The Play Pad

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children arrive at the club excited to see the activities that staff have set out for them.

They receive a very warm welcome and are given the opportunity to talk about their day. Children settle quickly and are eager to choose which activities to engage in. Staff have high expectations of children and there are clear routines in place so all children know what to do.

Children feel safe and secure when they are in the club.Children's behaviour and manners are exemplary. They are polite and remember to say 'please' and 'thank you' to each other.

When explaining to visitors what they enjoy about the club, children p...olitely respond with 'you're welcome' when they are thanked for sharing their views. Children share well with each other and are encouraged to be independent. Older children help their younger friends to pour water from jugs without being prompted to do so.

Children are kind to one another. At snack time, children ask if their friends would like to go before them as they line up sensibly and wait their turn. Children enjoy a vast range of healthy foods.

They talk to their friends and staff about foods that they particularly enjoy and foods that are healthy and unhealthy. Children who have allergies are supported well because staff have a clear understanding of their needs. Robust procedures are in place to prevent cross-contamination.

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

Staff find out about the experiences children have at home and broaden these at every opportunity. For example, children take part in a discussion about birthdays and the different ways they celebrate birthdays at home. Later, children discuss how people celebrate different festivals depending on their religion.

Children learn about the festival Holi. They look at photographs a member of staff shares with them from a trip to India. This supports children to find out about people who may be different to themselves.

Children show high levels of motivation and engagement when taking part in activities. They sustain their interest in activities for long periods of time. For example, children choose to make a pirate ship using recycled materials.

They comment that it helps the environment to reuse boxes and bottles. Children are provided with a range of pens, scissors and tape, and carefully draw a skull and crossbones to add to the front of the ship. They are keen to show their parents what they have been doing when they are collected.

Staff interact well with children. They plan activities based on the children's interests and to build on their prior experiences. Children say they, 'Love coming to the club,' and, 'The activities are always different.'

Staff play with the children and are very attentive to their needs. Children go to staff to share their achievements and are delighted when they are asked if they would like their picture to be displayed on the board.Children have many opportunities to play outside or to be physically active in the hall.

They recall the rules for using the school playground and demonstrate excellent listening skills when playing team games. Staff praise the children for having a go. For example, when playing football, staff comment how impressed they are about how far children can kick the ball.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the club. They say that they would not hesitate to recommend the club to other parents. Parents comment that staff are 'approachable and friendly' and that communication between the school and the club is excellent.

Parents can access the policies and procedures online. They are invited to share their views regularly. Staff are keen to find out how they can improve the club.

They ask parents to complete surveys to get their feedback and take this on board when making any changes.The manager is extremely committed to the setting and has worked hard since the last inspection to improve children's access to the outdoors. Staff are experienced and most have worked at the setting for a considerable number of years.

They are given regular access to training and a weekly staff meeting is held to ensure staff knowledge is always updated.Staff contribute towards ongoing assessments for children in the early years foundation stage. They take photographs of children's achievements, such as when they manage to do their zip up on their coats themselves.

Staff share this information with the teacher at school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There are robust procedures in place for staff to follow if they have any safeguarding concerns.

Staff have an excellent understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse. They are secure in their knowledge of the 'Prevent' duty and ensure any possible warning signs, such as poor attendance, are closely monitored. Staffs' knowledge of safeguarding issues is kept updated.

The required number of staff hold a paediatric first-aid certificate. There are clear procedures in place to log and inform parents of any accidents. There are secure systems in place for signing children in and out of the club.

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