Happy Hours @ Penkhull

Happy Hours @ Penkhull

Unique reference number (URN): 2829931 Address: The Willows Primary School, Greatbatch Avenue, Stoke-on-trent, ST4 7JY Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 13/03/2025 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Happy Hours Childcare Services 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

Leaders have established a calm and respectful culture, where children understand the club's expectations for behaviour. Leaders typically recognise the needs of the children attending and understand that some children require additional support to manage their emotions and behaviour. They have identified spaces where children can choose to go to regulate their emotions, helping them return to play successfully alongside their peers. Staff know children well, understand their individual triggers and use positive relationships to support children to regulate their behaviour successfully.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders generally use flexible routines to respond to children's needs, adapting the environment or introducing active play when children benefit from a change of activity. For example, they use whole-group games in the hall, such as cooperative team games, before children transition into the outdoors. They provide children with opportunities to play together, develop positive relationships and enjoy being physically active. However, staff are not consistently alert to some occasions, where children have lower levels of engagement. They do not always adapt their interactions promptly enough to maximise children's involvement in activities.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders typically monitor attendance effectively through robust registration systems and follow up unexplained absences promptly. They work with parents and the school to ensure children's whereabouts are known.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have established generally effective procedures to promote children's health and safety. This includes effective arrangements for recording accidents, monitoring injuries on arrival and responding appropriately, when children become unwell. Leaders ensure children's individual health needs are clearly recorded and known by staff. Staff understand the procedures for administering medication safely, when this is required. This helps ensure children with individual health needs are fully included and can participate safely in the daily routines and experiences offered by the club. Staff are trained in first aid so they know how to respond appropriately if a child becomes ill or is injured.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders generally encourage children to develop healthy lifestyles. They provide children with low-sugar breakfast and fresh drinking water is always available. Children can independently refill their own water bottles throughout the day. Leaders adapt routines during hot weather. They make effective use of shaded outdoor areas, ensure children have access to sun protection and encourage them to drink regularly.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children typically benefit from warm and trusting relationships with staff. They confidently invite staff into their play, seek reassurance, when needed, and know that adults will listen and respond to them. These positive relationships help children feel secure, valued and confident throughout their time at the club.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established generally inclusive practice that helps children feel welcome and valued. They work closely with the school to share information and implement consistent strategies, helping to provide continuity for children attending both provisions. Before children start, leaders gather detailed information about their interests, health needs, family circumstances and any additional support they require. This enables staff to understand children's individual strengths and identify any barriers to their engagement or wellbeing from the outset. Staff typically use this knowledge to adapt their approach to meet children's individual needs. For example, they use basic sign language to support communication with children when required.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff use their clear knowledge of children's interests and personalities to help them settle quickly and participate fully in club life. Leaders maintain an accurate overview of children's individual needs and work alongside parents and the school to ensure appropriate support remains in place as children's needs change.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders are beginning to explore how available funding can be accessed and used more effectively. However, they have not yet fully considered how funding opportunities can be used to make a demonstrable difference to the experiences and opportunities available for disadvantaged children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a general understanding of the club's strengths and the needs of the children and families who attend. They understand the local community well and have adapted the provision to meet children's needs. Leaders work closely with the school, creating a joined- up approach that provides consistency for children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders typically support staff to develop their knowledge through regular training and professional discussions. Recent professional learning has focused on strengthening staff's understanding of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders' action plan includes a continued focus on developing staff's specialist skills to extend their knowledge in supporting children with SEND. However, leaders' monitoring of staff practice is not yet sufficiently precise to identify all aspects of staff interactions that can be enhanced further.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff report that they feel supported and leaders consider staff wellbeing, when organising the provision and day-to-day routines. For example, to support staff workload during the school holidays when they operate an extended day, they vary staff roles and responsibilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have established effective partnerships with parents and carers. They share information about weekly themes and activities in advance, so parents can plan ahead. Leaders communicate promptly about accidents and day-to-day information through the online app. Parents value this communication and speak positively about the care and experiences their children receive.

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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

Children arrive happily and quickly settle into the club, where they are warmly welcomed by staff who know them well. They confidently choose from the different indoor spaces and later enjoy being outdoors. They spend enjoyable time with their friends playing board games, exploring sand and water, drawing with chalk and taking part in energetic play. Outdoors, children engage well as they scoop, pour and experiment with sand and water alongside their friends. They enjoy it when staff join in their play, encouraging children to talk about what they are doing, share their ideas and work together as they explore. Children

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Inspector:

Anne Dyoss enjoy creative experiences, such as making dream catchers, alongside opportunities for imaginative play and designing with construction resources. They develop their confidence and independence as they make choices about how they spend their time. Children clearly enjoy attending. Parents and carers say they look forward to coming to the club.

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Inspector:

Children develop positive friendships across the wide age range attending the provision. Older children naturally include younger children in their play and conversations. Staff provide gentle reminders and clear boundaries to help everyone play together respectfully. Children understand these expectations well. They respect staff and immediately respond to calm reminders, allowing their play to continue positively. Children are encouraged to talk about their thoughts and experiences. They confidently join conversations about topics that are meaningful to them, such as homelessness within their local community.

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Inspector:

Children benefit from staff, who understand their individual personalities, interests and needs. Staff use what they know about children to help them settle, build confidence and support friendships. Children that need additional support benefit from the identified strategies that staff have put in place in line with their unique needs, this helps them have positive experiences at the club. Children can choose from spaces where they can access quieter activities or regulate their emotions, when needed, helping them feel secure and included.

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Next steps

Leaders should strengthen the monitoring of staff practice to identify where staff interactions can be enhanced further to help enhance children's involvement in activities. Leaders should explore how available funding can be accessed and used to make a demonstrable difference to the experiences and opportunities available for all children.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, the special educational needs coordinator, children, parents and grandparents 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:

The Willows Primary School Greatbatch Avenue Stoke-on-trent ST4 7JY

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Happy Hours Childcare Services LTD

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Address:

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

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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. 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

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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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