Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY283980 Unique Reference Number 14 September 2007 Inspection date Elizabeth Patricia Edmond 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 2004. She cares for children in the family home which she shares with her partner and four children aged nine, six and four and one. They live in a semi-detached house in Scarborough; minded children have access to the ground floor of the property and the upstairs bathroom. There is a paved area at the rear of the premises which is used for outdoor play. Children can access the garden under supervision. The house is within easy walking distance of the town centre and local amenities. The childminder uses a vehicle to take and collect children from St. Luke's Playgroup and St. Peter's School.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for three children under eight years; there are currently 12 children on roll who attend part time, some attend only very occasionally. Older children are also cared for. Family pets include a rabbit and fish. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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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 are cared for in a clean, well ventilated environment where they learn about good procedures to promote their health such as washing their hands. This means that children can enjoy interesting activities such as helping with the rabbit or investigating the snails in the garden without their health being compromised. Younger children are effectively supported in their personal hygiene whilst older children develop a good degree of independence in relation to this.

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Helping children to be healthy

The close proximity to the local park means that children learn to lead a health lifestyle. The older children enjoy the regular access to the good quality opportunities for physical play and the younger ones sleep well in the fresh air as they are walked out in their buggies. If the weather is poor the children get a good amount of exercise at the local indoor play centre.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young children benefit from the very healthy lunches provided by the childminder. They relish the sandwiches made from good wholemeal bread and ham and are tempted by the attractively presented small pieces of cheese and fruit. This means that the young children are well nourished and therefore content at their play throughout the day. Older children usually bring their own food with them, but the childminder has a well stocked fruit bowl and plenty of drinks available to supplement their diet.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children can play freely in the environment because the childminder has been proactive in identifying and minimising risks in relation to the ages of the children attending. For example, all sensible measures are in place to protect the toddlers as they begin to explore their surroundings, yet a good degree of autonomy is afforded to older children as they learn to play safely in the garden. Importantly, the childminder has a clear understanding of how children sometimes need to make minor mistakes in order to learn to keep themselves safe. Consequently the young children learn to climb on and off the furniture safely as they develop their balance.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The playroom is well stocked with toys and furniture which are in good safe condition and easily accessible to the children. The childminder's good quality domestic furniture is also used freely by the children for their rest and play. Children are protected and their welfare safeguarded because the childminder keeps all local and national guidance filed or displayed on the noticeboard and she updates her child protection training regularly.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very relaxed and settled in the childminder's care and they develop positive relationships with her and her family. The little ones snuggle in for a cuddle with her as they become tired, they greet her husband cheerfully and they have great fun chatting joyously with her children over lunch. Older children look to the childminder for comfort at transitional stages in their life such as starting school. The childminder has created a stimulating environment for the children; the invitingly presented boxes of toys encourage the children to explore, which helps them to develop their natural curiosity as learners. There is a broad range of toys which

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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 children definitely enjoy; however, there are limited natural materials and household items to add extra interest to the children's play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young children develop good language skills because the childminder talks to them clearly and is proactive in engaging them in conversation. They beam proudly at the warm praise they receive when they manage their first words. Children learn to enjoy books; they help themselves to the box of interesting pictures books on the floor and learn to handle them well. Older children are helped with their spellings after school and they sometimes work together on this. Young children also begin to understand about number as the childminder instinctively counts the steps as they come downstairs together and they try to copy what she is saying. They learn about shape as they fit the shapes into the puzzles.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

There is a good range of opportunities for creative play although these are often adult-initiated. Older children particularly enjoy the range of craft activities when they have visited the craft shop for particular materials; some of their art and craft work decorates the playroom. Younger children like to draw or make shapes with the play dough. There is broad range of 'small world' toys and young children have great fun wheeling the cars or trains around, there are also good opportunities for older children to extend this play by adding their own storylines to the game. The range of interesting outings in the school holidays helps children to appreciate and learn about the world around them. They enjoy days out to the forestry, the sea life centre or to nearby stately homes and gardens.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The childminder gets to know the children very well and supports their individual needs effectively. She talks confidently about how they are settling at school and what they like to eat. She chats to the children and treats them with respect which helps them to feel truly valued as individuals. She uses praise and encouragement effectively to manage children's self-esteem and she manages expected toddler behaviour with sensitivity and understanding. As a result, children are relaxed, confident and behave very well. They develop very pleasant table manners: they learn to say 'please' and 'thank you' and they enjoy the warm praise they receive for eating nicely. The childminder is proud that the older children's good behaviour means that she can take them on interesting outings; this is because they can follow instructions which will keep them safe, such as holding hands and walking safely.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder works well with parents. There is a good range of written and verbal information about the care provided and about the childminder's approach to such matters as behaviour management or caring for sick children. The childminder and parents share important information about the individual children which supports them well and provides them with the stability they need as they grow. Whilst this liaison with parents of older children is often verbal, a clear daily diary informs parents of the youngest children of their care routines and which activities or outings they have enjoyed. All registration information is displayed for parents, although up to date contact details for Ofsted are not easily accessible should parents wish to comment about the standards of care provided. There is a written complaints procedure in place and the childminder is aware that she needs to keep a log of any complaints made by parents. However,

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Helping children make a positive contribution

the system for logging complaints is not fully formalised.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder is well organised in her routines which meet all children's needs. This means that the youngest children's needs for rest and play are addressed whilst ensuring that older children are taken to school on time. Although the childminder finds it difficult to attend training, she has made sure that important training such as first aid and child protection are kept up to date.

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Organisation

The playroom is organised effectively so that all children can easily help themselves to the broad range of resources that are appropriate for their age. For example, toys for the younger children are kept at floor level making them easily accessible; older children can easily reach the equipment on higher shelves should they wish.

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Organisation

The childminder's documentation is carefully filed and stored so as to maintain confidentiality, and records are kept up to date; she is vigilant in maintaining daily records. This means that information about the children's health needs or care routines are easily found should they be needed and records are ready to share with parents as they collect their 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 further extend activities and resources to promote children's awareness of cultural diversity and anti-discriminatory practice.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The childminder now has a range of resources showing positive images of the diverse community in which we live. The children demonstrate their acceptance and enjoyment by playing freely with the play people and looking at the picture books about people who help us.

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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 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): • provide the youngest children with a range of natural materials and household items to further engage their interest

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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 • further formalise systems for logging any complaints made by parents and display Ofsted's poster, with relevant contact details, for parents.

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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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