Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY334811 Unique Reference Number 16 November 2006 Inspection date Linda Janet Witts 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 good. 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 2006. She lives with her husband and two children aged five and six years in the residential area of Abbeydale on the outskirts of the city of Gloucester. The whole of the childminder’s house is available for childminding. Bedrooms are used at the discretion of the childminder. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play with grass, patio and path areas. The family has a cat and a small dog as pets and there are fish in a covered outdoor pond.

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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. There are currently seven children on roll. Children attend on a full and part-time basis and holiday care is offered. No overnight care is offered. The childminder takes and collects children to and from Heron Primary School and St Augustine's Playgroup. She also attends the local toddler group. There is a park, a playing field, a library, and shops within walking distance.

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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 is a member of the National Childminding Association and the local childminding group.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are helped to be healthy. They are cared for in a clean home where they learn the importance of good hygiene routines and personal care. Upon arrival children remove their outdoor shoes. Arrangements for nappy changing ensure that young children have their nappies changed promptly and that they and other children are not exposed to risks of cross-infection. The childminder wears disposable gloves, routinely wipes the changing mat thoroughly after use, and disposes of nappies hygienically. After nappy changing the childminder and child routinely wash their hands. Older children are independent in their personal care. They wash their hands after using the toilet, after stroking the pet dog or cat and before eating. They each have an individual hand towel to minimise the risk of cross-infection when drying their hands. The animals are suitably cared for to safeguard children. For example, they are fully

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Helping children to be healthy

vaccinated and regularly given worm and flea treatments. There is also a separate outside area for the dog. Children are further protected from the risk of infection by the childminder's clear sickness procedures. In the event of a child sustaining an injury they receive appropriate treatment and a record of the accident is recorded and shared with their parent or carer. Suitable sleep facilities are available for those children who need to rest or sleep.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy plenty of fresh air and exercise. They can use the well equipped garden. Children can use a large trampoline enclosed with safety netting, with their parents' permission. Toddlers are taken to a local soft play centre on Wednesdays. Here they can socialise with other children as they develop their physical skills. Children routinely walk with the childminder to and from the local school and have regular opportunities to use the local play park, that has a full range of equipment including climbing structures and swings.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy nutritious, healthy, balanced meals and snacks. They are offered a varied menu of home-cooked meals that incorporate the recommended daily five portions of fruit and vegetables. For example, children eat a snack after school of grapes, kiwi fruit, plums, apple, breadsticks, cucumber and ham. The childminder adapts the menu to accommodate children's likes and dislikes but also encourages children to try new foods. Children enjoy eating together around the table or picnic-style. Some children bring their own drinks and the older children like to serve themselves chilled water from the dispenser on the refrigerator.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are kept safe by the vigilant childminder. She also helps children to learn how to keep themselves safe, for example, not to climb on the dining chairs. Children are familiar with emergency evacuation procedures as the childminder discusses issues such as fire safety with them and they regularly undertake fire drills. Potential risks within the home have been

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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 effectively minimised by the childminder either through supervision, restricting access to hazards or using safety equipment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Toys and equipment that the children use are in a good state of repair and suited to the children's ages and stages of development. Children can help themselves to resources safely as they are stored in low-level storage boxes or cupboards. Children can easily see the toys available to them to aid their selection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are kept safe on outings. Children learn to walk safely when near roads and are suitably restrained when travelling in the childminder's vehicle. The childminder is familiar with recent changes to the use of child seats in cars and ensures that each child uses a developmentally appropriate safety seat or booster cushion. Permission to transport children in the vehicle has been obtained from all parents.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is actively promoted through the childminder's practice in maintaining a safe play environment. She is also aware of child protection issues and the procedure to follow if she has any concerns about a child's welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children of all ages are happy and eagerly take part in a wide range of activities offered. Activities are planned by the childminder who uses her knowledge of children's individual interests and information given by their parents to ensure that children are suitably stimulated. For example, a toddler with little experience of socialising with others of a similar age is taken to toddler group, a soft play centre and meets other minded children regularly. Here the toddler can develop social skills and communication and engage in an extended range of activities. Topics are also used as a focus for planning and the childminder works closely with other childminders so as to develop activities and make use of opportunities to share resources.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Older children of school-age are very creative. They embrace the opportunities to try new crafts and are keen to get creative as soon as they arrive at the setting, even before school. They colour, collage using different materials such as trees using autumn leaves collected, make plastic bead designs and paint. They are currently working on Christmas crafts and decorating flower pots as gifts. Their art work is attractively displayed within the childminder's home or in their personal scrapbooks for safe keeping and to encourage children to take pride in their achievements.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children relate well to one another and to the childminder. They chat together after school talking about their school day and family experiences. They often link discussions to their own personal experiences, for example, a child plays with a small world aeroplane and figures, he talks about what the figures are doing and about how the aeroplane works. Another child recalls her trips on aeroplanes abroad. Others join in to share their holiday experiences and feelings about the flights. The childminder listens to what the children have to say and asks questions to promote their language and thinking.

