Premier Education - Hilltop Primary School

Inclusion: Expected standard

Children are valued and welcomed at this inclusive holiday club. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and other barriers to their learning are proactively welcomed and supported to make a smooth transition into the setting. For example, children who struggle to separate from their parents are encouraged to join in some physical activities as they arrive. Leaders and staff understand that some children need distraction and direction to engage in activities to help them to regulate their emotions. Leaders have recently attended training on how to support children with SEND and implemented newly acquired strategies into the provision. This approach is effective and has a positive impact on children's personal and emotional development.

Children with SEND and other barriers to their learning are very well supported here. They attend the exciting scheme via a funding scheme, where free lunch, sports and arts activities are offered throughout the day. Leaders makes sure that they have all relevant information about children and their families so they can give them the appropriate support that they need. They liaise with parents and local schools to ensure that adjustments are made to support children, who have barriers to their learning.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Strong standard

Leaders and staff have exceptionally high expectations for children's attitudes and behaviour. These messages are related in a warm and positive way and children gleefully show that they know the rules of this inclusive setting. Children's behaviour and attitudes in the holiday club are consistently positive. For example, mixed-age children giggle and squeal with delight as they play parachute games together. Staff reinforce safety messages before the activity and children show that they understand the expectations of the setting. Positive messages about what skills children have gained during the activity are also reinforced. For example, children discuss how they have learned about teamwork and communication skills after games and sports activities. This has a highly positive effect on children's personal and emotional development.

Leaders and staff understand the importance of regular attendance in supporting positive outcomes for children. Leaders know the families very well and which children struggle to arrive on time. Leaders sensitively telephone families, who are late to arrive, to check on welfare and to encourage them to come in. They understand that promoting regular attendance supports children to develop positive habits, which helps future learning.

Staff develop highly positive and warm relationships with all children and support them to make relationships with each other. Consequently, children show that they feel valued and have a sense of belonging. This is particularly impressive due to the short amount of time children attend holiday club.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Expected standard

Children enjoy learning new skills, being active and being creative at this exciting holiday club. Leaders ensure that the policies and procedures in place to support children's welfare and wellbeing are followed, reviewed and continuously promote safety.

Children have opportunities throughout the day to exercise, which helps them to understand how to keep healthy. All staff understand how to prepare food and provide children with a nutritious meal that is reviewed regularly. However, meal planning and sports activity planning do not consistently enable children to make their own healthy choices. As a result, children are not yet fully involved in making their own healthy choices and decisions in the holiday club. Involving children in making healthy choices about the menu and sports on offer could further strengthen their understanding about healthy lifestyles.

Secure, warm and positive relationships are consistently made between staff and children. All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and who may be disadvantaged, demonstrate that they feel a sense of belonging and are valued. Staff support children's understanding of how to keep themselves safe very well. These messages are shared at the start of the day and before each new activity. Children show that they enjoy sharing their knowledge of how to keep themselves and others safe.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

Leaders show that they meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage confidently and securely. They fully understand and carry out their responsibilities. The leadership of the setting is a strength. Leaders make effective and appropriate decisions to support the outcomes of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may be disadvantaged. Staff are well supported with relevant and appropriate training to support their ongoing professional development. Leaders provide a fun, active environment in which children show that they are valued and feel safe.

Leaders ensure that staff understand how to spot signs of abuse and how to safeguard children as well as how to refer to agencies when there are allegations against staff. Staff report that they feel well supported with employee assistance programmes and are cared for on a more personal level by colleagues and leaders. This has a positive effect on the atmosphere in the setting and on the wellbeing of the staff team.

Leaders communicate with parents well via an online system, where they can look at photos, make comments and find out what their children have been doing during the day. This ensures that parents are well informed about the daily activities and allows leaders to observe which activities are more popular. For example, many parents commented on a photo of a pebble painting activity. This created conversations about the pebbles between parents, staff and the children. This further enhances children's self-worth and sense of belonging.