Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY246112 Unique Reference Number 30 April 2007 Inspection date Lynn Reeves 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 registered since 2002. The childminder lives with her husband and three children in a residential area of Portchester in Hampshire. The property is within close proximity to schools, preschools, shops and parks. The childminder is registered to provide care for four children aged under eight years and is currently minding three children aged under eight years on a part time basis. Children aged over eight years are also cared for. Children have access to all areas on the ground floor of the property, which include toilet and rest facilities. There is a fully secure garden for outdoor play. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children develop a healthy lifestyle through gentle exercise, rest, fresh air and healthy eating. The childminder has good procedures in place to keep children free from infection, for example, not accepting sick children into her care, cleaning all toys and play equipment on a regular basis and keeping the home clean. Children learn the importance of good hygiene procedures

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Helping children to be healthy

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 through discussion and routines, for example, washing their hands after toileting and before eating.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children develop their large muscle control and demonstrate good spatial awareness as they pedal the ride on toys around the garden. They happily play on the swing and attempt to hit the balls with bats developing their co-ordination skills. They get lots of fresh air as they access the garden daily, visit the park and walk to and from school where they benefit from gentle exercise. Children are given opportunities to use a range of utensils and tools through various planned activities, for example, cooking, threading beads, building with bricks and during art and craft play.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder provides the children with fruit and biscuits in addition to food sent from home. The lunch boxes provided by parents have their contents checked and stored appropriately. Children always have easy access to drinks to ensure they are kept hydrated. Opportunities are maximised for children to talk together about the foods they enjoy, for example, during cooking activities when they make and decorate cakes and biscuits. The childminder has procedures in place for recording accidents and administering medication; she has a suitable first aid qualification in place and obtains the required parental signatures to support children's health and well-being.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children access a well-organised home where they are able to move freely around the allotted areas. They use the garden daily where they are provided with a good range of toys and play equipment. The toys provided are colourful and vibrant, and help to keep children occupied and stimulated. Children develop their independence as the childminder ensures that toys are easily accessible by laying them out on the floor or storing them on low-level shelving and in storage boxes, so children can make their own choices. The childminder keeps the children under close supervision and carefully monitors and supervises children's choice of toys to make sure they are safe and appropriate for their age and stage of development.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has identified and minimised most potential risks to the children, for example, all hazardous materials are locked away, low-level glass has been made safe, a fireguard and a stair gate are available. The childminder keeps children under close supervision and is aware of potential dangers that might harm a child, for example, she ensures that the patio doors and the lids on the toy boxes are tied back to prevent little fingers being trapped. However, children's safety is at risk because the front door has a low catch, which the children could open, and there is no smoke detector on the ground floor, which impacts on their safety. Children are made aware of dangers through general conversations, daily routines and gentle reminders. They discuss road safety issues when walking, reminded to hold hands or kept on reigns.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has a sound understanding of child protection procedures and is aware of whom to report any concerns to. Any injury a child attends with is recorded and information is shared with parents to make them aware of the childminder's responsibilities.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy a wonderful range of activities and experiences suitable for their ages and individual abilities. They are very well settled in their environment and enjoy each other's company. Children are confident to chat to adults and ask them to be involved in their play, for example, playing bat and ball in the garden. Children enjoy their time at the setting as they have many opportunities to develop an extensive range of skills; they move from activity to activity with great confidence freely selecting what they want to play with. The childminder fully supports the children by chatting to them and extends their learning by asking them to name the colours and shapes. They laugh and giggle excitedly about the chocolate cakes they plan to make in the afternoon and proudly show off their paper kites they made and decorated using an array of different media.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder is aware of children's individual needs and capabilities and provides activities that they enjoy. For example, threading, cross-stitch, game-boys and messy play activities. Children ask if they can colour and go to the cupboard where the resources are kept; they find paper and pencils and ask for the sticking box. They happily share the assortment of feathers, foam shapes, tissue paper, scissors and glue sticks. Children draw pictures for the visitor; laugh and giggle as they announce 'these are snails with different colours on them'.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop good self-care skills as they help to tidy up the art materials. The childminder is affectionate and responds well to children's needs, knowing when to stand back to let their play develop. Children develop their social skills and social interaction when visiting the library for story time, attending the parent and toddler groups and meeting with other childminders and their children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The childminder gets to know the children to ensure that they are provided with activities that they enjoy. Children are constantly praised for their efforts, promoting their self-esteem. Activities are adapted to ensure that younger children can participate ensuring they too feel valued. Children access toys that reflect diversity, for example, dressing up clothes, ethnic figures, books and puzzles to help develop their understanding of the wider world. Children visit various places of interest where they learn about their community and environment. For example, Portchester Castle and The Dinosaur Museum. They walk along the shoreline to collect collage materials and watch horses in the fields. The childminder maintains a positive approach to caring for children with learning difficulties, disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave very well and develop a clear understanding of what is right from wrong as the childminder remains calm and consistent in her methods for dealing with un-wanted behaviour. She teaches the children to share, take-turns and gives them clear explanations in a language they understand, which help promote their good behaviour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder develops professional relationships with parents; children's individual needs are discussed during arrival and collection time. All required written consent and documentation is in place and shared with parents to keep them informed about the childminder's business. The childminder records information for parents regarding their child's routine and activities that they have taken part in.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder has the required training in place; her home and business is organised well, which helps support the care and well-being of the children she cares for. The children are confident, happy and relaxed in their environment; they move freely around the setting, accessing the good range of toys and equipment available to them. The children benefit from a well-organised and stimulating environment.

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Organisation

All the required documentation is in place and available for inspection. All paperwork is kept secure to maintain confidentiality. Children enjoy their time with the childminder because resources and activities are planned well and provide significant challenges; as a result, the childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, the provider was asked to ensure the attendance register is appropriately maintained; ensure the safe positioning of plastic bags, smoke alarms and fire blanket; ensure the safety of low-level glass and electric sockets and introduce resources that reflect positive images and promote equality of opportunity.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the provider has addressed most of the recommendations and evaluated risks to children to ensure their safety. However, a weakness has been identified regarding the smoke detectors; therefore a recommendation has been made following this inspection. All required documentation is in place and a good selection of toys reflect diversity to promote equal opportunities. Children's health, safety and well-being are promoted.

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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. 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): • ensure children's safety in particular regard to security of the premises • ensure suitable smoke detectors are sited to safeguard children in the event of a fire

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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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