Gardner Elaine Margaret

Inspection report for early years provision

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219793 Unique Reference Number 09 November 2006 Inspection date Ann Elizabeth Shelley 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 has been a registered childminder since 1993. Her two adult children live at home, aged 27 years and 22 years and they are both are in full time employment. She is registered to care for six children under eight years. The childminder is currently caring for three children over five years and three children under five years. The ground floor of the house is used for childminding and a sleeping area is available for children on the first floor. There is a ground floor toilet and a fully enclosed rear garden in which the children can play safely.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder has completed a first aid course and childminder training. Since her last inspection, she has undertaken training in the 'Birth to three matters' framework foundation stage, home fire safety, H.I.V. awareness, equal opportunities, cranial osteopathy, workshops about the business side of childminding and completed four NSPCC child protection modules.

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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 Parks and schools are within walking distance of the childminder's house, the local shops and library are further away.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children are cared for in very clean and efficiently organised premises. Children are beginning to learn simple health and hygiene practices as part of their daily routine, they are encouraged to learn appropriate personal care, for example, hand washing after using the toilet, before meals and cleaning teeth after meals. Each child is provided with their own face flannel and have their own tooth brushes which they identify through colour, enabling even the very young children to be able to care for their hygiene independently.

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Helping children to be healthy

Excellent measures are in place to prevent the spread of infection and a written sickness policy ensures that children do not attend when they are ill. The childminder promotes the children's well-being as she keeps a well-stocked first aid box and holds a current first aid certificate, therefore she is able to take effective and appropriate action in the case of an accident.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a good balanced range of meals and snacks which consists of healthy and nutritious ingredients. Children develop excellent eating habits, and relish eating the foods which they have grown and harvested themselves. Any special dietary requirements or allergies are discussed before the care begins and these are recorded on the children's records to ensure that the parents wishes are respected and the children's needs are met. Children have good access to drinks in their own cups and beakers and they are able to help themselves throughout the day which ensures they are well hydrated.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children experience the outdoor environment and have frequent and regular opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, they visit the local farm, zoo and park and they often walk to and from school. They also have access to physical play equipment in the garden. This contributes to their good health and they benefit from fresh air and exercise.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children play in a secure and very safe environment because all significant hazards have been minimised. The home is warm, very welcoming and focused on being child friendly. Children learn how to maintain a safe and secure environment because the childminder takes time to explain and discuss possible hazards with them. Careful and consistent attention is given to ensuring the safety of young children by the separation of activities and because the childminder knows and understands the children in her care extremely well. She is able to select from a varied and extremely wide range of excellent toys, play materials and equipment each day, from which children can make choices about what they do. Regular and routine checks of toys and resources ensures there are no broken parts that could harm the children, and cross infections are minimised by regular cleaning of the toys, environment and equipment.

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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 Children's risk of accidentally injuring themselves is minimised by the childminder who gives an extremely high priority to safety issues. For example, additional training has been undertaken in home fire safety and child protection. Policies and procedures based on her training are in place, these are discussed and practised during play with the children. This helps children to understand how to keep themselves safe. The childminder has an exemplary range of safety precautions in place to ensure children's safety when on trips outside of the house, for example, wrist bands with her mobile number are used in case one of the children wanders off. Children are also made aware of, and practice, the Green Cross code when out on walks. Children's safety is further enhanced because the childminder has a vast range of safety seating for the car which

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

ensures that every child has the appropriate car restraint and this is in line with recent changes in regulations.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children are making excellent progress and learning through their play. They are extremely happy, engrossed and eager to participate in the splendid range of accessible play opportunities, resources and activities. For example, outings are planned to increase the children's learning and understanding to local museums, windmill, farms and the zoo. Every opportunity is used to increase the children's knowledge about the world around them. For example, during a visit to a windmill, it was explained how the corn is ground to make flour which is then used to make into bread and cakes. Children are able to participate in a wide range of creative activities using paint, glue, and natural materials, such as leaves, nuts and bark which have been collected on walks and learning to use scissors. They have the opportunity to prepare and cook food which they eat. Children show good levels of confidence in their daily activities. They settle quickly

