Acorn Holiday Club At Burton Park

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision does not meet requirements Children's safety and welfare is compromised. Staff do not identify or address risks and hazards within the club room. They fail to ensure the premises are secure to prevent children leaving or unknown adults entering the room where the club is held.

They do not promote fire safety effectively.Despite this, children happily come into the setting and settle quickly. Staff greet children warmly and with a smile.

Children are keen to talk to visitors about the range of activities on offer. They display high levels of independence, confidently choosing what they would like to do. Children take part in creative activiti...es, such as stained glass window painting, and engage for sustained periods of time.

Children behave well and have good relationships with their friends. When children become too noisy inside, staff calmly remind them of the expectations and they quickly use quieter voices. Children tidy away the activities when they have finished without being asked, because the rules and routines of the setting are clear.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

Children's safety is not effectively promoted. Staff do not identify hazards or take appropriate steps to minimise these to ensure children are kept safe. For example, windows on the first floor of the building open fully and cause a risk of falling.

It is not clear which doors are fire exits as doors do not have adequate signage. Children are not able to leave the building quickly in the event of a fire as the main door to the building does not always open easily from the inside. Another door within the premises leads into the car park and is left open, which means that children could leave the building unsupervised.

Unauthorised persons are able to enter the room where the club is held as there is no secure entry system. This puts children at risk of harm.Staff plan activities for children based on their interests.

They find out about the experiences children have at home and what they would like to find out more about. For example, children show a keen interest in pirates. Staff plan a pirate themed day where children create treasure maps with their friends and delight in following them to find buried treasure.

Many high-quality interactions take place throughout the day between staff and children to support their engagement in activities. Children are keen to share their home experiences with staff. They share their achievements and staff praise them.

Children go to staff when they need help. For example, they ask staff to help them when they find it difficult to attach different fabrics together to make a pirate den. Staff show them how to use clips and encourage children to have a go themselves.

Parents are happy with the service the setting is providing. They say staff are approachable and that they always feedback at the end of the day about activities their children have enjoyed. Parents speak positively about accessing photographs of what their children are doing throughout the day.

They say their children love coming to the setting.Children are able to make their own choices. They choose from a range of healthy options for breakfast, such as fruit, cereal and toast.

Staff talk to the children about the foods they are eating. Children consider what foods are healthy and unhealthy. This supports children in developing a healthy lifestyle.

Since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, children know to sanitise their hands when arriving at the setting. Children know the routines of the setting well and wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet without being prompted. Staff are vigilant in disinfecting tables before children sit down to eat.

This promotes children's health.Children play well together. Older children help younger children to learn about pirates.

They introduce them to new vocabulary about pirate ships, for example port and starboard. Staff carefully provide explanations of what these new words mean and check children understand. This helps children to learn new vocabulary.

There are opportunities throughout the day for children to participate in a range of activities outdoors. Staff encourage children to take part in team games. Children work well together taking penalties in a football match, praising all attempts.

Staff talk to children about minibeasts they can hear in the grass outside. Children confidently tell staff the sound is a cricket and that they enjoy living in long grass.Leaders and managers are able to identify what the setting is doing well and have a clear vision for how they would like to improve further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.Risk assessments are not effective and, therefore, children's safety is compromised. Staff do not demonstrate that they are able to identify and manage the numerous risks and hazards on the premises, including the security of the premises and fire safety.

That said, staff do have a good knowledge of the signs and symptoms of abuse and know who to report child protection concerns to. There are appropriate procedures in place to check the suitability of staff working at the club.

What does the setting need to do to improve?

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must: Due date ensure risk assessments identify and minimise all risks and hazards to children to ensure their safety 20/08/2021 take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of children and staff in the case of an emergency and ensure that fire exits are clearly identifiable and fire doors can be easily opened from the inside 20/08/2021 ensure unauthorised people cannot gain access to the room where the club is held.

20/08/2021

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