Pickhill Church of England Primary School

Inspection report for early years provision

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121510 Unique Reference Number 26 November 2007 Inspection date Felicity Gaff 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve. The registered person does not meet 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 1999. She lives with her husband and three children in Crawley, West Sussex. She uses the ground floor of the house for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. There are no children currently on roll.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

When a provider does not have children on roll at the time of the inspection, inspection judgements are based on evidence gathered from discussions with the provider and an inspection of the premises, equipment and relevant documentation.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is inadequate. The childminder has maintained records of minor accidents to children and these include details of medication administered. However, the medication documentation is incomplete because she has not sought prior written parental permission. This is a breach of regulation and puts children at risk of receiving unauthorised medicines. The childminder maintains suitable standards of cleanliness in her home. She has a written policy for managing sickness, which can be shared

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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 with parents. She has appropriate procedures for ensuring children receive the food their parents wish them to have, and is aware of the need to ensure individual dietary requirements are met.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The childminder recognises the importance of creating a welcoming atmosphere for children and their parents. She offers a safe and secure home with plenty of room for children to play. She provides an appropriate range of toys, and understands how to organise the space so that younger children are protected from unsuitable play materials. The childminder is able to explain how she keeps children safe on outings by teaching suitable road safety procedures. She has taken some steps to minimise risks to children on the premises. For example, she has fitted locks to kitchen drawers and cupboards, and has removed a large trampoline she considered might be hazardous. However, although she has bought a smoke alarm for the first floor, she has not yet fitted it. The childminder has a basic understanding of child protection issues and knows how to report concerns. The impact on children is unclear as there are no children on

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. The childminder talks about encouraging a healthy lifestyle by routinely walking to school and toddler groups, and providing regular opportunities for vigorous physical play. She has a suitable understanding of how activities such as imaginative role play helps children's social and emotional development. The childminder is aware of the types of games and play materials that are likely to support children's intellectual and creative development. However, it is unclear how she uses such resources because there are no children on roll.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is inadequate. The childminder lacks knowledge and understanding of her responsibility to respond to complaints made in writing by parents and has no systems in place for keeping a written record. This is a breach of regulation. It limits her ability to ensure that concerns raised by parents relating to the National Standards are recorded and addressed. She does not always have written agreements with parents, which set out the expectations of both parties, in order to promote stable childminding arrangements. The childminder has a basic understanding of her responsibility to promote equality of opportunity and to work closely with parents to meet the needs of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. She has developed her knowledge of behaviour management and is able to describe appropriate techniques she could use to help children understand how to behave.

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Organisation

The organisation is inadequate. Overall, evidence suggests that the provision would not meet the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides. The childminder does not hold a current first-aid certificate, the maintenance of which is a supporting criterion for National Standard 1: suitable person. This impairs her ability to care for children in an emergency. The documentation required to support children's welfare is incomplete. The childminder maintains a record of children's attendance

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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 and ensures the numbers of children for whom she provides care does not exceed the conditions of her registration.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the childminder was asked to increase the play resources she offers and to request parental authorisation for emergency medical advice or treatment. She now provides a basic range of resources reflecting positive images of ethnic and cultural diversity. She has a proforma in place for seeking parental authorisation for emergency medical advice or treatment. The childminder was also asked to draw up written agreements with parents but these have not been put in place.

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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. The provider is required to have procedures for dealing with concerns and complaints from parents and to keep a record of complaints and their outcome.

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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 inadequate - notice of action to improve. The registered person does not meet 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, the registered person must take the following actions: • complete an appropriate first aid course that includes training in first aid for infants and young children • obtain written permission from parents before administering medication to children • improve knowledge and understanding of the regulation regarding complaints and make available for parents the procedures to be followed if they have a complaint These actions are set out in a notice of action to improve and must be completed by the date specified in the notice.

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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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