AN AFTER-SCHOOL club has been rated 'good' following a visit from Care Inspectorate Scotland.

Wallyford After School Club, based at Wallyford Primary School, was given the rating after the recent inspection.

The club provides a care service for up to 70 primary school children, with access to a large gym hall, kitchen, storage area and the school playground.

In this inspection, there four categories were assessed: care, play and learning; setting; leadership; and staff team.

The first three were rated 'good', while the staff team was rated 'very good'.

This is an improvement from last year's report, where several areas of improvement were identified by the Care Inspectorate.

These included making planning activities collaboratively with children and to better monitor auditable processes, both of which inspectors said the club had now met.

Inspectors found that "the interactions between staff and children were positive and respectful, there was laughter as staff and children joked with each other, and children were confident and relaxed in the setting".

The report also noted that "consideration had been given to ensuring that children were healthy and active".

Regarding the setting, the report revealed that the club mostly operated from the school's gym hall.

"Efforts had been made to make the environment welcoming, and staff used large boards to display parents' information, staff details and some children's artwork.

"Children could choose to play indoors or outdoors throughout the session.

"This was well managed with the use of walkie talkies to ensure children's safety."

Leadership was also praised, with the report noting that "the manager and staff had a vision for the setting that reflected improving outcomes for children".

It added: "The staff practice in encouraging children to be responsible for their own behaviour and respectful of each other and of staff was part of their ethos to make the club an inclusive and fun place for children."

The staff were deemed 'very good', with inspectors finding that "children were cared for by staff who understood their roles and supported each other well".

"The provider organisation had ensured that there was a consistent staff team at both the after-school club and the breakfast club," the report added.

"This had supported children to make secure relationships with staff who they trusted."