Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY263941 Unique Reference Number 26 July 2006 Inspection date June Cotton 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 was registered in 2003. She lives with her husband and children aged four years and 10 months in Hoylake, Wirral. The house is situated close to Hoylake beach. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association and holds a BTEC childcare qualification. She occasionally works with an assistant. The whole of the ground floor, with the exception of the front lounge, of the childminder’s house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of four children at any one time and is currently minding one child under five all day. The childminder goes to local schools to take and collect children. The childminder attends the local parent/toddler group.

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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. Children enjoy an excellent range of activities to develop their physical capabilities and a healthy life style. This is because the daily routine is extremely well organised to ensure there is a balance of times for children to rest and to have exercise. Children have outstanding opportunities to play on the very wide range of climbing and balancing apparatus in the garden on a daily basis, giving them opportunities to develop strength, co-ordination and agility. This results in excellent progress in children's physical development. Their small motor skills are highly developed through numerous small manipulative opportunities to sew, cut out and thread. Babies stay contented and alert because their routines for eating and sleeping are respected. Childminder shows superior knowledge of what skills children develop through different activities.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children’s health is highly promoted because of the immaculately clean environment. Children learn from the excellent example set by the childminder in her own hygiene practices, such as when she uses antiseptic sprays to clean the surfaces in the kitchen and high chairs. Children benefit through the childminder’s highly effective hygiene procedures, for example, she has an excellent nappy changing routine. Cleanliness routines are followed when the changing mat is disinfected between changing each child. As a result, children are cared for in an exceptionally well maintained setting which reduces the risk of cross infection. Younger children are learning the importance of personal hygiene as the childminder talks to them about why they are washing hands before dinner. She uses her knowledge of first aid competently to deal with minor injuries or accidents, as she holds a current first aid certificate. The childminder uses her extensive

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Helping children to be healthy

knowledge and experience to guide parents over what to do if children are sick and ensure children do not attend who are infectious. This helps to maintain a healthy environment and ensure children who fall ill are well looked after.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder has a very good understanding of healthy eating and provides the children with nourishing, healthy meals. The children begin to understand the benefits of a healthy diet when the childminder talks to them about food which is good for them. This reflects the childminder's firm commitment to establishing healthy eating habits and developing children's interest in good food. For example, they grow tomatoes, planting seeds and watching them grow and then eating them. The childminder takes into account the dietary requirements of children and works in partnership with parents to ensure children have healthy nutritious foods. Meals are exceptionally well balanced and offered in line with home routines. Excellent communication with parents, including a daily written record of what children have eaten, ensures meals meet children's individual needs. Water is always accessible for drinking to keep

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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 well organised, welcoming and vibrant environment in which they can feel secure. The playrooms are well decorated with, for example, children's art work,

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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 colourful posters and pictures and sensory touch panels. The children confidently select equipment from the extensive range of safe, clean and good quality toys and equipment set out for them to play with. These are always age appropriate, safe and hygienic and are suitably matched to their capabilities for their enjoyment and safety. The regular checking of furniture, toys and equipment ensures that the children are kept very safe at all times.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are kept exceptionally safe due to the childminder's ability to make thorough risk assessments suited to the children's different ages and abilities. The use of suitable safety equipment, such as safety gates and safety harnesses to prevent accidents, ensures children's safety and well-being is promoted. The childminder is thorough in making sure children understand safety procedures both indoors and out. She involves children in regular fire practices at which time smoke alarms are also tested so that they are aware of the sound they must respond to. The outdoor play space is child friendly and very safe. She gently reminds very young children to be careful when negotiating the small step into the conservatory. The children learn about keeping themselves safe when out in the community through repetitive procedures, such as when the childminder teaches them about road safety and stranger-danger. This, and

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

the childminder's continual vigilance in supervising the children keeps them well safeguarded. Regular discussion and evacuation practice of the premises gives children a clear understanding of the importance of staying safe in an emergency. The childminder achieves this by talking to them, as she takes them to and from school and also when going on outings to other places. The childminder always assesses the suitability of a venue visited for the first time, to determine how the visit will benefit the children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder works very closely with parents to ensure that the children in her care are most effectively protected from harm. She is very vigilant over the collection of children and ensures they are only collected by known adults. The childminder has a very secure knowledge of child protection issues and keeps clearly written and signed regulatory records for children's safety. Information about the childminder's thorough child protection policy is shared with parents so they understand the reasons for regulations which safeguard children and can take action should they have a concern. This ensures all parties work together for the protection of the children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. The childminder develops exceptionally good relationships with the children she cares for which means that the children are very relaxed and confident in her care. Toddlers enjoy the close contact when playing games and action rhymes and they respond with smiles and giggles which are immediately acknowledged by the childminder. They are eager to participate and have great fun dressing up and playing peep-boo with a large hat.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children participate in an excellent range of activities which foster their all round development. They grow their own vegetables such as tomatoes taking great pride in being able to pick and eat their own produce. They are regularly involved in varied cooking activities using all their senses to investigate different ingredients and noting how these change consistency when mixed or heated. They enjoy baking bread and kneading the dough using different types of

