Cartwright, Carol

Inspection report for early years provision

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225492 Unique Reference Number 05 September 2006 Inspection date Lesley Barrett Inspector

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Childcare Type of inspection Childminding Type of care

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

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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.

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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

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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.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder has been registered since 1986. She lives with her husband and one adult child. They live in a house situated in a residential area on the outskirts of Melton Mowbray. The ground floor family kitchen, lounge and first floor back bedroom and bathroom are used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children at any one time. She is currently caring for six children under eight years on a part-time basis and five children over five years before and after school. She also cares for children over eight years.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The family has no pets. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association and the Leicestershire Childminding Network.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Highly effective procedures and documents are in place to ensure that children's individual needs are very well met. Accident and medication records are in place, appropriate treatment given and parent's signatures and consents have been obtained. The childminder obtains parental permission to apply sun cream and has a sun care policy to help protect children from the sun's harmful rays. Children learn about the importance of being healthy through the childminder's skilful support and guidance. For example, they know to wash their hands after using the toilet, playing in the garden and before eating food. The childminder reduces the risk of cross infection by ensuring that her home is always clean and well maintained. Paper towels are provided for the children for hand drying which ensures excellent standards of hygiene are maintained. Children's contributions are highly valued as older children have

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Helping children to be healthy

produced pieces of work about sickness and how they can keep themselves fit.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a extensive range of very healthy and nutritious snacks and drinks throughout the day. For example, they benefit from fresh fruits, vegetable sticks and yoghurts, which where possible they are able to help to prepare. Children are able to freely access drinks according to their own needs and they are confident to ask for snacks and drinks when feeling hungry or thirsty. The childminder liaises closely with parents and carers regarding meal provision, allergies, preferences or needs on religious grounds. Parents and carers provide midday meals which are suitably stored and served. The childminder provides excellent information for parents about how to promote healthy eating with children and recipe ideas are shared. Children have been involved in making collage pictures about healthy eating, helping them to increase their knowledge of nutritious foods.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children thrive as they enjoy and benefit greatly from a range of activities which contribute to their good health and help them to develop their physical skills. They benefit from consistent opportunities to get fresh air as they go on daily walks and play games in the garden. They are able to access the garden regularly and during the summer months this is a valuable extension of the indoor play area with many of the indoor activities being offered in a shaded area of the garden. They eagerly use ride on toys, digging, gardening and older children enjoy using roller blades. These activities help to develop their co-ordination and physical abilities. In addition, children also have opportunities to visit the local park where they can access large apparatus to develop their climbing and balancing skills. Children are able to rest and sleep according to their own individual needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children are cared for in a very safe and secure environment where any risks have been identified and minimised. The childminder's risk assessments of her own home help her to be extremely vigilant as she identifies and minimises potential hazards. She has appropriate safety equipment in place which enables children to freely explore and play independently. The childminder makes excellent use of available space giving children opportunities to engage in indoor and outdoor

