The Lime Trees at The Lanes

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children attending the club choose what they would like to do from the wide range of activities and resources on offer. They engage in both adult-led activities and free play.

Some children enjoy cutting up vegetables, such as peppers. They use child-friendly knives as staff show them how to cut safely. Children use the vegetables to make pretend healthy meals and proudly show the vegetables they have cut and talk about which ones they like to eat.

Children have lots of opportunities to be physically active. Staff encourage them to start the day with motivational games outside, and they enjoy running and jumping. Some chil...dren learn new skills as they join in a hockey session.

Staff explain how to hold the hockey stick safely so that they do not hurt themselves or each other. They demonstrate how to use the hockey stick to dribble the ball. Children practise controlling the balls and carefully manoeuvre them around cones before passing them to each other.

Children develop their concentration skills as they spend time playing board games, such as chess. They explore sensory trays as they scoop and pour rice and enjoy the feeling of the rice running through their fingers.

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

The managers have a strong vision of what they want children to gain from attending the club.

They aim to provide lots of physical activity and enable children to develop new skills and broaden their experiences. They encourage children to develop a positive mental attitude as they play and have fun together.The staff know the children well.

They talk with children about what they like doing. They observe what interests them and then set out resources that excite and engage children. Some children like dinosaurs and the staff set out an activity tray with a range of different toy dinosaurs, which children enjoy.

They explain to children the range of activities available at the beginning of the session and support them to choose what they would like to join in with.Staff organise a group of children to go outside and search for insects and small animals. They provide activity sheets with pictures of the different creatures children might find and magnifying glasses to help spot them.

Children are excited as they find worms, ants and beetles and tick them off their list. Staff help them expand their knowledge as they talk about investigating the habitats that the insects live in.Children talk in a calm and relaxed way with staff and each other.

Staff are warm and encouraging, helping build children's self-esteem and sense of well- being. They encourage children to behave well as they talk about the 'Lime Tree rules' and remind them to treat one another with respect. They share certificates and awards when children demonstrate positive attributes like 'going the extra mile' and sharing.

When children play team games, staff award bonus points for listening and concentrating well. This is helping children to develop positive social skills.Staff encourage children to learn how to keep healthy.

They provide a healthy breakfast and nutritious snacks and remind children to take their water bottles with them when they go outside. Staff encourage children to look after their teeth and provide tooth-brushing kits to take home.Children with additional needs are supported well by staff.

Staff understand their individual needs and provide individual attention to enable them to engage positively in ways that work for them.Parents say that staff take good care of their children. They are confident that staff know their children well and are very responsive to their needs.

They state that their children like attending the club and particularly enjoy the craft activities and the disco. Children say they like coming to the club and enjoy taking part in the talent show.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff and managers have a good understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect. They are aware of what to do if they are worried about a child. Staff conduct risk assessments, including completing daily checks of the premises to ensure that the environment is free from hazards and that the doors and gates are kept secure.

They supervise children closely, for example, escorting them to the toilet when needed. Recruitment arrangements are in place to ensure that staff are appropriate to work with children. Staff take part in safeguarding training to keep their knowledge up to date.

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