Mulberry Garden After School Club

Inspection of Mulberry Garden After School Club Widcombe Infant School, Archway Street, Bath, Somerset BA2 4JG

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This provision meets requirements

Older children arrive happy, chatting to staff and quickly engaging in their self- chosen activity. Staff collect young children from their classrooms, giving them time to talk to teachers and gain any information they need, as well as welcoming children and ensuring they arrive safely at the club.

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This provision meets requirements

Staff provide sensitive support and interaction with children new to the club. As a result, they learn where to find what they need, understand any safety boundaries and know how to take care of their personal needs. They quickly settle and feel secure, enabling them to busily engage in the good variety of activities, indoors and outdoors.

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This provision meets requirements

Staff provide good support for children to solve problems and persevere. For example, they demonstrate to young children how to use a tool to divide items which are stuck together, which later children recall and explain to others. Staff successfully help children to understand that there is more than one way to achieve something. For example, when children say, 'I have done it wrong' staff comment, 'Not wrong, just your own way of doing it'. Children then do not give up but continue to develop their ideas, taking pride in their achievements.

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This provision meets requirements

The manager focuses their planning on children making independent choices, feeling valued and gaining a sense of ownership and belonging. Children are eager for staff to join their games and welcome their interactions. Staff show children respect as they listen and speak with them. Children comment on how much they enjoy attending the club and speak very positively about the staff.

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need to do better?

n Staff consider children's interests and ideas when planning, which means children are eager to participate and remain focused, supporting their skills for school effectively as they play. For example, young children confidently describe what they are making with small construction bricks and consider what they need to complete their ideas. n Children have lots of opportunities to rest and read books or be active, enjoying exercise and team games while developing their skills. For example, children explain how they lock their legs together to keep safe hanging upside down or enthusiastically engage in football. Children make good, healthy food choices, such as choosing fillings to make their own wraps. However, not all staff are consistent in giving all children good messages about hygiene. n Children have positive respectful relationships with the staff and each other, they enjoy their time at the setting and engage well. For example, staff use good

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need to do better?

9 September 2024 resources to engage children in expressing emotions and understanding why they may feel a certain way. Children behave well, are polite and respond well to staff instructions. n Staff work together well as a team, providing good, calm role models for children. Children have a good understanding that boundaries are in place to keep them safe. For example, staff draw lines on the playground and explain to new children that they must not cross this, to ensure they remain within sight of staff. Although on school grounds, staff risk assess the premises and provide good supervision. n The manager evaluates the quality of the provision, seeking parents', staff, and children's feedback. She ensures staff understand their roles and responsibilities. They have team meetings, where they focus on specific practices to embed their knowledge, such as behaviour management. The manager leads her team well.

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need to do better?

Through observation, she knows where to focus staff development, such as ensuring all staff extend children's thinking and vocabulary with good open- ended questions. n Partnerships with parents and the school are good. They work together to ensure staff can meet children's individual needs. Key staff, who children spend most time with, exchange important information with parents at the end of the day. Parents comment on the nurturing staff and how their strong bonds with their children have made such a difference to their children's well-being.

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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 2683092 Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Council Inspection number 10355506 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 23 Number of children on roll 65 Name of registered person Purnell, Lucy

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reference number

Telephone number 07961008561 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Mulberry Garden After School Club registered in 2022. This privately owned out-of- school club operates from a classroom in Widcombe Infant School, Bath. The club is open Monday to Friday from 3.15 until 5.30pm term time only. The owner holds an appropriate early years qualification at degree level. She employs a total of six staff, of whom three hold childcare or teaching 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 viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection and the inspector took account of their views and parents' comments. n The inspector talked to staff at convenient times and observed the quality of their interactions with children. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation. n The inspector spoke to the nominated individual/manager about the leadership and management of the setting and sampled key documentation.

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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

9 September 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

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