Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY280628 Unique Reference Number 26 February 2008 Inspection date Christine Snowdon 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 three children aged five, 10 and 14 years. They live in a semi-detached house in Horsforth on the outskirts of Leeds. There are parks and schools all within walking distance. The whole of the downstairs area, except for the front room, is used for childminding purposes. There is a fully enclosed rear garden for outdoor play. The family has a cat.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children at any one time and is currently caring for four children under five years. She attends local toddler groups on a regular basis and is a member of the local childminding group.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children are cared for in a warm and very clean home where they learn the importance of good hygiene practice and personal care. For example, very young children independently get a tissue, wipe their nose and put it into the bin for disposal. The childminder has an excellent

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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 understanding of promoting good health and there are rigorous procedures in place which include children's hands being washed before meals and after toileting or outdoor play.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are very well nourished and enjoy the healthy and nutritious meals prepared and cooked on the premises. For lunch they enjoy scrambled egg, sandwiches or soup. This is followed with yoghurt and fruit. At snack time they have toast and fresh fruit. Children are encouraged to drink fresh water throughout the day and alternatives of fresh orange juice or milk are offered. The children are learning about healthy eating through very meaningful ways. For example, they help to pick fresh fruits such as raspberries, strawberries, apples and plums from the garden and eat them for their snacks. The childminder has some very good information about healthy eating including DVDs for the children to watch.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children thoroughly enjoy an excellent range of robust physical activities which contribute effectively to their good health and well-being. They walk everywhere including to school, playgroup and around the local area. They love to visit the play park where they run around and enjoy ball games as well as climbing, balancing and swinging on the apparatus. They regularly visit the soft play centre where they jump in and out of the ball pool and have great fun. At the childminder's home they play outdoors in the lovely garden area where there is a wide range of fixed apparatus, hoops, wheeled toys and appropriate resources. Indoors children enjoy dancing to music and learn how to skip. All these activities ensure children receive lots of fresh air and healthy exercise.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a very safe and secure environment. The childminder has most of the necessary equipment in place and uses it effectively to minimise risk. For example, cupboard locks are fitted to all kitchen cupboards and the safety gate ensures children cannot access the stairs. However, safety restraints are not being used when children are in the highchair and this puts them at risk from falling out. There are high levels of security as all outer doors are kept locked and secure to ensure children are unable to leave the premises unsupervised. Children are learning how to keep themselves safe and about the dangers of traffic when out on their walks. The childminder tries whenever possible to use the pelican crossing, even when it means walking further. This promotes children's awareness of safe practice as they watch for the green man to show it is safe to cross.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The children move around the environment with confidence as the childminder has organised her space and resources well. Toys and activities are stored in large plastic boxes and children easily self-select their own resources, thereby instigating their own play and learning. The childminder rotates the resources on a weekly basis with additional items stored upstairs. This means that children are not overwhelmed with too many, but instead have a wide choice that changes regularly. The recent alterations to provide a downstairs toilet area mean that older children are now independent in their personal care needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has attended child protection training and has a good understanding of the child protection procedures along with her responsibility to protect children. She has information leaflets and the contact details for the relevant agencies to hand should she ever need them.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. The children are extremely happy and settled in the childminder's care. They are very much at home and confident in their surroundings and enjoy the very positive interaction with the childminder as she plays along side them extending their play and helping them to learn. As a result, they develop close and trusting relationships with her. They have high levels of interest and are motivated and enthusiastic learners. They love to sit with the childminder and look at their scrapbooks containing lovely photographs of activities they take part in. The younger children point to the photographs and she talks to them about where they went and what they were doing and they laugh and chuckle at themselves. Children have some wonderful opportunities as they learn all about nature and growing through first-hand experiences. For example, they have a section in the garden where they dig, plant the bean seeds and tend them

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

until they grow. Children help to pick the fresh fruits such as pears, apples, strawberries and raspberries. They then benefit from these lovely fresh fruits and vegetables as they eat them for their snacks and meals. They learn to respect and care for the wild birds as they see them coming to the feeder in the garden. They use yoghurt pots for moulds, filling them with suet and seeds for the birds to feed on. Children also take some home to feed the birds in their own gardens.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have some wonderful creative opportunities. They particularly enjoy playing with cornflour and water which makes a lovely gooey substance. They mix in the various colours of paint and enjoy the feel and texture of it as it runs through their fingers. They love to dress up in the extensive range of costumes, hats and beads. They dress up as animals such as a tiger or crocodile and ask for their faces to be painted, which the childminder does using the face paints. They confidently use the electronic toys, such as the talking computer. The older children are learning to follow some of the simple programs whilst the younger children simply enjoy the music and sounds it makes.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The childminder provides a very good range of activities and resources to promote a positive view of the wider world and increase children's awareness of diversity and understanding of differences. For example, they use a good range of resources including dressing up clothes, small world figures, dolls and books. At Chinese New Year they colour in the dragon templates and enjoy eating the spring rolls. The childminder talks to the children about someone they know who is working in Scotland and asks if they think he will be wearing a skirt. They laugh and she explains it is called a kilt and some men who are Scottish wear them. Children's individual needs are respected by the childminder and much effort is made to ensure the parents' wishes are adhered to in order to meet their individual requirements.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's behaviour is very good and they are learning good manners through the childminder's sensitive reminders. As a result, they say 'please' and 'thank you' when she passes their drinking cups to them. The children are praised for their good behaviour and individual achievements, thus building their confidence and self-esteem. This helps the children to feel secure in their environment and play harmoniously together. Children benefit greatly from the very positive partnership that the childminder has developed with the parents. All new parents are given starter packs which contain good information about the service she offers. They are also asked to complete the consent form covering various aspects in relation to their child's care. However, she does not request their permission in order for her to seek medical advice in an emergency.

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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 This restricts her ability should she need to summon medical help for children in an emergency situation. The childminder keeps parents very well informed of the children's progress and the activities they take part in. They receive daily verbal feedback and the children's scrapbooks, with photographs and examples of their artwork, are sent home regularly for the whole family to enjoy.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder has a clear sense of purpose and is fully aware of her role and responsibilities. She has a firm commitment to continually improving her own practice which she does through training. She has a sound understanding of the 'Birth to three matters' framework and uses it well to support the children she cares for.

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Organisation

Documentation is well-organised and used effectively to support her good practice. For example, each child has their own individual file containing contracts, personal details, consent forms and records of accidents and medication. However, her registration certificate is currently kept in a file rather than openly displayed, this limits parents' access to the information. The childminder keeps the regulator fully informed of any significant changes, such as the building work to provide a downstairs toilet for the children.

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Organisation

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 ensure the fire blanket was properly sited within the kitchen area. This has been done and it is now easily accessible should it be necessary to use it. This improves the overall safety management on site.

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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.

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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 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): • ensure appropriate safety restraints are used when children are in the highchair

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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 • request written parental consent to seek medical advice in an emergency • ensure the registration certificate is openly displayed.

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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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