WASPS Out of School Club

Inspection of WASPS Out of School Club Standon & Puckeridge Community Centre, Station Road, Standon, Hertfordshire SG11 1TF

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This provision meets requirements

Children are happy to come to this welcoming and friendly club. Staff collect them from the various local schools. When they arrive, children quickly settle into the club routine. Children chat and laugh with each other and adults as they relax after their day at school. They have great fun playing with their friends, making strong friendships and learning good social skills. Staff are skilful at helping children to feel welcome and valued. Staff are exceptionally good role models. They speak gently to children and treat them with respect. Children behave exceptionally well.

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This provision meets requirements

Children speak very fondly of the club and the staff team. They develop extremely close bonds with staff, who are friendly, enthusiastic and supportive. In a recent survey carried out by the manager, the children revealed what they liked best at the club. In first place was 'staff', followed by 'food' and 'games and activities'. The manager and staff know the children and their individual personalities well. Children of all ages, and from many different schools, all play happily together. They are encouraged to express their feelings and to talk to an adult if they are feeling worried or upset. This effectively supports their emotional well-being, and helps them to feel safe, comfortable and confident in their surroundings.

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need to do better?

n The well-qualified and experienced manager is very passionate about providing high-quality care for children. The manager and her staff work extremely well together as a very close and happy team. Staff have many different skills and they complement each other's high-quality practice. All staff say that they feel valued and extremely well supported. They clearly demonstrate their enjoyment of working at the club. n Staff create many interesting and interactive displays that generate conversations between themselves and the children. For example, there are images that encourage children to talk about how they feel. The attractive displays celebrate what children have been doing at the club. Staff also display a wealth of useful information, including online safety. n Children enjoy participating in a wide range of activities. They gather around the craft table and make models out of used materials. Children proudly show staff

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need to do better?

and visitors the Jack-in-the-box that they have made. Other children demonstrate their creative skills and show high levels of concentration as they excitedly decorate their reindeer biscuits. n Staff encourage children to be actively involved in planning their own play experiences and activities. For example, children decide to make a paper chain that is long enough to go round the large hall. They work together, adding more links to the chain, and then proudly watch as staff display it around the walls.

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need to do better?

20 December 2022 n There is an effective key-person system for supporting the youngest children who attend the club. Staff work closely with the children's schools and parents, ensuring that information-sharing is effective. Children show great respect for each other. For example, older children demonstrate kindness to younger children as they share resources and involve them in their activities. n Children have many opportunities to develop their physical skills and take appropriate risks. For example, they enjoy playing football and being energetic on the large field. Children go on nature walks, and take part in pond-dipping activities at the local ford. n Staff promote healthy eating at the club. Children can choose from a range of healthy food options. They chat together happily as they eat. Children talk about food that is good for them during activities, such as making fruit kebabs and pizzas. Staff help them to understand and follow good hygiene routines. Children

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need to do better?

are encouraged to be independent and take responsibility for their personal care. n Parents' comments are overwhelmingly positive. They appreciate the 'excellent communication' at the club. The manager shares information with parents through telephone calls, emails and daily discussions at collection time. Staff reliably pass on messages from children's schools. Parents describe the staff as being 'friendly', 'helpful' and 'very patient'. Others say that they are very 'professional and reliable'. Many parents comment that they are 'very happy to have found the club' and 'could not recommend it enough'. n The manager ensures that all mandatory training is up to date. Additional training is focused on meeting the needs of the children. For example, the club's special educational needs coordinator has attended further training to enable her to support children appropriately. The manager has completed an 'inclusion

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need to do better?

audit' to ensure that she is offering the best possible care for all children attending. She regularly reflects on the effectiveness of the provision and is committed to providing high-quality, inclusive care for all children and their families.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff complete regular safeguarding training and have an excellent knowledge of their responsibilities to keep children safe. They talk confidently about what they would do if they felt that children were at risk of harm or extremist behaviour. The manager has robust recruitment and induction procedures in place. These help to ensure that staff remain suitable to work with children. Staff meticulously implement the club's safety procedures. This includes taking children to and from their feeder schools. The manager and staff work in close partnership with the headteachers to provide consistency of care and to keep the children safe.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY345025 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10265047 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

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inspection

Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 137 Name of registered person English, Nicola Jayne

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reference number

Telephone number 07904 391133 Date of previous inspection 23 May 2017

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Information about this early years setting

WASPS Out of School Club registered in 2007. The club employs 10 members of childcare staff. Eight staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The club is open Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 2.15pm until 6.15pm, with a breakfast club open from 7.30am until 8.50am. The group also runs a holiday playscheme during some school holidays.

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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 manager showed the inspector around the rooms used by the club, and described how the environment is organised. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children during activities. n Parents shared their views of the provision with the inspector, both in their written feedback and with the discussions they held during the inspection. n The inspector looked at relevant documents, including evidence of the suitability of all staff.

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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

20 December 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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Inspection activities

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