confidence and maturity. They are encouraged to think about how they will get down safely if they climb up to the top.

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