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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 readily make choices in their play and link up with others as they wish. They are very imaginative. This is evident as they play with small world dinosaurs, figures and vehicles, giving each roles and acting out parts. A good supply of dressing up clothes, material, hats and wigs is available for children to use. Children have a choice of resources available to them and the contents of the accessible toy boxes are regularly changed to avoid children becoming bored. There are plenty of activity toys for younger children although these are primarily manufactured with few natural resources to explore. A good range of books are readily available and the children enjoy listening to stories read by the childminder. Music playing prompts singing and dancing and instruments are available for use. Sand, water play and quieter activities, such as

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The children are settled and happy in the childminder's care. They are confident and self-assured. They develop strong relationships with the childminder and her family. Children are aware of the behavioural expectations and older children often test these boundaries. When this happens the childminder calmly redirects the children, encourages them to resolve minor disputes for themselves and positively reinforces good manners and acceptable behaviour. Children receive meaningful praise and encouragement. This fosters their self-esteem.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children learn from an early age that people are different. They see positive images of culture, ethnicity and gender in books and the toys available to them. They have dolls and small world figures of different gender and reflective of different ethnic backgrounds. The childminder is conscious of her lack of resources to show positive images of disability and plans to address this.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There are currently no children attending who have learning difficulties or a disability. The childminder is aware of the importance of liaising closely with parents about all children's individual needs and is happy to adapt activities to ensure all children are included.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the positive working partnership between the childminder and the parents. At induction the childminder gathers information about each child and asks parents how best to share information with them. In response to parents' wishes the childminder provides both verbal and written information about the provision and how children are in her care. Each parent is asked to read the childminder's comprehensive written policies to ensure that they are familiar with her practice. They also receive details of how they can complain should they find it necessary. Parent feedback is welcomed and the childminder uses such information to evaluate her organisation and childcare provision. Parents report that they are very happy with all aspects of the care their children receive.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder is enthusiastic in her work and demonstrates enjoyment in her care of the children. She has completed the required childminding course for new childminders and holds

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 an up to date first aid certificate. The childminder has identified training for future personal development. She has obtained resource material reflective of the Birth to three framework to support her care of younger children but has not yet fully studied its content.

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Organisation

Areas of the home are utilised well and an appropriate daily routine implemented. The routine offers varied activities each day and also accommodates school and playgroup delivery and collection of children as required. Children enjoy a good range of activities and enjoy opportunities to play indoors and outdoors. Visits to places of interest such as Gloucester Docks and farm parks enhance children's learning opportunities. Toddler group and soft play centre facilities enable children to socialise and partake in different activities. By linking up with other childminders the childminder is able to share resources and involve children in joint activities that they enjoy.

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Organisation

The childminder works hard to ensure that parents are fully informed about her childcare provision. The policies and procedures followed work well and promote children's health, safety, enjoyment and achievement. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration 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

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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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 good. 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): • study the Birth to three framework and consider ways to develop its use in the care of children aged under three years. Have regard for young children's natural desire to explore and investigate a range of objects and materials both natural and manufactured

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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 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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