Smartys School Club

Smartys School Club Pirehill First School, Tilling Drive, Walton, Stone, Staffordshire, ST15 0AA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29 November 2017 30 July 2014

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 Staff have developed good links with the on-site school staff and other professionals. For example, teachers visit the club to meet and observe children. They share information that will support children's move into school. These effective partnerships help staff to build upon their practice so that all children, including those who need extra support, continue to make good progress.  Partnerships with parents are strong. Staff regularly identify what children can do and share this with parents. The management team effectively analyses and reflects on the progress of individual children and groups of children, so outcomes for them are good.  Children's understanding of the natural world is promoted well. They experience exciting, regular hands-on learning in the on-site school's woodland environment where they investigate and use a range of tools. For example, children use sticks to mash berries and paint with and they make bark rubbings from trees. They have good

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This provision is good

opportunities to manage risks for themselves.  Staff build strong relationships with children. They respond positively to children and give them smiles, praise and play beside them as they try out something new. This helps children to feel relaxed, safe and confident to try new experiences.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always organise group times to encourage younger children to fully concentrate and engage in the activities.  Staff do not consistently build on what children need to learn next to help them to achieve as much as possible in their learning.

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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

 support younger children's learning at group times more effectively, helping them to be more involved and extend their concentration skills  build on what children need to learn next to help them achieve as much as possible in their learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector evaluated staff's assessments of children's progress and how they plan for children's next steps in their learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation of two activities with the manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as children's records and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the club.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and children spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff understand their responsibility to safeguard children. They know the signs that would cause them concern about a child's welfare and the correct procedures to follow. The management team makes sure that it monitors the practice of each member of staff and identifies and plans for any training needs. This has a positive impact on the progress children make. For example, staff from one of the other linked settings managed by the limited company have attended training on how to encourage play and learning in a woodland environment. They regularly provide children with effective and safe sessions that promote their exploration of the woodland area.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff understand and use a wide range of effective teaching strategies. Overall, they make sure that the daily circle time provides children with opportunities to listen and answer questions that extend their thinking and vocabulary. During such times, staff increase children's knowledge of the days of the week and months of the year and model the initial sounds in words. Staff model counting the children present and encourage them to recognise the appropriate number on the wall. Children listen intently to the staff member's instructions and copy her actions as they enthusiastically mould dough in their hands in time to the music. This type of activity helps to strengthen the small muscles in children's hands to enable them to develop their writing skills. Staff prepare children well for the next stage in their learning, such as school.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff provide meals and snacks for children that are nutritious and well balanced. Children have long periods throughout the day where they can choose to play outside, encouraging them to be physically active. Staff provide children with a good range of opportunities to develop their coordination, strength and balance. For example, children laugh with delight as they vigorously race each other on the ride-on toys. They balance on and jump off the low tree trunk stumps. Staff provide clear guidance for children about what is and is not acceptable behaviour. This helps children to behave well and show a high of regard for one another.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress from their starting points. They follow their own interests and use writing materials and tools when they engage in imaginative role play with their friends. Children use the wooden spoons to scoop up the mud and tip it into buckets, talking about what they are making for tea. They build stories as they play with the small- world fairy garden which is set in real grass that they cut with the scissors. Children enthusiastically sing and do the actions to songs, helping them to develop their understanding of language. They work together and use a range of construction materials to build their own models. Children are confident, happy and talk freely and enthusiastically to staff and visitors about what they are doing.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 218364 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 1103192 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 3 - 8 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 76 Name of registered person Smarty's Day Nursery (Stone) Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 30 July 2014 Telephone number 01785 817 974

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reference number

Smartys School Club registered in 1998. The club employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds early years teacher status, one holds an appropriate qualification at level 4, 10 hold level 3 and one holds level 2. The club provides a pre-school, a before-and after-school provision and a holiday playscheme. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. The before- and after-school provision opens from 7.30am until 9am and from 3.30pm until 6pm. The holiday playscheme opens from 7.30am until 6pm during school holidays.

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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

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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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