St Alban & St Stephen Catholic Primary School & Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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117491 Unique Reference Number 17 December 2007 Inspection date Heather Morgan 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 1992. She lives with her husband and their two adult children in the St Budeaux area of Plymouth. The area is mostly residential, whilst being in close proximity to the Dockyard. The house is close to shops, a park and schools.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The ground floor of the house is mainly used for childminding and consists of a kitchen, lounge and conservatory. The conservatory is used as the main playroom. Children access the upstairs bathroom. The house has an enclosed rear garden for outdoor play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children at any one time and is currently minding five children, three before and after school and two during the day. The childminder takes children to, and collects them from the local primary school and pre-schools.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's good health is supported well as they are offered regular, nutritious snacks and meals. Children are encouraged to eat fresh fruit and to taste different vegetables that they have grown themselves. Their individual dietary needs are met well and care is taken to ensure they are included in social mealtime occasions where they are offered appropriate, alternative food when necessary.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are protected from the risk of infection through the implementation of good hygiene routines such as excluding children when they have infectious illnesses and frequently wiping their noses when they have minor colds or snuffles. The childminder follows good hand washing routines to minimise children's exposure to cross infection, but does not always ensure that children follow the same good practice; for example they do not always wash their hands before eating a snack.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well cared for in the event of an accident as the childminder holds a current first aid certificate and maintains a well stocked first aid kit. Their continuity of care is supported well by effective use of documentation to record injuries and the administration of medication. The information is promptly shared with parents.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from frequent opportunities to play outdoors in the fresh air and to take regular exercise. They enjoy walks, playing in the garden and visiting local parks. The emotional well-being of the youngest children is supported effectively as they develop close, affectionate relationships with the childminder, who responds well to their individual needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children's safety is promoted very effectively as the childminder demonstrates a strong commitment to providing and maintaining a safe and secure play environment. All areas of the house have been thoroughly assessed and effective steps taken to minimise any risks to children. For example, children cannot access hazardous cleaning materials, their access to the kitchen and stairs is restricted by safety gates and some areas of the garden have been made secure by locking the sheds and fencing in the greenhouse. When children attend local groups the childminder sustains her commitment to their safety by, for example, drawing the attention of other adults to the potential hazards of carrying hot drinks in areas where children are playing.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are learning how to keep themselves safe as the childminder gives them clear explanations to develop their understanding of safe play. For example, she explains why it is dangerous to climb on windowsills. Children also regularly practise the carefully devised fire drill to ensure they are able to evacuate the building quickly and safely in the event of an emergency.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children use a wide range of well maintained resources that they can safely access themselves. The resources are well organised and stored in transparent boxes within a sturdy unit. Young children are protected from choking hazards as the childminder takes care to ensure that games with small pieces, that are suitable for older children, are stored on the top of the unit where the younger children cannot reach 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 Children's welfare is given high priority as the childminder has a very good understanding of child protection issues and attends training to keep her knowledge up to date. She has a wealth of reference materials to support her in implementing correct procedures in the event of any concerns.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children enjoy a wide range of well planned activities that sustain their interest well and support their learning and progress. The childminder uses her good understanding of child development to offer interesting and challenging play opportunities that reflect the interests and abilities of the children attending. For example, young children with limited concentration spans are able to choose from a range of resources and to participate in planned craft activities. They respond well to the familiar routines of the day that help them to settle as they interact with a favourite television programme, or develop their social skills as they sing favourite songs and nursery rhymes together each day.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's play opportunities are regularly enhanced by visits to places of local interest. For example, they enjoy beachcombing at the seaside, nature walks at a nearby National Trust property, visits to a farm and trips on steam train. These activities support them in developing their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. They also regularly visit local activity groups where they meet with other children and develop their social skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's progress is supported effectively because the childminder plans activities that build on their interests and prior achievements. She knows the children well and makes the most of spontaneous opportunities during free play to encourage children's learning. For example, children are encouraged to talk about illustrations in their favourite books and to practise their colour and shape recognition when completing jigsaw puzzles. Children's achievements are recorded through photographic records that are annotated to evaluate how activities have supported children's learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children have many opportunities to develop their social skills and engage in local community activities. They learn about diversity within society as they celebrate familiar traditions and events such as Christmas, and also explore other cultural festivals such as Chinese New Year and American Independence Day. At the childminder's home they access resources such as dolls, books and puzzles that raise their awareness of difference and diversity.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's behaviour is good. They respond well to the childminder's positive manner and regular reward of praise and encouragement. Clear ground rules are in place and shared with children and their parents to promote a positive behaviour management strategy.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's individual needs are met well as the childminder develops effective partnerships with parents through regular discussion and exchange of information. Documentation is used effectively to ensure that children are cared for in accordance with their parents' wishes. Parents are also given information regarding activities that can be extended at home to promote shared learning experiences.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides care. She is well organised and uses documentation well to underpin her good practice. Daily routines provide a familiar framework to support children in settling in to the childminder's welcoming home environment, as well as meeting the needs of children who attend school or pre-school.

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Organisation

The childminder has a good understanding of her regulatory requirements and of the developmental needs of the children in her care. She accesses training to keep her knowledge up to date and develops good links with other child care professionals to enhance children's play experiences.

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Organisation

All regulatory documentation is in place and is well organised. Parents are provided with a wealth of additional information and documents such as current training and registration certificates, and details of the regulator are clearly displayed on a notice board.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the childminder has updated her first aid certificate to further support her in keeping children healthy. All documentation is in place and available for inspection.

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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): • further promote good hygiene by ensuring children follow effective hand washing procedures before eating

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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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