Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY222932 Unique Reference Number 16 November 2007 Inspection date Beverly Hallett 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 2002. She lives with her husband and two children aged eight and ten in the Eltham area of the London Borough of Greenwich. The whole of the childminder’s house is used for childminding with the exception of the main front bedroom. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children. She attends the local parent/toddler group and takes children to the local library and parks.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for six children at any one time and is currently minding four children, one of whom attends full time.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder holds the NVQ level 2 qualification in childcare and education and she is a member of the National Childminding Association (NCMA). The family have two cats, two dogs and a snake.

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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. Children are developing good attitudes towards healthy eating as the childminder has a positive yet relaxed approach towards diet. Children's main meals are based around healthy eating guidelines and consist of protein with pasta or potatoes and plenty of vegetables. For snacks children know that they can eat a small amount of their favourite foods such as crisps but if they are still hungry they need to eat fruit and vegetables. This means that children are benefiting from eating balanced healthy meals yet still enjoy some treats. However, the children watch television whilst they eat their meals, which does not always provide a positive and social occasion.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health is ensured as the childminder has some good procedures in place to maintain a high level of health and hygiene within the home. Although the family have several pets, the childminder is very conscientious about ensuring they are regularly wormed, vaccinated and treated for fleas, and that all areas which the animals use are rigorously cleaned. A good selection of clearly written policies ensure that parents are aware of the procedures around administering medicine, dealing with accidents and caring for children if they are sick. This ensures children receive appropriate care should they become ill.

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Helping children to be healthy

As well as eating healthily, children enjoy a healthy lifestyle in which they walk to school, play in the garden whenever weather permits and exercise on the large trampoline in the garden.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children benefit from being cared for in a well maintained and well organised home environment which is bright, clean and welcoming. Because the childminder gives safety a high priority she has carefully risk assessed her home and successfully minimised risks to children. For example safety gates are used effectively to ensure that children are free to explore areas of the home that are safe and suitable for their use whilst restricting their access to areas such as the kitchen.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Toys and activities are well organised in the main play room where they are stored on shelves and in toy boxes at child height. This enables children to select toys and resources for themselves in safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder is able to protect children in her care because she has a suitable understanding of the local procedures for safeguarding children and is aware of her responsibility to refer any concerns she may have about a child in her care. However, although she has updated her skills and knowledge in this area recently, she has not updated her policies in line with most recent practice guidelines and shared this with parents.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children play very confidently in a relaxed and welcoming family environment. Toys and games are stored all around the main play room where children access them easily, and this supports their independent play and decision making skills. Children choose where they want to play and move around the childminder's home as the type of toy they choose lends itself to different

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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 areas. For example one child gets out small world toys with characters and sits on the floor to play. Next she gets out a fuzzy felt set and sits at the table where she can spread out the felt and background boards more easily.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder extends children's concentration by offering new activities or materials to extend the activity the child is already playing with. For instance the child begins to decorate a cut out fish shape and the childminder offers some 'special' materials such as wobbly eyes to maintain her interest in the collage work.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children can participate in a wide variety of adult planned activities and the childminder uses reference books as inspiration for planning these activities. Examples of art work displayed on the walls include firework pictures, chalk drawings of planets and the solar system on black paper and butterflies decorated with shiny beads and paper. However, most of these are quite adult directed with pre-cut shapes being provided for the children to decorate. This limits children's creativity and restricts their confidence in their own drawing ability.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

As the children play, they chat to the childminder about recent events such as a swimming trip at the weekend. The childminder's genuine interest in the children's conversation means that their memory and recall abilities are extended as the childminder asks questions about the trip. The child is encouraged to remember more details and to extend her language as she describes the arm bands she wore to help her to float and keep her safe.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are learning to respect and value people's differences as the childminder promotes positive attitudes through discussion with the children, and by looking at other cultures and religions as part of topic work. Celebrations such as Diwali and Chinese New Year are looked at, and the children learn about the way people celebrate these festivals and why. Children are developing confidence in their abilities and a strong self image as the childminder knows individual children well and uses this knowledge to give each child individual attention and meet their needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave very well and the childminder encourages this through the use of positive strategies such as ensuring they have plenty of interesting and stimulating toys to play with to minimise negative behaviour. She also ensures clear boundaries in the form of house rules are in place so that children know what behaviour is acceptable and what is not.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

A strong relationship with parents means that the children receive consistency of care between home and the childminder's. The childminder supports this partnership by providing some written information about her practice and communicating clearly her aims, and methods of caring for children. Some written information is shared with parents on younger children's care routines, and as the child gets older, this information is exchanged verbally.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides.

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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 Children are cared for by a caring and knowledgeable childminder who combines an awareness of how to care for children with a well planned, varied and child centred daily routine. She ensures children receive good quality care by updating her knowledge and practice regularly.

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Organisation

Children play happily in a well thought out, organised environment which encourages all areas of learning. Their individual needs and interests are supported as they are offered good variety of choice of what to play with from a good range of toys and resources.

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Organisation

Children's safety is supported by essential documentation which is kept in good order. There are also some further policies and procedures in place which support some good practice. However, the childminder has not always updated the information she shares with parents to reflect her current practice, for example her role in safeguarding children and Ofsted contact details as part of a complaints policy.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the childminder was asked to improve children's safety by maintaining the required adult to child ratio's and ensuring all parents gave written permission for medication to be administered. Registers and medication records show that these recommendations have been actioned and as a result children's safety is improved.

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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 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): • ensure all policies and information shared with parents are updated to reflect the most current practice and knowledge, in particular Ofsted contact details and safeguarding children information • ensure children's mealtimes are organised to provide relaxed, social occasions where positive eating habits are developed

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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 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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