Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY290760 Unique Reference Number 07 February 2008 Inspection date Gillian Patricia Bishop 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 lives with her husband and two children aged 13 and 10 years, in the Ramsbottom area of Bury. The family has a pet dog. All ground floor rooms and two bedrooms on the first floor are used for childminding purposes. There is a safe and secure garden to the rear of the property for outdoor play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children under eight years at any one time. She currently has three children on roll, two of whom are under eight years. The childminder attends local toddler groups and she visits parks, the library and gym clubs with minded children. She walks to local schools to take and collect children. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association (NCMA) and she has links with local early years support teams.

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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 developing a good understanding of personal hygiene and physical care due to the well established daily routines which they are familiar with, for example, hand washing in preparation for lunch. The childminder talks to children about the necessity to wipe their nose or stop for a drink, which ensures they learn to recognise their own physical needs. The risks of cross infection are minimised due to good nappy changing routines and the encouragement for children to remove shoes in the home, which helps to keep carpets clean and fresh. Detailed policies and procedures for sickness, medication and accidents act in children's best interests and keep parents very well informed about childminding practices.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder encourages children to develop a positive approach to healthy living. Children enjoy a wide selection of home cooked and nutritious meals and snacks as they are provided with a low sugar and salt diet. For example, children enjoy fruit, cheese and bread sticks for snacks. Children's individual dietary needs are very well known due to effective communication with parents. As a consequence, the childminder is able to cater for a range of needs because she is knowledgeable about potential allergic reactions. Young children develop good social skills when they sit to eat their meals because the childminder encourages the appropriate use of cutlery, which helps to develop their self help and independence skills.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children rest and sleep according to their needs which ensures they feel happy and refreshed throughout the day. They enjoy daily opportunities to play or take walks outdoors in the fresh air. They frequently visit local toddler groups and play gyms where they benefit from good opportunities to develop new physical skills when using large apparatus, such as climbing frames. Children regularly engage in music and dancing sessions which encourage them to move their bodies in response to rhythm and actions games.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are very relaxed and well settled within the childminder's home. Displays of children's art work and the well presented toys, create a welcoming and inviting environment for children. Space is creatively used to provide busy, messy and quiet areas to play and the availability of bedrooms ensures children sleep and rest comfortably. Children move around the home with familiarity and confidence which demonstrates their strong sense of belonging within the setting. For example, when a drawing activity is mentioned a young child quickly makes his way to the dinning table in the kitchen.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are provided with an excellent range of safe and stimulating toys and equipment which offer both challenge and interest. Young children benefit from a large selection of sensory toys which promote the use of their senses as they touch, feel and listen to the sounds they make. Toys and equipment are made freely available which allows children to make independent choices about what they want to play with.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected due to the childminder's secure knowledge of current safeguarding procedures and due to the effective safety measures both inside and outside the home. Children learn how to keep themselves safe through discussion and involvement in these safety procedures. For example, when being reminded about house rules and talking about road safety

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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 when walking to the park or school. Most potential hazards are successfully minimised, for example, hazardous substances are inaccessible, an emergency evacuation plan has been established and precautions are taken to keep the home secure at all times. However, the childminder has not devised a policy or risk assessment regarding the use of the large trampoline. The childminder undertakes daily visual safety checks to identify any potential hazards before children arrive and she ensures children are provided with suitable car seats when being transported in the family car. However, the childminder was unable to produce evidence of appropriate car insurance.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children are extremely happy and they relish their time within the setting. They display great pleasure in the company of the childminder which enables them to seek her support and cuddles as they require. Children benefit from a secure planning structure within the setting which ensures they are extremely well occupied in a wide variety of activities. The childminder has made excellent use of training with regard to the implementation of the 'Birth to three matters' framework. As a consequence, young children enjoy an extensive range of activities which successfully promote their learning and eagerness to explore. For example, they have excellent opportunities to read, be creative and imaginative, experiment with paint and colour and develop their mark making skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are highly motivated and they display great interest in everything they do. For example, young children sit for long periods of time engrossed in their imaginative play with the dolls house, cars and trains. Children develop a strong interest in books due to the frequency of story time and the wide selection of story, picture and reference books available to them. They eagerly cuddle up with the childminder for story time, who skilfully prompts them to talk about the characters and events in the story. Children are constantly encouraged to communicate by describing what they can see, for example, the colour, how many and what shape. Children talk about how they must sort out the floor puzzle with the picture side up before they begin and they are encouraged to note the shapes before attempting to fit them. Children's welfare and educational progress is meticulously monitored and recorded which ensures the emotional and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

intellectual needs of all children are successfully met.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children feel secure and confident within the setting due to the very positive relationships they have established with the childminder. Individual needs are well known due to a very successful partnership with parents and the frequency in which they exchange pertinent information. For example, parents receive a comprehensive daily record sheet containing information about trips, activities, sleep times and developmental progress. The childminder frequently seeks parental feedback through the use of questionnaires, which provides additional opportunities for them to influence the care provided for their children. Witten parental feedback was extremely complimentary of the service she provides.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children develop a very good understanding about the wider world as they are successfully introduced to issues of race, culture and disability through meaningful discussion and activities. For example, children explore various lifestyles and festivals during celebrations, such as Chinese New Year and they see lots of positive images of others in their play resources and books. They

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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 listen to stories about how guide dogs are trained to help people who are blind, which helps them to recognise and value personal differences. This inspires children to develop a respectful view of the society in which they live.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children develop a high self-esteem as a consequence of the consistent praise and encouragement they receive from the childminder. The childminder is highly effective in her approach to managing children's behaviour because she provides constant reassurance and clear explanations about what is expected of them. For example, taking shoes off at the door, using good manners and sharing nicely with other children. Children are actively consulted about what they will do next and what they want to play with which allows them to be make decisions and choices about their activities, for example, when asked to choose a story book or the pens and pencils they wish to draw with.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are extremely well cared for due to the childminder's high regard for their well-being and education. Her secure knowledge of child development ensures she has a clear understanding of how children learn. The childminder demonstrates a strong commitment to the continued development of her service as she frequently attends additional training courses which she then successfully implements.

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Organisation

The childminder has created a fun and exciting play environment for children. She is very well organised which ensures daily routines and events run smoothly. Children receive a high level of support and guidance from the childminder because she spends a considerable amount of time playing and talking with them. The effective planning systems and the range of stimulating activities ensure children make very good progress in their learning.

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Organisation

The comprehensive range of written policies and procedures are an accurate reflection of the childminder's provision and her ability to promote children’s health, safety, enjoyment and achievement. The childminder has developed systems for reviewing children's records to ensure the information is kept up to date and she has begun to introduce self-evaluation processes. Most aspects of documentation are kept in line with the requirements of the National Standards, for example, a complaints record has been established and the registration certificate is displayed for parents to view.

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Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the time of the last inspection two recommendations were made in relation to documentation and equal opportunities. The childminder has since developed the daily register and children's records to contain relevant information and parental consents as required. She has purchased a very good range of books, toys and resources to promote children's understanding of diversity and the wider world. She has widened the range of activities to include the celebration of less familiar festivals, such as Chinese New Year.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection there have been no complaints to report which required Ofsted or the provider to take any actions in order to meet the National Standards.

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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 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): • develop a written risk assessment for the trampoline and seek parental consent for children who may have access to it, and ensure car insurance includes terms for business use.

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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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