St Anselm's Catholic Primary School

Inspection report for early years provision

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102230 Unique Reference Number 30 August 2007 Inspection date Nicola Jayne Pascoe 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 1994. She lives with her husband and one senior school aged child and one adult child, in Penryn, Cornwall. All areas of the property are used for childminding. 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 seven children, two after school on different days throughout the week, two children who attend during school holidays and three children under five on a part-time basis. The childminder drives to local schools and pre-schools to take and collect children. She attends the local library, local park and the childminder network group. The family has a cat.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder supports children who speak English as an additional language. She is a member of the National Childminding Association (NCMA) and Cornwall Childminding Association (CCMA). She is also a member of an approved childminding network.

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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 good. Children and babies benefit from the good procedures followed to maintain their health. They are cared for in a clean and hygienic environment. Their hands are wiped with individual wet wipes following messy play and before snack and meal times. Older children with access to the toilet facilities on the first floor, have use of their own individual flannel and hand towel. There are suitable procedures followed when changing babies nappies. There are effective written procedures in place to ensure that sick children are cared for appropriately and do not present a risk of cross-infection to others. Older children who are tired may rest on the sofa and younger children, in agreement with their parent/ carer, currently sleep in a pushchair. Children enjoy regular opportunities to play outdoors to benefit from physical exercise, fresh air and fun. The childminder recognises the importance of promoting physical activity, she encourages children

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Helping children to be healthy

to enjoy play in the rear garden with balls, scooters and on the slide. She often takes them to the local parks, beaches and for countryside walks.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from the childminders commitment to actively promoting healthy eating habits. They are provided with plenty of fresh fruit, in sufficient quantities for their individual needs, at regular intervals during the day. Parents provide packed lunches for their children and the childminder ensures that these are stored appropriately and are served hygienically on brightly coloured plates. Children have free access to drinking water throughout the day, as they have their own individual drinking cup, which the childminder ensures if re-filled as and when required. There is evidence to show that suitable procedures are followed to store and administer medication if it is required. The childminder has recently updated her paediatric first aid training. Accident records show that any injuries are treated appropriately. These records are shared appropriately with parents/ carers. The childminder follows good procedures to ensure that

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Helping children to be healthy

pets do not pose a health risk to children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children benefit from use of a good range of age appropriate safety equipment. Babies sit in a good quality high chair with restraints, to allow them to enjoy sociable times at the dining table, such as snack time, meals and messy play with the older children. Suitable measures are in place to enable children to move freely and safely indoors. A stair gate prevents unsupervised access for children to the first floor. However, the front door is left unsecured during times when minded children are on the premises. As a result, there is the risk that children may leave the premises unsupervised or that unauthorised persons may enter. The childminder has developed and implemented a good written risk assessment and safety policy. She carries out daily visual checks on the toys, premises and equipment. Children use age appropriate seats and restraints when travelling in the childminder's vehicle.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children benefit from regular opportunities to follow the fire evacuation procedure, in order to develop their confidence and familiarity. Children are safeguarded by the childminder's confidence in her knowledge of local child protection procedures and her ability to identify, record and report any child protection concerns appropriately. There are effective systems in place to ensure that children are collected by authorised persons. Toys and resources are stored attractively in low, open boxes to enable children to safely and freely select. The childminder

