Elms Independent School

Inspection report for early years provision

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131147 Unique Reference Number 18 October 2006 Inspection date Cordalee Harrison 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 in registered in 1985. The family live in the town of Winslow, between Aylesbury and Buckingham.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to provide care for six children, and is currently looking after nine children, eight children are aged under eight years. Of these, six children are aged under five years, five of these children attend on a part time basis the other attends fulltime. School aged children may attend before and after school and during the holidays.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Children have access to the lounge, dining area, hall and toilet all on the ground floor. Children sleep in a first floor bedroom. There is also a securely fenced rear garden available for children's use. The childminder walks to take and collect children from school. The home is close to all local amenities.

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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 satisfactory. Children participate in regular physical activities as they walk to and from pre-school and school each day, this allows them to get regular exercise, fresh air and experience the different seasons. They enjoy other outdoor activities, such as, blackberry picking and playing in the garden. Activities, such as, music and movement encourages children to dance, improve their balance and coordination; they further extend their physical development as they move about doing action rhymes, such as, ‘Row, row, row your boat’. A child explained that he likes dancing and playing ball games in the garden.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder’s good hygiene practices in the home reduce the risk of cross infection for children. For example, she wipes young children’s noses as needed, disposes of the tissues appropriately and washes her hands regularly. She further develops children’s good personal hygiene habits by teaching them to wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating. The childminder understands the importance of children eating a nutritious and balanced diet. She works effectively with parents to ensure food from all of the main food groups are included in children’s daily diet. Her careful management of food provided by parents ensures that children’s dietary needs are met and that their health is not compromised.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder who is qualified in first aid uses suitable first aid equipment and procedures to manage accidents involving children. She maintains some essential written parental permission to safeguard children’s health. For example, permission to seek emergency medical treatment or advice and to administer first aid is in place. However, she does not maintain a written record of medicines that she administers to children, which poses a risk to children's health and is a breach of regulations.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are welcomed into a well-maintained comfortable home environment. Photographs of the children help to create an atmosphere of belonging for the children. Good maintenance of the childminder’s home enables children to use the areas accessible to them freely and with familiarity. Children use a reasonable amount of good quality safe resources of man-made and natural materials that are very easily accessible in their daily play. The well-organised resources allow children to use them constructively and independently.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are safe and secure in the childminder’s care because of the effective safety precautions that she takes, which minimises the risks for them. For example, children are properly seated and restrained in the vehicle, fire safety equipment is in working order, and hazardous substances are inaccessible to children. The childminder has also devised a well-considered escape plan to ensure that they are able to evacuate the premises quickly and safely in an emergency. The childminder supervises the children well. Children develop their understanding of personal safety; they discuss and practise road safety as they walk in the local area.

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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 demonstrates a good understanding of child protection issues. She is able to deal with child protection issues promptly to safeguard children’s welfare, because she is aware of the possible signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect. Her child protection procedure contains all of the necessary information, which makes lines of communication to deal with child protection clear. She shares this good quality information with parents and provides them with relevant contact numbers for the local and registering authority to enable them to act promptly to safeguard children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The childminder is experienced at caring for children of varying ages. Children make good progress in their learning because they use good quality age appropriate resources in their activities. Children benefit from the childminder's positive interaction and the appropriate levels of attention and support that the she provides. The warm interaction between the childminder and the children promotes their emotional wellbeing. For example, when the children are uncertain, she gives them reassuring hugs and comfort, this helps them to settle and to build trusting relationships.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are free to initiate their own play and develop their independence. The childminder is skilful at extending children’s thinking and communication skills through the opportunities that arise spontaneously in children’s play. For example, the childminder asks open questions to enable the pre-school aged child to give clear information about different animals that provide milk for people to drink. The effective questioning helps children to express what they know and consolidate their learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children make choices about their play, they explore the easily accessible resources and engage and entertain themselves purposefully with imaginary play. They laugh aloud and show that they are happy. Through their everyday play experiences, children progress their overall development, they count and sequence as they sing nursery rhymes, such as ‘Baa baa black sheep’. They develop their understanding of colour and shape recognition through first hand experiences. For example, children identify and talk about the difference between straight and curved shapes as they fit the train track together. They use the colours on the puzzle box as clues for completing the puzzle. These practical activities extend children’s learning and help them to begin to understand about how objects fit together. They learn about nature and care for living things in their gardening activities. Children progress their social skills as they interact

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

with their peers inside the home and with people in the wider community.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's record forms contain sufficient good quality information to enable the childminder to meet their individual care and health needs. The childminder provides some practical resources to raise children’s awareness of the wider society in which we live. She is open to discussion with children, and provides them with useful information to help them to consider and respect other people’s faiths and beliefs. Children develop their understanding of the wider society as

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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 they socialise and interact with others in the wider community. The resources the childminder provides are non-gender specific and are readily accessible to all of the children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder manages children’s behaviour well, she lets children know when their behaviour is not acceptable and shows them good examples of how to improve their behaviour. For example, when a child throws a toy, she lets the child know that the behaviour is unsafe and shows the child a safe way to give the toy. Children are learning to behave well. The childminder teaches the children to care for other people and the resources they use. Children learn to tidy away items that they are not using. This helps children to value and respect people and their belongings. The clear boundaries for behaviour help the children to know what to expect, the childminder works closely with parents to gain consistency in the management of children’s behaviour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The positive relationships between the childminder and parents ensure continuity of care for individual children. She informs and involves them actively in their children’s care and learning. The childminder shares a number of well-considered practice statements with parents and keeps them up to date with the exchange of verbal information each day.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children are welcomed into a comfortable, safe home environment, where they are safe and secure. They have easy access to sufficient age appropriate resources that are of good quality, which they use freely in their daily activities.

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Organisation

The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides. She has put in place a number of well-considered practice statements that she shares with parents to assure them that children's needs are met consistently. The childminder holds a valid first aid certificate and appropriate public liability and vehicle insurance for the benefit of the children she looks after. Children's record forms contain all of the required information, but not all documentation required to safeguard children’s health is in place. The childminder does not keep a written record of medicines she administers to children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, the provider was asked to provide a suitable range of toys and activities to support children's imaginative play and to keep a record of medication given to children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection, the provider has improved the range of resources that children use in their imaginative play, children play imaginatively as they use the appropriate resources that are readily accessible to them. The provider still does not keep a record of medicines that she administers to children; children's health is not properly safeguarded.

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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 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 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): • keep a written record of medicines administered to 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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