Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY270961 Unique Reference Number 30 January 2008 Inspection date Gill Ogden 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 was registered in 2003. She lives with her husband and two children, aged ten and seven, in Lincoln city. All areas of the home are used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden suitable for outdoor play. The family keeps a rabbit, lizards and terrapins as pets.

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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 currently minds nine children all on a part-time basis. She is registered with the Lincolnshire Inclusive Childminding Service to provide care for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The childminder is active in the local childminding group and a member of the National Childminding Association.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's good health is given high priority. They are cared for in a home which is very clean and where a good standard of hygiene is maintained on a day-to-day basis. Children learn very

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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 well the importance of washing their hands appropriately and enjoy singing 'soap and water, wash your hands' as they do so. Also the childminder talks to them about their hands getting germs on them again when they play on the floor after having just washed them so they will need to be washed again before snack. The children listen carefully and gradually understand. Children also learn other good personal hygiene habits such as covering their mouths when they cough because the childminder quickly puts their hands over their mouths. Clear procedures are in place for the care of sick children. All of this contributes to minimising the opportunities for cross-infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy plenty of fresh air and exercise each day through walking back and forth to school. In good weather children spend a lot of time in the garden. Because there is a large wooden play house there which is fully equipped with heat and light they are also able to use that in the colder months. Younger children spontaneously do star jumps in the home showing that they are used to exercising. Babies can sleep comfortably in a travel cot and older children can rest on sofas whenever they need to.

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Helping children to be healthy

although children mostly bring their own packed meals which are stored appropriately, the childminder often provides children with a cooked tea as well as snacks and drinks. A written menu is available to parents which clearly indicates the nutritional value of each meal. If parents wish their children to have meals then these may include porridge, beans on toast, fish pie, yoghurt and fresh fruit. Children use their own individual cups or beakers which are kept filled so that they can get a drink whenever they wish.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are looked after in a safe, secure and well-maintained home. All the external doors are kept locked with keys handy in case of the need to evacuate in an emergency. The garden is well-organised for children's care. All the necessary safety equipment such as a stair gate and smoke alarms are in place and kept in good working order. Children are supported to learn about potentially dangerous play especially related to the use of equipment such as the climbing frame and trampoline. They are clear about the rules and what might happen to them if they are not careful. Very good written information ensures parents are made well aware of how their children are helped to take safe risks and they give their written consent for them to use some equipment. Children are used to taking part in regular fire drills so they know what to do in a real event. The childminder is very conscious of safety issues generally and has plans in

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

place to invite relevant professionals to talk to children about 'stranger danger' as a result of some of the discussions she has had with children on this topic.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a good range of toys and play equipment for the children to use. It is kept in good condition and replaced as necessary. Children are looking forward to the erection of the new climbing frame when the space for it has been suitably prepared.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are further safeguarded because the childminder is fully aware of her child protection responsibilities. She has made these very clear to parents in her written statement, however, she has not made it clear to them what she would do if an allegation was made against herself which may potentially have a negative impact on children's overall care. Because some children do not live with both their parents the childminder has photographs of the parent she does not see so often, to ensure that she knows who she is allowing children to leave with.

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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 good. Children are very well settled and happy with the childminder. They react to her warmly with lots of appropriate hugs. She fully involves herself in their activities to ensure that few learning and development opportunities are missed. Young children naturally learn about colours and numbers during card games such as 'pairs' and 'snap' because the childminder talks to them about choosing two cards and calling out the colours on them. They learn more about colours and shapes when they play with a shape sorter and use the colours of the shapes to help them decide which hole they fit into. Children thoroughly enjoy singing and playing with musical instruments. They use a pretend, homemade microphone that they have made and older children write down lyrics for songs which they will later record using the computer. All the children help each other and join in with others songs. In this way they are supported to be creative

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and confident and to learn to work together to achieve a goal. Younger children recall songs well when they pick items from a box that prompt them. For example, they sing 'Old Macdonald' when they pick out a model of a farmer and then sing the appropriate animal noises for the animals they pick out. Children show pride in their painting and younger ones are careful to prepare themselves for painting by putting on aprons. A full range of activities to support children's emotional, physical, intellectual and social development is offered.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Toys and resources are stored where children can easily get to them and the childminder follows up their interests as well as having planned a key activity for the day. She uses the 'Birth to three matters' framework to reflect on her practice with the youngest children and is preparing for the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are made welcome in the childminder's home and their backgrounds are respected and valued. Lots of information is gathered from parents before children start to attend and the childminder is also able to make her own observations of their needs because parents are encouraged to visit frequently with the child. A good range of resources and activities are available to ensure that children's own cultures and traditions are reinforced and they are introduced to differing ones. Children who have additional needs are included effectively because the childminder is very positive about them being 'children first'. Children behave well because they get lots of praise for trying and achieving and are always very well occupied.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents speak very highly about the care their children receive. They comment that their children 'adore' the childminder and how helpful she is in meeting their child care needs because she is flexible and supportive of any issues they may have such as unusual shift patterns. The information in the childminder's portfolio is written in such a way that it speaks directly to parents, explaining clearly why certain procedures are necessary. The childminder is extremely sensitive to parents and is very supportive of their key role in their children's lives.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder is passionate about her work and this has a very positive impact on the children's welfare. She looks forward to welcoming the children each day and totally devotes herself to them when they are with her and has gone on to have friendships with families after children have left her care. She has a clear mission statement about her commitment to meeting children's

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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 individual needs. She takes up as much training as she can in order to improve her practice and increase her knowledge and this is sometimes done through her involvement in the local childminding group and her childminder neighbour.

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Organisation

The childminder's home is organised well for the care of children. The room mostly used is the kitchen/diner/conservatory as well as the garden and the outdoor play house. The lounge is used for children to sleep or rest and upstairs is only used for children to go to the toilet. As well as toys and play resources being set out for children indoors there is also a lot in the play house.

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Organisation

All the necessary records are in place, kept well and stored safely. Other documentation is up-to-date and presented attractively. Overall, children's needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

As a result of recommendations made at the last inspection the childminder records more detail about accidents and has up-to-date information about child protection procedures. This means that there is a more robust framework in place for children's care especially regarding their safety.

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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 parents are made aware of the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against the childminder.

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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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