Groots Childcare Hub 1 (Birkwood Primary School)

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders typically demonstrate a commitment and positive approach to inclusive practice. This includes taking part in government-funded programmes for families that enable children, who may not ordinarily be able to do so, to attend holiday clubs. Leaders plan daily routines and weekly activities. However, they do not consider the different age groups and children's abilities well enough, to consistently meet their individual needs and reduce any barriers to children's engagement and wellbeing. This is with more specific reference to the youngest children, who are not yet in Reception class, who do not consistently receive the highest levels of support.

Although there are no children currently on roll with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), leaders have a variety of strategies in place to find out about this and support children. For example, leaders would set up a meeting with parents and other settings and complete, review and update risk assessments and individual support plans in consultation with staff. They would make adaptations as required, such as to staffing, resources and the environment. Should staff identify children with any kind of additional needs, this would form part of the information shared with leaders via daily session review forms.

Leaders use external programmes and training, delivered by professionals who specialise in provision for children with SEND. This helps to increase staff's knowledge and awareness of strategies that support children with SEND, such as regulating children's behaviour through movement. Furthermore, leaders are introducing new initiatives staff they have learned, based on theories that support children's emotional wellbeing.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations for children's behaviour and attendance. They typically work with parents to ensure that children, who may face barriers to their engagement and wellbeing, benefit from accessing what is on offer. Staff model respectful behaviour that has a positive influence on children. They remind children of the club rules and reinforce expectations throughout the session. Children positively respond to instructions, such as when staff blow the whistle indicating that it is time to stop and get ready to go outside.

Staff establish daily routines and plan activities. However, sessions are not as well organised in the absence of key staff. For example, provision is not broad enough and routines are not adapted, or explained, well enough to support new children who attend at short notice, particularly those who have not yet started school. Therefore, the youngest children do not always have a wide choice of activities or know what is happening next. This means they are not consistently able to participate positively and develop a higher sense of security. Staff build positive relationships with children to increase their emotional security in other ways. They warmly remind children to ask if they need help and support them to achieve what they set out to do. This helps children to persevere and develop resilience. For example, staff encourage children to find alternative bricks to complete their models.

Children play cooperatively during activities designed to build friendships, and staff provide some opportunities for children to learn about and respect differences between themselves and others. For example, they adapt sports games to help children to experience what it might be like for a person with a physical disability to take part. However, staff provide fewer opportunities for children to learn about other cultures and diversity in other respects.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Leaders typically have effective policies to promote children's welfare and emotional wellbeing. Staff gather certain information when parents book their children into the holiday club online. However, details are not broad enough to give staff a greater insight into children's unique needs to help settle them in, especially the youngest children, not yet at school, who attend at short notice. Where children attend more regularly, their key person gathers certain information directly from the children, although this information is filed away and not available to other staff in their absence. This leads to some inconsistencies in children's care, engagement and the support they receive. Staff demonstrate safe practices. Leaders use local authority grants to strengthen safety policies and procedures, such as creating their own designated secure entrance for families. Staff display, and remind children about the safety rules, and inform children about online dangers they may face.

Staff support children's independence, self-care and understanding of practices that help them to keep themselves safe and healthy effectively. For example, children engage in handwashing before they eat a nutritious lunch. During the holiday clubs, this is freshly cooked off site by the organisation's professional nutritionist, while staff prepare healthy options during term time. Leaders use their expert knowledge, gained through their higher level qualifications and experience, to educate children about different food groups and the effects of these on the body. For example, they explain how carbohydrates provide slow-release energy. Staff also reinforce messages through activities, such as completing a healthy food word search. Children have extensive opportunities to take part in physical activity led by staff with sports coaching qualifications. This effectively promotes their physical health.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders have overall effective oversight of the club and demonstrate a commitment, drive and passion to take their practice forward. They gain invaluable feedback from parents, for example, via detailed electronic reviews, and ask for children's views. Leaders have a wealth of generally effective systems in place for reflecting on and improving practice. For example, they complete and review development plans each term with staff, undertake spot-checks at each site and use observations as a focus point for staff feedback, coaching and mentoring.

Leaders undertake and provide staff with further continued professional development opportunities, such as supporting them to gain a playwork qualification. However, this is not always targeted precisely enough to ensure staff have an increased and consistent understanding of supporting the youngest children's engagement and wellbeing to a higher level, including through partnership working with parents. Where children attend the after-school club during term time, staff link closely with the host school to complement children's experiences.

Leaders typically make decisions that are in children's best interests. For example, after completing a quality improvement and assurance scheme at 2 other sites, as mandated by the local authority, leaders are now using this criteria to improve practice across all settings. Leaders have plans to progress to part 2 of the scheme. Leaders who complete mental health first-aid training, prioritise staff's wellbeing. For example, they undertake mental health sessions, walk-and-talk sessions and provide sources of help to staff. Staff are encouraged to identify their own key targets, which helps them to gain a sense of ownership and increased motivation towards their personal growth.