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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 activities and have time to rest or sleep according to their individual routines or needs. Resources and toys are easily accessible in play areas so children are able to make their own choices when selecting activities and initiating play. All children enthusiastically select resources and willingly help the childminder to tidy away when they have finished playing. The childminder makes consistent use of a local toy library and has developed an excellent range of toys and equipment which help to promote children's learning in all areas, giving them exceptional choice to sustain their interest. Toys and equipment are of a high quality and organised in appropriate toy boxes, again promoting children's safety and enjoyment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder maintains very close supervision of children at all times and has implemented substantial procedures to safeguard children on outings. Highly effective procedures and policies such as, a lost child or failure to collect children further protects them. Children benefit from taking part in regular fire drills in the home, ensuring that all children are able to evacuate quickly and calmly in an emergency. Children display an excellent knowledge of how to keep themselves safe, they describe with clarity, what they do when there is a fire drill, if they got lost and how to keep safe when in the garden or kitchen.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is meticulously safeguarded through the childminder's secure knowledge of child protection procedures which has been developed through reading current legislation and attending appropriate training courses. The childminder has developed detailed and comprehensive policies and procedures relating to safety which are shared fully with parents, this enables parents to feel confident in the childminder's good practice.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children are thoroughly enjoying their time at the childminder's home. They achieve well because she is highly skilled and uses her extensive knowledge of child development to provide high quality care. Children are very happy, settled and relaxed in the company of the childminder. They make exceptional relationships with her as they approach her with ease, sit beside her for stories and ask her questions. Children relate well to each other chatting comfortably as they eat their lunch and the childminder interacts encouraging a rich social occasion as they discuss things from home and what they are going to do after lunch. Children's confidence and self-esteem is given high priority as they are offered praise and acknowledgement for their efforts and achievements. Children's independence is consistently fostered as they make their own choices and decisions.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's learning is imaginatively promoted through stimulating and challenging resources and activities such as cooking, participating in a wide range of craft activities and imaginative play equipment. They are able to play independently but also receive enthusiastic support from the childminder, who is actively involved in their play. They show interest in what they are doing and become absorbed in playing and the childminder offers excellent support. As they play with a Noah's ark the childminder listens to the child and promotes her play as she asks questions encouraging her to think. Children acquire new knowledge as the childminder organises a travel book in which the children record details of their holidays and share with other children. This actively promotes children's awareness of the wider society.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Children's contributions are highly valued as they display their art work and photographs of them during play in their individual books. For example, photographs show them wearing their Easter bonnets which they have made, during outdoor play and having a picnic. Art work created celebrating Chinese New Year and Diwali are also included. These books capture children's enjoyment, help to promote their self-esteem as their work and involvement in activities is purposefully recognised. They also provide a excellent record for parents of activities their children participate in whilst in the childminder's care.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder is enthusiastically using the 'Birth to three matters' framework to support the planning of activities for younger children. She has a vast knowledge of children's individual stages of development and demonstrates that she knows them extremely well. She plans specific stimulating activities each week which she uses to monitor and assess their development. The outcomes of these are recorded and used purposefully to inform future interaction with the children through planned and everyday activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children are happy, settled and are valued and respected as individuals. The childminder ensures that she gathers extensive information from parents to enable her to provide appropriate high quality care and to fully meet the child's individual needs. Children are able to learn about the local community by going on regular walks and outings to places such as, the park and shops. An extensive range of play resources are provided, such as, play people, dolls, role play equipment and books, which reflect positive images and help to promote children's awareness of diversity within society. Children benefit from participating in imaginatively planned purposeful activities which help to develop their understanding of different cultures and beliefs. For example, engaging in craft activities linked to different festivals such as, Diwali and Chinese New Year. The childminder provides high quality care for children with learning difficulties and

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Helping children make a positive contribution

or physical disabilities and ensures that she obtains all necessary information to provide appropriate care. Children are encouraged to be accepting of all children and older children have produced pieces of work about their understanding of learning difficulties and or disabilities which details how they might be feeling and what could be done to help them feel better. This helps children to gain a purposeful and mature understanding of the wider world.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are very well behaved due to the childminder's professional awareness of effective behaviour management strategies which are appropriate to the differing ages and stages of development of the child. The childminder is calm and sensitive towards the children, using positive reinforcement to promote good behaviour and develop a child's self-esteem. Older children have helped to devise their own house rules regarding appropriate behaviour which enables children to develop an outstanding sense of belonging and know that their ideas are valued and respected.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder fosters exceptional relationships with parents. Information is consistently exchanged to ensure all children are cared for according to their usual routines. Parents are kept very well informed about their child's progress and development as the childminder keeps written records for younger children. The childminder has developed excellent written information for parents to ensure they are fully informed about her childminding service and

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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 practices and a professional system for recording any complaints received from parents has been implemented. The childminder eagerly seeks parental views regarding her service which enables them to share fully in their child's care.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. Children's care is significantly enhanced by an exceptionally well planned and organised environment. Children access toys, equipment and activities which are consistently planned and prepared prior to the children arriving enabling them to feel welcome, confident and happy. Children confidently access and are involved in a comprehensive range of interesting and age appropriate activities within the childminding setting. Children's other daily routines and patterns are purposefully considered by the childminder who carefully plans activities around these. The childminder has, and continues to undertake appropriate training to enhance her existing meticulous practice and enthusiastic knowledge enabling her to provide good quality childcare.

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Organisation

All legally required documentation and records relating to the minded children are retained, ensuring that the childminder is able to care for children in a safe, confident and professional manner. The childminder holds a current first aid qualification ensuring that children are cared for safely and that any incidents or accidents are dealt with in an efficient and prompt manner. Children's individual needs and requirements are well known and discussed with parents and carers prior to their child starting, ensuring their individual needs are well addressed and provided for. Children's safety and enjoyment is given exceptional priority as the childminder obtains parental consent for many aspects of her care.

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Organisation

Comprehensive observations relating to the child's day, development and general well-being are fed back to parents and carers informally as they collect their children at the end of their minded day. The childminder has developed exceptional written information about her service which is shared fully with parents. Children benefit from the excellent communication between the childminder, parents and carers. Overall, children's needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Following the last inspection the childminder was required to obtain written permission from parents for when children are to be transported in a vehicle. This has been successfully addressed and has a positive impact of the safety and well-being of children.

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Complaints since the last inspection

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.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards.

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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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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

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The quality and standards of the care

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of care are outstanding.

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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

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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

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