Fakenham Junior School

Inspection report for early years provision

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120805 Unique Reference Number 11 June 2007 Inspection date Angela Cole 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 satisfactory. 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 1995. She lives with her husband and four older children in Guildford, Surrey. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder’s house is registered childminding with toilet facilities upstairs. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder has applied for her husband and a daughter to work with her to provide occasional cover as her assistants. She is registered to care for six children at any one time and is currently minding four children under five years, all of whom attend on a part-time basis, and two child over five years after school. She supports a number of children learning English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder drives or walks to local schools to collect children. There are shops, parks and pre-schools within walking distance of the house. The childminder holds a Level 3 qualification in childminding.

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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. Children have regular access to fresh air and exercise. They enjoy sessions in the garden where they swing, climb, control a wide range of wheeled toys and enjoy supervised water play. They are regularly taken to suitable, challenging equipment in parks and sometimes go on walks to places of interest.

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Helping children to be healthy

The children’s health is generally promoted as the childminder keeps the floor clean and checks the garden after visiting animals. Children learn the importance of personal hygiene as they wash their hands after toileting and use individual flannels. They receive satisfactory continuity of care through sharing of information with parents about accidents and medication. However, the first aid box contents are not determined in the first-aid course and some are out of date. The childminder does not seek permission for emergency medical advice or treatment from parents.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have regular access to drinks brought from home and the childminder offers supplementary water or squash. Meals are well balanced and these take account of the individual and cultural needs of the children as food is provided by parents. Children begin to understand the benefits of a healthy diet as they talk about fruit and vegetables, for example, while gluing pictures to make 'plates of food'.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in the safe, secure family home where hazards and risks are generally minimised, such as the safe storage of household materials. They move safely around the playroom or the garden under close supervision to be involved in various activities. However, the childminder has not identified that the landing and bathroom windows are unlocked and so older children are potentially at risk when they go upstairs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Babies and children use a suitable range of resources that are appropriate to their age and stage of development. The toys, furniture and equipment are in sound condition so children can use them safely. The children access some resources from storage boxes at floor level and the childminder responds to their requests for others, such as drawing materials.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The children begin to think about their own safety. This is because young children are reminded not to put toys in their mouths and older ones know to keep small items on the table so others do not slip. The childminder is trained in first aid and child protection and is aware of how to put local procedures into practice to safeguard the children’s welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their time with the childminder. The youngest children gain confidence to ask for help and to make choices, for example, to have a picnic. All children thoroughly enjoy interacting with others and have good relationships with the childminder and her family. She arranges interesting days around their care requirements and need for quiet and active times. In the mornings, they effectively engage in group play, such as painting and go outdoors to

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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 experiment, for example, with items that float and sink. After lunch, the children choose more individual activities, such as small-world play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children are involved in a broad range of activities that helps them to make progress in all areas of their development. They develop early language skills as they talk about picture books, suggest words for letter sounds and discuss, for example, how cakes are made. Children are encouraged to think as they use numbers in their conversations and recognise shapes, such as rectangles of fruit. They explore the world around them as they walk under the railway line and discover a brown slow-worm that slowly slides away.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder interacts well with children and takes an interest in what they do and say. She encourages them to use their imagination and willingly joins in, for example, as a shop 'customer'. She encourages the children, allowing them to independently find things out for themselves. She listens carefully to their ideas and opinions as they, for example, develop an 'airport'.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children's individual needs are met appropriately in the relaxed atmosphere of the childminder's home. Those learning English as an additional language are effectively supported by the childminder’s interest in their language and books they bring from home. Children access a satisfactory range of resources that helps them to develop a positive attitude to others.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The children are well supported to behave as they are kept occupied and stimulated. They benefit from the childminder’s consistent approach. They understand her clear boundaries so they share play resources, such as drawing pens. They respond well to praise and encouragement , for example, when they help to keep the floor clear.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Overall, children are cared for in accordance with their parent’s wishes as the childminder obtains most required permissions. Parents are satisfactorily informed about the childminding provision and exchange written contracts. They are effectively informed about their children’s progress in daily, hand-over conversations, and a diary is shared to enhance the development of younger children.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The childminder is suitably experienced and qualified to provide care for young children. They benefit from her commitment to developing her role, as she has recently completed a childminding qualification to increase her knowledge of varying aspects of caring for children. Space and resources are organised so children have sufficient room to play and can access some toys independently and ask for others.

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Organisation

Children have appropriate levels of support as the childminder maintains the required ratios all times. The register gives an accurate record of children’s attendance. However, the childminder is not aware of the need to develop a system to record adults looking after children with regard to her application for assistants.

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Organisation

All required childminding records are kept accessible with due regard for confidentiality. The childminder has sheets to set up a log to record any complaint and this is compliant with Ofsted’s requirements. Policies are shared verbally with parents and most procedures are in place to

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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 promote the welfare of the children. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, the childminder was given an action and three recommendations. She was asked to improve procedures for the administration of medication, to install a fire blanket and to develop her knowledge of child protection issues.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The childminder now obtains written consent before she administers medication and keeps a written record, signed by parents, of medicines given to children. However, she does not yet seek permission from parents for emergency medical advice or treatment. The improvements that have been satisfactorily support the children's health. The childminder has appropriately sited a fire blanket and has attended several courses to improve her knowledge of child protection issues and procedures. In these ways, she has enhanced the arrangements to promote children's safety.

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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. 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 satisfactory. 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): • support children's health by requesting written, parental permission for seeking emergency medical advice or treatment, and ensure the contents of the first-aid box are in date and correspond to the list issued at the first aid course • assess the risk to older children in relation to unlocked, upstairs windows and take action to minimise this • develop a system to record when an assistant is looking after children.

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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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