First Steps at R L Hughes

First Steps at R L Hughes R L HUGHES COUNTY JUNIOR AND INFANT SCHOOL, Mayfield Street, Wigan, WN4 9QL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 5 April 2016 Not applicable

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 The quality of the provision is very strongly underpinned by an expert, highly experienced leadership team, along with excellent management support. They use their expertise to ensure robust safety practices. They also plan and lead continual improvements, some of which are highly ambitious.  Leaders are highly driven to continually seek ways to enhance the provision for children. They use high-quality training and development opportunities to inspire improvements that make a difference to all aspects of children's care and development.  The club's work to keep children safe and supported is robust. It is based on an excellent understanding of child protection issues and assessment of need, in addition to highly impressive partnership working with other professionals.  Links between parents, other professionals, the host school and other schools are used very impressively. This facilitates a shared approach to planning and ensures every child

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This provision is outstanding

gets the support they need. This is particularly impressive during times of transition, when the planning and support offered by the club is excellent.  Highly trained and experienced staff use their knowledge extremely well to shape and deliver stimulating and imaginative play opportunities of the highest quality. They are very responsive to children's ideas and interests, which helps to engage every child.  Leaders have an exceptional understanding of the importance of supporting children's emotional well-being. The children who need it are given extra support by their named key person. Children settle very quickly and they rapidly become confident to explore. This helps them take every advantage of the extensive opportunities offered.  Children's views are highly valued. They are well supported and are at the forefront of decision making and the organisation of activities, in a way that meets their interests

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This provision is outstanding

and provides maximum fun. Their behaviour is excellent.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 refine evaluation in order to show the impact for children more clearly of projects and changes that are made to the provision.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of play activities, both indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's development and their enjoyment.  The inspector jointly observed and evaluated a play session with a lead member of staff.  The inspector held a meeting with the operations manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the self-evaluation, monitoring and evidence of the suitability of staff.  The inspector took account of the views of parents using the records held by the club.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Leaders implement the highest quality arrangements for monitoring, accountability and professional supervision. They know how to help every staff member to do their very best and provide extensive opportunities for their training and development. Staff retention rates are excellent. This helps to provide the highest levels of consistency for children and their families. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The setting works impressively with other professionals to keep children safe and help every child get the support they need. The wealth of experience and expertise of the manager have a highly positive impact on the development of the provision, and she is driven to overcome any barriers. She is already thinking about how to enhance evaluation even further, by gaining the views of parents more often and monitoring the impact of changes for children in more depth. Children are at the very heart of all planning, which leads to some highly

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

ambitious projects. One such example is the chartering of a plane to provide an affordable Santa experience for all families accessing any of the organisation's provision.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff provide a rich programme of activities. During school holidays they make the most of the time and space to create highly imaginative playrooms in response to themes of favourite play, such as a dinosaur world. They expertly create small intriguing spaces which children use for reading and chatting together. Aspects of their work have been used as models of exceptional practice. Children freely access and use extensive equipment in their own unique ways. Staff very skilfully make suggestions which extend children's play even further. This significantly contributes to impressive levels of rich engagement and collaboration. During the inspection, staff noticed children using large soft-play shapes as boats and provided materials which children then used as oars and telescopes to become pirates. They also inspired the children to use the drawing tools to make treasure maps. Children's ideas are enhanced through the impressive way staff

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

model and demonstrate creative thinking. The very strong opportunities for children to contribute their views help to foster the attitudes needed to be confident learners.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children thrive in this exceptionally friendly, fun and enabling club. Tailored introductory sessions, along with the consistent deployment of the many long-serving and very experienced staff, help children and parents develop very high levels of trust. This gives children an excellent base from which they feel safe to take risks and express their views. The incredibly strong links between the organisation's nursery, out-of-school settings and high school promote seamless transitions during each stage of care and education. The manager uses funding and external support exceptionally well to ensure every child is fully included and gets the support they need, including on a one-to-one basis. Staff receive specific training to meet children's individual health needs and they promote healthy living very successfully. This includes providing the space and equipment for children to practise their physical skills and enjoy fun exercise sessions. Children implement well-established

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

safety procedures and know how to keep themselves and others safe.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY476182 Local authority Wigan Inspection number 968428 Type of provision Out of school provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 3 - 11 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 78 Name of provider Cansfield High School Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01942711964

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Setting details

First Steps at R L Hughes originally opened in 2012 and re-registered in 2014. It is operated by the Governing Body of Cansfield High School, supported by Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council. It is one of three early years settings provided by them. The club operates from dedicated rooms within R L Hughes Primary School, which is in the Ashton-in-Makerfield area of Wigan. It serves children who attend the host school and others in the local area. There are five regular staff, most of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The operations manager holds Early Years Professional status. The club is open Monday to Friday from 7.45am to 8.45am and from 2.45pm to 6pm during term time. It also operates from 8am to 6pm during most school holidays.

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Setting details

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Setting details

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Setting details

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Setting details

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