Oakfield Infant and Nursery School

Inspection report for early years provision

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118248 Unique Reference Number 28 February 2007 Inspection date Glenda Sinclair 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 2001. She lives with her husband and two sons aged one- and four-years old, in the Worle area of North Somerset. The whole house is registered for childminding but most play takes place on the ground floor and in the fully enclosed garden.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder, who is a member of the National Childminding Association, is currently minding four children, all of whom attend on a part-time basis. The childminder walks or uses a vehicle to local schools to take and collect children. She attends the local toddler group and takes children to the park.

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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 begin to learn about personal hygiene as the childminder encourages them to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet, or messy play. She sets a good example by using appropriate potty training procedures. The family cat poses no hygiene risk to children as the litter tray is moved before children arrive and the outdoor sandpit is covered to prevent animal fouling. Children have opportunities for fresh air and exercise as they walk to feed the ducks or play with the sit-and-ride toys in the garden. The childminder fosters a sense of emotional well-being. She is prepared to offer reassuring hugs to young children alarmed by the sound of torrential rain beating down on the conservatory roof.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder provides a reasonably healthy diet. Children have snacks of fruit, or an occasional biscuit, mid-morning. Lunch consists of sandwiches, crisps, fruit and an occasional home-made cake. Dinner is based on meat and vegetables. Children have frequent drinks of no-added sugar squash to prevent dehydration.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The childminder's home is clean, warm and child-friendly. Most play takes place in the conservatory and enclosed rear garden. The conservatory is kept at a reasonable temperature and the garden is totally enclosed. The rear gate is fitted with a Yale lock and high bolt so unwanted visitors cannot enter and children are unable to leave unsupervised. Toys and equipment are plentiful and in good condition. They pose no safety risk to children. The childminder has emergency procedures to cope, in case of fire, and smoke alarms and fire blanket are in place to protect children. Children help to devise their own safety rules for when they are out walking with the childminder. They also learn from an early age that they must hold hands, when crossing the road. The childminder has taken precautions to ensure that children have no access to dangerous objects such as sharp knives and cleaning materials.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder is uncertain about the procedures to follow should she have concerns about the safety or welfare of an individual child.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their play. They have access to a variety of stimulating toys and activities to help them develop across all areas of learning. They learn about the world around them as they go for walks to the duck pond or the shops. They learn to mix with other children at local toddler group sessions. The childminder is able to respond to children's individual needs and moves in quickly to offer alternatives, if children show signs of boredom with an activity. She is aware that, after a long day in school, children may need to run around and use up some energy and so they make trips to the local park. In holiday times, when time pressures are not so great,

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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 she takes children on picnics, to the beach or to events in the park. Children watch television occasionally if a quiet, relaxing time is necessary.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. The childminder providers children with good resources to help them to learn about the rich diversity of people and cultures in society. The childminder has no experience of working with children with learning difficulties or disabilities but she is happy to do so. She understands that some children may need extra help and shows a good awareness of the possible problems involved. She encourages sharing and has procedures in place to cope with unacceptable behaviour. However, she does not use praise as positive reinforcement to encourage and reward children, when they do behave well.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder keeps parents informed about their children's activities on a daily basis. Many parents have written to thank her for the care she gives to their children and to recommend her to other parents.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The childminder organises her home and time well to offer children the opportunity to play happily and safely. She has the appropriate qualifications for her role and has done some training on the Birth to three framework, which enables her to recognise the particular needs of very young children. However, she is not currently using any system of self-appraisal to help her develop professionally. Her documentation is in order and up-to-date. Her registration certificate is on display and she has the necessary means of formally recording any parental complaint. The register shows the actual times of children's arrival and departure and the accident and medication records are completed appropriately. She has all the necessary parental permissions in place and child record forms have the required emergency contact numbers.

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Organisation

The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At her last inspection, the childminder was asked to make a record of children's existing injuries and to ask parents to sign this. The childminder has put the procedure in place to protect children but has not yet needed to use it.

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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 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): • refresh knowledge of local child protection procedures • look at ways of positively reinforcing children's good behaviour.

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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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