Vicky’s After School & Holiday Club Ltd

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Staff are friendly and welcoming to children at the club.

Children are happy and enjoy positive interactions with the staff and each other. Staff support the newest children to settle quickly and build good relationships. Staff plan a range of activities with children's needs and interests in mind.

For example, when children bring books about birds into the breakfast club, this also sparks activities after school. The manager seeks out binoculars from home to bring in to allow the children to extend this interest first hand. Children share the special resources and are respectful of them, explaining they will break if they... drop them.

They use the books as a reference point and discuss the various colours and markings of the birds they look for. Older children are extremely helpful to the younger children and demonstrate which way the binoculars go and how to adjust the focus. The provider, the manager and staff have put systems in place to manage the safety and well-being of the children when they attend the club.

Children know to make staff aware of when they are leaving the room to use the toilet. Staff work well as a team and deploy themselves around the club effectively. This means that they are always on hand to support the children and keep them safe.

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

The younger children benefit from a dedicated key person to help them to settle and engage with the activities at the club. Staff plan a wide range of activities that complement children's learning at school. Children enjoy the opportunities to be active outdoors or to relax indoors.

Inside, they make May Day 'ribbon sticks' which complement the current theme. Outside, they are keen to demonstrate their physical skills, for example, by hanging from the monkey bars, playing football and rolling down the grassy hill.The provider and her staff team are positive role models, who are dedicated to their roles.

They communicate well with each other to ensure that children are always within their sight. For example, staff are provided with radios to communicate children's whereabouts throughout the session. Thorough and regular risk assessments of the areas and equipment used by children are conducted.

These are shared with all staff to help manage identified hazards.Staff are consistent in their approach to behaviour management. Children are fully aware of the rules of the club and what to expect.

Children behave well and are respectful of others. For example, they wait their turn as the tea is passed around and say please and thank you without prompting.Staff support children to develop an awareness of being healthy and encourage them to eat healthy snacks and drink water.

Mealtimes are social occasions, where children discuss their likes and dislikes. Children's independence is fostered when they wash their hands and self-select toys. However, at times, staff complete some tasks children could do for themselves to help develop their independence skills further, such as making wraps and handing out fruit.

Staff provide children with daily craft activities. These frequently link to the various celebrations of the local community, such as May Day, Eid and Easter. Staff skilfully engage children in conversations while children take part in the crafts, such as discussing the significance of the activities.

Children eagerly talk about the activities they are doing at home and school.All staff benefit from personalised, high-quality, in-house training to help keep their knowledge and skills up to date. The provider monitors staff performance well.

Staff report that they feel valued and supported and this further promotes their well-being. The provider monitors the impact of training effectively to ensure all staff confidently understand their roles and responsibilities, for example through regular staff meetings and appraisals.Partnerships with the host school and parents are strong.

Staff liaise with teachers at the school to exchange information about the children. This helps to provide continuity for children's care. Parents appreciate the communication they receive from staff to meet their child's needs at the end of the day.

They comment that the club is a valuable service and feels part of the community.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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