Mascot Out Of School Care

Mascot Out Of School Care is wraparound provision at Bromet School in Watford, with space for 60 children. It is an out-of-school club, not a day nursery.

Ofsted found that the provision met requirements in September 2021 and that safeguarding arrangements were effective. That visit described children who enjoyed attending, felt secure and approached staff for comfort or reassurance. The evidence is dated, but it gives families a useful picture of a club where relationships and after-school play were central.

The 2021 visit found outdoor provision that supported both energetic and creative choices. Football, gym equipment and wooden climbing frames sat alongside arts and crafts, while staff turned a game involving a shuttlecock and tennis ball into an opportunity for children to investigate ideas. This gave children different ways to unwind and remain curious after lessons.

As wraparound care, the provision is not presented as a nursery delivering a full-day curriculum. For eligible younger children, the Early Years Foundation Stage is the statutory framework, covering learning, development and care through play and interaction. Its observed role was immediate: staff built on children's conversations and interests after the school day, with room for active play, creative work and quieter interaction.

Relationships were a clear strength at the 2021 inspection. Early-years children had key workers to help them settle, while staff joined conversations and play, asked meaningful questions and helped children extend their skills. Children included others in games and learned consideration, manners and respect.

Ofsted found safeguarding effective at the September 2021 inspection. Inspectors were satisfied with staff safeguarding knowledge and day-to-day risk controls. The club also worked with the schools it served to recognise and support worries arising during the school day. Inspectors saw staff and children eat together, with sandwiches, fruit, vegetables and water forming part of that session's food and drink.

The club is based at Bromet School, Oxhey Road, Watford, WD19 4SG. It has 60 places in total. Attendance patterns and collection arrangements are important practical points when deciding whether the provision fits a family's week.

• Current club pattern. The inspection evidence describes an after-school session. Current days, times, school collection arrangements and any minimum booking pattern will decide whether it works for a family.
• Food and individual needs. A picnic tea was observed in 2021. Families managing allergies or dietary needs should discuss the current menu and food procedures directly with the club.
• Age and early-years arrangements. The ages currently accepted and the present key-person arrangement matter most for families with younger children.

This is best suited to families seeking school-linked wraparound care rather than a full-day nursery place. The 2021 inspection found secure relationships, effective safeguarding and a broad mix of active and creative play. Parents needing after-school care or occasional school-holiday provision should distinguish between those patterns when asking what is currently offered, because only the after-school experience is evidenced here.