Childminder in Oxfordshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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133958 Unique Reference Number 04 February 2008 Inspection date Ruth George 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 1993. She lives with her husband and teenage child in Bicester, Oxfordshire. The whole ground floor of the childminder’s house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. There is a bedroom on the first floor used for children to sleep. The childminder takes and collects children from local schools. She takes children on walks and to the local park. The childminder has an assistant if additional support is required. The childminder is registered to care for six children at any one time and is currently minding seven children on a full and part-time basis.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The childminder has good procedures in place to promote children’s health. There is a health and sickness policy which she shares with parents, which includes exclusion periods for infectious diseases. Children are taught to keep themselves safe minimising accidents in and outside the home.

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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 The home is clean and well maintained and good procedures are in place for ensuring cross infection is minimised. For example, nappy changing areas are clean. Children are learning to protect themselves from germs, older children wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet and individual paper towels are used and disposed of after use.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder establishes children’s dietary needs, preferences and allergies when they start at the setting. Children enjoy healthy snacks that offer good nutritional benefit to children, such as apples and raisins. Drinks are freely available and children are regularly offered water or drinks brought from home.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have regular and frequent access to the garden. They enjoy visits to the park and going for walks which promote their physical development. On one outing children have fun collecting leaves and threading them onto string.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children play in a spacious lounge and utility room. The younger children play in the lounge which is well laid out to enable easy access to a wide range of good quality toys and activities, which promote their development. Older children have use of a utility room for games, craft activities and use of smaller equipment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young children play safely, as risks to children are identified and minimised. The childminder gives priority to helping children learn about dangers, such as not to run indoors. Emergency evacuation procedures are known by children, but not yet practised. The childminder teaches children to use equipment safely, for example scissors. They learn about keeping safe beside roads by looking and listening for cars.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder demonstrates a good understanding of safeguarding children. She has a good knowledge of what to do if she was concerned for a child’s welfare. The childminder has the local authority child protection guidelines although these are out of date and do not refer to Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are confident as they play and seek support from the childminder. For example, they ask for stories and help to put dolls in a pushchair. Younger children are learning to count and name colours while playing with building blocks. They learn to construct as they put together a train set and learn new words as they listen to a story. Older children’s achievements are recorded in scrapbooks. Examples of their work show number activities, writing practise and learning to use the computer. Older children take an active part in planning what they will do at the setting. For example, at Christmas they made a plan for a party choosing what they wanted to do.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have a close relationship with the childminder and their peers. The younger children snuggle in for cuddles and reassurance as required. They have a settled routine to their day; the younger children access a range of activities during the day and go out most days to collect the older children from school.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

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 make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children have access to a good range of resources to develop positive attitudes to diversity, such as books, dolls and small world people. The childminder supports children to learn about and respect each others differences. For example, through stories children learn that some people wear glasses, or cannot walk and that they use a wheelchair to move around. They learn about their own community by going for walks and visits to the park. Children have learnt about the Christmas nativity story but have not had opportunities to discover the wider society through activities to support awareness of different cultures and beliefs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder is effective at supporting individual children’s independence by setting out resources so they all can have easy access. Older children are encouraged to help the younger children to participate. Children behave very well and are offered lots of support, praise and encouragement. Unwanted behaviour is explained and as a last resort time out is used. Children are learning right from wrong and play happily alongside each other.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder has a good partnership with parents, they receive daily verbal feedback and scrapbooks are shared showing children’s time at the setting. Parents’ views are sought about children’s individual preferences to enable the childminder to provide good quality care. Parents are fully informed of the daily routines and have access to the childminder’s policies and procedures.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are making good progress as the childminder organises the environment well, providing a child centred setting which is welcoming. Children are provided with stimulating activities both inside and outside the home. The day is very well organised around school runs and if required the childminder utilises her assistant for additional support. Children benefit from the childminder’s on-going interest in developing her skills through training. The childminder keeps professional records that contain detailed information about children and their needs and these are stored confidentially. 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 include a record of incidents and obtain a list of notifiable diseases. The documentation is in place supporting children's good health and well-being.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since April 2004 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): • develop children's awareness of the wider world, by providing activities to learn about different cultures and beliefs • obtain Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures and practise fire evacuation procedure with children.

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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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