Ormiston Meadows Academy

Inspection report for early years provision

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140374 Unique Reference Number 27 March 2008 Inspection date Gulnaz Hassan 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 1996. She lives with her four children. They live in a three bedroom house in Tottenham in the London Borough of Haringey. The childminder is registered to care for a total of two children under eight years. The childminder is registered to co-mind with another childminder and currently does not mind from her own premises. The childminding arrangement enables her to care for a maximum of six children under eight years in premises that include the whole of the ground floor, including a purpose built conservatory for children's use. Children have access to a fully enclosed garden for outside play. There are currently three children under five years on roll, including one child cared for on a part time basis. The childminder visits local drop in groups with minded children. The childminder holds a recognised level three early years qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a bright, warm and well ventilated home. Their health is ensured because both the premises and equipment are exceptionally clean and good standards of

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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 hygiene are promoted. Children are learning about appropriate personal hygiene and they enjoy using the foaming soap dispenser in the bathroom to wash their hands. The use of paper towels further reduces the risk of infection between children. Children also take responsibility for their own health and cleanliness, for instance, children help themselves to tissues to wipe their noses and then throw the tissue away in the waste paper bin.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are provided with lunches prepared by their parents so that their preferences and requirements are suitably met. The childminder ensures that children enjoy a range of interesting and healthy snacks. For instance, children have snacks of Ring Bread and other continental breads and snacks such as Poppadoms. Children enjoy a variety of Mediterranean and tropical fruits and vegetables, which they choose themselves during their daily visit to the local food grocers.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy an interesting and well considered range of activities that help to develop their physical skills and that enable them to enjoy the outdoors. For instance, children play in the garden with a good assortment of apparatus and outdoor play equipment including bats and balls. Children particularly enjoy tossing balls on a giant floating sheet held up by everyone and the children guess how many balls they can catch. Children dance indoors to a variety of different music tapes and CDs. Children also enjoy traditional games, such as 'hide and seek' and they regularly visit the park where they can access larger scale climbing apparatus.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are very well cared for in a home which includes a purpose built extension that is welcoming and has been very carefully set up with child size furniture to meet the needs of the children being cared for. Children's art work and projects are displayed alongside a number of bi-lingual and cultural posters, creating a warm and welcoming environment for children. Resources are of excellent quality and meet the play and learning needs of children well. As a result, children are able to gain access to a very good range of resources and activities that promote learning, discovery, imagination and creativity.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are looked after in a very safe environment where formal risk assessments have ensured that accidents to children are rare, for instance, a daily checklist is used to ensure that the garden is safe and clean and that there are no risks to children from neighbouring cats. The childminder is vigilant about children's safety and a detailed and thorough lost children procedure is in place to ensure that appropriate and prompt actions are taken to ensure children's safety. Safety outdoors is also ensured, for instance, the childminder discusses road safety and hand holding with the children when they go out. The childminder practises and records emergency evacuations with children on a monthly basis to ensure that children are familiar with the process and that parents and carers are reassured of their children's safety at such times.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare and safety from harm is assured. The childminder's knowledge and understanding of child protection issues and procedures is good and she is committed to protecting the children in her care. The childminder is aware of her responsibilities and shares this information with parents. The procedures and documentation in place comply with the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCPB)

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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 happy, confident and very well settled. The childminder and the children engage and interact well with each other. The children enjoy each other's company and play well together. Children enjoy a range of carefully planned activities. For instance, the childminder considers and records the questions she is going to ask to promote children's learning and lists the vocabulary that she intends to introduce to children. Although this is still an area of practice that is being developed,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

the childminder has also started to observe and assess the children in her care with the view of supporting children's developmental needs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy pretend play in the home corner. Children are currently very interested in babies as the childminder has had a new baby, children have helped to wash the baby and they have renamed all the dolls after the new baby. Children participate in a variety of creative activities, such as making daffodils, cutting out the shapes themselves and learning words such as 'stem' and stalk' in the process. Children have also made a frieze of rabbits hiding in the grass to celebrate Easter and the coming of spring. Children have made sunflowers with photographs of themselves in the centre of the flower as gifts for their mothers and they are in the process of making butterflies with craft materials to hang on to the ceiling. Children enjoy practical early maths activities, such as shopping and paying for products whilst the childminder helps children to count the change. Following shopping trips for ingredients, children make jam tarts

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and Easter nests made with cereal stirred into melted chocolate. Children enjoy sand and water play and large scale painting outdoors and they plant tomatoes in 'grow bags' which they water and look after until they can pick and eat.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy imaginative play and a favourite game is 'guess who I am' when the children dress up and the childminder has to guess who the children are. Children enjoy reading and looking at favourite books, such as 'Handa's Surprise' and whilst the childminder is reading the story they know what is going to happen next. Children are beginning to learn early science, for instance, children put different fruits into a water tray and predict which will float and which will sink.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children go out frequently, for instance. they visit the library to choose books which they take home to read with their parents. They also visit children's activity centres such as clown town, local children's drop in centres, the park and visit areas of interest, such as the zoo.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are looked after in a supportive and nurturing environment where they feel happy and confident in the care of the childminder. Children are valued as individuals and respected for their different needs by the childminder, who has a good understanding of the children she looks after. Children's knowledge and appreciation of society and the world about them is developing well as the childminder promotes and appreciates diversity. The multi-cultural community is reflected well in the childminder's provision, for instance, in her resources, books and during discussion with the children. Children are developing a good understanding of the wider community, for instance, they are able to 'sign' and they watch a television programme aimed at children with learning difficulties and disabilities called 'Something Special' this helps children to develop a keen understanding and respect for diversity and disability. Children learn

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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 songs in French and Spanish and read dual language books in Somalian and Bengali, such as 'Furaha means happy' and 'Bini in trouble'

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave very well. Occasional tussles between children in regard to wanting the same toy at the same time are often resolved amicably between the children themselves. For instance, when both children attempt to grab the same doll the child who has managed to grasp the toy first kindly gives it to the other child. The childminder manages behaviour through methods of distraction and praise to promote positive behaviour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There are very good relationships with parents and carers, promoting children's well-being and welfare very well. There are very good levels of communication on a daily basis and the childminder ensures that parents are well informed about their children's daily activities, their progress and development. The recent incorporation of recording children's activities in a scrap book has further enhanced the relationship with parents and has resulted in parents having more scope to discuss and make suggestions about their children's day and to receive detailed feedback. A good range of policies and procedures are available and shared with parents. A detailed complaints procedure which reflects the changes to the regulation is available to parents.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder is well organised in all aspects of her care of children and she meets the needs of individual children well. The childminder has a good understanding of the National Standards and the regulations, for instance, about notifying Ofsted of significant changes and incidents, so that children are safe, secure and well cared for.

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Organisation

All the significant records and documents required, such as the attendance record and children's records, are accurately maintained, detailed and stored safely in a confidential manner. The childminder is aware of the requirement to keep records for a minimum of two years. The childminder has a good range of policies and procedures available that enhance the well-being and welfare of the children she looks after. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the childminder was asked to develop more written information about the childminding service, including a procedure for parents to follow should they wish to make a complaint about the service provided. The childminder has developed a good range of policies and procedures to share with parents and these promote children's well-being and partnership with parents well. The childminder has developed a detailed complaints procedure and information relating to Ofsted is displayed. This further supports relationship with parents and promotes children's welfare.

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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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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 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): • continue to promote children's play and learning, for instance by extending the observations and assessments of children to include planning for the next steps in their learning and development.

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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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