Improvements made at Hayfield out of school club, says Ofsted

The education watchdog visited Hayfield Fun Club, which is based at Hayfield Primary School on Swallow House Lane.

In a report from 2024 it was noted the quality and standards of early years provision were not met but now following a recent inspection the out of school care club is now where it should be.

Inspector Joanne Smith said: “Since the last inspection, the management committee has provided Ofsted with the information needed to check their suitability.

“They have improved their awareness of their responsibilities, particularly around the recruitment and selection of staff and new committee members.

“They have created a checklist to make sure anyone new to the club has the appropriate suitability checks for their role.”

The report states children arrive at the club eager to find out what there is to play with and staff provide resources and activities that they know children enjoy, such as marble runs and crafts.

It was noted children ‘very quickly settle to their chosen activity after cheerfully greeting the staff’.

Ms Smith said: “Children understand the well-established club rules, for example they make sure staff know when they are leaving the room to go to the bathroom or the IT suite.”

It was noted staff are ‘warm, friendly and approachable’ to the children and they join in games with children and have fun with them, while still maintaining their expectations for how the children behave.

Staff provide a ‘range of opportunities for children to be creative and use their imagination’. Children use fabric and physical education equipment to make dens, which they use as a base for a role-play game. Younger children construct using building blocks and develop a role play with their friends using animals, the report said.

Ms Smith said: “The one adult-led activity at the club is a daily craft, which is extremely popular.

“Staff present the resources differently depending on the ability of each child.

“Staff demonstrate what to do, and advise older children, but allow children to do their own work.

“Children are proud of their achievements and show them to their parents as soon as they arrive.”