Wood, Lynn Davina

Inspection report for early years provision

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302609 Unique Reference Number 17 May 2005 Inspection date Helene Anne Terry 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 registered since 1998. She lives with her husband, who is jointly registered to care for children, in a semi detached property in the Undercliffe area of Bradford, West Yorkshire. They are close to all local amenities and schools. The whole of the ground floor of the home and the bathroom and library on the first floor are used for the children. There is a fully enclosed garden to the front and side of the property which is used for outdoor play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children at any one time, however when minding with her co- minder can take up to 12 children. At present they care for 13 children between the ages of nine months and ten years; most of whom attend for various sessions throughout the week. The childminder walks to the local school to collect children. The family keep tropical fish indoors and a well stocked fish pond in the rear garden; to which children have supervised access only.

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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. The childminder regularly attends the library and takes children out on local outings. She holds an early years qualification to level 3 and is an accredited member of the Bradford Childminding Network. She is currently in receipt of funding for nursery education for three and four year olds.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a warm stimulating and caring environment where effective procedures and practices ensure that children's physical, nutritional and health needs are fully addressed. The childminder provides very good support and guidance to ensure that children develop a good understanding of hygiene, such as washing hands after toileting and before eating. Children are protected from cross infection through the use of a comprehensive sickness policy and the regular washing of toys.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a wide range of activities which contribute to their good health. They have regular access to physical activities both indoors and outdoors, such as the use of bikes, bats and balls and they are taken on regular outings to parks and playgrounds.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder fosters the children's understanding of very good eating habits; they have regular access to drinks throughout the day, and highly benefit from well balanced nutritious snacks and meals, including lots of fruit and vegetables. Children readily state that fruit is good for you. They also sample foods from around the world further developing their tastes and experiences, for example they have tried squid and frogs legs. Individual dietary needs are fully considered, including religious requirements, to promote their well being.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children move around safely and freely in a secure, safe environment both indoors and outdoors, where risks are identified and minimised by the childminder. All safety features are in place or are available for use in the areas of the home where children have access. Closed circuit television (CCTV) is used to ensure that children are safe whilst playing outdoors. Children are kept safe on outings because the childminder follows good procedures and practices. There is a garden pond at the rear of the house, however this is accessed under close supervision when the children go and look at the fish and frogs as part of specific activities to extend learning.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children use a very good range of developmentally appropriate resources, which are used to extend all areas of their development. Some of which are easily accessible; others are brought out by the childminder as children request. This can result in some aspects of choice and independence not being fully addressed. However, child height furniture and a storage system is available; children were observed to quickly and confidently access materials for drawing. Resources are readily accessible for babies, as these are stored in a large container in the playroom.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

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. The children's welfare is fully addressed. The childminder has a good understanding of child protection issues, having attended training and she holds a current first aid certificate.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and settled in the child friendly environment where they have good access to a very wide range of activities which enhances their development in all areas. Activities are planned to take into consideration children's interests and current festivals. For example the children are currently looking at the topic of mini beasts; this has been further enhanced as the childminder has noticed children have an on going interest. The childminder has recently obtained the Birth to three matters framework information and intends to use this to develop activities to foster the development of the under three's in her care. Older children take part in many innovative activities, some of which are linked to school work. They greatly enjoyed the experience of using the video camera to make their own movie using model dinosaurs and homemade landscapes.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Interaction between the childminder and the children is very warm and trusting relationships have been developed, which increases children's sense of well being and confidence. Children receive lots of cuddles and playful interactions were observed, for example as childminder and child giggled together with the effects of the mobile hung from the ceiling, thereby developing a strong bond and the baby's communication skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning are good. The childminder has a good knowledge of the Foundation Stage and of how children learn effectively. This enables her to set appropriate challenges for children to extend their learning. Effective questioning is used to enable children to think and respond in their own words, thereby consolidating learning. She has high expectations of the children and this impacts in their interest in the activities and on the good behaviour which was observed. The childminder plans a wide range of activities which take into consideration children's interests. However children's individual records of achievement/ assessment are not used effectively to clearly identify their next stage in development or are they used to inform future planning. This results in the childminder not being totally clear about where the children are progressing and which aspects need to be improved.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Overall the children are making good progress in all areas of learning. Children are happy and settled, interested in all activities and approach new experiences confidently. They are developing good levels of self esteem, join in activities well, are making attachments to one another and are beginning to share and take turns. Children confidently take care of their own personal hygiene such as toileting and washing hands and put on their own coats and shoes, developing independence. However, they are limited in choosing activities they wish to do. For example they need to request toys and activities, if they wish to do something different other than the activities set out for them. Children are confident speakers and are beginning to develop their writing skills as they attempt to write and spell out their names phonetically. They enjoy books and join in familiar stories with the childminder as she reads it aloud to them. Children show