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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 provides children with sufficient levels of clear floor space, to ensure that older children can manoeuvre without risk of trips or falls and babies can play and crawl safely on the floor.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children and babies benefit from use of a good range of age appropriate and interesting toys and activities. They are able to freely select their favourites and they eagerly share them with the childminder and other children. The childminder devotes her time to caring for and playing with the children. She is enthusiastic in their ideas and choices and she provides plenty of praise and encouragement. Children enjoy a broad and balanced range of activities tailored to their individual abilities. For example, all children enjoy making a butterfly, by painting in vibrant colours on a paper plate. The older children manage this by themselves, with input from the childminder to encourage and praise their efforts and achievements. Younger are provided with high levels of interaction and support from the childminder. Children's work is valued and admired by all. It can be displayed on the walls or taken home to share with their family.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder follows themes throughout the year to offer children with links into learning and development opportunities. She makes very good use of the outdoor environment to promote children's natural curiosity and promote their physical development. She takes children to social groups and on regular outings with other childminders and their minded children. The children clearly enjoy each other's company and play harmoniously, developing group games and sharing tools and resources. The childminder ensures that she rotates toys and resources regularly to provide children with new and exciting items to stimulate their inquisitive nature. As a result, children ask many questions, explore wholeheartedly, and show wonder and full enjoyment in their play.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children enter the childminder's home, happily and confidently. The childminder is familiar with their particular interests, needs and individual abilities. She plans to ensure that these are respected and met appropriately. Children have formed strong and trusting relationships with the childminder and other children. They appear as one happy family unit. Children have free access to a suitable range of toys and resources which promote their positive awareness and understanding of their own cultures and beliefs and those of others. They have visual aids which depict those with differing abilities. There is a written equal opportunities policy available for parents. Children with English as an additional language benefit from the childminder's commitment to valuing and including this language, in order that it is respected, actively promoted and shared.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder demonstrates a sound ability to provide appropriate levels of care for children with learning difficulties/disabilities if required. She is aware of the importance of maintaining close working relationships with parents/ carers. She provides a good level of written information, some of which is displayed on the notice boards in the porch and the lounge. Appropriate written consents and contracts are in place. A daily written diary is used to share more detailed information for parents/ carers of young babies. Good levels of daily verbal information sharing takes place. The children benefit from the examples set by the childminder. She is a good role model. She effectively promotes positive and age appropriate behaviour

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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 management strategies. As a result, children are very well behaved, polite and considerate. They play harmoniously, sharing, taking turns and working cooperatively together.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The children benefit from the high level of commitment demonstrated by the childminder. She has many years experience of working as a child carer. She continues to seek and attend appropriate and relevant training and development opportunities. She works closely with other local childminder's to keep up-to-date with changes, in order to monitor and evaluate her practice. There are good procedures in place to ensure that children are protected from unvetted persons. The childminder has also been proactive in completing new checks for her adult son and renewing her own and her husbands suitability checks. There are good contingency plans in place to provide cover in an emergency, as the childminder has close links and regular contact with other local childminders.

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Organisation

The childminder organises her home environment well, to provide comfortable and suitable areas in which children may play. Children are clearly familiar with the daily routine, which provides a balanced range of activities and effectively meets their individual needs. The childminder has produced a good range of written policies and procedures and keeps all childminding documentation stored securely. Confidentiality is respected and maintained. Children's records are shared regularly with parents/ carers and are updated as required. Childminding documentation is readily available for inspection. The childminder is aware of the importance of notifying Ofsted of significant changes or events.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider agreed three recommendations for improvement. These were to improve consultation with parents, record information about babies food intake and nappy changes and confirm sleeping arrangements with the babies parents. A daily record book is now kept for babies and is shared with parents/ carers. There is also good levels of daily verbal information sharing. The childminder does not have sufficient room downstairs for a travel cot, so with parents written permission, children and babies sleep in a pushchair. However, the childminder is considering purchasing a travel cot and keeping it upstairs in a suitable bedroom, for children's use as required. Separate bedding will be made available for each child.

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Improvements since the last inspection

She was also required to improve arrangements for administering medicines and to obtain prior written consent for specific medicines. The childminder has now developed and implemented use of a suitable consent form which parents/ carers complete to provide consent for the administration of any medication. They are also required to sign this form following the administration of medication, to confirm their agreement of this practice. Finally, she agreed to ensure that there is a record of visitors to the household whilst childminding is taking place. The childminder now keeps a comprehensive written record of all visitors to the premises.

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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

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 the premises are kept secure at times when minded children are present.

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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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