The Grove Primary School

Inspection report for early years provision

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141469 Unique Reference Number 27 March 2008 Inspection date Sarah Fletcher 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 registered in 2001. She lives with her partner and adult child in Hanslope, close to Milton Keynes and Northampton. The whole ground floor of the childminder’s house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children at any one time and is currently minding six children under five all day on a part-time basis; one child over five and two children over eight years after school. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children. The childminder attends the local parent/toddler group. The family has a pet snake.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children stay healthy and thrive because the childminder follows highly effective procedures and practices, which meet the children's physical, nutritional and health needs. Young children are becoming very familiar with simple good hygiene routines, following the childminder’s excellent lead. For example, children wash their hands independently before they eat or start baking and following toileting, with gentle reminders from the childminder if required. The

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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 childminder employs meticulous nappy changing routines to help prevent the spread of infection and washes her own hands often throughout the day. Her exceptional support and guidance of healthy practices helps children to gain a successful understanding of good hygiene and a real desire to become increasingly independent in their personal care.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from a healthy, varied and nutritious diet. They enjoy lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and healthy snacks, such as carrot sticks, grapes, rice cakes, various fruits and bread sticks. All meals and snacks take account of the children's individual needs. Children have their health and dietary needs met because the childminder works well with parents. She ensures she meets parents’ wishes and children’s preferences, together with any religious or dietary requirements to nourish children in her care, such as when children follow a vegetarian diet. Older children help to cook home made meals such as curries, stews and spaghetti bolognaise; while younger children help to make jelly or sandwiches. Both age groups help to prepare fruit and vegetables, bake cakes or make crumbles for puddings after meals. Children receive regular drinks of water or juice throughout the day and on request from individual cups which they

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy and benefit greatly from a range of activities which contribute to their good health and help develop their physical skills. They go to the local parks, play in the garden or in the ballpool, take long walks and visit local groups such as the music group, the farm or children's activity centres. Children are able to rest and sleep, according to their individual routines as discussed with parents, on comfortable sofas in the lounge or in a travel cot erected in a quiet area of the childminder's home. An effective health and safety policy supports the childminder's excellent practice.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children are cared for in a very safe and secure environment where any risks are identified and minimised. The childminder is extremely vigilant and carries out a regular risk assessment to reduce potential hazards. She systematically protects children's well-being by continuously monitoring safety issues in and around the home and by supervising children closely. Forward thinking safety precautions are in place, such as inaccessible cleaning products, secure garden and external doors and regularly tested smoke alarms. Effective practices ensure that children can move around safely, freely and with some independence, indoors and outside. Children use a wide variety of good quality equipment, appropriate to their age and stage of development. It is regularly monitored to ensure it is safe, well maintained and appropriate. Toys and resources are rotated and replaced or updated when necessary.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children learn to keep themselves safe and avoid accidental injury by following the childminder's guidance on stranger danger and road safety when outdoors and by not running around inside the home in case they slip, trip or fall. Older children learn about fire safety and evacuating in case of a fire, because the childminder has a clear plan in place, which she shares with them and helps them to understand with regular practise. The childminder has an excellent understanding of how to achieve a balance between freedom and setting safe limits, which allows older children to learn some sense of danger and knowledge about how to protect themselves from harm. For example, they know their safety areas when en route from school and where to meet the childminder if they ever got lost or separated.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is safeguarded and promoted by the childminder’s clear understanding of child protection policies and procedures, together with her considerable understanding of her

