Branches Out Of School

Branches Out Of School

Unique reference number (URN): 2809348 Address: St Anne's R.C Church Hall, Half Fields Road, Blaydon-on-tyne, NE21 5RW Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 11/10/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Branches Out Of School Ltd

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children's behaviour is respectful and thoughtful. Staff use gentle reminders to help children understand the rules and boundaries that keep everybody safe at the club. For example, children know they must line up to wash their hands before snack and when they have been playing outdoors. Children learn how to assess risk and achieve manageable challenges. For instance, they safely use chopsticks, cutlery and scissors in activities themed around Chinese New Year.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The friendly team form positive relationships with children. They dedicate time to talk and play with them. Staff are positive role models for behaviour and social skills. They speak to children in a caring manner and have fun with them. Staff are generally aware of children's differing needs and personalities, and provide effective care accordingly for all ages and abilities. As a result, children are happy, aware of what is expected of them and behave well.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff support all children to cooperate with each other in the varied experiences on offer. They help younger children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities to take turns in a fun and constructive way. When necessary, leaders speak with parents and carers to discuss any negative behaviour, and work with children to help them understand the club's kind and caring ethos. This includes having discussions to support punctuality and attendance.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), build warm relationships with their key staff and the whole staff team. Children engage in activities they enjoy. They chat excitedly to their friends and show off their drawings to interested staff, who praise their creativity. Older children can become 'buddy helpers'. For example, they support younger children to get a drink, to take turns and to look for resources. Leaders and staff are knowledgeable about children and their families. They regularly speak with parents and carers and teachers. This helps staff to support children's physical development and personal skills. For example, staff typically help children gain the skills they need to keep themselves and other's safe and to consider their health and wellbeing needs appropriately.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Overall, staff ensure hygiene and care practices consider the personal risks and needs of children of all ages and abilities. Staff often continue themes and topics that complement what children are learning at school. They understand and support the skills that younger children or children with SEND might require help with, for instance how to manage their emotions and potty training. Staff typically ensure children's voices are heard and that their wishes are taken into consideration. For instance, staff follow the requests of children when planning activities. The activity programme covers regular physical, social and creative activities, including cooking such as making pancakes.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders create an inclusive culture, where every child is welcome. They have detailed conversations with new parents and carers and arrange as many visits to the club as their child needs to help them settle well. This helps staff to identify and assess individual needs quickly and accurately. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those with other barriers, such as wellbeing needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff adapt resources and activities for children with SEND. For example, they notice when children might need over-ear noise protection or a quiet board game or a story to relax. Generally, staff have high expectations for all children. They share relevant information with all adults and professionals involved in children's care. This includes children who have additional with funding or long-term care plans. Staff have regular discussions and training to be able to regularly review and assess the changing needs of children. This helps to ensure all adults work together fully to meet children's needs. Children understand the routines and expectations of the club and make their own choices in activities. Additionally, leaders have termly review meetings with early years leads in schools to share relevant information to support children as their needs change.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure effective supervisions are in place to support staff to continually improve practice with children. Additionally, leaders have not ensured new staff and managers receive the required induction and training to make sure they understand their roles and responsibilities. Furthermore, leaders are aware of what they need to improve but have not clearly identified any underlying causes of weaknesses at the club. This means that they are not able to put precise actions in place to address weaknesses quickly enough. These breaches to the statutory requirements do not have an impact on the safety and welfare of children at the club.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Staff wellbeing is a constant focus for leaders and staff value this. Staff are enthusiastic, motivated and work well together. Leaders ensure the club's inclusive and stimulating environment is adapted with all children's needs in mind. This means all children can participate, are included and make the most of what is on offer. For example, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive full attention and tailored support from their key staff and staff responsible for children with SEND. They reflect on children's needs and interests at each session and make adaptions and changes to activities and experiences to help children participate fully.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Overall, staff deployment is effective. This ensures children are kept safe and are mostly supervised well. Leaders make sure that staff understand risk assessments and can identify any potential hazards to children immediately, both at the setting and on walks to collect children from school. However, leaders do not consistently make sure that self-evaluation identifies key weaknesses. Nor do they regularly monitor staff practice and development effectively. Targets are not based on rigorous monitoring of practice. These breaches are being addressed and do not have a significant impact on children's safety and welfare. Children demonstrate they feel happy and safe at this warm and friendly club. They make close friends from other schools as they greet each other with smiles and hugs. Children engage in activities of their choice. For example, they spend long periods of time together outdoors being imaginative as they play. Children have fun working together to create

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Chinese New Year themed drawings and recipes. They take turns to recall the different types of noodles they have tried and share what their parents and carers choose when they have a take-away meal. The club is a happy place for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers to learning and/or wellbeing.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Staff are knowledgeable about children and their families. They gain detailed information from parents to enable them to support children's individual care needs throughout the session. Staff ensure all young children and those with any additional needs are allocated a key person. They regularly speak with parents and teachers at collection times to share any concerns, such as emotional wellbeing and attendance. This includes staff from school, who are responsible for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following actions by the assigned date:

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Action Completion Date

ensure new managers and staff receive effective induction and training opportunities so they are able to fulfil their roles and responsibilities effectively 20/03/2026

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Action Completion Date

put in place effective supervision for all staff, including managers, to identify any gaps in their practice and knowledge, so that support, coaching and training focuses more precisely on improving their practice and interactions with the children 20/03/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinators, children and parents and carers during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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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Address:

St Anne's R.C Church Hall Half Fields Road Blaydon-on-tyne NE21 5RW

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Branches Out Of School Ltd

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 09:00,Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 15:15 - 18:00,Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:30 - 16:30

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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