Kids Club 2021 Ltd

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

Children's happiness, well-being and safety are at the heart of the setting. Their individual needs are well catered for and they appear happy throughout the time they spend there. Overall, staff provide a high level of care and early education to all children. They plan in experiences, such as watching the life cycle of a butterfly first hand. Relationships between staff and children are very positive and the behaviour of children is exemplary. Staff make clear their high expectations through prompting children to say 'please' and 'thank you', and supporting children to work together and transport a long rope in the large outdoor area. Children show positive attitudes to learning. They are eager to plant seeds and cut up fruits to see the seeds inside.

Skilled staff help children to learn through interesting activities that include creating their own representation of a fresh vase of flowers using paints. Children enjoy listening to stories and pretend to go camping in a large tent containing books and comfy cushions. Those children with a delay in their learning are well supported. Gaps in learning are identified early and tailored plans put in place to help children make good levels of progress.

Children are good communicators and hold conversations with staff and other children while they play. They talk excitedly about a birthday party they are looking forward to attending after the session.

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

• The manager is highly motivated and knowledgeable, with a strong drive to continually reflect upon the setting and make improvements. She encourages and supports staff to undertake training and share ideas with the rest of the team. Staff well-being is important to the manager who attends training with some members of her team to demonstrate her support.
• Children learn to be independent in a variety of ways. These include managing their personal hygiene and locating and putting on items of clothing, such as coats and shoes. The staff team support children to choose where they wish to play and provide an environment that allows time for them to visit and revisit activities, without interruption.
• The curriculum is well designed and the manager explains how this is executed to a high level during term-time periods. In particular, she talks about mathematics and language development and how they are well embedded and incorporated seamlessly into their provision. However, during school holiday periods, when the inspection took place, the curriculum is not implemented as effectively. This is because holiday-club staff do not have a secure enough understanding of the developmental stages early years children progress through, in order to fully support their learning.
• Staff interactions with children are at a high level. They demonstrate their understanding of how children acquire language, adapting their communications with children who have differing levels of understanding.
• The environment is well planned, inviting and challenging to children. They learn about growth through planting seeds and how to solve problems in the outdoor area. Outside, children develop coordination and balancing skills while clambering on a climbing frame. They work together while enjoying games with a parachute, laughing as they lift it up and down.
• The key-person system is well embedded and parents know who to approach to discuss their child. Parents are very happy with the setting and comment how much they appreciate the high level of care provided by the staff. They explain how the team are caring and nurturing. They feel that their child is viewed as an individual and provided with specific support plans to help meet their needs. However, communication between term time and holiday club staff is not fully effective in ensuring the few early years children attending during those periods, continue to receive targeted support.
• Children learn how to make positive choices for themselves through timely prompts from staff. This is particularly relevant at lunchtime, when children are encouraged to make healthy choices food choices.
• Children participate in turn-taking games and play together in a harmonious way. Staff remind children of their high behavioural expectations within the calm environment. Activities, such as making face masks, encourage children's creativity.
• Staff support children's language and development well, especially those who are not meeting age-related milestones. Delays are identified early by staff and they work effectively with families and other professionals to deliver specific, targeted support.

What the setting must and should do next

The provider should:

• strengthen knowledge of how to implement an ambitious, sequenced curriculum, consistently throughout the year
• improve communication between term time and holiday-club staff to ensure that children receive the highest levels of targeted support.