Schools Out Cool Club

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children are happy and comfortable at the after-school club.

They know the routines well and they build secure relationships with the staff and other children at the club. Older children are helpful towards the younger children, and staff use a buddy system to support younger children to settle when they first start attending the club. Children demonstrate positive attitudes towards their play and learning.

They happily join in with the activities that staff provide and they encourage their friends to join in and play with them. Children spend time focusing on building models together; they talk about what they are making ...and praise their friends for what they have created.Staff provide a good range of resources and experiences for children, using what they know children are interested in.

Children are confident and independent at selecting their own activities. They settle quickly in to play and appear settled and content. Staff set high expectations for children's behaviour.

All children behave well. They are able to share resources and confidently take turns, playing cooperatively without staff needing to support them.

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

The manager and staff work well as a team.

They have high expectations for what they want children to experience at the after-school club. The manager supports staff well through supervisions and appraisals. Staff regularly use opportunities to talk about their plans and activities to reflect on children's involvement in what they provide.

Staff carry out regular training and research, to keep their skills and knowledge up to date and relevant. This benefits the children as staff are keen to support children's interests and learning.Staff recognise some children's need to be physical and to have plenty of fresh air and exercise.

Children enjoy being outdoors and playing games with the staff and their friends. For instance, children cheer each other on as they use skipping ropes to try and move their bodies to limbo underneath them. Staff join in and encourage children to have a go.

Some children enjoy sharing their love of football together. They only eventually stop to go inside, when staff point out that it is getting too dark to continue.The manager and staff recognise the importance of working closely with the host school to share information and to support children's needs.

Staff have plans and risk assessments in place to manage children's health and medical needs. Staff speak to children's teachers to learn how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities in the club.Partnerships with parents are well established.

Parents speak highly of the club and the staff who care for their children. Staff work with parents to get to know children so that they are happy and secure during their time at the club. Parents say that their children have fun and enjoy going to the after-school club.

Although support is given to the younger children, it is not clear to parents who their child's key person is at the club. This could be developed to extend partnerships with parents further.Staff provide children with opportunities to develop an awareness of the diverse world they live in.

They plan activities to help children to learn about different festivals and learn about the celebrations and culture. Children eagerly talk about Chinese New Year, as they try to work out which animal reflects their birth year and what that means.Staff support children to be confident at communicating their needs within the group.

They support good communication skills as they interact with children. For instance, staff engage children in conversations and use opportunities to encourage children to share their views and ideas. Mealtimes are sociable times, during which children sit with their friends and staff speak to children about their day.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.The manager and staff place a high emphasis on children's safety. Staff ensure that they keep their knowledge of child protection and safeguarding up to date.

Staff are able to identify where a child may be at risk of harm, and they understand the procedures to follow to act on any concerns that they have. Staff carry out risk assessments and talk to children about how to keep themselves safe. Staff deploy themselves well to ensure that children are well supervised at all times.

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