Blezard, Liz

Inspection report for early years provision

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310759 Unique Reference Number 17 January 2008 Inspection date Cathleen Howarth 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 registered in 1988. She lives with her husband and two adult children in Netherton, Huddersfield. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder’s house is used for childminding, and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children at any one time. She is currently minding nine children. Of these, six children are under eight years old. The provision includes before and after school care. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children, and attends the local parent and toddler group and playgroup. Transport can be also be arranged. The family has two dogs which live in the house.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder has provision for children with learning difficulties and disabilities. She is a member of the National Childminding Association (NCMA).

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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. Arrangements for pets successfully promote high levels of hygiene. The childminder ensures they do not pose a health risk to children. The dogs are regularly wormed and vaccinated at the vets and are clearly well looked after.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are exceedingly well protected from infection and promptly taken care of if they have an accident or become ill. The childminder rigorously follows current environmental health and hygiene guidelines. Comprehensive policies are in place including medication, accident, and existing injury records. These are systematically countersigned by parents to promote children’s continuing care.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have exceptionally good knowledge and understanding of good personal care routines, like washing their hands after using the toilet. They spontaneously use the antibacterial pump soap and clean towels in the bathroom. There are excellent nappy changing and toilet training facilities and procedures. For example, the childminder has obtained disposable potties. She takes them on outings to consistently reinforce early stage children’s routines. Children's privacy and dignity is always maintained.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder is passionate about promoting healthy lifestyles. Children enthusiastically take part in regular physical activity. They play out in the back garden and go to the park. They have learnt to play cricket, football, basketball, rounders and other team games which enable them to develop muscle tone and coordination. They have great fun jumping up and down on the bouncy balls. Children like to put their wellingtons on and explore the woods when they help to take the dogs for a walk. They collect conkers, fir cones, twigs and leaves for art and craft sessions. Younger children fully participate at the play gyms. They are learning to crawl, climb, slide, swing and balance in a safe environment. Older children are encouraged to take part in after school activities, such as the gym club and swimming lessons.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are learning to dress themselves according to the weather, such as buttoning and zipping up thick coats. They know to put their hoods up and use scarves. They are learning how to put their boots and gloves on independently. Even on a wet and windy day they walk to nursery school, arriving fortified and energised. This helps them to settle, concentrate and benefit fully from their afternoon session at nursery.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have learnt the importance of eating healthily. The childminder continually reinforces this by regularly providing a balanced range of nutritional food and drinks. As a result, children’s daily nutritional requirements are extremely well met. In addition, food preparation procedures are consistently good.

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Helping children to be healthy

There are visual reminders in the play room promoting fruit and vegetables. The childminder encourages children to eat five portions a day. Children help to purchase and prepare home cooked food and they plan meals for forthcoming events like Pancake Tuesday and Chinese New Year. Mealtime is treated as a social occasion. Self-help skills are significantly developed like setting the table, serving, selecting and clearing away. This inspires children to respond well to mealtime routines. The above measures significantly enhance children’s physical and emotional health and well-being.

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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

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a welcoming, safe environment which is routinely risk assessed before they arrive. The childminder has a good understanding of the need for a balance between freedom and safe limits. For example, she successfully promotes personal safety. As a result, children have ample choice in where they play because they understand boundaries and limits. They know not to touch ornaments, or play on the stairs or climb on furniture in order to keep safe. They are kept safe on outings when they travel in the car. The childminder systematically uses age appropriate child safety seats and booster seats to actively promote children’s safety, and to comply with current legislation. Road safety is continuously reinforced.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children play with quality resources and equipment that are of good design and condition. The childminder checks them regularly for repair and replacement. Children have learnt to tidy up to encourage them to take responsibility for their own and other's safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All fire safety precautions are in place. Children practise the emergency evacuation procedure to encourage them to act responsibly in an emergency. The current public liability insurance certificate is available for parents to view.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are professionally safeguarded because the childminder has secure knowledge and understanding of her role in child protection. She knows the appropriate procedures to follow should a concern arise.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children access a very good range of resources and equipment, which is used imaginatively to support their overall care, learning and development. The childminder gives high priority to developing children's social skills and independence through interactive play. The childminder knows children learn best from first hand experiences. She effectively plans and evaluates activities with children and their parents. For example, when children go on outings to hand feed the farm animals. They self-select picture books from the library and listen carefully to woodland stories, recalling what they have seen.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children build on their natural curiosity as learners, effectively developing communication skills. They dress up in various costumes and pretend to be a fairy or a police officer. They use appropriate props and accessories to act out imaginary scenarios, such as the dolls tea party. They concentrate and show great interest in what they do when they use a wide range of quality musical instruments to make different sounds. Children accomplish new knowledge and skills when they learn how to bake and decorate buns. Their social relationships are naturally extended when they look forward to playing with other minded children and those from other settings. They look forward to taking the dogs for a walk. Children enjoy hill walking and exploring the surrounding woods and countryside.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children relate well to their carer. They spontaneously cuddle up to her on the floor to look at picture books. There is a happy, relaxed atmosphere at the childminder's house.

