Grace School

Inspection report for early years provision

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129458 Unique Reference Number 27 June 2006 Inspection date Gillian Charlesworth 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 satisfactory. 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 was registered in June 1995. She lives with her husband and three children from fifteen years of age. They live in a house in the village of Markyate, Hertfordshire within walking distance of the local school and village centre.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The whole ground floor of the childminder’s house is used for childminding with toilet facilities on the first floor. There is a cellar that is not included in the registration. A small courtyard is available for outside play with the remaining garden on different levels not included in the registration.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children and also has a car to transport children.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for six children at any one time and is currently minding four children all of whom attend on a part-time basis.

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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 The childminder has a dog as a family pet.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children take part in a range of physical activities that contribute towards a healthy lifestyle. They enjoy using indoor floor space to run and skip, walk to and from school each day in the fresh air and sometimes visit the park to play actively and exercise on large apparatus. Older children can rest and relax on the sofa within the play area while younger children sleep according to their needs in a buggy, in line with parent’s preferences. The childminder has a cot available and discusses opportunities for undisturbed rest with parents after children have settled.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are beginning to understand simple hygiene practices when they talk with the childminder about washing their hands at appropriate times and follow this through with support. They are encouraged to gain control of their bladder through gentle reminders, rewards and continuity with arrangements at home. Tissues are available for children to access independently although younger children are not always encouraged to take responsibility and manage their own personal needs. Informal sickness arrangements and identified health issues are discussed with parents and work in practice to protect children’s health. The childminder has up to date knowledge to respond to accidents although she does not have suitable first aid requisites to administer appropriate treatment to children.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished with a balance of home cooked and fast food. They are offered a range of snacks such as biscuits or fresh fruit that older children can help themselves to . Children’s individual dietary needs are accommodated. They are welcome to bring packed lunches from home that are suitably stored and reheated as necessary.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a comfortable, secure environment where they feel relaxed and at ease. They can access the well organised resources that are arranged in groups and stored in separate transparent units for visual identification. They are interested in the range available and enjoy exploring and playing imaginatively with favourites such as cars, trucks and animals for a large part of the session. They accept childminder’s explanations when resources are not available and happily continue selecting from the immediate range.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well supervised and remain within the childminder’s sight or hearing at all times. Risks are informally managed to ensure children are kept safe. For example, most chemicals are inaccessible and safety equipment such as stair gates, cupboard locks and socket covers are installed. The childminder checks fire safety equipment regularly although does not practise emergency escape to help children become familiar with evacuation procedures.

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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 The childminder is aware of basic signs and symptoms of abuse and her responsibility to report concerns. Although recording systems are not robust, she has all the required guidance to hand to safeguard and protect the children’s welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are happy and settled. They arrive confidently and are welcomed by the childminder who facilitates their play. They develop confidence and self-esteem as their enthusiasm to question and chat to the childminder about their play is encouraged and developed. For example, the childminder answers questions and explains features of different toys such as guns on the back of a lorry or what a tow-bar is used for. This in turn encourages children’s impulse to communicate. The childminder happily engages in two-way exchanges, as she talks with the children about their imaginative play and listens carefully when children enjoy describing what their animals are doing. By repeating vocabulary children are reinforcing their skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are helped to acquire new knowledge and skills through everyday activities they enjoy. They practise counting and sorting different resources or numbering stairs on the way to the bathroom. Their learning is extended as they delight in responding to the childminders questioning “what comes after 5?” The childminder helps them to make connections and link their play through meaningful experiences. For example she recalls familiar ‘sand lorries’ outside as they play with small world trucks. When they are playing imaginatively with animals, children describe that their ‘horse is eating milk’. They go on to have enjoyable conversations with the childminder about a range of food that horses like to eat such as apples and carrots. Children are often immersed in favourite activities and do not always experiment with a wider range. However, sometimes, through the childminder’s knowledge of their interests, they are

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

encouraged to take part in drawing activities that they would not otherwise select. For example, by making football cards.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children settle well because they are introduced to the new environment gradually. The childminder has taken steps to obtain the ‘Birth to three matters’ framework in order to provide young children with a range of suitable activities in the future.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children have a sense of belonging as they arrive confidently and immediately begin playing with their favourite toys. The childminder acts in children’s best interests to meet their individual needs such as sleeps and potty training that are discussed and agreed with parents. Children learn about the local community through outings outside the minded home. However, there are too few resources to reflect the wider world and related activities are not prioritised with the children. This limits children’s awareness and understanding of other cultures, religions and disability. The childminder is aware that some children have special needs and those with particular health needs are welcomed into the setting and their needs met.

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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 Children receive plenty of support and warm interaction during their play and this encourages their good behaviour. Children talk with the childminder about sharing and identify different resources for each person as they play. This helps them to develop skills to play harmoniously with others. Sometimes, boundaries are not always clear at the end of the day and this leads to occasional unwanted behaviour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the childminder’s long term commitment and her flexible approach that supports families. For example, families have attended for several years and changes to attendance are readily accommodated at short notice. Relaxed, verbal communication with parents and most of the essential written documentation such as contracts and children’s records supports the children’s continuity of care. The childminder has a sound understanding of procedures to follow to support families in the event of a complaint although parents are not routinely informed of this.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The childminder has several years experience providing care for children. She ensures that essential qualifications to protect children’s health in emergencies are up to date, such as first aid. Notifying some significant changes to premises have been overlooked although the childminder is aware to notify Ofsted of some circumstances affecting her registrations such as when children reach 16 years of age. This means that children’s welfare is not always fully protected and safeguarded because the childminder’s knowledge of regulations is not comprehensive. While she has not prioritised training or implemented all of the recommendations from the last inspection, she is aware of new initiatives such as the Foundation Stage Consultation and has taken steps to raise her awareness.

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Organisation

Space is organised for children to play comfortably and make choices. Children receive appropriate levels of support because the childminder prioritises her time with them and offers individual attention.

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Organisation

The childminder displays her registration certificate, insurance details and first aid qualification for parents. She maintains essential documentation for the safe management of children. Records are updated as needed and readily available for inspection in an organised file. Overall the range of children's needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The previous care inspection recommended that the childminder implements consistent ground rules within the family unit to ensure that chemicals are always inaccessible to children; that hygiene practices are in place for each individual child and to improve her awareness of anti-discriminatory issues and provide a variety of resources and books to help children appreciate diversity.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Chemicals within the home no longer pose a significant risk to children’s safety because they have been made inaccessible through changes to family circumstances, high level storage or fitting of cupboard locks. The childminder encourages children to wash their hands in the

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Improvements 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 bathroom and provides towels that are laundered daily to help minimise cross infection and improve hygiene. Children have little opportunity to develop their understanding and knowledge of diversity because the range of resources remains very limited. Activity books provided by the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership or activities such as Chinese New Year that the childminder has researched on the internet have not yet been implemented or prioritised.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since 1 April 2004.

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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 may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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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 satisfactory. 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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • research and provide suitable contents for the first aid box that are checked frequently and replaced as necessary • prioritise resources and activities that reflect diversity to raise children's awareness of the wider world and help them appreciate and value a variety of cultural backgrounds and varying needs • improve knowledge and understanding of the requirements set out in regulations, setting in place a procedure to notify Ofsted of relevant matters such as changes to premises and household members.

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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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