The Dell@Abel Smith

Inspection of The Dell@Abel Smith Abel Smith J M I School, Churchfields, HERTFORD SG13 8AE

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This provision meets requirements

Children settle in quickly at the club. Staff gather a range of useful information from parents before children start. This helps staff to plan exciting and relevant activities. Children interact happily with one another and behave well. They cooperate and work together, and confidently share their ideas. They discuss how to extend and adapt the models they make from cardboard boxes and tubes. Children ensure that their games are inclusive and fair. They pretend to use their model as a house for their toy characters. They divide up the space in their model so that there is room for everyone to play.

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This provision meets requirements

Children feel safe and secure at The Dell. They form meaningful relationships with the staff and follow instructions well. The staff use their strong knowledge and experience effectively to support those children who need additional help and encouragement. The strategies they use are highly effective. Children focus and interact positively as they listen to a story with their friends. The setting operates across two different buildings. However, staff have carefully considered ways to ensure that older and younger children can interact with one another. They share playtimes outside, where they play and explore together.

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need to do better?

n Children concentrate and persevere at the activities they chose. Younger children join jigsaw pieces together, turning them around and trying different pieces until they succeed. Staff encourage and praise them for their efforts. Children talk about the jigsaws they complete. They confidently retell familiar stories that they see in the pictures. They involve their friends in their play, talking to them about what is happening. n Staff enjoy their roles. Senior leaders provide a great deal of support to the staff team. They offer staff a range of training, and opportunities to progress their careers. Apprentices receive guidance from experienced staff members, supporting them to become an effective key person. Staff respond positively to the achievable targets that managers identify during regular supervision meetings. This helps staff to develop and strengthen their practice further. n Parents speak highly of the service that staff provide. They comment that staff

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need to do better?

keep them well informed about their children's time at the club. Staff choose to complete learning journals to track the youngest children's time with them. Parents enjoy looking at these and find the journals informative. n The staff collaborate with school staff highly effectively. Key workers meet regularly with class teachers. They discuss the youngest children's progress and share ideas and strategies to support children. They also share information at the daily handover. This helps them to monitor the well-being of the children

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need to do better?

30 January 2020 they care for. n Children are highly confident communicators. They openly share their work with visiting adults. Children build on their own existing experiences. For example, they write out a register and pretend to be teachers. They make marks on their work to show that all of their friends are here. They share this information with those around them, informing visitors that everyone is present. n Children are very well supported by staff. They respond positively to the guidance that staff provide. Children choose to complete a game to practise their spelling. Children spell out the words they see on the picture cards using the letter tiles. Staff encourage them to extend and challenge themselves, such as by trying to complete trickier words. Children smile proudly as they sound out the words they have created. n Older children take on responsibilities and willingly help the staff during the

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need to do better?

session. They all clear their plates once they finish eating. They help staff to get children's attention and take requests for dessert. They assist staff to ensure that everyone has what they need. However, staff do not provide the youngest children with enough opportunities to take on responsibilities and help staff, especially during mealtimes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a strong understanding of their responsibilities regarding safeguarding. They implement the policies effectively. Senior managers are vigilant to ensure that staff and committee members are suitable for their roles. Staff can confidently identify the possible signs of abuse and neglect. They are aware of the signs of wider safeguarding issues, such as how to identify those children who may be at risk of exposure to extreme views and behaviour. Staff receive training to support them to keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date. Managers hold regular discussions with them to ensure their knowledge is accurate.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY423158 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10127404 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 3 to 10 Total number of places 52 Number of children on roll 88

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Name of registered person

The Committee of The Dell Out of School Club.

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reference number

Telephone number 07432 120678 Date of previous inspection 16 November 2015

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Information about this early years setting

The Dell@Abel Smith registered in 2011. The club employs 15 members of staff. Of these, six staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The club opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 7.30am until 8.45am and 3.15pm until 6pm.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector had a tour of the areas of the premises used by the club. n Discussions were held with parents. The inspector took their views and opinions into consideration. n The inspector viewed a small sample of documentation, including staff's suitability documents and children's records. n The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector and the manager held discussions regarding the planning of activities, and staff's training and support.

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Inspection activities

30 January 2020 We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

30 January 2020 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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