Webster, Mrs Carol Anne

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number 225385 Inspection date 11 August 2005 Inspector Lynn Dent

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Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Childminding

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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 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 in 1994. She lives with her husband and 2 children aged 14 and 12 years in a village in Leicestershire. The whole of the ground floor of the property is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder is registered to care for 6 children at any one time and is currently minding 18 children most of whom attend on a part-time basis. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children. She attends the

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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 local carer and toddler group and childminding group. The childminder takes children to the library and to the park. The childminder has two pet dogs and guinea pigs. The childminder supports children with special educational needs and children whose home language is not English. She is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children thrive and enjoy good health and a healthy lifestyle because the childminder effectively implements a comprehensive range of policies and procedures. Consequently, children's physical, nutritional and health needs are substantially enhanced. Children are well nourished because the childminder works closely with parents to provide a wholesome, nutritional diet. Parents can access menus to ensure children receive different meals to those provided at home. Children's individual dietary needs and requirements are successfully addressed. For example, children are provided with fruit at snack times. Therefore, all children including those who have a vegan diet are well catered for. Children are positively encouraged to try unfamiliar foods. These include foods from different cultures. Older children help themselves to drinks which are easily accessible throughout the day. Younger

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Helping children to be healthy

children are routinely offered drinks. Children know they need to drink after exercise. Good hydration is maintained because the childminder ensures children can regularly access drinks when away from the home by taking these with her. Children experience an extensive range of stimulating, developmentally appropriate opportunities to explore, test and reinforce their physical capabilities. For example, younger children learn to use tools accurately in the sand to make sand castles. Older children paint, use craft tools, threading and jewellery making to fine tune their hand-eye coordination. Children are very confident and skilled when walking on stilts, playing skittles, using slides and wheeled toys. Therefore, they are proficient in coordinating their movements, balance and clearly have control of their bodies. These abilities are promoted further because children receive exciting opportunities outside the home to play games, use equipment in local parks and ride bikes.

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Helping children to be healthy

Younger children are regularly taken to the local childminder group. This provides excellent opportunities to enhance their physical skills using a different range of toys and equipment. Children learn about healthy living and clearly understand how to promote their growth and development through meaningful activities and discussions about meals and healthy options. For example, children talk about which foods to buy when they are shopping and explain the benefits of healthy options. They clearly understand about routine hygiene practices such as hand washing to promote a healthy life style and minimise the risk of the spread of infections. Children use their own face cloth, towel and hair brush. Children are knowledgeable about maintaining regular exercise to develop good muscles. Comprehensive procedures effectively ensure children's health is a priority and they are safeguarded from infections and serious accidents.

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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 has a clear understanding of first aid. Therefore, clear procedures ensure that children receive appropriate care following accidents. Consequently, the risk of further injury is minimised. Children rest and sleep according to their individual needs because the childminder works in close partnerships with parents to maintain this. Therefore, children’s physical development and emotional well-being is promoted.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children's safety is given priority in the welcoming, secure and safe indoor and outdoor environment. Risks of accidents and serious injury are minimised because the childminder is extremely vigilant and completes thorough risk assessments to identify and reduce potential hazards. Regular emergency evacuation procedures are practised and discussed with all the children to ensure they clearly understand what to do in this situation. Effective arrangements ensure the outdoor play area is safe and excellent security means children can not leave the premises unsupervised. Children have excellent access to an extensive range of good quality equipment and resources which comply with British safety standards. Toys are stored in small containers on shelves at children's height. Therefore, they are safe for them to reach. Children are knowledgeable about the dangers of a cluttered play area and

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

independently tidy away toys. They appreciate the need to ensure younger children cannot access unsuitable toys. Consequently, children move assertively and safely around the premises developing their independence and confidence. A comprehensive policy ensures all equipment is cleaned and meticulously checked to ensure it is well maintained and safe. The childminder carefully monitors and supervises children's choice of toys to ensure they are developmentally appropriate. The childminder vigilantly watches as a younger child toddles around with plastic drumsticks. She distracts the child from these by offering more suitable toys to carry. Children have time and freedom to experiment and test their capabilities within the childminder's safe limits. For example, younger children are allowed time to try and sit on small toys an example of this is a rocking horse. However the childminder carefully monitors the children's progress to ensure they are safe. Therefore children

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

learn to be independent and know when to ask for help. During outings priority is unreservedly given to maintaining children's safety and welfare. Thorough risk assessments of parks and equipment are completed before children are allowed access. The childminder visits and assesses potential risks as part of organising outings. Clear procedures are implemented to ensure extra care is taken near water. This means children have the freedom to explore within the safe rules set down by the childminder. Children know they must not wander off or eat anything they find on the ground. Children learn to keep themselves safe because the childminder uses discussions effectively to promote and safeguard their welfare. Children are never left alone and the childminder is meticulous in ensuring she supervises children at all times. Their welfare is consistently protected because the childminder implements excellent procedures to develop children's independence

