York Explorers

York Explorers

Unique reference number (URN): 2862815 Address: Bad Bargain Lane, York, YO31 0PF Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 02/09/2025 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: York Childcare Limited

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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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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The senior leadership team is working closely with the daily club leaders and staff in this new out-of-school and holiday club. Recent changes to their agreement with the local authority mean that the club now provides care for early years children. Senior leaders are supporting staff with the changes, although this is still in the infancy stages. For example, extra managers are in place to cover holidays, and leaders provide staff who are new to their roles with targeted programmes of support. Senior leaders have a clear oversight of the early years foundation stage requirements and are aware of the changes to be made to the club to ensure these are met. For instance, they model safe-eating practices to staff and show them how to how to use the online system to find information about children. They recognise that club leaders and staff require further support to fully promote inclusion and establish routines in the club, particularly to support children in the early years age range.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Senior leaders follow safe-recruitment procedures and provide new staff with an induction which includes mandatory training. Staff confidently understand the procedures to follow if they have concerns about children's welfare or the conduct of other staff. Staff benefit from a package of wellbeing and support for their health, as the organisation provides free counselling and other helpful services. Staff say they feel supported here and are building confidence in their roles. Leaders and staff have begun to build partnerships with parents, carers and the families of children who attend. They are aware the needs of the local community and work in partnership with local schools. This helps to promote continuity for children.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure staff implement consistent routines for children. For instance, young children wander around the club and staff do not provide them with specific support during their play and explorations. Staff are not aware of their key children, and on occasion, children do not know who to go to ask for help. For example, young children walk around looking for a place to store their pictures and eventually give these to staff. Some children's level of engagement in activities is low, and they move around the club to try and find things that interest them. On occasion, children begin to attend the club before detailed information is gathered. Senior leaders, however, do reflect on admissions procedures and children's attendance, and encourage families to attend an open day to help staff get to know children before they start.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Daily routines are not embedded and lunch time is unorganised. For example, some children choose to stay indoors for lunch while others choose to go outside. Staff are not organised during this transition, and some children wait for long periods of time in the hallway. Some children take their food from their bags and begin to eat and others are still playing with resources. This does not help all children to understand what is expected of them and boundaries are unclear.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Needs attention

Although children are not familiar with some routines, their behaviour remains positive. Overall, children are polite, well-mannered and kind. When staff interact with children, they offer praise and are positive role models. For example, they gently remind children to take care with the stick insects, and help them to share resources as the make dens in the garden.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders do not support staff to implement policies and procedures effectively. This means some children's welfare and wellbeing is not consistently prioritised. For example, senior leaders provide staff with information on safe-eating procedures, however, staff do not follow these, and young children sit alone, unsupervised, while they eat their snack. The impact of weaknesses in the key-person system, routines and transition times mean that staff are not always aware of where young children are in the club. Staff are deployed in each area of the club so children are adequately supervised. The majority of children show confidence as they move around the club and manage to navigate their day well. Overall, all children develop positive relationships with staff and each other.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Staff generally support all children's health. For instance, children follow positive hygiene practices independently. They know to wash their hands after they handle the stick insects and before they eat. Staff teach them about healthy foods and encourage children to try a range of vegetables at snack. Children learn about other foods from around the world and discuss where they come from. For example, they enjoy making tacos and taste the different peppers and salsa. Staff teach children how to stay safe in the sun. Children know they need to wear their hats, move their activities into the shade and have sun cream applied.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have not fully developed ways to gather detailed information about all children. For example, they are not aware of younger children's interest, preferences or developmental stages. This does not fully support staff to identify, assess and address all children's individual needs. Staff are not aware of who their key children are. This means younger children are not consistently supported to participate in activities in the club and are not always included in discussions.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Staff gather some information about children before they start, and this helps them to know how to meet some of their individual needs. For example, staff know about children with dietary needs and ensure they carefully prepare snack for them on their individual plates. Leaders have identified that some families struggle to fully complete online forms, particularly those who may face barriers to learning and those who speak English as an additional language. Leaders have created a paper form and held an open day to encourage families to come and meet them before attending.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Staff make adaptations to activities for children with dietary needs, for example, they bake dairy-free cookies with all children, so that these children can be fully included. Leaders have created a sensory room to help children self-regulate. Children show they enjoy being in the calm environment and regularly use the space.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has not 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 not 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 are not effectively supported in the club. The key-person system is not embedded, and young children do not have a specific person to develop secure bonds with. On occasion, children wander around the club, looking for activities to take part in. Children's welfare is not consistently prioritised. For example, young children are not supervised when they eat and some of the daily routines and transitions are unorganised.

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

Overall, staff are responsive to children and know how to meet their care needs. For instance, older children with any dietary requirements are kept safe as staff are fully aware of these and implement procedures effectively. For example, children have a different- coloured plate and staff ensure they only access safe foods. Children take part in some activities which promote inclusion and develop their sense of belonging. For example, staff plan to bake dairy-free cookies and teach children about other people and places around the world. Children show enjoyment as they use craft resources to make 'tacos'. Older children show kindness towards younger children and speak to them respectfully. They include them in their play and activities, such as when den building, and share creative resources with them.

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

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are generally supported in the club. They benefit from a quiet space where they can relax and regulate their feelings and emotions. Children have access to outdoor play each day and show enjoyment in this. They benefit from plenty of physical play and use their imagination to make a doctor's surgery and shops from the den-building equipment, for instance. Children and families contribute to evaluations of the club. Parents provide feedback to the staff team and leaders use this to improve the provision, such as enhancing the resources for older children outdoors.

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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

develop the key-person system and ensure staff gather and use detailed information about children, so they are aware of their interests and individual needs 31/08/2026

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Action Completion Date

improve the organisation of routines and transitions for children, to consistently support their wellbeing and keep them safe 14/08/2026

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Action Completion Date

ensure staff implement procedures at mealtimes, so that children are appropriately supervised at all times to maintain their safety 14/08/2026

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with directors, senior leaders, leaders, staff and children during the inspection.

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: York Childcare Limited

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 09:00,Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 15:00 - 18:00,Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 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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Age range of children at the time of 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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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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.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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