Educamps at Thorney Hill Community Centre

Inspection of Educamps at Thorney Hill Community Centre Community Centre, Burley Road, Bransgore, Christchurch BH23 8DQ

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This provision does not meet requirements

There are several breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements, due to a lack of efficient oversight and governance by the provider. The provider has not ensured that all staff have a secure understanding of safeguarding matters and the procedures to follow to report concerns. Risk assessments and supervision of children are not robust, which compromises children's safety. The provider has not ensured that required information and records are available for inspection, which means that Ofsted cannot be assured that staff working with children are suitable. In addition, the provider has not obtained criminal records checks from the Disclosure and Barring Service for volunteers.

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This provision does not meet requirements

Despite these weaknesses, children arrive happily and have good relationships with the staff. They enjoy sitting, chatting and laughing with the adults who care for them. The key strength of this provision is the amount of time children spend outside, benefitting from lots of fresh air and exercise. Staff plan activities that children may not experience at home, such as den building and campfires. However, some of these activities are too complex for the youngest children and they lose interest. Staff and leaders have not fully considered how to best occupy children who do not want to take part in the planned activities.

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need to do better?

n Staff lack a clear understanding of safeguarding matters. The provider has not checked that staff have completed safeguarding training as required. The provider has not ensured that all staff have an understanding of wider safeguarding issues, such as county lines and radicalisation. Not all staff are, therefore, confident about the procedures to follow if they need to report a safeguarding concern outside of the organisation and none of them have an understanding of the role of the local authority designated officer. This undermines the setting's ability to keep children safe. n Although the provider understands the need to notify agencies with statutory responsibilities of matters affecting children's safety and welfare, they do not always do so within a reasonable period of time. There has been a delay in reporting a significant incident to local safeguarding partners. This is a breach of requirements.

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need to do better?

n Staff's supervision of children is not effective. There are frequent occasions when children wander off from their groups. Although they are often in sight on the field, insufficient attempts are made by staff to keep children with them and consistently accounted for. Children often use the playground equipment despite being told not to by the manager. Staff do not enforce these rules and ignore the children playing on the equipment. There are also occasions when children go

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need to do better?

14 August 2025 into the hall, unaccompanied by staff. Children are then left unsupervised with volunteers making lunch, for whom the provider has not obtained a criminal records check. This does not promote children's safety. n Risk assessments, especially for off-site activities, are not robust. Young children have been taken off site to play games in the forest, teamed up with older children. Full consideration has not been given to the children's ages, abilities and individual needs. The provider has, however, now postponed further activities in the forest, in order to better consider future off-site activities. n The provider does not ensure that records are easily accessible and available for inspection. This includes records relating to the identity checks and vetting processes that have been completed on staff and evidence as to who is first-aid trained. n Although there is a policy in place for how mobile phones are to be used in the

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need to do better?

setting, staff do not consistently adhere to this. Some staff keep their mobile phones in their pockets and take them on off-site activities. Again, this does not promote children's safety and welfare. n There is a good focus on children's physical health, with staff planning many activities to keep children active. Children have the option of a healthy, hearty cooked meal, which helps them to maintain optimal energy levels for their busy day. n Children enjoy activities such as campfire building. They eagerly help staff to find sticks for the fire and staff help them to think about what a fire needs to get going. Children wait patiently for their turn to roast their marshmallows and enjoy squishing them between biscuits.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

There is not an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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Due date

14 August 2025 provide all staff with safeguarding training so that they have an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues and understand the safeguarding policy and procedures, including who to escalate concerns to, about children or adults, outside of the organisation 28/08/2025

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Due date

ensure concerns about children's safety or welfare are notified to agencies with statutory responsibilities without delay, including when a child goes missing 28/08/2025

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Due date

ensure staff supervise children with vigilance at all times in order to keep them safe, well occupied and meet their individual needs 28/08/2025

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Due date

review the risk assessments for all off- site activities, taking into account the surroundings, children's ages and their individual needs 28/08/2025

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Due date

ensure that all required records are easily accessible and available for inspection, including evidence of the identity checks and vetting processes that have been completed on staff 28/08/2025

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Due date

ensure all staff implement the safeguarding policy in relation to how mobile phones are used at the setting 28/08/2025

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Due date

obtain an enhanced criminal records check for every person aged 16 and over who works on the premises on which the childcare is provided, including volunteers. 28/08/2025

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2824207 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10409148 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 100 Number of children on roll 87 Name of registered person Educamps Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01425529118 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Educamps at Thorney Hill Community Centre registered in 2025 and operates in Bransgore, near Christchurch, Hampshire. The camp operates during the Easter, summer and Christmas school holidays, from 8.30am to 4.30pm. The camp employs a range of staff depending on the number of children attending.

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Inspection activities

n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The inspector viewed the provision and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector spoke with the registered individual about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children.

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Inspection activities

14 August 2025 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

14 August 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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