Highnam Under Fives, Highnam Under Fives After School Club

Inspection of Highnam Under Fives, Highnam Under Fives After School Club Wetherleigh Drive, Highnam, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL2 8LW

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is good

Children display a strong sense of belonging at this welcoming and friendly setting. They learn to recognise their name as they self-register when they arrive each morning. Children form strong bonds with the caring staff, who know them well. They lead their own learning and choose from a wide range of play activities, both indoors and outdoors. Children are eager to begin their play.

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The provision is good

Children develop independence skills from a young age. They know that they need to collect their coat from their peg when they would like to play outside. Children remember that they need to put their wellingtons on for outdoor play. This means that they are equipped to enter all areas of the garden when outside, including the setting's muddy 'wild area', where children can further develop their physical skills and understanding of the world.

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The provision is good

Children are curious and resilient learners. They explore arctic animals and large blocks of ice. Children use their imagination as they play with animal figures. They demonstrate problem-solving skills and are eager to share their ideas about how to melt the ice. Children suggest that they could 'smash it' or 'wait for it to melt'. They make links to previous learning experiences and introduce phrases from familiar stories into their play. Children move a polar bear up and down and pretend that it is walking on blocks of ice. They excitedly state, 'we are going on a bear hunt.'

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need to do better?

n Children behave well. Staff are consistent in their approach and remind children to be kind to each other and share the resources. There are good strategies in place to support children's understanding of staff expectations for their behaviour. For example, staff suggest that children use a sand timer to help recognise when it is time for someone else to have a turn. n The manager and staff build effective partnerships with the host school to support children's learning. In the term before children move on to school, staff organise physical activity sessions in the school. This helps children to become familiar with the environment and practise self-care skills, such as changing their clothes independently. n Staff support children's communication and language skills well. They lead daily small-group activities, where children sing familiar songs and action rhymes together. Staff ask children questions to enhance their levels of engagement.

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need to do better?

However, at times, staff do not always make the most of these opportunities, to fully support and extend children's learning to the highest level. n Staff support children to adopt a healthy and balanced lifestyle. They recently completed a healthy eating week, where children learned about healthy and unhealthy foods and the impact these have on their bodies. Children

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need to do better?

13 January 2023 demonstrate their understanding of this during their play. For example, they pretend to make a lunch box with make-believe food. They identify the best order to eat the 'lunch' they have prepared. Children explain that they will eat the healthy food first and will leave the 'doughnut' until last. n Staff support children's early writing skills well. They provide children with a range of activities to support them to develop their finger muscles and strength in their hands. For example, children scrunch pieces of crepe paper and stick them down with glue to create a snowman. Staff support children to use scissors to cut out a piece of foam for the 'snowman's hat'. n Overall, partnerships with parents are strong. Parents speak highly of the care and education provided for children by the staff team. They value the warm and friendly ethos of the setting and comment on how well staff know the children

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need to do better?

and how they meet their individual needs. Although staff use a range of methods to communicate with parents, they are yet to encourage parents to share enough information about children's ongoing interests, learning and development at home to fully extend and complement this in the setting. n The staff team work very well together. They are committed to extending their knowledge and skills and make ongoing improvements to their setting to support children to make the best levels of progress. The manager recently made changes to the outdoor environment to enable children to access equipment independently. Resources to support children's physical skills, such as bicycles, hula hoops, balls and bean bags, are now stored in an open shed so children can see them and use them at all times.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff complete daily risk assessments of the premises to ensure they are safe for children to play. They minimise risks; for example, by sprinkling logs with salt, to reduce the likelihood of children slipping. All staff hold paediatric first- aid certificates and know how to respond in the event of a child having an accident. Managers and staff demonstrate a good awareness of the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect. They know the procedures to follow should they need to report a concern regarding children's welfare. Staff also explain the procedure to follow if they are concerned about the conduct of other adults working in the setting.

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should:

n support staff to strengthen their interactions with children, to make the most of conversations and extend children's learning to the highest level n consider further ways to encourage parents to share more information about children's ongoing interests, learning and development at home to fully promote

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should:

13 January 2023 consistency and help children to make even more progress.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 101731 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 10262899 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 Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 72 Name of registered person Highnam Under Fives Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01452 520849 Date of previous inspection 7 April 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Highnam Under Fives, Highnam Under Fives After School Club first registered in 1979. It operates from its own building in the grounds of Highnam Academy in Gloucestershire. The setting operates from 9am until 3pm, Monday to Friday, during term time. It offers out-of-school provision for school-aged children, each morning, from 7.45am and 8.45am, and each afternoon, from 3.30pm and 6pm. The setting employs seven members of staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications between level 3 and level 6. The setting provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n This is the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken this into account in her evaluation of the setting. n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss activities and intentions for children's learning. n The inspector observed the quality of education during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector and manager completed a joint observation of staff practice. n The inspector held discussions with the manager and staff team to evaluate the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector spoke to parents/carers during the inspection and considered their views. n The inspector sampled a selection of documentation, including staff qualifications and records of suitability.

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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

13 January 2023 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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