Little Oaks After School Club

Inspection of Little Oaks After School Club Hawkinge Community Centre, Heron Forstal Avenue, Hawkinge, Folkestone CT18 7FP

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This provision meets requirements

Children arrive happily at this fun and welcoming club, eager to explore the toys and games set up for them. Staff provide children with a range of stimulating resources. For example, young children spend a long time persevering to complete a jigsaw. Older children enjoy making models with play dough. This encourages their concentration skills successfully. Staff promote children's positive attitudes to their play. They praise children and celebrate their achievements with them. Children delight in sharing with them the models they had made.

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This provision meets requirements

Staff are enthusiastic and positive. They play alongside children and engage in conversations with them. This helps develop children's social and communication skills effectively. Children play well together. They share the toys and take turns, offering solutions so that their friends can join in. For example, children use craft resources to make more pretend money to use in the role-play shop.

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This provision meets requirements

Where children need support, staff are good role models, reminding them of the club rules. Children respond well to staff's instructions and staff promote children's safety well. They encourage children to recall what they need to keep safe outside. Children are eager to help, putting on their high-visibility jackets and gathering cones to mark out where they are playing. This helps develop their understanding effectively.

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need to do better?

n Children demonstrate good behaviour. They know the routines of the club well. Older children enjoy working with staff to make a den, gathering chairs to make it larger. Children quickly get into their care groups when staff ask them to go and wash their hands before snack. n Staff know the children well and plan opportunities that will interest them. Children appear happy and relaxed as they explore around the club. They are encouraged to make choices about what they want to do and play. This helps them feel secure and comfortable. n Staff promote children's independence well. They settle well, putting their own coats and bags away when they arrive. They delight in choosing watermelon for their snack and help put things away when they have finished. This helps support children's confidence. n Staff know the children well. They use children's interests to engage them in activities that will motivate them. For example, children sustain high levels of

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need to do better?

concentration making different models, talking about the shapes and colours. n Children benefit from a large, well-planned space, where they have space to relax. Children enjoy sitting in the cosy book area sharing stories together. Staff

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need to do better?

15 March 2024 encourage children to try different activities. This helps develop their personal and social skills. n Leaders and managers utilise support from their nearby linked setting to enhance provision. For example, staff share different toys and games for children to explore. They ensure staff receive supervision opportunities and prioritise staff training to continue to offer good-quality care for children and families. n Staff work well together. They have effective processes in place for the collection of children from school. They ensure they risk assess the space before children arrive and know what to do if they have concerns about children or members of staff. This ensures children are safe when at the club. n Some children spend the last hour of the day at the nearby sister setting and staff make sure there are effective links to support continuity of care for children and families. Staff ensure they share detailed information with parents about

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need to do better?

what their children have been doing at the club and pass on important messages from the school. n Communication with parents is effective. Parents are warmly welcomed at the club by staff. They talk highly of the friendliness of staff. They report that since attending the club their children have developed their confidence and made new friends. They appreciate the flexible settling-in processes that help their children feel secure when starting.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2657816 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10332856 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 33 Name of registered person Little Oaks Early Years Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07747620333 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Little Oaks After School Club registered in 2021. It is located in Hawkinge Community Centre, in Hawkinge, Folkestone, Kent. The club is part of Little Oaks Early Years Limited who run other provision nearby. It provides after school care from 3pm until 6pm, Monday to Friday during term time only. The club employs three permanent members of staff.

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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 Leaders and managers joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their club and what they want for children who attend. n The inspector spoke to children, to find out about their time at the setting. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individuals about the leadership and management of the setting. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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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

15 March 2024 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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