Barracudas (Upminster)

Inspection of Barracudas (Upminster) Coopers' & Coborn School, St. Mary's Lane, Upminster, Essex RM14 3HS

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This provision meets requirements

Children arrive happy and ready for their day at Barracudas activity camp. They have a wealth of exciting and fun activities on offer throughout the day. These include swimming, drama, play sessions and sports activities. Staff are enthusiastic and fun. Children state that they love coming to the camp. Children are very engaged in play and demonstrate that they feel happy, safe and secure. Children behave well. They work well together to build a fort and help each other to fix the sides together. Staff are good role models. They are kind, polite and use good manners. Staff work with children at the start of the week to agree group rules, such as to look after each other and to be kind. This helps children to take responsibility for their own behaviour and play happily together.

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This provision meets requirements

The staff establish excellent partnerships with parents. Staff make good use of handover times to exchange information with parents about their children's day. They recognise the importance of a good two-way exchange of information. Parents speak highly about the exceptional staff. They state that they feel the camp is a safe and enjoyable environment and that the staff team goes the 'extra mile' to support their children as individuals. Parents report that their children love attending.

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need to do better?

n The management team deploys staff highly effectively. Staff use strategies, such as using walkie talkies, to ensure all children receive the support they need. The constructive teamworking means that staff can safely chaperone children to the washrooms while other staff engage in children's play. The management team provides comprehensive support and training. Staff morale is high. They report that they work well as a team and love working at the camp. n Staff with responsibility for supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are committed to collaborating with parents and ensure that children receive targeted support. Parents are actively involved in the process prior to the child attending, with staff offering guidance. This helps families feel confident that their child's individual needs will be met while at camp. n Children have positive attitudes and show high levels of curiosity, concentration

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need to do better?

and enjoyment. They thoroughly enjoy the experiences on offer at the club. Staff develop a range of engaging experiences for children that keep the children engrossed. For example, a group of children enjoy taking part in mini Olympics on the field. n Staff guide children's behaviour with careful consideration. They identify children's positive behaviours, which they praise and encourage. Children develop good friendships with each other and build trusting relationships with

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need to do better?

30 July 2025 staff. Staff work hard to promote children's emotional well-being. They introduce new friends during the morning welcome song and stay with them to offer extra support and comfort throughout the session. To ensure consistency, early years group leaders remain the same each day. This helps younger children to feel secure. n Interactions between staff and children are strong. Staff ensure there is a fun element to daily routines. For example, children sing songs as they move from each activity. Staff support children to develop a love of books. Children sit captivated while listening to stories that are read to them. Staff engage younger children by getting them to act out the story. Older children join in with familiar phrases and anticipate what will happen next. n Children's good health is well promoted. They have ample opportunities to engage in physical play outside. For instance, they enjoy playing ball games,

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need to do better?

bouncy castles and assault courses. Mealtimes are relaxed and sociable. The camp offers guidance on providing healthy packed lunches. Children are encouraged to be independent in managing their self-care. n The management team has effective risk assessments in place to ensure that all activities are as safe as possible and that all areas used are suitable for children. High-risk activities such as archery and swimming are well supervised and organised by appropriately qualified staff. Good recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that all staff working with children are suitable to do so.

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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 118594 Local authority Havering Inspection number 10388642 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 90 Number of children on roll 375 Name of registered person Young World Leisure Group Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01480 467 567 Date of previous inspection 22 July 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Barracudas (Upminster) registered in 2001. The activity camp is located at The Coopers' Company and Coburn School in Upminster, in the London Borough of Havering. The provision employs 22 members of staff. Of these, five hold qualified teacher status, and 12 hold qualifications at level 3 or above. The provision opens from Monday to Friday during the Easter and summer holidays. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm.

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Inspection activities

n The camp managers and the inspector discussed how the provision is organised for early years children. n The camp managers showed the inspector the premises and discussed how they ensure they are safe and suitable. n Children spoke to the inspector about what they enjoy doing while at the activity camp. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and the children. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working at the activity camp.

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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

30 July 2025 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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