Childminder in Staffordshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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209801 Unique Reference Number 12 April 2007 Inspection date Janet Ashcroft 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 was registered in 2001. She lives with her husband and two children, aged 13 years and 15 years, in Mile Oak, Staffordshire. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding. There is a secure rear garden for outside play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder has two pet dogs, to which minded children have supervised access.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for six children at any one time; she presently has 12 children on roll who attend for a variety of sessions. She is a member of the National Childminding Association and attends local pre-school groups with minded children. She offers a collection and delivery service to local schools and nurseries.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are learning the importance of good hygiene through positive reinforcement and good example. The provision of attractive personal care equipment, for example, individual colour

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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 coded towels, encourages their self-help skills with regard to personal hygiene routines. Their understanding is supported by clear, age-appropriate explanations.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a nutritious diet, with fruit and vegetables offered on a daily basis. They are actively learning about healthy foods through discussion and through involvement in a range of stimulating activities. For example, during an outing to a local farm shop, they selected healthy foods for a tasting activity. Older children used the computer to source and print a variety of food pictures, which they have made into an attractive collage for the play room wall.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a wide range of physical activities, which contributes to their good health. Daily outdoor play, including visits to local parks, is a feature of the setting and offers them regular opportunities to develop and practise a wide range of physical skills. The large rear garden has a designated play area, where the children are able to access a good range of equipment. However, the procedure to prevent the children from accessing the dogs' area is not secure and they are occasionally exposed to cross-contamination from animal faeces.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are able to move independently around the setting, which is appropriately maintained. Their sense of belonging is very effectively fostered by the warm and welcoming décor, child-centred posters, extensive displays of their creative work and items of personal equipment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has a good level of awareness of all risks to children's safety and has taken precautions to keep the physical environment safe and secure. Children are actively learning to keep themselves safe through participation in safety routines such as fire evacuations and road crossing drills. They benefit from opportunities to explore other environments, for example, Tamworth Castle and The Wacky Warehouse, and the childminder has all the required safety procedures and documentation in place.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children enjoy independent access to an extensive range of safe toys and equipment, which effectively fosters all areas of their development. They are encouraged to help maintain their environment with the childminder giving support and offering age-appropriate explanations.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's protection from abuse and neglect is promoted through the childminder's good knowledge of child protection issues.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are involved in a broad range of challenging activities and experiences, which is helping them to make progress in all areas of development. They are given frequent opportunities to explore and investigate and are learning to make choices as they access toys and equipment freely and independently. Their language skills are promoted through the frequent opportunities for interaction that the childminder identifies and builds upon throughout the day. She supports their developing vocabulary by encouraging their impulse to communicate and by responding enthusiastically to their attempts, enhancing their language competence and growing awareness of self.

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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 Children benefit from regular learning and play opportunities outside the home, which further develop their social skills. For example, the regular visits to the library, where the children select their own books to bring back to the setting, encourages their interest in reading and stories, whilst at the same time fostering their sense of responsibility and decision making.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder has embraced the spirit of the 'Birth to three matters' framework and provides a freely accessible environment where the children are able to independently explore and learn through their own experiences.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children benefit from being cared for as individuals with their particular needs considered and accommodated. They freely access a meaningful range of activities and resources to promote a positive view of the wider world and to increase their understanding of others. For example, younger children are able to access small world characters and role play equipment from a variety of cultures and lifestyles. Older children have participated in creative and cookery activities based around themes from a variety of countries. Through discussion, the childminder demonstrated a proactive approach to caring for children with learning difficulties or disabilities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's sense of security is fostered through a strong partnership with parents, who are always warmly welcomed into the setting. Information is exchanged regularly and in a variety of ways, for example, daily diaries and regular verbal feedback.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children show care and concern for others and play together harmoniously. They have a warm relationship with the childminder who has encouraged them to become involved in creating goals and boundaries for the setting. Their self-esteem is promoted as they are praised frequently for effort and achievement.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are able to actively explore and investigate as a result of the childminder's use of space; this has been very effectively planned to enable them to participate in a variety of stimulating activities. Their sense of security is fostered through the consistent daily routine, which has been thoughtfully planned to anticipate and meet their needs.

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Organisation

The children benefit from the childminder’s documentation, which evidences her commitment to providing them with a good standard of care. She provides an extensive and well-written range of policies and procedures, which are an accurate representation of her provision. They further benefit from the good range of continuing professional development undertaken by the childminder.

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Organisation

The provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the childminder was asked to improve safety procedures with regard to the accessibility of sharp knives and outdoor drains; to improve record keeping, with regard to the administration of medication; to develop resources to promote equality of opportunity. Children's welfare is safeguarded as all knives and outdoor drains are now inaccessible and the

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Improvements 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 medication recording meets required standards. Children are now able to freely access a meaningful range of activities and resources to promote a positive view of the wider world and to increase their understanding of others.

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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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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 that arrangements to remove animal faeces are rigorous and that children are unable to access the dogs' area in the garden.

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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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