Barracudas (Welwyn)

Barracudas (Welwyn) Sherrardswood School, 3 Lockleys, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL6 0BJ

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Inspection date 8 August 2019 Previous inspection date 8 April 2015

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1 Outcomes for children Not Applicable

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This provision is outstanding

n This extremely popular camp is exceptionally well led and managed. The managers and staff implement the provider's extensive policies and procedures with impressive accuracy. As a result, the whole camp runs smoothly and efficiently. n Children flourish and are highly engaged at all times. They enjoy choosing activities that interest them, from a very rich range. For example, they have excellent opportunities outdoors, such as for learning new skills through sport. At other times, they choose to extend their creativity as they engage in stimulating craft activities. n Staff are highly skilled and experienced. They show an outstanding ability in how to support children to build on the skills they learn at school. For example, they support children to word build and use their writing skills to add information to the wonderful pictures they create. n Children's behaviour is excellent. Staff are superb role models and they respond quickly

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This provision is outstanding

and sensitively to any concerns raised. They support children extremely well, such as helping them learn about the needs of others, and the importance of sharing and being kind. n Partnerships with parents are superb. Parents are highly complimentary about the club. They particularly value how their children are treated as individuals and how well the staff meet any specific needs their children have.

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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 support staff to develop their skills and understanding of how to help children to problem solve independently, to even higher levels.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector observed a range of activities and the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation with the area manager. n The inspector looked at a range of documentation, such as safeguarding policies and procedures, staff suitability checks and self-evaluation information. n The inspector held a meeting with the camp manager and area manager. n The inspector spoke to a number of parents and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

Safeguarding is effective. Staff have an exceptional understanding of child protection issues and the wider aspects of safeguarding. Managers ensure staff know how to report any concerns, including those relating to extremist behaviour, to relevant authorities. The provider is extremely conscientious in the employment of new staff. This results in highly skilled and motivated staff being employed. High-quality continuous training, mentoring and coaching is provided for all staff, even though most of them are already highly qualified and experienced. The provider's and manager's evaluations of practice are thorough and used highly effectively to support the superb ongoing development of the camp. They consider feedback from staff, parents and children to ensure they continually provide high-quality experiences for children. The provider has recently changed to an online system to gain feedback from parents. The camp managers report

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

this has led to a substantial increase in the number of respondents and so enhances their already in-depth evaluations even more.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff use their excellent understanding of child development and learning to provide outstanding experiences for children. They carefully consider each child's needs and development levels. For example, they provide wonderful sensory experiences for children with special educational needs. They use their extensive knowledge of children's interests, such as in dinosaurs, to add extra dimensions to their play. Children's engagement in both planned activities and self-chosen play is impressively high. Staff provide superb explanations to children of activities they have planned. This enables children to develop high-level thinking skills, such as how to design and build a skyscraper. Children firstly describe their building, then draw a plan before using resources to make their wonderful ideas come alive. Managers' ongoing observations of staff's practice shows them there is scope to model to staff even more ways to help

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children are exceptionally confident and quickly build trusting relationships with staff. They thoroughly enjoy being a buddy to others and this helps children to build effective friendships. Children who need extra support are skilfully supported. For example, staff provide quiet spaces and visual timetables to help children to feel settled and secure in their surroundings and routines. Children's physical well-being is given utmost priority and they greatly enjoy being outside. They relax on walks in woodlands, where attentive staff encourage them to experience nature, such as by feeling smooth leaves and rough bark. At other times, children are highly active as they take part in sport and learn to use equipment extremely skilfully and safely. Children learn to develop healthy lifestyles and develop excellent independence skills. For example, they count up how many pieces of fruit and vegetables they eat throughout the day. They talk about the effect this has on

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

their bodies and understand the importance of staying hydrated at all times.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY257417 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10070380 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 200 Number of children on roll 533 Name of registered person Young World Leisure Group Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 8 April 2015 Telephone number 01480 467 567

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reference number

Barracudas (Welwyn) is run by Young World Leisure Group Limited and registered in 2007. The Welwyn camp employs 34 members of childcare staff. Of these, 30 hold an appropriate qualification at level 2 or above, including six who hold qualified teacher status. The camp opens from Monday to Friday during the Easter and summer school holidays, from 8am until 6pm.

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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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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.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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