A Blackburn after schools club has been praised for encouraging children to be healthy following an Ofsted inspection.

St Francis PALS (Play And Learn Scheme) is based at Cherry Tree Lane, part of St. Francis CE School.

The club was registered in 2021 and employs three members of childcare staff.

It operates from 3.15pm to 5.45pm, Monday to Friday, term time only.

Following the inspection, Ofsted found the quality and standards of early years provision was  ‘met’, but the inspection did not provide a rating.

The report said: “The manager demonstrates how she provides a nurturing and inclusive club.

"She explains how she achieves this by building good adult-child relationships.

"For example, staff gather information about children so that they can support them as they settle into the club.

“The manager plans effective ways that help to keep children safe. For example, she follows a safer recruitment process.

"This helps to ensure that staff are suitable for the role. In addition, all staff hold a current paediatric first-aid certificate and know what to do in the case of an emergency. This helps to keep children safe.”

Promoting healthy lifestyles is important to the manager, said the report.

It read: “She explains how she involves children in planning menus. The manager demonstrates how she uses discussion with children to build their knowledge of healthy eating. This helps to ensure that children learn how to keep themselves healthy. 

“The manager explains how she promotes children's physical skills. She demonstrates how her close partnership working with the school allows the club access to a large outdoor area.

"This is used to encourage children to run, balance, climb and explore. The manager is aware that being outdoors has a positive impact on children's physical and mental well-being.”

The manager was also commended on how she ‘supports children's good behaviour’. 

The report added: “Older children who were present talk enthusiastically about their time at the club. They say they look forward to attending.

"Children say the best things about the club are the staff, playing with their friends and eating the snacks, which they thoroughly enjoy. 

“The manager has considered how to build children's independence skills. She does this by introducing tasks that children take responsibility for.

"For example, she explains how children help to serve snacks. This helps children to feel a sense of ownership and take some responsibility for the club.”

This was the first routine inspection the manager received since the Covid pandemic began.

The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the club.