The Strings Club - Harborne Holiday Camp (Harborne Academy)

(Harborne Academy)

Unique reference number (URN): 2506841 Address: Harborne Academy, Harborne Road, Birmingham, West Midlands, B15 3JL Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 11/12/2018 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: The Strings Club Limited

p.1

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.

p.2

How we evaluate safeguarding

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

p.2

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.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children benefit from highly attentive care that helps them to feel extremely happy, safe and emotionally secure. Staff know children and families very well. They are alert to children's individual care needs and sensitively adapt routines and experiences so that children feel comfortable and included.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children develop warm, trusting relationships with familiar adults. They confidently approach staff for reassurance, conversation and practical help and are comfortable expressing their feelings and preferences. Staff recognise when children need additional reassurance or support and help them to re-engage successfully with their friends and experiences. Children spontaneously sing, dance, laugh and share their achievements with staff, reflecting the confidence and security they feel at the club.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children's physical health and safety are given high priority. Staff supervise them attentively, including during meals and personal care routines. Children enjoy healthy snacks, have ready access to drinking water and are reminded to remain hydrated during hot weather. They enjoy regular opportunities for energetic outdoor play.

p.2

Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Parents speak very positively about the attentive care their children receive. They particularly value how well staff know their children and the warm relationships children develop with the team.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders have established clear routines and expectations that children understand well. Children know the club's 'golden rules' and respond positively when staff remind them to listen, use kind hands and feet and treat others with respect. Children take responsibility for tidying resources and generally behave respectfully towards staff and one another.

p.3

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Relationships are warm and positive. Children form strong friendships and say that seeing their friends is one of the things they value most about attending. Staff model respectful behaviour and sensitively encourage children who are more hesitant or isolated to participate with others. Children confidently contribute to group discussions and enthusiastically engage in the experiences they choose.

p.3

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff consider children's individual needs when applying routines and expectations. They enable children to participate in different ways when this helps them to feel comfortable and included. Staff also follow up unexplained absence and understand the importance of children's attendance.

p.3

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

However, staff sometimes complete tasks for children that they could reasonably manage themselves, such as fetching drinks or preparing materials. This reduces some opportunities for children to practise independence, perseverance and problem-solving through everyday routines.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders promote an inclusive culture in which children's individual needs and circumstances are valued. Staff gather information from families before children attend and use their knowledge of children to identify their interests, preferences and emerging needs. They communicate with parents and, where relevant, children's schools to understand how best to support them.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are welcomed and participate alongside their peers. Staff make appropriate adaptations. For example, when a child does not want to participate in a group experience in the same way as others, staff find alternative ways for them to remain successfully included. Parents value this approach and confirm that staff know their children well.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

However, staff do not implement effective strategies for responding to children's changing needs consistently. At times, some staff are less confident in recognising how best to help a child regulate their emotions, while colleagues who know the child particularly well intervene more successfully. Consequently, barriers to children's wellbeing are not always addressed as swiftly as they could be. Leaders recognise the importance of sharing successful strategies more consistently across the team.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance have a clear and ambitious vision for the club. Leaders have established appropriate systems for safer recruitment, induction, safeguarding, supervision and professional development. Staff value the regular opportunities they have to discuss their work and wellbeing, including through evaluations, informal meetings and accessible leadership support.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders prioritise children's safety and wellbeing. The manager demonstrates good safeguarding knowledge, while central leaders maintain appropriate oversight of recruitment and induction arrangements. Leaders also establish positive partnerships with families through daily communication, online galleries, diaries and opportunities for parents to share children's experiences.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

However, the impact of leaders' work is not yet consistently evident across the staff team. Some staff are more confident than others in articulating organisational expectations and applying effective strategies for individual children. Although induction and mandatory training are completed appropriately, leaders' checks do not yet ensure that all staff have fully understood and internalised what they have learned. This means that effective practice is not always shared and implemented consistently.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders respond openly to feedback and recognise that strengthening this oversight will help ensure that their ambitious organisational expectations translate more consistently into children's day-to-day experiences.

p.4

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

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

p.4

Register

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

p.4

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

Children are extremely happy and clearly enjoy their time at this club. They arrive confidently and enthusiastically choose how they spend their time. Children proudly share their creations and talk fondly about previous experiences. They explain that they particularly enjoy seeing their friends, performing in concerts, playing outdoors and taking part in creative activities.

p.5

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

Children develop warm and trusting relationships with staff. They confidently approach familiar adults to talk, seek reassurance or ask for help. Children also form positive friendships with one another. They play collaboratively, share ideas and readily include others. They understand the club's familiar routines and expectations and show respect for one another and the resources they use.

p.5

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

Children's individuality is valued. Staff generally know children well and adapt their approach so that those with additional or emerging needs can participate alongside their peers. Children are comfortable expressing their preferences, including when they do not want to participate in something in the same way as others.

p.5

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

Children benefit from a broad range of enjoyable experiences. They concentrate for sustained periods when making models, bracelets and other creations. They enthusiastically participate in physical play, dancing and games. However, staff sometimes complete manageable tasks for children that they could do themselves. Consequently, children do not consistently benefit from opportunities to strengthen their independence and problem- solving skills.

p.5

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

Parents are extremely positive about the club. They value the attentive staff, regular communication and the adaptations made to support children's individual needs. Their views reinforce the strong sense of belonging that children demonstrate during their time at the club.

p.5

Next steps

Leaders should strengthen how effective strategies are shared and embedded across the team so that all staff respond consistently and promptly to children's individual and changing needs. Leaders should ensure that staff consistently maximise opportunities within everyday routines for children to develop their independence and confidence by doing more for themselves.

p.5

About this inspection

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

p.5

Address:

Harborne Academy Harborne Road Birmingham West Midlands B15 3JL

p.6

Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.6

Address:

Registered person: The Strings Club Limited

p.6

Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:00 - 17:30

p.6

Facts and figures used on inspection

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

p.6

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.

p.6

Exceptional

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

p.7

Strong standard

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

p.7

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.

p.7

Needs attention

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

p.7

Urgent improvement

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

p.7

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.

p.7

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 .

p.7

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 . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Urgent improvement

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

p.8