Natural Steps After School Club

Natural Steps After School Club ''The Globe'', 12 Portman Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 1EA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 3 August 2017 1 June 2015

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3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 The provider's safeguarding knowledge about how staff can be disqualified from working with children through association with other people they live with is not up to date. However, the provider took prompt action to address the concern before the end of the inspection, which significantly reduced any risks to children's welfare.  The provider does not form secure partnerships with other provisions, including schools children attend. They do not discuss the support they intend to offer, in order to maintain good levels of continuity in children’s care and to help them build further on children’s developing skills.  At times, staff miss opportunities to support children's understanding of healthy eating.

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It has the following strengths

 The manager and staff create a fully inclusive environment where diversity is respected and celebrated. Children are valued as unique individuals. They develop their understanding of differences between themselves and other people.  Children of different ages play extremely well together. Older children demonstrate very supportive care towards younger children.  Staff offer a wide range of activities to help extend children's creativity, imagination and their understanding of the wider world.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and the Childcare Register the provider must:

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Due Date

 improve understanding of the disqualification requirements to fully safeguard children. 03/09/2017

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Due Date

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

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Due Date

 discuss with other early years providers, including school staff, what support they intend to offer to build on continuity of care for children attending  create more opportunities to help children learn about healthy lifestyles.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of staff interactions during activities indoors and assessed the impact this has on children's developing skills.  The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector held a meeting with the club manager and provider. The inspector looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working at the club.  The inspector spoke to parents during the inspection, looked at parents' written feedback and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The provider does not check to see if staff are disqualified because they live in the same household as another person who is disqualified. Nonetheless, the risk to children's welfare is minimal as all adults have suitable checks, supervise each other at all times, and the provider has taken swift and effective measures. The provider held immediate discussions with staff, who signed a declaration of their suitability. The provider ensures that all staff have a secure understanding of child protection and complete regular training. They know the signs and symptoms that would cause them concern and the procedures they must follow to protect children's welfare. Safeguarding is effective. The provider supports staff to develop new skills, including through ongoing staff meetings, supervisory sessions, appraisals and training. The manager and staff actively seek the views of parents to help them evaluate the service they offer. They use this feedback to

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

help them make changes that benefit children. Staff inform parents regularly about their children's time at the club and what they enjoy doing. Partnerships with schools that children attend are less effective in helping to provide a consistent approach to children's care and developing skills.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff organise a welcoming environment which is relaxed and where children are free to choose from a wide range of activities and resources. The well-qualified staff team regularly observes children's play. Staff provide well for children's interests. For example, staff know children enjoy craft activities and make these available daily. Children showed good levels of interest and concentration as they considered how to construct a vehicle out of wood and plastic materials. Staff support children well to problem solve and use their imagination. Another group busily made pictures out of beads and described what they were making and for whom they were making them. Children enjoy their time at the club.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff build a close relationship with children so that they get to know their personal needs, personalities and interests. Children behave well and learn the importance of being considerate to others. They enjoy physical play, such group games indoors and visits to the nearby play park. However, staff do not fully support children to learn the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. For example, they do not help children to learn about what foods are healthy and good to eat.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY305089 Local authority Reading Inspection number 1092294 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 4 - 10 Total number of places 65 Number of children on roll 15 Name of registered person Community Mission Project

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 1 June 2015 Telephone number 01189 514444

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reference number

Natural Steps After School Club registered in 2005. It is located in Reading, Berkshire. It operates a breakfast club from 7.30am to 9am and an after-school club from 3pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday during term time. Holiday provision is provided between 8am and 6pm in school holidays. There are 10 staff, of whom four hold relevant qualifications at level 3, two hold qualifications at level 2 and one is qualified at level 1.

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reference number

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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reference number

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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reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

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reference number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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