Childminder in Leicestershire

Inspection report for early years provision

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225973 Unique Reference Number 26 July 2007 Inspection date Sally Elizabeth Lee 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 outstanding. 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 childminder since 1995. She lives with her husband and three children aged 17, 15 and 13 years in a house in Market Harborough, in the south of Leicestershire. The whole of the property is used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed rear garden available for outside play. The family do not have any pets.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years. She has a recognised early years qualification and is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children develop a very good understanding of how to keep themselves healthy and protected from infection because the childminder provides attractive, inviting resources for them, for example, colour-coded individual towels, flannels and toothbrushes. The children enjoy squirting the foamy soap from the dispenser and ask to clean their teeth after meals and snacks. Children benefit from the childminder's scrupulous cleaning routines and excellent example. The clear,

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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 accessible health and safety policy and caring for sick children procedure ensure parents are kept fully informed of these aspects of their children's care.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children thrive because the childminder provides a broad range of healthy, nutritious meals and snacks. A weekly menu is displayed for children and parents and children are encouraged to help with the preparation, for example, by cutting up the fruit for morning snack. The childminder has an excellent knowledge of what constitutes a healthy diet and how to store and prepare food for children and babies safely. She is very careful to ensure she discusses and records children's special dietary needs and individual routines, as well as their likes and dislikes, before care begins in order to ensure they are comfortable and happy in the setting. Drinks are provided throughout the day to ensure children are well hydrated.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children learn very well how to make healthy food choices because of the projects they do with the childminder. For example, they go on trips to the local farm shop and buy different types of fruit or vegetables. They then try these and make a chart detailing who likes which food, which is displayed in the kitchen and they will eagerly tell you which was their favourite. They are encouraged to help cook with the foods bought, for example, by baking lemon drizzle cake. They make displays by cutting out pictures of different foods and talking about how these foods affect their health.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder's personal enthusiasm for physical activity encourages the children to enjoy the opportunities they have. For example, they go for walks to feed the ducks and to fly their kites. They walk along the disused railway track to the tea rooms. They develop their physical skills with wheeled toys in the garden and younger children enjoy experimenting with the sand. When the weather inhibits outdoor play, they go to indoor physical soft play areas and set up obstacle courses with other childminders in the local scout hut. The childminder uses the 'Birth to three matters' training framework very well to plan and provide physical activities and this helps to ensure children make good progress in this area.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children are cared for in a warm, inviting, child-centred environment where they feel secure and settled. The premises are well maintained and attractively decorated. Bright displays of their art work and projects help children to feel their contribution is valued and they are welcomed and respected. There is sufficient clear floor space for a group of children to play together and for younger children to learn to crawl and develop physical skills. The ground floor toilet encourages children to develop independence in their self-care.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children thoroughly enjoy the extensive range of attractive toys and play materials available to them which admirably support the activities provided. Resources are extremely well organised in labelled boxes on shelves which cover the whole of one wall of the play room. This accessibility enables children to develop confidence and independence and promotes their self-esteem. The resources cover all areas of play and learning and the whole age range of children cared for. For example, there is a box of baby toys in the lounge from which older children will take out toys for the baby and an extensive range of board games which older children thoroughly enjoy. They also have supervised access to the computer and internet. Resources with small pieces and craft resources are stored higher up on the shelves to allow access by older children only. There are sufficient quantities of toys for children to play together happily, for example,

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

construction and railway tracks. All the toys and equipment are carefully checked on a regular basis for safety and hygiene, with particular attention being paid to babies' toys.

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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 The childminder's extensive knowledge and experience enables her to identify and minimise risks effectively. Good quality safety equipment is in place ensuring children are well protected. Children have an extensive knowledge of how to keep themselves safe and will eagerly demonstrate how to cross the road safely or evacuate the house in a fire. They talk about 'stranger danger' with the childminder and they understand that they should not talk to anyone they do not know. Older children develop a sense of responsibility towards the younger children because they learn how to keep small toys out of their reach.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are further protected by the childminder's comprehensive knowledge and understanding of child protection procedures. She ensures she keeps her training up to date in this area and is very clear that the welfare of the child is her main consideration. The detailed child protection policy ensures parents are well informed of the childminder's duty with regard to safeguarding children procedures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children have a wonderful time at the setting because the childminder is highly skilled and has an exceptional understanding of the needs of children. She uses the 'Birth to three matters' framework together with the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage to provide very high quality care for children. The imaginative and inviting activities planned are recorded in each child's individual folder which is given to their parents every year. These books include photographs and detailed explanations of what the children are learning through their play. During the last year children had taken part in 'welly week' and had designed their own wellies, they had talked about themselves and cut out faces to make collages, they had learned about re-cycling as part of world earth day as well as made hand and foot prints and a wide range of experimentation with drawing and painting. Excellent resources and play materials are provided