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

in their familiar surroundings, confidently asking questions about the coming day and voicing their opinions about what they want whilst respecting others.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are learning how to care for others . They have opportunities to provide food for, and groom animals at a local farm. Children are actively encouraged to explore and to try new and different activities from the excellent range provided. For example, they have the opportunity to learn how things are grown, what care is needed for animals and how plants flourish and grow. Children feel good about what they can do because the childminder fully supports them and praises their achievement, no matter how big or small. She takes photos of children participating in a number of activities which she can use to support her practice and to share with parents. Young children enjoy rich sensory experiences provided through holistic play where they are able to feel, hear, see, smell and taste using natural materials such as a wooden lemon squeezer, large shells, crinkly shiny paper, stickle bricks, a wooden spoon and several

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

child hand-size bean bags, each of a different shape and colour, giving opportunities to discuss and learn about colour and shape.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder uses the 'Birth to three matters' framework well to enhance and encourage the development of young children in her care. Tracker 0-3 is used to record observations of children's progress.These are shared with parents to explain what the children have learned during their play and activities. Great enjoyment has been discovered using story sacks from the toy library to tell, share and act out stories such as three pigs.

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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 play an active part in planning the course of the day. Some activities are planned in advance to ensure that the children have an excellent range of varied experiences and to ensure that the resources are readily available.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children develop a very strong sense of belonging as the childminder ensures they are all feel valued and included in the setting, enabling them to develop high levels of confidence and self-esteem.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children have wonderful opportunities to socialise and increase their understanding of the world around them because the childminder is very competent and extremely well-motivated by keeping herself informed about different cultures, religions and their festivals. These she shares and celebrates with the children, for example, Diwali, Chinese New Year, Valentine's Day, Easter and Christmas. She provides resources which promote understanding of the greater world such as multicultural dolls, dressing up clothes, books, puzzles and foods from around the world making good use of the local toy library to supplement her own provision. Children have many opportunities to learn about their local environment when on walks and visiting places of interest, for example, zoo, farm, parks, watermill and museums.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder has undertaken additional training to care for children with learning difficulties, disabilities and loss, and in particular she is trained in the use of Makaton sign language, bereavement and HIV awareness, and is able to offer respite care to parents.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are well-behaved. They know what it is expected of them because the childminder is consistent. She and the children have together written excellent ground rules for wanted behaviour, which are used in the home and when out on visits. Worthwhile praise is given freely to children and they gain in self-esteem and confidence because of this.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are very well settled and extremely happy with the childminder because she and their parents have a extremely good relationship. This relationship has been built on trust and openness through the sharing of information and keeping parents fully informed about their children's day and their learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children feel comfortable and are able to develop in the home where the use of space and resources allow them to move freely on the ground floor and to make choices. They use the whole of the ground floor which has been divided into separate areas, to provide a quiet area and an area for more creative activities, for example the kitchen is used to creative activities, whilst the hall is used for quieter activities.

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Organisation

Children experience individual attention with the childminder because she uses the correct adult to child ratios, making them feel secure and able to develop a positive relationship with the childminder and each other.

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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 Children are able to flourish because the childminder is committed to improving her practice and understanding of childcare. She undertakes relevant training whenever available, for example, since the last inspection she has undertaken training in self-assessment, business success for child carers, foundation stage, inland revenue information,' I can talk', cranial osteopathy, home fire safety, equal opportunities, HIV awareness, and the 'Birth to three matters' framework. Information from the training courses is used to develop effective and consistent policies and procedures and to enhance her practice. She has a good regard to the developments in the early years and uses all information to promote effective outcomes of children.

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Organisation

Documentation is generally in good order and readily available, however not all parents have given permission for an emergency medical treatment, because of this, some children are at risk. Certificate of registration is displayed for parents to see that she remains qualified to care for children. Adults living on the premises have had appropriate checks carried out to ensure that they are suitable to be in the proximity and young children.

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Organisation

Children grow, learn and develop in a setting where the good organisation of space and resources provided by the childminder supports the children in their interests. They use the whole of the ground floor which has been divided into separate areas to provide a quiet area and an area for more creative activities.

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Organisation

Overall, the children's needs are being met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection it was recommended that the childminder improve fire safety measures by the installation of a fire blanket. This recommendation has been addressed and a fire blanket has been installed in the kitchen. She has further ensured the children's safety by attending a fire safety training session provided by the local fire officers and she has written an emergency evacuation plan which is practised and discussed with the children during their play. Smoke alarms are fitted at both top and bottom of the stairs and these are tested weekly.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Children's safety in the event of a fire has been greatly enhanced because the childminder has completed fire safety training, fitted appropriate fire safety measures which are checked regularly, written an emergency evacuation plan which the children are familiar with due to the childminder's gentle and competent approach through play.

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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

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

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 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): • ensure that permission for medical emergency treatment is in place for all children.

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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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