Boxmoor After School Club

Inspection of Boxmoor After School Club Boxmoor Primary School, Cowper Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP1 1PF

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This provision meets requirements

Children enjoy attending this welcoming setting. They come in happily, eagerly exchanging news and catching up on recent events. Staff work very well with parents and the school, helping to ensure that they have an excellent understanding of children's needs and interests. This aids children in feeling secure and settling quickly. Children respond to the positive environment. They work harmoniously and persist when faced with challenges. For example, children persevere when working out how to join different sections of a train track. These positive daily experiences aid children in building the skills that support their learning.

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This provision meets requirements

Children respond to staff's high expectations regarding behaviour. They are kind and caring towards one another, competently sharing resources and ensuring all are included. For instance, when playing football, older children consider the safety of younger ones and make sure they have fair turns at passing the ball and scoring goals. Secure daily procedures ensure that the setting is safe for children and also support them in understanding safety. For example, children explain that the large play equipment is not safe to use as it is slippery from recent rain. Staff understand the possible longer-term effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns. They offer children additional support in settling and in their interactions with others.

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need to do better?

n Managers and staff are enthusiastic about their work and show a very genuine enjoyment of this. They carefully consider children's needs and work together to review all areas, continuing to make improvements. For example, they continuously consider children's interests and listen carefully to their feedback, making sure that the activities and resources reflect these. n Staff fully understand children's need to relax after a busy day at school and during the school holidays. They successfully balance this with offering children numerous opportunities to participate in exciting activities. Staff take great care to understand every child and help them to feel comfortable and welcome. This care and attention is also reflected in the manager's practical supervision of staff. She offers them individual support, enabling them to enjoy their work and continue to develop their practice. n Staff offer children activities linked to topics they are covering at school, offering

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need to do better?

children opportunities to re-visit what they have been learning and to build on this. Skilled staff ensure that activity planning is flexible, enabling them to respond to children's interests and to their requests. For example, children discuss their favourite foods and ask to make hot dogs as a treat. Staff note this and incorporate it into the planning.

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need to do better?

22 April 2024 n Interesting, well-planned activities successfully capture children's attention and contribute to their enjoyment and to their skills and knowledge. For example, children participating in a craft activity work out how much salt to add to their pictures. They experiment when they add paint and exclaim excitedly 'look, the salt is making the paint spread!'. n Staff engage children in discussions they know will interest them, helping to develop their language and communication skills. Children are animated as they participate, for example, using their good language skills to update one another on a television series they have been watching and to describe their ideas and activities. n Children have opportunities to learn about the relevance of healthy lifestyle choices. For instance, they discuss healthy eating when making snacks and during cooking activities. Activities, such as dancing and outdoor ball games, aid

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need to do better?

children in developing their physical skills. n Staff support children in understanding and respecting differences, for example, in beliefs, preferences and needs. They listen carefully to children and show them they value their views. Children respond to this and confidently state their opinions and ideas, secure in the knowledge that they are respected. n Parents speak very highly of the setting, describing this as 'creative, fun and professionally run'. They praise staff, particularly noting their caring approach and genuine interest in the children. Parents report that staff communicate well with them and they appreciate the many activities their children participate in.

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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 EY499737 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10335087 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 80 Name of registered person Claire's Club Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 0782 8770197 Date of previous inspection 5 June 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Boxmoor After School Club registered in 2016. The club employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The club opens from Monday to Friday during term time. Sessions are from 7.30am until 9am and from 3.15pm until 6pm. They also offer holiday care for five weeks of the school holidays, with sessions from 9am to 5pm.

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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 this setting. n The manager showed the inspector the areas used for childcare and discussed how they ensure these are safe and suitable. n The inspector observed interactions between staff and children inside and outside. She and the manager discussed and reviewed activities. n Meetings were held between the inspector, the manager and the session lead. The inspector looked at relevant documentation and saw evidence of the suitability of staff. n The inspector held discussions with staff, children and parents at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. She also viewed written feedback from parents.

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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

22 April 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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