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

to support their play and learning. Younger children's social development is very well fostered by regular trips to toddler group. Children's progress is regularly assessed and this is recorded in their individual tracker books, ensuring they continue to make progress in all areas of play and learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are happy and eager to take part in the activities. The childminder is highly skilled in adapting the activities to ensure all children are involved and even very young children have opportunities to experiment with a range of different media. The childminder recognises and respects each child as an individual and they respond to this, developing self-confidence and independence.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children benefit from the warm and loving interaction with the childminder. She clearly takes great delight in the company of the children and they approach her for comfort, support and fun, spontaneously making cards to the 'best childminder in the world' following a particularly enjoyable trip out. They talk excitedly about recent trips out on the bus and the train and show with pride the plaster spider paper weights and the shakers they have made, all carefully decorated and labelled. Care tasks are performed sensitively and children learn to respect and care for one another from the childminder's excellent example. Older children show a caring and responsible attitude to the younger children, reading stories to them and taking toys out for them to play with, as well as including them in their play and showing patience and maturity in their attitude to them. Children of all ages develop a wide range of skills from the outstanding

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

activities provided. They learn to share and take turns, and to express themselves from the excellent open-ended questions used so effectively by the childminder.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children thoroughly enjoy their time at the setting because they are all fully involved in the daily activities. The childminder values their contribution and respects their individuality. She records their routines and individual needs before care begins and is careful to ensure these are updated regularly by discussion with parents. Children are encouraged to learn about the world in which they live through the excellent range of resources which show positive images of race, gender and disability. These include dual language books and cover all ages of children cared for. The childminder encourages children to learn by taking them on imaginative trips out. Children talk excitedly about their visit to the Sikh museum and temple, where they had to take their shoes and socks off and wear a hat. The highlight of this outing was the ice cream given to them by the lady at the temple. They also talk of a trip to Northampton to see the

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Helping children make a positive contribution

'Egyptian stuff' and where they learned to write their names in hieroglyphs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder has some experience of caring for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and has undertaken training in this area to enhance her practice and develop her knowledge and understanding in this area of work. Children behave exceptionally well while they are with the childminder. They are encouraged to be kind, to take turns, to share and to respect one another. The childminder provides them with an excellent role model and from her they are learning to understand the difference between right and wrong. Younger children benefit from the childminder's skill in using distraction to avoid confrontation. There is close liaison with parents to ensure consistency in the management of children's behaviour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The very good partnership with parents which has been developed contributes significantly to the children's well-being and enriches their time at the setting. Parents are encouraged before care begins to complete information sheets detailing children's daily routines, likes, dislikes and individual needs. Daily activity sheets and menus displayed let parents know what has happened during the day and parents are welcomed and encouraged into the setting by the open and friendly manner of the childminder. Parents are well informed because they see the All About Me folder which includes details of training completed as well as the very clear policies and procedures drawn up by the childminder. Parents are encouraged to complete questionnaires and feedback sheets regularly so that the childminder can improve her practice and meet parents' needs.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. Children's time at the setting is greatly enriched by the remarkably well organised space which invites children to participate in the activities and daily routines of the setting and ensures they are offered an outstanding range of play opportunities. Children's work and bright displays enhance the environment and make it welcoming to both children and parents.

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Organisation

Documentation which is legally required is kept in an efficient and confidential manner and is reviewed regularly. In addition the childminder has drawn up a set of very clear policies and procedures for parents.

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Organisation

Children benefit from the childminder's overwhelming commitment to improving her practice through ongoing training and development. She constantly reviews and monitors the care she provides and strives to develop. She is highly qualified and supremely skilled and she gives the

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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 care of the children top priority. 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 last inspection the childminder was asked to ensure children had access to drinking water at all times. Children now have drinks accessible to them throughout the day and, consequently, they are well hydrated.

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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.

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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 outstanding. 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

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

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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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