Mossley CofE Primary School

Inspection report for early years provision

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141152 Unique Reference Number 06 December 2007 Inspection date Jane Davenport 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 outstanding. 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 1998. She lives in a house in the Highams Park area of the London borough of Waltham Forest with her husband and her teenage son. The whole of the ground floor of the premises and one first floor bedroom are used for childminding, and there is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The home is accessible to wheelchair users. The childminder is registered to provide care for six children under eight years and is currently minding seven children, all on a part time basis. She walks to local schools to take and collect children and attends carer and toddler groups on a regular basis.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association and also belongs to the Bluebell Childminding Network, for which she is a mentor and mentor co-ordinator for other childminders in the local area. She has an NVQ3 in childcare and offers support and guidance to childcare students from local colleges.

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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 outstanding. Children's individual health requirements are extremely well met and the childminder's knowledge of these ensures children's well-being is robustly supported. Children learn from an early age about the importance of washing their hands after using the toilet and before eating, and this is effectively reinforced by a strategically placed sign in the bathroom, which encourages this practice. In addition, children have made many of their own signs relating to health and safety, including references to healthy teeth; visits from health practitioners, such as the dentist, add strength to the excellent practice that is in place.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder holds a current first aid certificate and has a very good knowledge of first aid procedures. This means that she can give appropriate care if there is an accident. She records accidents that occur whilst the children are in her care and also existing injuries that children may have when they arrive. Parents give prior written consent to administer medication and for their children to receive emergency medical treatment if necessary. This ensures that children's health needs are effectively met.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder gathers all relevant information regarding diet, which ensures children's individual dietary requirements are met. She is pro-active in ensuring that menus are varied, well-balanced and nutritious and they include many healthy options, such as granary bread, oily fish and whole-wheat pasta. Children shop for ingredients with the childminder, grow and harvest some of their own fruit and vegetables and help to prepare their meals, for example, cutting up fruit, preparing vegetables and mashing potatoes. The childminder works closely with parents to ensure continuity and children bring in healthy recipes from home; they have also made their own healthy recipe books which helps to reinforce the message that fresh fruit and vegetables are good for you.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have many excellent opportunities to become physically active, helping to develop their skills and fitness. All children regularly use the large, well-organised outdoor play area for imaginative play and physical challenges and take part in various outings.

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Helping children to be healthy

Individual daily diaries for children aged under two provide information for parents about nappy changes, rest times and what their child has eaten during the day and this is a very effective way of ensuring continuity in the care the children receive, both at the childminder's and at home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children benefit enormously from the exceptional, well organised and vibrant learning environment and an extensive range of equipment and resources is available which is suitable for the ages and developmental stages of children attending. Children are able to move around and play safely and excellent interaction from the childminder helps develop their awareness of safety within the setting, for example, they have discussed different aspects of keeping themselves safe in great detail and reinforced this by making their own posters about how to cross the road safely, how to use scissors safely and how to use electricity safely. The emergency evacuation procedure is practised regularly with the children and given extra meaning by being practised at different times of the day and with different sources of the fire.

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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 are well protected because the childminder has an in-depth knowledge of child protection issues, recognises her role and responsibilities and knows how to implement safeguarding children procedures. The recording of all volunteers, children and visitors to and from the setting, detailed policies for the collection and non-collection of children, and arrangements for recording pre-existing injuries contribute to ensuring children are safeguarded from harm.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children are provided with some excellent themed activities which encourage them to think and learn about the world around them. For example, the living room has been partly transformed into a library as a follow up to the children's interest in the local library, which has recently been re-furbished. They expertly use the till, keyboard, telephone and scanner as they role-play scanning and borrowing their books. The childminder has an excellent range of props boxes and children are also able to regularly role-play at being opticians, dentists, hairdressers, doctors or vets.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Activities are expertly adapted to be suitable for the different age groups, for example, whilst older children enjoy playing with hair gel and sand, mixing them together and discussing the different textures, babies are given jelly to play with so that they still enjoy the experience, but, if they do put it in their mouth, it is not harmful to them. School age children are also encouraged to participate fully. They have made their own scrap-books of all their outings to the farm, the conservation area, the aquarium and museum; an older child who completed a puzzle in the morning before going to school leaves a note on it saying 'please leave' so that they can show it to their parent at the end of the day, and this demonstrates well the way in which the childminder respects the children and encourages them to be proud of their achievements.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder is exceptionally 'in tune' with the children; she predicts their needs and adapts what she is doing to ensure that their needs are given absolute priority. Children thrive within the setting because they are so comfortable with the daily routine and delight in the individual attention that they all receive. They are allowed freedom to explore, for example, babies are provided with many sensory experiences when they sit in the large play tent and use their senses to smell and touch natural materials and participate in heuristic play. Young children are beginning to make themselves understood through language and actions, and this is supported extremely well by the childminder speaking to children, listening and acknowledging what they are saying, narrating activities and encouraging them to say new words.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Well organised Birth to three and Foundation stage observation records and planning sheets are shared with parents and used to plan appropriate activities for each individual child to help them to make progress.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. All children and their families, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, receive outstanding support from the childminder, enabling them to thrive and make excellent individual progress. Children gain an extremely well developed respect for themselves and others as they learn about their local community and the wider world, and value and celebrate their differences and similarities. For

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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 example, a parent coming in to the setting to talk to the children about Passover clearly aids them to gain a better understanding of the Jewish religion and a book in Braille helps them to understand how blind people are able to read. The childminder has made an extensive effort to provide resources that promote and celebrate diversity, for example, her dressing up clothes include saris, kimonos and salwar-kameez, she has a Maori doll the children play with and skin tone pencils and paper for accurate representations in self-portraits.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's behaviour is generally very good and they play well together. The childminder uses praise and rewards to encourage good behaviour; appropriate strategies according to the age and stage of development of children help them to understand right from wrong. Children take an active part in deciding what their rules for behaviour should be and house rules are worded in a very positive way, for example, 'We use good manners', and 'We are kind and listen to others'.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder pays high priority to establishing and securing the links between home and the setting, ensuring parents are actively involved in their child’s learning. Parents receive extremely detailed information in terms of planning, observations and reviews, which helps them to understand how their child learns and develops through play.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides. Children's care is significantly enhanced by exceptional organisation; all policies and procedures are individual to the childminder, they cover all aspects of the National Standards and fully support her excellent childcare practice. For example, she keeps a detailed inventory of her toys and resources, which enables her to see at a glance what needs extending or rotating, and she provides parents with very clear observational and developmental progress records for each individual child. She is meticulous in her record keeping and makes sure she keeps Ofsted fully informed of all changes. There is an ethos of reflective practice at the setting with the childminder making excellent evaluations of what she does, for example, in terms of her planning, in order that children continue to flourish.

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Organisation

The childminder has received an 'Inspirational Childminder of the Year' award from her local authority in recognition of her work. She is committed to keeping herself aware and up-to-date with current childcare trends and to attending further childcare and development courses; she has a clear vision for her provision and a strong commitment to providing the best possible outcomes for all children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, a recommendation was made for the provider to develop her knowledge and understanding of variation procedures; the childminder has now made herself fully aware of the procedure to follow, should she require a variation to her registered numbers, which has had a positive effect on her childminding practice.

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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

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 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 outstanding. 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

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of care are outstanding.

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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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