Childminder in Leeds

Inspection report for early years provision

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319852 Unique Reference Number 04 May 2007 Inspection date Linda Filewood Inspector

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Integrated 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 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 was registered in 1992. She lives with her family in Cookridge, a suburb of Leeds. The whole ground floor of the childminder’s house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside 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 and is currently minding nine children. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children and attends the local childminding group.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association and is currently in receipt of funding for early education for three and four-year-olds.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. The childminder uses consistent procedures in the home to protect the children from becoming ill and to reduce the risk of cross infection. For example, toys are cleaned regularly and children have separate flannels and bedding. Children are given clear explanations about how to keep healthy. They know to wash their hands after using the toilet and are reminded why food dropped on the floor should not be eaten. Children are satisfactorily cared for if they become ill or have an accident. The childminder has renewed her paediatric first aid certificate and records of children's accidents are accurately maintained ensuring that parents are appropriately informed. However, medication records are not always completed by parents nor are they asked to give written permission to the seeking of any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment. There are adequate sickness policies and procedures in place to prevent the spread

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Helping children to be healthy

of infection between minded children, and parents are advised of these.

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Helping children to be healthy

The food provided by the childminder promotes the children's good health. Meals are freshly prepared each day and children are offered a balanced, varied diet. Children are encouraged to try new foods and the childminder works with parents to make sure the children's individual needs are appropriately met. Children sit together at meal-times and they are given sufficient time to enjoy their meal without being rushed. Older children are encouraged to become independent in cutting up their own food. Children are offered a choice of drink with their meal and extra drinks are available to them during the day.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from daily opportunity for exercise which helps their physical development. They enjoy, for example, visiting the soft play centre to climb, crawl and slither on the equipment. Younger children walk daily to school and back to collect older children and they all run part of the way once they reach a safe area. A safe secure garden offers children access to outdoor play with a range of resources, such as wheeled vehicles which teach them to manoeuvre around objects carefully. Older children are able to judge body space well and manage to retrieve a ball easily from under a table, for example. They are becoming adept at using a variety of one-handed tools and equipment as they learn to hold knives to cut up their food at meal times. Children have appropriate time and space both to rest and be active.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children's risk of accidental injury is minimised as the childminder takes all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of children inside and outside the setting. Clear, age appropriate explanations help children to understand the importance of keeping themselves safe. For instance, they talk about road safety when out walking and are told why they should tidy their toys away. Fire safety is well considered so that children know what to do in the event of a fire and equipment, such as a fire blanket is easily accessible. The emergency evacuation drills are clearly logged, together with a log showing when the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are checked.

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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 Children use a wide variety of safe, good quality, developmentally appropriate equipment. A small table and chairs is available for them to enjoy craft activities and their meals in comfort. Children move easily and safely around the areas used for minding. As a result, older children are becoming confident in their self-care as they independently use the downstairs toilet. The garden is well enclosed and secure allowing children to enjoy their outdoor play safely. Sleeping children are well monitored in a downstairs bedroom.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has undertaken further child protection training to ensure that the children are competently protected and that she is up-to-date on all child protection issues. Parents are clearly informed of the childminder's duty to protect the children in her care and the procedures the childminder puts into practice for the safe collection of children. Children play in a secure environment as a bleeper and bells on the outside door alerts the childminder to any visitors to the setting and visitors are asked to sign a sheet on arrival and departure.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. All children experience a good range of activities and play opportunities which are well planned into their daily routine. Well thought out trips to, for example, the pictures or to play 'pitch and put' or 'crazy golf' allow children of all ages to enjoy an outing. Warm relationships are evident between the childminder and the children. As a result, children are happy, settled and comfortable in the setting. Children become very independent as they choose between an extensive variety of toys, books and activities. They are busy, interested in their play and well occupied. The childminder knows each child well and offers support when needed. She encourages children to gain concentration skills and help each other by skilfully including all ages when playing games, as older children pair up with younger ones so that all enjoy the experience.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children play well alongside each other and cooperate during imaginative games using small world figures, but are equally content and happy to play on their own with a large wooden doll's house, for example. They are developing a good understanding of numbers and counting as they use mathematical language in everyday play. Older children are asked to count the fish fingers on their plates or work out who has the most grapes. All children enjoy stories and the enjoyment is greater when using props to go with the story and when they read the story in a large tent. They have opportunity to express imagination and creativity through painting, model making and drawing and learn using their senses as they feel foam, for instance, on their fingers. Young children enjoy exploring treasure baskets and feeling the different textures of items around the home. Regular outings to a drop-in centre and other childminding group activities

