Westmeads Community Infant School

Inspection report for early years provision

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118363 Unique Reference Number 15 January 2008 Inspection date Carol Cox 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 satisfactory. 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 husband and two children aged four and eight in Nailsea, North Somerset. The ground floor, except for the front room, and three bedrooms and bathroom on the first floor are used for minding. The fully enclosed top level of the back garden is available for outside play.

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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 at different times of the week. She has experience of caring for children with learning difficulties or disabiities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder attends local toddler groups, takes children to soft play areas and the library, and takes children to and collects from local pre-schools and a primary school.

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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. The childminder has a very good understanding of how to promote and maintain children's health and well-being. For example, she ensures they are kept free from infection through effective exclusion policies when they are ill with infectious diseases. Children learn about the importance of hygiene and the childminder introduces simple systems, for example, hand towels are named and colour-coded for each child. The childminder works closely with parents to follow care routines from home, for example she discusses with parents when children need to sleep and when they are ready for toilet training. There is a clear system in place to record the administration of medication. The childminder ensures that her first aid certificate is current and is able to deal with any minor injuries appropriately. Children benefit from regular fresh air and exercise through regular visits to the local parks, a city farm and the soft play area.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's nutritional needs are carefully identified and recorded on registration forms and met by the childminder's clear understanding of how to provide healthy and nutritious food for babies and young children. For example, she prepares and provides a hot meal each day which always includes fresh ingredients, fruit and vegetables. Children can always help themselves to a drink and enjoy nutritious snacks such as dried fruits and dates. The childminder is happy to work with parents to trial special diets for their children, for example reducing or eliminating dairy products. The childminder has a good knowledge of how to prepare food safely and is planning to renew her food hygiene certificate.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The childminder is careful to provide a safe and warm environment where children are free to play and learn in comfort. There is a wide range of toys and resources which are carefully chosen to help support each child's learning and progress their interests. For example, following a visit to a city farm children enjoyed playing with an animal jigsaw and naming the different animals and copying the sounds that they make. The childminder is careful to ensure that toys and resources reflect a wide range of people and offer opportunities for children to learn to choose their own games and toys.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder ensures her home is safe through regular checks and risk assessments of her home and outings. There are good procedures in place to ensure children's safety, for example, requiring all those authorised to collect children to be identified by parents. The childminder maintains clear records of the actual hours of children's attendance. However, the childminder has breached her conditions of registration through using her garden for minded children although it was excluded from her certificate of registration.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has a clear knowledge of child protection procedures. Although she has not attended recent child protection training she has a good knowledge and understanding of child protection issues. She shares her child protection procedure with parents and is clear about action she should take if she has a concern about a child.

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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 thrive in the childminder's good care. She has a clear understanding of how children learn and develop through play and provides a rich variety of different activities based on children's own interest. She uses the Birth to three matters framework effectively to identify different areas of learning and to make clear observations of children's progress. From these observations she can identify next steps in learning. These records are shared and discussed with parents who can choose to progress activities at home if they choose.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children learn good independence skills from choosing resources and activities from the wide range available to them. The childminder promotes children's speech and language development through talking with children about their activities. She has a knowledgeable and sensitive understanding of child development which helps children make good progress. Children's experiences are further extended through carefully chosen visits to local toddler groups, parks and the city farm. Children show confidence and good self esteem because the childminder is very responsive to them and demonstrates her value of each child.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The childminder values each child as an individual. Children are happy and settled in her care and enjoy her attention. The needs of each child are currently identified and met through close partnership with parents and the childminder's good knowledge of child development. She helps children recognise the differences between people through activities such as small world play with dolls representing different races and abilities. There is a clear and well written policy to promote equality of opportunity for all children. She has a good understanding of how to work with parents to obtain any specific help children may need.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children generally behave very well in the childminder's care, they benefit from clear boundaries and simple rules which are displayed in both words and pictures. The childminder boosts children's self-esteem and confidence through appropriate praise and encouragement. For example, she explains to children why they have been praised. The childminder is happy to work closely with parents if they have concerns about their children's behaviour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder values her close working relationships with the parents of children in her care. She has offered care to successive siblings from the same families and is happy to be flexible at times to meet the needs of individual families and children. For example, she is happy to offer occasional care during school holidays to children who normally only attend during term times. Parents are given clear and well written information about the care on offer and the childminder's policies and procedures. She provides regular verbal and written information about children's progress. She makes observations of children's learning and development which are shared with parents who can choose to use them to progress learning at home. There is a clear complaints procedure in place, no complaints have yet been recorded.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The childminder is well qualified and has many years of experience of caring for children. She organises her practice well and carefully considers the needs of each child. The childminder manages her home effectively to provide warm and interesting play spaces for children. She

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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 provides a wide range of toys and resources to help support and stimulate children's learning and development. There are clear, sensible and sensitive procedures in place which are shared with parents in writing. The childminder has a good understanding of current child care issues. However, she has failed to abide by the conditions of registration by allowing children to use her garden whilst it was not registered. This has been addressed and a new certificate of registration will include the use of the top level of the garden.

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Organisation

All necessary documentation, including a daily record of the actual hours of children's attendance, is in place. Records and documentation are shared in confidence with parents and are stored securely. Overall 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 ensure that parents are given details of the regulatory body. All parents are now given details of how to contact Ofsted should they need to do so.

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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 satisfactory. 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 that the conditions of registration are adhered to at all times

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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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