Acorns at Woodfield Infant School

Inspection of Acorns at Woodfield Infant School Woodfield Infant School, Woodfield Road, Shrewsbury SY3 8LU

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This provision meets requirements

Children benefit from attending this high-quality club, that is led by a committed provider and passionate manager. Staff adapt the varied range of activities on offer to children's individual interests. They utilise their knowledge and skills well to enhance children's play. There is a strong key-person system in place. This helps children to build close relationships with key staff when they first start. Children quickly develop a secure base to explore the environment and build wider relationships in the club, once they are settled.

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This provision meets requirements

Children's and parents' feedback on the club and their experiences is very positive. Children repeatedly use the word 'love' to describe their feelings of attending. For instance, outside, children use their writing skills to write 'I love acorns' on the playground using chalk. When it is time for children to leave, while they are pleased to see their parents, they are disappointed to leave the fun activities they are engrossed in.

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This provision meets requirements

Children's behaviour is excellent. Staff manage this skilfully in line with the values of the club, which are set out by the provider, including 'good conduct'. There is a strong focus on rewards and incentives to promote children's positive behaviour. For example, children are eager to behave well to receive a chocolate scented sticker and to be in with a chance of being the 'golden acorn'. Staff also have an understanding of the behaviour policy of the host school. Therefore, they promote positive behaviour in line with the principles of good behaviour used in the school. This helps to promote children's consistent understanding of behaviour expectations.

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need to do better?

n Leaders are ambitious. They achieve high standards in the service they provide through a strong focus on maintaining values and evaluating the provision over time. The provider and manager both stringently monitor the service provided, and staff practice. For example, they gain feedback from parents and children, and observe staff. This helps to ensure the quality of care provided is consistently good for all children and staff performance develops continuously, while maintaining positive staff well-being. n Staff ensure that each child is treated as the unique individual that they are. They cater for the needs of all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. The environment and activities are organised, so that they are accessible to and inclusive to all children. This allows for independence regardless of ability.

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need to do better?

10 May 2022 n The manager carefully considers the allocation of key persons. She pairs up children with key persons, who speak children's home language or the language of their parents. This enables children to hear and use their home language with their key person, in addition to using English in their play. This also helps to contribute to children's sense of belonging. n The manager is a strong advocate for children having opportunities to explore how their lives differ from others, both in their own community and around the world. Children gain an understanding about how they are similar to and different from children who live in countries where this is conflict, and they can show support for these children. n Staff ensure modern British values are promoted through all aspects of practice in this club. Children demonstrate positive values in their play, such as showing respect for the views of others.

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need to do better?

n Health and nutrition is another key value of the club. Children benefit from a nutritious and healthy snack. They follow good hygiene routines. There are daily opportunities for children to experience a wide range of physical activities outside. Some of these promote exercise, such as ball games, parachute games and chasing bubbles. n Children show high levels of curiosity and engagement. They concentrate intently while they work with a member of staff, who is also an illustrator, to paint rocks to look like bees. n The manager is very experienced in working in schools. She understands how to organise the club to provide opportunities for children to practise skills they learn at school. The club also benefits from staff who work in the host school. These staff share information about what the children have done in school and then provide opportunities for children to practise this learning in the club. For

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need to do better?

example, staff enable children to continue their recent learning about space by making 'space packs' at the club. Staff provide activities to build on children's experiences in school on an ad-hoc basis. There is scope to work even closer with school staff to allow this to happen more regularly.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager understands her responsibilities as the safeguarding lead for the club. She is alert to potential contextual safeguarding risks to children. Staff know how to identify and respond to safeguarding matters, such as incidents of peer-on-peer abuse. Training helps to keep staff knowledge up to date. This includes being alert to indicators of a child being drawn into radicalisation and extremism. Staff know the procedures to follow to help families to get the right support and to report any concerns for a child's welfare. The provider has appropriate procedures for the management of safeguarding, including responding to concerns and allegations against staff. Staff understand these procedures very well. The provider follows safer recruitment processes to help to check the suitability of staff.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2592806 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 10237364 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Out-of-school day care

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inspection

Total number of places 45 Number of children on roll 90 Name of registered person Acorns Club Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 07855 423215 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Acorns at Woodfield Infant School registered in 2020. A private provider, from the site of Woodfield Infant School, operates the club. The club opens Monday to Friday, 7.45am until 8.50am and 3.15pm until 6pm, during term times. The provider offers full day care during the host school's professional development days. The provider employs six members of childcare staff. All hold appropriate qualifications.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector held an initial meeting with the provider to discuss his management of the club. n The inspector and manager viewed the areas of the school premises used by the club and discussed how the provision is organised. n Parents shared their views of the club with the inspector both in writing and through discussions with the inspector. Children and staff spoke with the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed an activity with the manager and they discussed their findings together. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the club.

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Inspection activities

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

10 May 2022 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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