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

helps children develop their social skills as they learn to play with a larger group of children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Funded children take part in a wide range of interesting and enjoyable activities that cover all areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum. The childminder is flexible in her planning to take account of children's interests, for example, the tent is left out so they can enjoy the imaginative play the next day. Planning is clear and evaluated to provide for further challenge in future activities. Each day has one or two focussed

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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 activities clearly linked to the stepping stones and observations of the children during the activities are regularly made. However, these do not show clearly what they know or understand or how they approach learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children speak confidently and language skills are well developed through good use of open questions by the childminder. They talk about size during story time and children are well aware of the familiar story, what will happen and recall the characters in it. They suggest solutions to problems, suggesting that all the books be taken out of the bookcase just in case the lost 'big bad wolf' figure needed for the story has dropped behind. Children are beginning to learn the initial sounds of their name and recognise the letter shape. They learn about the natural world, for example, through growing and caring for plants. They mark on a chart when they have watered the plants and talk about covering them with soil during the planting. Children enjoy music and spontaneously sing with a friend whilst playing with a jigsaw. They play imaginatively, for example, with small world figures and decide that the shape made with foam

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children confidently make relationships with others. They eagerly talk about the experience of an activity when looking at photographs and point out their friends. Children are becoming independent in their self-care but are confident to ask for help and support from the childminder when needed. For instance, when they need help in cutting up their food after trying themselves. They are learning to respect others and are reminded by the childminder to sit quietly whilst someone else speaks. The use of pencils and brushes helps the children develop coordination and they paint very delicately using twigs brought back from a walk. They learn to use equipment, such as a camera, taking pictures during a walk and photographs they have taken during different weather conditions provide an interesting weather chart.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. They enjoy a good variety of resources and equipment, such as dolls, books, posters and videos to help them learn about each other and the world around them. They learn about their local environment on their daily walks and visit local places of interest, for instance, museums and parks during the school holidays. The childminder discusses with parents any specific requirements they have for their child. She values each child's individuality and gives them equal attention. Space and resources are organised to give children easy access to all resources and the childminder encourages them to take turns, share and help each other. As a result, the children generally play well together and older children help younger children in, for example, games or turning the tap on if they cannot reach. The childminder uses a sensitive, age appropriate approach for managing

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Helping children make a positive contribution

behaviour. This helps children learn right from wrong and older children help write the house rules so that they are aware of their boundaries.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. The childminder advises parents verbally of the children's day and works well with them to ensure continuity in their care. Detailed documentation, including a clear complaints procedure, ensures parents are well aware of the service and care offered by the childminder. Parents are well informed about their child's achievements and progress and parents of children who receive nursery education are encouraged

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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 to add to the children's assessment profile. They are advised of the topics planned so that they can support the children's learning and progress through the stepping stones of the Foundation Stage. Parents are very happy with the care their children receive.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder makes good use of space and resources to allow children plenty of play opportunities and develop their independence. She uses local amenities and places of interest effectively and children enjoy the experience of travelling further afield on buses and trains. Children are familiar with their daily routines and are comfortable with the childminder. Older children are supported by time and space in which to do their homework. The childminder shows great commitment towards her own personal development and has attended numerous trainings, workshops and other relevant courses. This enhances the care and play opportunities she offers to the children.

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Organisation

A wide range of clearly written policies and procedures which support the childminding practice are advised to parents. Observations are made on children who receive nursery education funding and all parents are advised of their child's progress. All records and registers required for the efficient and safe management of the provision are in place and mostly accurately maintained. Most required parental permissions and consents are in place to protect the safety and welfare of the children. The childminder seeks the parents' views on the service she provides and works well with them to make sure the service she offers benefits the children. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the childminder was asked to look at ways to improve how the setting's child sickness information was shared with parents. The childminder now has a written policy which she shares with parents, so they are fully aware of when not to bring their children to protect the health 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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Complaints 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

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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): • ensure that all entries in the medication records are completed appropriately by a parent or guardian • ensure systems are in place to obtain written parental permission, at the time of placement, to the seeking of any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment.

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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 the assessment system to ensure that observations show clearly what the children know or understand and how they approach 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

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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