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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 are treated with equal concern, and are fully included and involved. They are developing an awareness of diversity in the wider community, such as gender, ethnicity and disability through relevant activities and resources. The childminder effectively promotes anti-discriminatory practice. There are good systems in place to provide for children with learning difficulties and disabilities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are courteous and behave well. Minor differences are effectively managed and older children are encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions. Their good behaviour is consistently encouraged through positive role modelling, meaningful praise and by valuing cooperative behaviour. As a result, children are learning to share, take turns and to be kind during their play. This helps children to develop their self-esteem and respect for others.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are well looked after according to parents' wishes. Written parental consent is obtained for various childcare practices, like transport and outings. The childminder respects confidentiality and shares relevant information with parents. Should the need arise there is a complaints procedure for parents to follow, although the contact details of the regulator are out of date.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The childminder has been registered for nearly 20 years. She is a competent and confident childminder. She has developed an exceptionally clear vision and sense of purpose for the first class service she provides. She demonstrates real commitment to continual improvement through the many workshops she has attended since the last inspection. This has been done to keep up to date with current childcare practice. In addition, the childminder attends in-service training through her work with the local authority, and has attained a level 2 in Social Care. The knowledge and skills developed through this are easily transferable to childminding. The childminder's natural ability to transfer knowledge into positive action for children is clearly evident in the consistently good outcomes for children. Exemplary child care practices are highlighted in outstanding outcomes for children, such as those in Being Healthy and

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Organisation

Organisation. She continually strives to enhance the quality of care by evaluating the service in partnership with children and parents. The childminder has interpreted the National Standards in a dynamic way and in the best interests of children.

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Organisation

Appropriate adult to child ratios are consistently maintained to provide exceedingly good quality care for children. The organisation of space is varied and imaginative. There are clearly defined areas supporting a wide range of activities including quality provision for meals, rest, indoor and outdoor play.

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Organisation

The childminder makes best use of her time by planning the day in consultation with children whose needs and wishes are paramount. She deploys herself superbly, remaining focused on the children. Daily and weekly routines are well established, such as school runs and meal times, to provide a stable, predictable environment where children flourish.

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Organisation

All the required documentation is in place and most is meticulously maintained to promote children’s care, welfare and learning. Important notices are displayed for parents to view. Records are stored securely and maintained in an orderly way for easy access. Clearly written

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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 policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and countersigned by parents to keep them fully informed about the provision and their child's welfare.

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Organisation

The childminder places strong emphasis on confidentiality and shares relevant information with parents and school. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection an action was raised to improve documentation. The childminder now maintains a daily register. She records the arrival and departure time of each child to demonstrate that she works within the conditions of registration. The register also acts as a name call during fire practise.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection three recommendations were raised to improve health and safety. The childminder now has systems in place to ensure toys and equipment are sanitized, repaired or replaced as required. This is done to promote children's health and safety at the setting. Children practise the emergency evacuation procedure to encourage them to act responsibly in the event of an emergency. The accident record now includes the child's full name, making the procedure fully compliant.

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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 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): • update the existing complaints procedure to show the regulator's current contact details.

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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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