Godolphin Primary School

Inspection report for early years provision

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111809 Unique Reference Number 15 August 2007 Inspection date Heidi Wilton 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 has been registered since 1997. She is registered to care for six children and currently cares for six children on a part-time basis. The childminder lives with her two children. They reside in a house in a residential area of Fareham. The home is within walking distance of local shops and community parks. The minded children have access to all areas of the home, however, work practice is that the majority of childminding occurs on the ground floor level. There is also a secure garden area for outdoor play.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children learn about the importance of good hygiene as the childminder talks to them about the importance of washing their hands after messy play, before meals and after going to the toilet. The childminder ensures children are protected from cross contamination because she cleans all work surfaces, tables, high chairs and toys with antibacterial cleaners.

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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 The childminder completes accident and medication records accurately and gains parents signatures at the end of the day to ensure they are well informed. The childminder has gained written parental permission to seek or gain emergency medical advice or treatment. This ensures children are treated without delay in an emergency.

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Helping children to be healthy

Parents provide children with their meals and the childminder ensures all foods are stored appropriately and at the correct temperature. The childminder extends the children's learning by communicating with them about the healthy benefits of the foods.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children gain many opportunities to engage in physical activity. They enjoy walks along the local beach where they collect stones and have fun on trips to the local adventure playground where they climb on the play equipment. Children love to make dens in the garden with an assortment of blankets and have fun listening and dancing to familiar rhymes and songs. Children enjoy socialising and interacting with other children from local childminding groups as they participate with 'wet welly walks' and splash in the puddles.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The childminder ensures children play within a safe environment by conducting risk assessments regularly to ensure hazards are identified and minimised. She cleans all toys and resources on a regular basis to ensure they are clean and well maintained. Children are safe and protected because all doors are kept secured when not in use. The childminder uses safety equipment such as stair gates to ensure children are safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has not gained all required written parental permissions for all the children. This does not ensure all children are safe and all parents well informed. The childminder has valid public liability insurance and up-to-date car insurance to ensure children are safe when being transported by car.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children learn about the fire evacuation procedure through regular fire practises and the childminder presses the fire alarm so all children become familiar with the noise. The childminder has detailed lost and uncollected child policies in place which ensures parents are well informed of procedures followed should such an event occur.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is safeguarded by the childminder who demonstrates a good understanding of child protection procedures. She shows a clear understanding of how to record signs and symptoms and where to make referrals should she have concerns about abuse or neglect of any children in her care. Parents are informed of her professional duty as a childminder as they are given a written child protection policy from the outset.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children are extremely content and very happy at the childminder's. They settle into the environment very well and the childminder supports the transition from the main carer to her home as she gains extremely detailed information about the children to ensure she is fully knowledgeable. The childminder completes observations of the children in their record books which ensures parents are fully knowledgeable about their child's development. She uses these observations to very carefully plan each child's next steps in 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 The childminder has organised the environment extremely well to ensure children are able to freely move around and independently select toys, resources and books. Children are kept extremely interested by the activities and resources because the childminder rotates them on a regular basis to ensure children experience new and different experiences.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have a wonderful time as they paint ceramic shells and fish with a selection of coloured paints. The childminder skilfully extends the learning by talking to the children about what colours can be gained when paints are mixed together. Children love sitting close to the childminder as she reads them their favourite stories and the childminder pauses momentarily to give the children opportunities to interact with the story. She further extends the learning for the children by explaining to the children at child-level about words and concepts they are not yet familiar with. For example, she explains to the children that when people 'blush' it is when their cheeks go slightly pink. Children immensely enjoy interacting with the various role-play equipment and have huge amounts of fun as they use the small puppets to interact with familiar stories, such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Children become very excited at

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

the local beach as they watch a helicopter fly overhead and land near them. The childminder skilfully uses this opportunity to talk to the children about the helicopter and how it flies in the sky.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The childminder values all children and listens and responds to them at child-level to ensure they feel valued. She has a variety of toys and resources which promote positive gender roles and different cultures within society. For example, children have fun as they dress up in Japanese and Indian clothes and they enjoy looking in books which show different religions and cultures. The childminder has experiences of learning disabilities and/or difficulties and is happy to work in conjunction with both parents and outside agencies to ensure consistency is gained for the child.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder has a behavioural management policy in place to ensure parents are well informed. She talks to parents from the outset about strategies they use at home to ensure consistent strategies are used between the two environments. The childminder uses positive praise and encouragement for children's good behaviour and achievements and gently reminds children to keep to the house rules. She communicates with parents at the beginning and end of each day and completes additional written feedback to ensure they are well informed. The childminder has many leaflets detailing important information which parents can access at anytime. She has a complaints policy in place to ensure parents are aware of routes to follow should they have a concern and a complaints log should any concerns arise.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder knows her responsibility to display her registration certificate to ensure parents are fully informed of her conditions of registration. She is well qualified to work with the children and is able to care for them appropriately in an accident because she has an up-to-date first aid qualification. The childminder demonstrates a good understanding of ensuring all adults living within the household are vetted and suitable to be around the children.

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Organisation

The childminder keeps appropriate attendance records which show children's actual times of arrival and departure. She has gained required information about the children and ensures all

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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 documentation is stored confidentially. The childminder has a good understanding of the National Standards for childminding. 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 asked to improve the storage and accessibility of the toys. The childminder has now organised the toys and resources well to ensure children can freely and independently access them from low level storage and shelving.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The childminder was asked to ensure incidents and existing injuries are recorded. The childminder now records all incidents and existing injuries. This ensures children's welfare is safeguarded and parents are well informed of any incidents or injuries which have occurred during their child's time at the childminder's.

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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 all required written parental permissions are gained for all the 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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