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

and autonomy to express themselves. The childminder has a very clear

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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 understanding of child protection procedures and knows how to implement these to protect the children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. The childminder effectively uses 'Birth to three matters' to help younger children to develop in all areas. These children are confident to communicate in their own way and are finding a voice to gain attention from others around them. They smile and gurgle to show happiness and gain approval and cry to show when they feel insecure. Children are making connections with their previous experiences. For example, they know they must bang a drum with a stick to make a noise. All children are animated and making excellent progress in all areas of development. They have extremely well developed confidence and self-esteem because the childminder is committed and actively involved in their play. She creates a warm, caring atmosphere of trust, respect and friendship. Children are well motivated and show sustained interest in what they do. They engage in an extremely wide range of purposeful,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

developmentally appropriate activities. Consequently, they consolidate their previous learning and further develop their knowledge. Children clearly enjoy themselves and are making strides in all areas of development. They have a dedicated play room which stores a vast range of accessible resources and is attractively decorated with the children's art work. Different areas of the room are used to promote all types of play and a seaside interest area which the children are actively developing. Children are confident to extend the experiences provided and initiate their own learning and play. For example, they have developed their seaside theme to include under the sea and use a range of games, songs, activities and books to learn more about fish and other sea creatures. The childminder effectively extends children's play by using everyday events to promote children's learning. For example, children make their own postcards, buy stamps from the local

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

post office and send them to their family. Children are very imaginative and use a chair in the book area as a car. They talk about driving to the seaside and how long it going to take to get there, the weather and what they will do when they reach their destination. Comprehensive policies show how toys are used to develop new skills and concepts and promote children's physical, social and intellectual development. Children's activities are supported with a wide range of interesting resources and materials to help them achieve their desired outcome. Children talk about what they are doing and ask a range of questions to develop their knowledge. The childminder uses discussions effectively and encourages children to think about their questions to support what they already know. For example, children ask about the price of items in the shop, the coins they need to use to purchase items and learn to add and subtract when calculating the cost of their shopping and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

giving change. They are extremely independent and confidently use their experiences to develop imaginative play and instigate their own activities. They confidently choose resources to effectively support and enhance this. For example, they gathered resources to make a shop. Children have excellent opportunities to acquire new knowledge, skills, meet challenges and enhance their development as

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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 creates exciting opportunities to do this. Consequently, this helps all children to reach their full potential and promotes their confidence and self-esteem. Children thrive due to the caring and stimulating environment where they are treated with respect and kindness. They develop very positive relationships with the childminder and each other. Therefore, they play harmoniously together and show exemplary behaviour. They know right from wrong because the childminder effectively uses play to develop an understanding of this. Excellent behaviour is fostered by effective interaction, lots of praise and positive reinforcement. Therefore, children respond positively to this and feel valued. The childminder knows the children very well. This means their individual needs are significantly enhanced and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

they receive excellent opportunities to continue to meet their full potential.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. All children are warmly welcomed and play a full part in the child-orientated environment. The childminder has a high regard and is committed to working very closely with them, encouraging good interaction. Children and families are valued and their individuality respected. Partnerships with parents and carers is very good. Parents are positively encouraged to work with the childminder. They have a comprehensive booklet which contains all policies, procedures and general information about the service provided. Effective organisation ensures that all parties are kept well informed of the children's current needs and achievements. Therefore, children's individual needs are well accounted for and they feel happy and secure. Children are fully included in the life of the setting, for example they help to tidy away toys and take the initiative to do this when the floor becomes unsafe for children to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

play and to prevent toys getting broken. Consequently, children feel a sense of belonging which effectively promotes their self-esteem and encourages them to become responsible. Children show exemplary behaviour. The childminder is a positive role model for good behaviour and has a high regard for responsible behaviour. She sets realistic, consistent boundaries. Consequently, children work and play harmoniously with others for sustained periods of time. Children are treated with respect and kindness by the childminder and show this to others. For example, older children are mindful of younger children and all children are involved in the daily routines. All children actively make choices and take decisions about what they eat and play with. The childminder effectively organises resources and activities to encourage children to access these to support their play and learning. This means children make informed

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Helping children make a positive contribution

choices and take responsibility for their play. The childminder welcomes diversity and provides extensive opportunities for children to learn about this. Family cultures and lifestyles are promoted. For example, a child whose first language is not English is encouraged to use both languages and the childminder supports this by learning simple phrases from other languages. This means the child and the family feel valued and accepted. Children can access a wide range of resources which promote positive images, for example dressing up clothes

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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 and a wide range of books which enables them to develop their knowledge and understanding of other cultures, traditions and the wider world in which they live. Consequently, children learn to treat everyone with equal respect.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. Children's care is enhanced because the childminder has a detailed knowledge of child development. She understands and effectively uses early years guidance for example, 'Birth to three matters' to support the care and development of younger children. The childminder has a very high regard for all children. She aims to provide good care to ensure children are confident, sociable, positive individuals. These aims are effectively met. For example, children are very confident to extend and initiate their own play, interact effectively with each other, the childminder and other adults. Interaction with the children is excellent because the childminder dedicates quality time to playing with them. She takes very good account of their developmental stage and level of understanding, encouraging all children to participate in group play. All children easily access an extensive range of stimulating, developmentally appropriate

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Organisation

resources because the childminder is exceptionally well organised. The effective organisation of space ensures children can play alone and together. They have dedicated space to complete activities, play quietly and rest. Children are positively encouraged to play outdoors and this facility is available at all times. The childminder undertakes regular training to continue her professional development. Therefore, children are cared for by a highly skilled childminder who uses her training and experience to ensure she provides the best care possible. These solid foundations are underpinned by a comprehensive range of policies and procedures, which are effectively and consistently implemented. Documentation is very clearly presented and confidentiality is rigorously maintained. The childminder has developed clear procedures to ensure that records are stored individually and only available to authorised persons. Regular updating and sharing of information

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Organisation

with parents ensures children's care needs are always accounted for and promoted. 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 agreed to develop resources to promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children. The childminder has taken appropriate action by purchasing a wide range of resources to promote this. Consequently, children are encouraged to use these to develop their understanding and acceptance of diversity.

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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

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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

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements 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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