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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 important role to protect children in her care. She has completed comprehensive child protection courses and has a clear policy in place to support her practice effectively, which she shares with parents. The childminder helps to further protect children by recording pre-existing injuries and asking parents to sign that they happened outside the childminder’s care, completing a diary on a daily basis with details of any concerns, which is shared with parents. The childminder has recently started to record any visitors to her home as an additional precaution, as she regularly meets up with other childminders through her role as support childminder.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children are cared for in an exceptionally friendly and welcoming family environment, where they are very happy, included and valued. Children are settled, secure, and have access to stimulating play opportunities, which promote their development and provide them with increasing challenges and a strong sense of achievement. Children's independence is encouraged by the ease and availability of wide ranging equipment and the imaginative stock of age appropriate resources.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder finds out what children know and can do when they first attend by talking to parents and observing children when they are playing. She takes time to settle children into her care gradually, over a period of several days or weeks, ensuring they are confident in her care and parents start to build trusting relationships. Every opportunity is taken by the enthusiastic and knowledgeable childminder to extend the play opportunities to include all children in creative and challenging activities. They participate in activities which further develop their existing skills and encourage new ones. For example, children help plan the menus for the following week, together with organising the childminder's shopping lists and appropriate storage.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children make positive relationships with adults and each other. For example, older children and younger children have developed good relationships together and join in with games and activities enthusiastically. The childminder animatedly joins in with children when they are playing with the play dough or reading stories, extending both their ideas and their vocabulary. There is plenty of fun and laughter and spontaneous acknowledgement from the childminder as children achieve. The childminder refers to the Birth to three matters framework to support young children's development, using evaluation of experiences and observations to help young children progress. Children's creativity and enjoyment of messy play is encouraged when they explore paint, playdough and model making.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children learn to value themselves and feel a sense of belonging in the relaxed, family atmosphere where their ideas, thoughts and feelings are respected. They learn about others through socialising and accessing a very good range of activities and resources that promote diversity. All of the children are valued and respected as individuals, with children's work displayed around many areas of the childminder's home. Children are very involved in and are part of their environment with displays of their photographs, drawings and paintings taking pride of place, giving the children a sense of belonging and building their positive self-esteem. Children make choices and take decisions in their play, having equal access to all the toys. The

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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 childminder proactively encourages children to play together, sharing toys and building good social skills through interaction.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder discusses any learning difficulties and/or disabilities with parents and works closely with them, endeavouring to meet children's individual needs. She is experienced in supporting children with additional needs and ensures that all children are included in activities throughout the day. The children benefit from the childminder's commitment to ensure that all the children develop to their highest potential. Children's behaviour is generally good with the childminder giving gentle reminders on expected behaviour. The childminder explains clearly, so children know what she expects of them, helping them to build their sense of right and wrong and manage their own behaviour. Children feel comfortable and at ease; they are learning to share and respect each other and their surroundings. The childminder shares the behaviour policy with parents and keeps them fully informed of their children's well-being.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the established and developing two-way relationships between parents and the childminder, who work closely together to ensure that parents are informed of their children’s progress and needs. The childminder keeps detailed daily diaries with photographs to support the verbal feedback she gives parents and encourages parental comments and feedback to guide continuity of care. A noticeboard displays important information, such as the registration certificate, the daily timetable and meals offered to the children, together with leaflets concerning childcare issues or concerns. The childminder therefore ensures that individual children’s well-being is promoted through her proactive partnership with parents.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. Children feel at home and at ease in the extremely well organised environment as the childminder has a high regard for the welfare and well-being of all children in her care. Children benefit from the childminder's excellent organisation of her practice, as she ensures children have dedicated space, stimulating resources and high levels of individual time and attention.

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Organisation

The childminder continually improves the quality of her practice by successfully gaining Early Years qualifications and by supplementing her knowledge and understanding of childcare issues through regular training. She offers support and shares her knowledge to many other childminders whilst running the local childminding network.

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Organisation

An excellent range of documentation is in place to ensure the welfare of the children is maintained and that parents are kept fully involved in their children's care and well-being. The childminder has very good relationships with parents and exchanges information to help meet the children's individual needs and provide continuity of care.

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Organisation

Therefore, 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 previous inspection the childminder was asked to develop the complaints procedure to share with parents, including Ofsted's contact details and to develop the child protection policy to include the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against the childminder or her family.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The childminder has improved her documentation by creating a clear and detailed complaints procedure, which contains all the required information. She has also improved children's safety

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Improvements 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 by gaining a clear understanding of child protection procedures regarding allegations of abuse made against her or her family, and she has created a document to work through as a reminder of the appropriate steps.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 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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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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