Atlas Camps Brockworth

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements The friendly staff welcome children warmly. Children arrive with great enthusiasm.

Children who are new to the setting receive excellent support to settle into the group. For example, staff introduce one another, tell children about planned activities and routines and help them to understand behavioural expectations. This helps them to feel secure.

Children relate well to the staff and enjoy their company. Staff ensure that every child enjoys their time at the camp. The children of different ages and from different schools get on well with one another and they form strong friendships.

On arrival, children choose a...ctivities that staff plan to engage their interest. For example, some children enjoy being creative, such as colouring and cutting, while others create complex marble runs or construct with toy bricks. Others play card games, or energetically play dodgeball with a member of staff.

Children know the daily routine and tidy-up initial activities ready for the morning briefing. Staff use this to help children to understand behavioural expectations. Children laugh loudly as the leader jokes that laughing, smiling and having fun are against the rules.

They recall Atlas Camp's five values being 'kindness, perseverance, honesty, respect' and 'team work'. Staff also encourage children to play an active role in planning the day's activities. Children give suggestions for activities.

Many excitedly suggest 'slip and slide' and water play games they previously enjoyed. Outdoor active games and crafts are also popular. Staff embrace children's ideas and include them alongside planned and often themed activities.

Staff provide a good balance of active and quieter activities. They regularly check in with children to ensure they are occupied and happy.

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

The senior management team and staff learn as much as they can about children's individual needs, interests, life experiences, and family backgrounds.

They use this knowledge very well to ensure that every child is included and valued. For example, staff plan activities that build on children's interests.The staff team are highly competent and enthusiastic in their roles.

Team spirit is very evident. Each staff member understands their role and responsibilities and instinctively knows when to play an active role in children's play and when to let them play freely.Children are confident and independent.

They take on 'monitor' roles enthusiastically and help to maintain a tidy, safe environment. Children learn to work cooperatively, to take turns and to respect others. Older children are quick to help the young children and happily involve them in their play.

Staff skilfully manage children's behaviour while impressively fostering their self-esteem. They implement a reward scheme that works highly successfully to promote positive behaviour. Staff help children to understand how actions or unkind words can affect others.

Staff supervise the children well. They remind children how to keep themselves safe, for example, when climbing and using scissors. Staff regularly carry out fire drills.

Children know to line up and leave the building quietly, to listen to the roll call and follow the instructions of the adults.Staff plan plenty of opportunities for children to be physically active, indoors and outdoors. For example, children thoroughly enjoy football and games that involve, running, chasing and dodging one another.

They show great agility as the use the school's outdoor play equipment. They climb, balance and swing competently across high bars, with staff providing vigilant supervision to ensure children's safety.Children develop their creativity well as they engage in planned arts and crafts activities.

For example, children thoroughly enjoy painting and produce a varied range of creative work, incorporating their handprints, such as butterflies and flowers. Additionally, children use their imagination skills during role-play activities, such as acting out school lessons and hiding from pretend 'monsters'.Parents praise staff and the provision highly.

They report that staff provide good information about children's experiences and how they have been during the day. Children say that they have a great time at the holiday camp. They describe the staff as kind and funny and report that staff look after them.

The senior management team monitor the effectiveness of the provision highly effectively. They implement an effective staffing structure, recruitment and induction processes, and ensure staff are suitably trained to ably fulfil their roles. They work with staff to review the success of camps and to identify any aspects for improvement.

They continually strive to ensure that children have fun and receive high-quality play experiences.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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