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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 flour to enhance their experiences. They enjoy looking at books together with the childminder and can choose from the wide selection of books which are available for them to choose from.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children express their creatively and imagination in many innovative ways. For example, children are animated and highly enthusiastic as they make bubble-wrap paintings and they explore the effects of putting a range of different materials together to make collages. They use their imaginations exceptionally well as they pretend to make cups of tea and use the play telephone. This is fostered by the childminder's extremely positive interaction with the children and the inspired way she organises her resources to help children develop ideas in play that build on their experiences. She talks to them enthusiastically to inspire their speech development clearly repeating words which they say and teaching them about opposites such as, on and off, up and down.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Opportunities for children to increase their knowledge and understanding are met extremely well because the highly skilled childminder adapts activities and play opportunities for their varying stages of development. The childminder, for example, uses the 'Birth to three' matters framework as a tool when planning exciting activities for young children. She keeps meticulous records of their development, together with photographic evidence. As a result, all the children play purposefully and enjoy the excellent range of activities and resources which enhance their progress.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children are exceptionally secure and happy. They have excellent opportunities to learn about themselves and the wider world. Children are delightfully friendly and their behaviour is exemplary, reflecting the childminder's warm, calm and confident manner. They are encouraged to share and take turns and be kind to each other through the childminder's expert, consistent approach. They quickly learn what is right and wrong because the childminder sets firm but fair boundaries. These are based on safety for children rather than on convenience. They respond positively as the childminder justly rewards good behaviour with ample praise. The childminder shows great pleasure in their achievements, such as when they start to climb up the climbing cube, developing their co-ordination and balance. They feel greatly acknowledged and affirmed when looking at photographs of themselves in albums. Their independence is enthusiastically

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Helping children make a positive contribution

encouraged when they start to feed themselves.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s awareness and understanding of the diverse community is promoted extremely well. They learn that people have similarities and differences in how they look, what they like doing and in their customs and beliefs, which helps them develop understanding and tolerance towards others. They have access to high quality resources, such as books, dressing up clothes, cooking utensils, small play figures, play-glasses and puppets which challenge stereotypical views and develop children's awareness of diversity. The childminder has a very positive attitude towards inclusive practice and making her service very welcoming to all. Consequently, children are developing self esteem and a high regard for others.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There is an excellent partnership with parents which promotes very good continuity of care for children. The childminder recognises the importance of working closely with parents over

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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's care and treats this as high priority. Parents' views are actively sought because their opinions are valued and acknowledged at all times. For example, she uses an introductory booklet 'All about me', which asks them about their child’s routines and family backgrounds so she knows all about the children before they start. Once knowledge is gained about children's individual routines, likes and dislikes, children's responses are closely observed and discussed with parents during a settling in period. The childminder expertly assesses what children need and plans accordingly. There is ongoing dialogue through daily contact with parents and the use of written daily diary-sheets ensures children's continuing needs are met. This is enhanced with the children's meticulously detailed personal profiles, together with photographs, which

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Helping children make a positive contribution

are discussed with parents and sent home.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The children greatly benefit from the childminder's highly professional and very thoughtful approach to their care and well being. She is fully committed to continuing her own professional development to support children as she continually monitors her excellent childcare practice. She has further developed her childcare knowledge through some extensive training courses, which are very beneficial to the children's needs. Courses include 'Birth to three' matters, child protection and first aid. The childminder reflects, monitors and improves the quality of the children's care through completing an accredited quality assurance scheme, Quality First. She meets regularly with other childminders with whom she disseminates and shares her exemplary practice. The children feel at home and are extremely comfortable with the daily routine and organisation which means they are very confidently exploring and investigating play materials

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Organisation

The childminder is exceptionally well organised. She keeps high quality, well organised records and policies and shares these appropriately with parents, thus contributing to safeguarding the children. Written policies and procedures are used during discussions with parents and information is shared with them daily, keeping them very well informed about the service and their child's development. Rigorous systems have been introduced to link children's learning to the 'Birth to three' matters framework, providing a valuable record of young children's progress. The rooms in the childminder's home are extremely well laid out to incorporate free play and relaxation. Children have highly effective support in the way in which some excellent resources and activities are used for their social, emotional, physical and creative development, giving them great enjoyment.

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Organisation

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

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Improvements since the last inspection

The childminder now provides parents with information of the procedure to follow if they have a complaint.

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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

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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. There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the last inspection

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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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