Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

EY254589 Unique Reference Number 27 July 2006 Inspection date Paula Fretwell Inspector

p.1

Childcare Type of inspection Childminding Type of care

p.1

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

p.1

ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

p.2

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

p.2

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder has been registered since 2003 and lives with her partner and 13 year old child in Ossett, on the outskirts of Wakefield and within walking distance of local shops and parks.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are five children on roll who attend part-time. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden at the rear of the property.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children follow some good practices which contribute to their health through the daily routine, such as regular hand washing, although this is not consistently carried out before they eat their snack and good hygiene is not discussed to help children understand why. Children with any contagious illness are not able to attend in order to minimise the risk to other children, and clear policies about illness, health and hygiene are shared with parents. Information about accidents and medication is recorded well and shared with parents consistently. Children are only given medication with full signed consent from parents. The childminder maintains her first aid knowledge to be able to respond effectively to children's minor injuries.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children's individual dietary needs are met well and they enjoy a good range of healthy snacks and meals in keeping with parents' wishes. The childminder is aware of the healthy guidelines for 'five a day' and she works with parents to promote this; children enjoy different fruits, such as kiwi, bananas and plums, and they are encouraged to try new tastes. Children are involved in the preparation of food they eat, such as preparing vegetables and making pizzas. Children have simple choices, such as what to have on their toast, and they each know which is their own special place mats, cups and dishes. Access to drinks is available at all times during the day so children do not become thirsty and they are encouraged to help themselves and pour their own water.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy developing their physical skills through a good range of play opportunities. They participate in regular outings to local places, such as the local green, go for walks every day and enjoy indoor or outdoor play at the childminder's house.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The safe, secure and stimulating environment ensures children benefit from good quality experiences and can safely explore. Simple explanations and frequent discussion successfully help children to understand how to stay safe as situations occur, such as why it is not safe to run indoors. Children have a good understanding of why certain practices take place, such as regular fire drills, and their awareness of safety is reinforced through activities, such as a fire officer visit and helping to make a fire plan. Children demonstrate how to keep themselves safe, such as when coming downstairs slowly by sitting on each step, and they talk about why this is important.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are developing confidence through safe and effective organisation of space and resources. They independently choose and enjoy a wide range of age-appropriate activities from toys and equipment that are of good quantity, quality and meet safety standards. The childminder supervises children's choice of toys to make sure they are used safely. She understands her responsibility to assess any risks and undertakes regular safety checks using a checklist of all potential hazards.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 The childminder ensures children's welfare through her up to date knowledge of safeguarding children and through the child protection procedures to follow in the event of a concern.

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very happy and settled, and engage in purposeful play which meets their developmental needs. The childminder is very aware of each child's individual needs and provides a stimulating range of activities to support their learning. Children enjoy each others' company and play well together and there are good relationships with the childminder to help them feel secure.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children experience a wide variety of opportunities, inside and outside, covering all areas of learning. Children enjoy doing craft activities and they enthusiastically become involved in creative play, such as collage and sponge painting. They enjoy using their imagination in play and in pretend situations, such as putting teddy to bed or making a train track and a waiting room from a long line of puzzle pieces. Children enjoy building with bricks and the childminder joins in to encourage their development of size, shape and colour recognition. The childminder enables children to develop their ideas well through the accessibility of good resources and she is involved in their play to ensure these are used appropriately.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Appropriate care, attention and support is given to each child to ensure they feel valued and important. Their language development is encouraged through play and conversation with the childminder, who responds promptly to each child's needs. Simple explanations and conversation take place throughout children's play to extend their vocabulary and the childminder praises children for using new words.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children are valued and respected in the setting and their individual needs are met well through the childminder's effective partnership with parents. Information is available to parents through the noticeboard and good daily communication with parents means that children are cared for according to each child's needs and in keeping with their parents' wishes. Parents are encouraged to contribute to a scrapbook entitled 'all about me' which includes their child's experiences from home and the setting. Children's artwork is displayed at their height which makes them feel important.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

Excellent strategies are used effectively to manage children's behaviour and children behave very well. They show good respect for their peers and they use very good manners without prompting in all communication with each other. The childminder has realistic expectations based upon the children's level of understanding, and she involves them in making simple decisions. There are simple rules in place which children clearly understand and good behaviour is rewarded with stickers. Strong emphasis is given to positive interaction with children and good language, facial expressions and tone of voice are consistently used when interacting with them. Children are encouraged to settle their own disputes verbally and they are helped

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 to understand other people's point of view through sensitive discussion. Children praise each other in their play and say things like 'you're doing pretty good with that puzzle'. The childminder is aware of the children's individual needs and she ensures her time is fairly divided to give very high levels of attention to all.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are learning to have a very positive attitude towards others and an good understanding of diversity through an excellent variety of activities and toys. They enjoy food tasting and using chopsticks during a Chinese celebration. They have access to a superb range of resources which show positive images of ethnicity, culture, disability and gender. The childminder encourages children to embrace people's differences and similarities through discussion about the needs of others. Children draw pictures and write 'boys and girls are as special as each other'. The childminder has a very good understanding of special needs and ensures all children have equal opportunities to join in with all the activities.

p.5

Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder's setting is well organised which ensures the children's needs are fully supported. Effective, safe and secure use of space indoors and outside enables children's individual needs to be met. Children are independent, confident and settled, and they respond well to the established routines in place for their care, learning and play. Policies and procedures outline the expectations of the childminder to parents and clearly illustrate how care is organised to meet individual children's needs. All documentation is in place and this is stored securely to ensure confidentiality.

p.5

Organisation

The childminder plans and evaluates her activities with the children to ensure they are effective. She is very committed to her own training and development and uses her knowledge of current childcare issues, such as 'Birth to three matters framework', to good effect. She attends relevant short courses to enhance the experiences offered to children, such as devising story sacks. The childminder works within the standards set by an endorsed quality assurance scheme.

p.5

Organisation

Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the childminder was asked to continue to update her knowledge and understanding of childcare issues. She continuously seeks out opportunities to enhance her childcare knowledge and improve the care for the children. She was also asked to ensure that potential hazards in the lounge and bathroom are inaccessible to children. She regularly checks all areas where children play and carries out risk assessments to ensure their safety.

p.5

Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints to report. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

p.5

Complaints since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

p.5

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

p.6

The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • improve children's awareness of their own personal hygiene within the daily routine.

p.6

The quality and standards of the care

set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.6

The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

p.6