Activate

Activate Town Close House Preparatory School, 14 Ipswich Road, NORWICH NR2 2LR

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Inspection date 5 August 2019 Previous inspection date 31 March 2016

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Good 2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2 Outcomes for children Not Applicable

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This provision is good

n The manager regularly seeks feedback from parents, children and staff. He uses this information to make strong evaluations of the service, identify potential improvements and manage changes. For instance, the organisation of activities has been altered since the last inspection to better support younger children's specific needs. n Interactions between staff and children are positive and full of warmth. Staff enthusiastically hold conversations and engage in activities alongside children, such as taking part in swimming and water play sessions. n Children of all ages play together happily. They behave well and develop strong friendships with one another. For example, they care for new children by showing them the different activities and inviting them to sit with them at lunch or join their play. n The highly qualified staff team uses opportunities to build on children's curiosity well. Staff answer children's questions about how certain baking ingredients, such as yeast,

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This provision is good

work. Staff show interest in children's own observations and comments, such as how a pile of flour looks like a volcano. n Several staff also work in the host school. This helps children to feel secure and build strong relationships as they are cared for by familiar adults who know them well. n Staff work very closely with other providers. For example, they gather and share information about children's needs from their teachers to help promote continuity in their care and support. n Children are articulate and confident. They are keen to tell the inspector about their favourite activities at the club. These include clay animation, swimming, graffiti art sessions, go-kart building and self-defence and circus skills classes. n Parents comment on the highly organised, excellent range of activities and experiences their children enjoy. They note how impressed they are with the nutritious catering and express their appreciation for the 'brilliant' and 'friendly' staff.

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This provision is good

n Sometimes staff do not make the most of opportunities to encourage children to take responsibility for routine tasks and further develop their independence.

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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

n strengthen opportunities for children to take responsibility for small tasks that build their growing independence.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector observed the quality of interactions during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's experiences. n The inspector held a number of discussions with the manager. She looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of all persons working on the premises. n The inspector completed a joint observation and evaluation of an activity with the manager. n The inspector spoke to children and staff at appropriate times during the inspection. n The inspector took account of the views of parents through written feedback provided.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff know how to identify when children may be at risk of harm and how to protect them. The manager ensures they regularly update their training in safeguarding and first aid. Staff report feeling supported and confident in their roles. The manager works alongside staff and holds regular team briefings. He conducts peer observations and uses these as part of the service evaluation and discussions with staff about their practice. Staff are carefully deployed to help ensure children are appropriately supervised. They use daily checks of the grounds and equipment to ensure that any potential hazards to children are minimised. For example, staff check that gates are secured and ensure larger pieces of equipment, such as climbing frames, are age-appropriate. The manager uses the specialist skills of staff, such as knowledge of different languages, to provide a high level

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

of support for children. He gathers information from parents and other providers that children attend, such as nurseries or schools. The manager uses this information to plan appropriate support, brief staff on children's needs and plan activities that reflect children's interests.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff encourage children to think about the ingredients and tools they need to make bread. This promotes children's thinking skills and encourages them to share their understanding of the world and past cooking experiences. Staff teach children how to set up digital scales and use them to measure out specific quantities of ingredients. Children can access all of the host school's facilities, including the library, swimming pool, woodland and sports hall. They enjoy challenging their physical skills. For example, children delight in table tennis games with their friends and jumping on bouncy castles. They gleefully run as fast as they can, jumping and twisting as they warm up for a self- defence class. Staff take photographs of children's achievements and daily activities. Parents comment that they enjoy reviewing the photographs with their children. Staff place a strong emphasis on children making choices about what they do. They use a

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

visual system to help children understand what each activity involves and a waiting list to ensure all children can take part. Staff provide meaningful opportunities for children to use pens and pencils to draw and write. This builds children's literacy skills.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The daily timetable and choice boards help children to settle in and become familiar with routines and rules. For example, children know the maximum capacity for the bouncy castle and count how many friends are already playing before joining in. Staff provide opportunities for children to relax and rest. Children take part in quieter activities, such as drawing and reading books. They develop their imagination and technical skills as they create their own models with construction materials. Children collect leaves to use in hedgehog collages and delight in digging in the sandpit to find buried leaves and twigs. Children learn about good hygiene habits. They wash their hands thoroughly before mealtimes, cooking and after using the toilet. Children explore different ways of manipulating dough. They knead, roll, squeeze and shape it to make 'hedgehog' bread rolls.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 260711 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 10072745 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Out-of-school day care Age range of children 4 - 14 Total number of places 80 Number of children on roll 155 Name of registered person Town Close House Educational Trust Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 31 March 2016 Telephone number 01603 620180

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Activate registered in 1999. The club opens each weekday during three weeks of the school summer holidays, from 8.30am until 5.30pm. It employs 33 staff, 20 of whom hold relevant qualifications at level 3 or above, including the manager.

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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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procedures set out in the guidance Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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