Hillside Avenue Primary and Nursery School, Thorpe

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number 143280 Inspection date 20 June 2005 Inspector Kate Houghton

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Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Childminding

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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 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 outstanding. 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 1989. She is registered to work with an assistant. She lives with her husband and two children, an adult son, and a son who is of school age in a three bedroomed terraced property in the Copnor area of Portsmouth. There are schools, shops and parks nearby.

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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 The whole ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder is registered to care for a six children at anyone time and is currently minding four children. The childminder is a member of the Children come First childminding network and a member of the National Childminding Association. The childminder takes children to the local pre-school group and attends the toddler group on a regular basis.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children are learning about healthy eating. They make choices and help themselves to a varied and exciting range of fresh fruit at snack times. Children talk enthusiastically about how good the grapes taste and describe how juicy and sweet they are to eat. Children are gaining an excellent knowledge about healthy eating because the childminder has effective strategies in place. Children thrive and their diet is supported with a balanced and nutritional range of healthy eating options. Children are gaining an understanding of why food is good for them, they talk about the energy food provides and recognise that eating healthily helps their bodies to grow big and strong. Children benefit from extensive opportunities to promote their physical skills. The childminder organises purposeful play activities and supports children well. They are encouraged to develop their independence and practice their large and fine motor

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Helping children to be healthy

skills. Children enjoy play on large apparatus and have fun climbing, balancing, swinging and playing on bikes. They access gardening activities and regular opportunities for sand and water play. Children get plenty of fresh air and enjoy organised outings to local museums and play zones. When weather restricts access to outdoor play, the childminder plans stimulating physical play activities indoors. Children have fun with play tunnels and enjoy exploring, crawling and moving about. Organised team games are planned for, children enjoy various activities including play with beanbags to promote and develop their spatial awareness and hand to eye co ordination. Children are encouraged to have an awareness and understanding to the importance of hygiene procedures. The childminder supports and encourages children extremely well, they are learning to wash their hands as part of the daily routine and have easy

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Helping children to be healthy

access to facilities to support hand washing. For example children choose to use soap, water or anti bacterial hand wash. Children are gaining knowledge and developing their understanding of hygiene and health, they help to wash the fruit before eating and clean the table after snack time. Vigilant systems are in place to support children's health care arrangements, information is shared and agreed with

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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 parents. Children are protected form any potential illness's and procedures in place ensure their arrangements for care are in line with parents wishes.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. The childminder has effective systems in place to ensure the safety and security of children being cared for. She carries out risk assessments and checks areas regularly within the home and outside to support children safely. Equipment is strategically placed and utilised well to prevent children from any potential hazards. The childminder has devised procedures to ensure children receive the best possible care. Information is communicated and shared with parents exceptionally well to keep them informed and up to date of health and safety policies, procedures and practice, to support children's arrangements for care. The childminder is clearly aware of her responsibility to ensure children are secure and protected. She has a sound knowledge of her responsibilities and duties to keep children safe. The child protection policy statement is shared and agreed with parents to ensure children's welfare is safeguarded.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. The childminder uses her expertise and skills to plan and provide an exciting and stimulating range of purposeful play and learning activities to support the care needs of children across the age range. Children enjoy excellent opportunities to become familiar with mathematical language. For example children are learning to calculate, as they count plates and grapes needed for each person at snack time. When making and decorating a boat for Fathers day, children talk about where the mast for the boat will go, for example "inside" or "outside." Children are beginning to recognise and understand difference in sizes, the childminder encourages children to observe objects around them, children talk about the size of their own feet and make comparisons to the size of the "tiny" animal foot prints on the stickers that they choose from. Children regularly make choices and develop their independence. Children choose

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

from a varied range of resources to support their activities. When model making they are beginning to learn how to use scissors and enjoy cutting out their drawings, they are learning to follow instructions and are developing control of tools under the careful and supportive guidance of the childminder. Children benefit from the superb opportunities they have to develop their imagination, speech and language skills. The childminder uses great effort and thought to the creation of special story sacks for children to access. Exceptional use of props bring the stories to life, children are learning about the life cycle of a butterfly, books, tapes, puppets, games and small world mini beasts are included to support their learning.

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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 are beginning to recognise the characters, they anticipate what will happen next and participate with the childminder to act out the different parts. Children enjoy following the story through, they are beginning to learn that print carries meaning and take pleasure from looking at illustrations in the book. Children are developing their listening skills, they recognise different sounds used on the tape to illustrate what is happening as the story is told. Children are developing their observational skills. They are learning about the world around them as they are encouraged to discover mini beasts, they talk enthusiastically about the number of legs that they see and are recognising different colours and markings that small world insects have. Children are encouraged to have fun and are happy during play, they are using

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

memory recall and developing matching and sorting skills during games of lotto.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. The childminder values all children equally and identifies their individual needs, she collects necessary information from parents to ensure that she has a sound knowledge of children's care requirements. Children feel happy and secure because the childminder has effective procedures in place to promote partnership with parents. She welcomes and encourages visits to her home and uses this time constructively so that parents and children are given the chance to familiarise themselves with their surroundings as part of the settling in process. The childminder offers assistance and support for all children within a caring and nurturing environment, this helps to promote a sense of well being and ensures that children are provided with the best possible care. Children are learning to build worthwhile and harmonious relationships, as successful methods are used for behaviour management. For example children make their own

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Helping children make a positive contribution

scrap books as part of daily activities to support and develop their understanding of sharing and turn taking. The childminder helps children to feel good about themselves, as they respond well to positive praise, verbal feedback and encouragement including the use of sticker charts as rewards. Children are provided with opportunities to learn about themselves and the world around them. Activities are provided and a balanced range of resources are easily accessible and portrayed about the home to encourage children's awareness and understanding of differences within our society. Children clearly enjoy their time with the childminder, they are provided with a wealth of learning opportunities through play experiences and their needs are supported well to ensure that their arrangements for care are met.

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 The organisation is outstanding. Children's care is supported by the childminder's excellent organisation of the childminding service that she provides. The childminder is committed to on going training opportunities and is an active member of the local childminding network. All areas of within the home and outside are arranged purposefully to promote an extensive range of play opportunities for children. All required documentation is maintained well, shared with parents and in place to support care arrangements for children's health, safety and well being. Records are reviewed regularly to keep up to date with any changes, they are easily accessible and stored securely to maintain confidentiality. Overall needs of children are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The childminder has made improvements and acted on the recommendations raised at last inspection in relation to record keeping. The childminder keeps current and correct details of information relating to the use of her car, including her driving licence, car insurance with business use, MOT and vehicle registration documents are in place and easily accessible to view to support details for the childminder's current vehicle used for childminding arrangements. Improvements have been made to record keeping of fire drills, the childminder carries out fire drills regularly and keeps a written log to support details of when fire drills are carried out. Improvements have been made to ensure complaints procedures are shared with parents, details include Ofsted' s address and contact telephone number.

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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 outstanding. 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

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of care are outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the care

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements 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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