Worrall Karen Patricia

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

201738 Unique Reference Number 14 November 2007 Inspection date Sheila Dawn Flounders Inspector

p.1

Childcare Type of inspection Childminding Type of care

p.1

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are outstanding. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder was registered in 1985. She lives with her husband and two adult children in a semi detached three-bedroom property in central Kenilworth, Warwickshire. The whole ground floor of the childminder’s house is used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play.

p.2

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 four children under five during the day, seven children over five before and after school, and four children over eight at various times. Some of these also attend all day in the holidays. The childminder walks to local schools and pre-school provision to take and collect children. The childminder attends the local parent and toddler group. The family has no pets.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. She is a member of the National Childminding Association.

p.2

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

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children have excellent opportunities for physical play with all children encouraged to play outside as much as possible. For example, in the garden they play with a wide variety of toys which are suitable for the age range attending and they also make good use of local parks. The outdoors is seen as an extension of the learning environment and children take part in many general activities out there, for example, playing with sand, water, bubbles or gardening. Many creative activities take place outside and provision is made to protect the children from the heat in summer months. Activities are promoted to encourage all of the children to go for walks, for example, to collect car number plates, feed the ducks or go bird watching, which help them learn about healthy living.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

All of the children currently attending are able to access hand washing facilities using the dedicated left-hand bowl of the sink, the younger ones with support. They understand simple good health and hygiene practices and co-operate readily, using liquid soap and paper towels to help reduce the possibility of cross-infection, with even the youngest knowing how to dispose of their paper towels. On outings hand wash gel is taken so that children are still able to clean their hands. Children stay healthy because parents are asked to inform the childminder when their child is taken ill and keep them at home while infectious and as a result medication is rarely given. Parents are also supplied with a list of notifiable diseases. Suitable storage, together with documentation to record medication and first aid treatment are readily available and the childminder ensures her first aid training is maintained. Young children attending are able to

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

rest and sleep according to their needs, with these in the process of being phased out unless specifically requested by parents.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished as parents currently provide food, which is supplemented by healthy snacks provided by the childminder, who has a very good awareness of food handling and storage procedures. Meals can be provided if necessary and a menu is available for parents to see. Young children discuss why the snacks they have are good for them, alongside a current theme of vegetables in connection with a song they are learning, and the older children have done a topic on healthy eating. Drinks are always available, with some kept in the fridge for children to help themselves in hot weather. The younger children are able to independently reach their drinks bottles, which are kept to hand. Children are encouraged to clean their teeth after meals as part of their healthy lifestyle. They have their health and dietary needs met because the childminder works closely with parents to establish what these are. Some of the

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

reasons behind their food preferences are discussed with the older children as a group to promote greater understanding and tolerance.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children are cared for in a welcoming, secure and safe environment with care taking place on the ground floor with all areas used at times. For example, the younger children have some activities in the hallway, dining room and kitchen, but mainly use the playroom, whilst the older children use the lounge area for quiet activities, such as doing their homework. All of them are able to easily access the ground floor toilet. Security is a top priority, with external doors locked when the children are there, but keys kept in labelled boxes close to hand for emergencies. The older children are made aware of where these keys are. The childminder has a very good

p.3

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 awareness of potential hazards and has undertaken risk assessments both inside and out to identify and minimise these as much as possible. This continues into everyday activities, for example, she ensures that toys are moved safely out of the way before the younger children stand to look at what they can see out of the window with binoculars. Children use only suitable and safe equipment, for example, a travel cot or pushchair to sleep in according to their individual and parental preferences.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Necessary safety equipment is in constant use, for example, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, a full fireguard around the radiator in the playroom, and a gate to restrict access between the kitchen and dining rooms. Children are kept safe on outings with the youngest children safely strapped in the pushchair, reins used for those slightly older, while the school-aged children are made aware of the routines for crossing the roads. For example, they always use the crossing outside school and the older children have done a project on road safety with the childminder. All of the children learn to protect themselves as they all take part in regular fire drills, which are practised each month at various times which ensures that they all take part. They are protected further because the childminder understands her role in safeguarding children and knows what procedures to put in place if necessary, for example,