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

good interest in numbers, they count competently and are beginning to solve simple

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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. mathematical problems in everyday activities, such as how many children are present, therefore how many plates do we need for breakfast? They have a very good understanding of shape; as demonstrated when they find shapes in everyday objects, such as a clock, a window and can identify a cylinder shape.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

A very good strength of the setting is the progress children are making in their understanding of the world. They show good curiosity, explore their environment and look at the life cycles of seeds, plants, frogs and butterflies. They create experimenting with technology as they build using construction sets, collage and recycled materials. They learn how to use simple equipment on the computer, tape recorder and video camera. Children also gain an understanding of diversity in society, which enables them to respect peoples similarities and differences. They look at different festivals from around the world such as Eid, Chinese New year, Australia Day, St Patrick's Day and Easter and have made books depicting their work.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use colour, textures and shapes to creatively express themselves. They confidently take part in many creative activities including music and imaginative play. They move freely with pleasure and confidence both indoors and outdoors, as they play on the bikes and visit the parks to play on the slide; developing climbing and balancing skills.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's individual needs are very effectively met through a variety of means including information received from parents at the gradual induction of the child. Children with special needs are well catered for and the childminder works with parents and other professionals to enhance development. The childminder ensures that resources positively represent the children who attend as well as individuals from the wider community. This enables children develop a positive attitude towards others.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder has a very good awareness of positive behaviour management techniques to enhance children's well being. Children learn to share, take turns and learn about the consequences of their behaviour on others. Lots of praise and encouragement was observed to be offered to children; boosting confidence and self esteem. This fosters their spiritual, moral and social development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the very good partnership developed between childminder and parents. Children are cared for according to parents wishes which promotes continuity of care and their well being. There are very effective systems in place to ensure information is shared on a regular basis about the child's progress and daily activities, for example through daily chats and written feedback sheets. For funded children the childminder keeps child assessment records, which she shares with parents on a regular basis. Parents are also actively encouraged to extend learning at home; thereby promoting and enriching the child's development. The childminder provides very good information for parents about the setting, including policies and procedures, which enhances the care provided for their children.

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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.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Space is organised well to meet the needs of the children, however, due to resources not being easily accessible, children are not fully able to initiate and extend their own play and learning. Children are kept safe due to the childminder's good awareness of vetting procedures for adults having supervised or unsupervised access to the children and adult child ratios are maintained appropriately. Adult child ratios are effectively maintained and children have the advantage of their being two childminders working alongside one another to meet their needs. The children also benefit from the childminder's good underpinning knowledge and experience in child development, as she holds a level 3 qualification in childcare and education and continues to extend her training to enhance the service she provides for the children. The good range of policies and procedures are used very effectively to promote the welfare and care of children.

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Organisation

However the monitoring of nursery education is not rigorous enough to identify areas that require improvement. Overall the provision meets the needs of the children who attend.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The last Children Act inspection required that the childminder should improve systems for the recording of medication given to children. Satisfactory improvements have been made. Written permission to administer is now obtained from parents, however these records do need extending to include details of when medication was given, the dosage and parents need to sign the record to confirm that they are aware of this information.

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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): • extend medication records to include times that medication is administered and dosage given. Ensure that parents sign the entry to confirm that they are aware of when medication was given to their child

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The quality and standards of the care

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 nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • develop children's assessment records, ensuring that entries are dated; link observations to the stepping stones and ensure that child assessment records are used to inform future planning. Ensuring that the next stage in children's development is clearly identified and plans can be made to promote specific areas of individual children's learning • provide more opportunities for children to readily access resources to enable them to initiate and extend their own play and 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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