Childminder in Barnsley

Inspection report for early years provision

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302737 Unique Reference Number 27 April 2005 Inspection date Ingrid Pine Inspector

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Integrated Type of inspection Childminding Type of care

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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.

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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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder has been a registered childminder since August 2000. She lives with her husband and two children aged ten years and five years of age. They live in a three bed roomed, semi detached house which is close to the centre of Barnsley. It is within walking distance of local amenities. The whole of the ground floor inclusive of bathroom area is used for childminding purposes. There is a garden to the rear of the property which is suitable for outdoor play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for five children and there are seven children on roll. Children come for a variety of sessions.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is accredited as part of the Childminder's Network and is a member of Childminders Together.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

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.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children practise good personal hygiene through well-planned daily routines such as washing hands after using the toilet and before eating. However they do not always understand why they should do so.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished. They choose and enjoy varied and healthy meals and have regular drinks such as milk, water and juice throughout the day. They learn about the importance of a healthy diet through shopping for the ingredients and often helping to prepare them. Children's individual dietary needs are discussed and well catered for as the childminder is knowledgeable about different food allergies.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children experience a healthy lifestyle and learn about the importance of physical exercise through well planned regular visits to local parks, sessions at a locally organised playgroup, nature walks and vigorous play in the garden.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are kept safe in a setting which has effective security precautions such as keeping the door locked and carefully checking visitors' identification. The areas of the house used for childminding are well maintained and children's risk of injury is mostly minimised. Outdoor play is well supervised and children play safely in a securely gated and fenced outdoor area. Children safely self-select from a varied range of high quality age and development appropriate resources which are mostly well organised. However children are not always encouraged to tidy up after themselves and this at times slightly inhibits their ability to move easily around the premises without risk of injury.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder gives high priority to helping children develop a strong awareness of road safety. She re-enforces this through good use of established rules and limits such as holding hands in busy places and using pedestrian and school crossing patrols.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected. The childminder has sufficient knowledge and understanding of child protection regulations and understands her responsibilities in this area.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. All children make very good progress in learning, leisure and personal development because they experience a wide and varied range of activities. They benefit from well planned routines which include regular weekly visits to the local play group, nature walks, shopping, focussed activities, construction, music, number and language. Younger children acquire new skills and knowledge through playing with activity centres, sharing story books and singing familiar nursery rhymes.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

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. Consistent routines, as discussed with parents, are in place which help babies to feel very secure and to have their individual needs met well. They have a strong and trusting relationship with the childminder and they receive lots of cuddles and support, especially when unfamiliar adults are around. They are encouraged to develop their confidence through effective and challenging experiences such as learning to walk and choosing their own toys.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Older children make very good progress because the childminder has a strong knowledge of the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. Plans are detailed and children's achievements are clearly identified. However the assessments do not include written evaluation of the activities to inform future planning of the next steps for children's learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Older children acquire and develop new skills. They have good hand-eye co-ordination and can use tools such as pencils, brushes and scissors well. Their physical development is fostered through vigorous outdoor play in the garden and walking in the countryside. Older children have high levels of concentration and play purposefully. For example they build and construct towers from blocks and use their imagination creatively to turn them into other structures such as castles. They are independent and assume responsibility for their own personal care. Older children are friendly and show a high level of concern for others. For example they help the childminder with the younger babies and mostly share their toys. They speak confidently and share their experiences of home and family life. They are competent at counting and recognise different shapes. They select books independently, enjoy reading appropriate books with bright

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

pictures and simple words and understand that print carries meaning. They happily attempt early writing and confidently solve simple number problems in everyday activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop a very good awareness of time and place and have a strong sense of belonging. They are able to talk confidently about past and future events in their lives, for example playing in the snow in the winter and going on holiday in the summer with their parents and siblings. They gain a high level of knowledge of their own environment and the world about them through planting seeds, nature walks and visits to local amenities. They observe and understand simple scientific changes as they experiment in the water with food colouring and objects that float or sink.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use their imagination well and act out simple everyday familiar situations. They respond enthusiastically to experiences with music and singing. They have opportunities to develop their large physical skills through good use of the outdoor area and local environment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are well respected. Their self-esteem is built up through good use of positive praise and encouragement. Effective behaviour strategies have a positive impact on their behaviour and they develop their understanding of sharing and taking turns through good interaction with the childminder and each other. Older children's awareness of the needs of others is fostered as they are encouraged to perform simple tasks for the babies and include them at times in their play.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

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. Partnership with parents is good. Children's individual and special needs are well met. They receive appropriate support and encouragement. Both children and parents benefit from a two way sharing of detailed information. For example, all parents are encouraged to contribute to the daily diary kept by the childminder and funded children's assessments are discussed and recorded in partnership with their parents. The childminder works closely with parents of babies and toddlers which ensures they are happy, settled and secure. They have consistent routines and bring familiar objects and comforters from home such as their own teddies.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder provides a meaningful range of activities and resources for all children to promote a positive view of the wider world and their understanding of respect for other people's cultures. They experience food from different countries, read books about people who help us and children from other parts of the world. They are encouraged to value their own traditions through discussions about their own family lives and experiences.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. There are clear policies and procedures and comprehensive documentation to promote the welfare, care and learning of children. Resources and routines are well organised to allow support for children's individual needs. For example planning includes provision for younger children to be involved at their level in activities specifically aimed at developing funded children's learning.

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Organisation

The children are well supervised and activities are planned and organised to ensure that they receive appropriate attention. However space is not always organised effectively.

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Organisation

The childminder is well qualified and experienced and is keen to develop her skills and knowledge of childcare through a programme of continued training organised through the local authority. She already has good knowledge of the Birth to Three Matters Framework and a strong understanding of the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. These are used well to promote learning for all children and ensure that they make good progress.

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Organisation

Overall the provision meets the individual needs of all children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The last Children Act inspection recommended that the childminder should improve documentation by having a consent form from parents regarding seeking emergency medical advice or treatment. She was also asked to obtain details of the local Area Children Protection Committee guidance.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The childminder has made significant improvements which promote children's safety. Documentation to ensure that parents' consent for seeking emergency advice or treatment is in place. The childminder also now has information relating to local Area Child Protection Committee guidance.

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Improvements since the last inspection

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.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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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): • organise toys and equipment to ensure that children can play safely • ensure children are fully aware of the reasons for personal hygiene

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure that there are written evaluations of children's achievements in place to inform future planning for the next stage of children's learning.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

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 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.

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