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

not allowing unvetted visitors to be left alone with the children.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children are interested in what they do because the childminder provides them with an extensive range of planned activities around themes which are relevant to the ages of all the children attending. Versatile resources are attractively laid out, at low level to encourage self-selection and provide a vast variety for the children to choose from in a completely child-centred environment, particularly in the playroom. Even simple activities are used well by the childminder to develop children's confidence and self-esteem, for example, the younger children delight at being able to make a small ball change colour by pressing it or climbing onto a toy and jumping off again, under supervision. They have excellent opportunities throughout the day to succeed in whatever they are doing and share their pleasure at doing so with the childminder and other children present. For example, they look together through the binoculars, with a set

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

each, and discuss what they see, also speculating about what might be there.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Creative activities are a strong focus for all ages of children. Their efforts are prominently displayed, showing how well they respond to the challenge set and providing later opportunities to return to the theme and extend their knowledge through further questioning and discussion, bringing in relevant books and other resources. For example, the younger children look at the display of Halloween and bonfire night which is linked into light and dark. They then go onto examine torches, diversify onto insects and use a magnifying glass to examine the spiders more closely, later linking this into singing of 'Incy wincy spider' whilst playing instruments to the rhythm. Although the childminder has the initial ideas and collects together the relevant resources, most of the actual activities are very much child-led with the children using their initiative about what to move to next or how to develop play. As a result children acquire new

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

knowledge and skills all the time, with parents commenting that they have increasing independence, make confident decisions and concentrate better.

p.4

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

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. All of the children are happy and settled, they enjoy their time in the setting forming close relationships. Their individual needs are met very well, including those with learning difficulties or disabilities. For example when potty training is introduced to the younger children they have relevant books to look at, a little house with 'piggies' in to play with which contains a potty, steps, sink, and drawers with wipes and stickers in, enabling them to act out the process. They are encouraged to discuss how piggy gets a star for using the potty and that they will also. When they indicate they want to try and use the potty they are encouraged to be responsible for their own clothes and the childminder celebrates their sense of achievement with them when they are successful. The childminder finds out about all the children's individual needs through detailed conversations, visits to the setting and information provided by parents as

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

they fill in the necessary documentation before a child attends. After that a daily exchange of information keeps her updated, including information about meetings with other professionals, with journals also used for the younger children to provide parents with a very detailed account of what their child has been doing.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children have a strong sense of belonging within the setting, are fully involved in the necessary routines and are well supported in their development towards independence by the childminder as they have purposeful opportunities to make choices and decisions for themselves. They know where things are kept, but also what the boundaries are and so learn to respect the resources. The older children are particularly aware of the differing needs of the younger children and understand that at times they have to go into another room for specific activities. Consistent use of appropriate strategies to manage behaviour, for example, distraction for the younger children or short periods of time out enables children to understand what reasonable behaviour is, with the older children able to tell newcomers what the boundaries are. Positive behaviour is very much encouraged, through the use of stickers and star charts reinforced with

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

outings to places the children enjoy going and the childminder acts as an excellent role model herself. A comprehensive range of resources and positive images provide children with appropriate experience of the diversity of those attending and of wider society.

p.5

Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The childminder is dedicated to providing a quality environment for the children in her care and has excellent regard for their well-being. She ensures that all resources that might be needed during a topic are to hand so that younger children especially can follow their ever changing interest and enthusiasm, with considerable storage space available for other resources. She makes innovative use of the space within the premises and is very versatile with her use of time to balance the necessary routines with the spontaneity of the children. She is well qualified, but continues to attend a wide range of training to ensure she keeps fully updated, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to providing high quality provision, then puts what she has learnt into her practice.

p.5

Organisation

Written policies and procedures are in place, fully shared with parents and work together to promote children’s health, safety, enjoyment and achievements and their positive contribution to the setting. She is forward thinking, for example, including in her documentation consent to leave children elsewhere in an emergency. All paperwork is well maintained and stored so that confidentiality is protected. The provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

p.5

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

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider was asked to improve her knowledge of procedures for safeguarding children. There is now information available to share with parents; she has undertaken additional training to refresh her knowledge and maintains the latest referral documentation.

p.6

Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004 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.

p.6

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.

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are outstanding. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

p.6

The quality and standards of the care

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of care are outstanding.

p.6

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

p.6

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

p.6