Leigh Primary School

Inspection report for early years provision

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118278 Unique Reference Number 14 February 2008 Inspection date Lorraine Sparey Inspector

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Integrated 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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are outstanding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder has been registered since 1996. She lives with her husband and two children aged 10 and 14 years. They live in a large house in a cul-de-sac in Portishead. The whole of the ground floor and two of the bedrooms and the bathroom on the first floor are used for childminding. There is an enclosed garden available for outside play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of six children may attend any one time and there are currently seven children on roll aged under eight years and additional children aged over eight years.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The family have a number of pets, a dog, mice, and rabbits, which are generally kept separated from children and also four tortoises and some fish.

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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 The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association. She is also a member of the Gordano and Portishead accredited childminding network, and the Avon and Somerset Constabulary networks. The childminder walks to take and collect children from the local schools.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children flourish and thrive in the setting. They benefit from the childminder providing a broad range of healthy, nutritious and appetising meals. Children enjoy learning about healthy options during discussion and well-planned activities. Several children explore and investigate a wide variety of fresh fruits. They are provided with their own plates, knives and fruits to promote their independence. Children talk about the texture of the fruit, smells and tastes. A child is so absorbed in the activity the childminder suggests they may like to make a fresh fruit salad for lunch.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children follow exceptionally good hygiene routines. They know and understand when and why they wash their hands and confidently tell an adult, 'We need to wash germs away. Otherwise we will get poorly'. Children confidently point to their own towel and know which towel belongs to which child. This ensures that cross infection is minimised. Children automatically cover their mouth with their hands when coughing and know why. They dispose of tissues appropriately, promoting their own health and that of others. The childminder implements an effective range of policies to promote children's overall health and well-being. All required documentation is clear and extremely well-organised.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have excellent opportunities to play and exercise in the fresh air. They regularly walk to and from school, preschool and structured groups in the community. They have fantastic opportunities to play in the well resourced garden. Children understand the importance of maintaining healthy lifestyles because the childminder continually talks with them about exercise, and nutritious diets.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children are cared for in an extremely child friendly, safe and secure environment. The childminder prepares children for specific events to ensure that they are familiar and secure. For example, children enjoy listening to the story about a childminder who is having an Ofsted inspection. The childminder provides opportunities for children to talk about what happens during an inspection and what the Inspector will be doing. Consequently, children are well prepared for the inspection. Children safely choose from an extensive range of high quality resources. The environment is well organised to ensure that children can safely move around. All required safety equipment is in place and children understand the importance of keeping safe. For example, children know that when the childminder is cooking they are not allowed in the kitchen. A stairgate acts as a gentle reminder. Children are encouraged to safely use the

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

stairs. The childminder has taught them to come down the stairs on their bottoms. The

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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 childminder places a high emphasis on safety and ensures that younger children are fully supervised at all times.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

A very effective emergency plan and detailed information ensures that children are safe in the event of an emergency. They regularly practise the fire drill to ensure that they are all familiar with how to exit the home quickly and safely. Children are protected from harm and neglect because the childminder has attended training and is very clear on possible signs and symptoms of potential abuse. She has effective procedures to follow in the event of a concern being raised. A comprehensive and detailed policy provides parents with information on the childminder's role and responsibility in safeguarding children from harm.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children enthusiastically participate in a range of interesting and stimulating activities. They have fantastic opportunities to visit local places of interest increasing their enjoyment and learning. The childminder uses the Birth to three matters framework and her own experiences to plan and provide excellent play opportunities for children to develop and learn. Children are exceptionally well supported in their play. The childminder takes an active role and is skilled in extending children's enjoyment and learning. The childminder provides a balance of adult lead and child initiated play opportunities. Children enjoy opportunities to play board games. Several children play a shopping game with the childminder. They laugh as the shopping trolley collapses and the game starts again. Children respond to the childminder's genuine affection and they enjoy cuddles.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Children are making exceptional progress in their learning because the childminder has a secure understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and provides excellent opportunities to enhance children's learning. For example, children's interests in the natural world are followed through a variety of innovative activities. Children observe and help care for tortoises, watching as their eggs hatch. The childminder takes photographic evidence to further support children's learning and interest. Children have opportunities to observe the life cycle of a butterfly. The environment and resources provide a rich and stimulating learning environment. The childminder is particularly skilled at providing a balance of adult led and child initiated play to maximise children's learning opportunities. She completes detailed and regular observations to plot the children's progress and ensure

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

that the next steps in their learning are correctly identified and planned for. Children are exceptionally well supported in their play and learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are extremely confident and motivated in their learning. They show high levels of concentration and interest in the activities. Children show consideration to their peers and are developing secure relationships with the childminder and their friends. Children's language is developing well. Children talk about a friend who lives in Thailand. They confidently show an adult where Thailand is on the world map. They go on to point to other areas of the world that have significance to them, for example, Egypt and New York where children have been on

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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 holiday. Children enjoy writing a shopping list. The childminder supports them saying, 'We need to get some batteries. Can you put that on your list please'.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have lots of opportunities to develop their own creative ideas. They operate simple programs on the computer to design their own pictures which they then print. Children enjoy using stickers, cards, scissors and crayons to make their own creative pictures. The childminder provides a fantastic range of resources to develop their imagination. Children enjoy dressing up and using the dolls, buggies and cot to act out familiar roles. They visit a music fun session where they make their own instruments and experiment with a wide range of musical instruments listening to the different sounds that they make.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy visiting the local veterinary surgeon's following up the theme about their pets. They make a wall poster displaying their ideas about what they had seen and their own pets. The childminder has numerous pets herself which the children take an active part in looking after. They are fascinated as they watch tortoise eggs hatch. They enjoy planting hyacinths and watching them grow.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children's individual needs are exceptionally well met. The childminder implements highly effective policies and procedures to ensure that children's ideas are valued, any individual requirements are adhered to. Children have excellent opportunities to learn about the wider world and to value and celebrate differences. They learn about other faiths and cultures through discussion and projects. Children celebrate a broad range of festivals throughout the year increasing their awareness of diversity. The childminder also involves children in charitable events, such as a sponsored bike ride, raising funds for Child Line. A child tells an adult, 'I want to do it again'. Children are considerate to each other; they learn to recognise the feelings of others through well planned out activities. For example, children make their own 'feelings books'. Children look in the mirror experimenting with facial expressions and draw pictures in

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Helping children make a positive contribution

their books about what makes them happy, sad and upset. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are very well behaved given their age and stage of development. Older children take responsibility for their behaviour. They have opportunities to devise their own general rules with the childminder's help, which they all follow. These are displayed in the playroom. Children respond exceptionally well to the childminder's consistent use of praise and encouragement and her high expectations for the children. This develops children's confidence and builds their self-esteem.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder has effective procedures to ensure that all children are included. She has attended training on inclusion and has reviewed her practice to ensure that children with additional needs would be well supported. Children and their families are warmly welcomed and the environment promotes children's sense of belonging. Photographs of the children involved in a variety of activities are displayed at child height. Children enjoy telling an adult about the different photographs and their enjoyment is obvious.

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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 Partnership with parents and carers is outstanding. The childminder implements highly effective systems to ensure that parents are fully included in every aspect of their child's development and learning. The childminder values parents and children's views. Each child has a daily journal which provides detailed information about the activities they have participated in and other useful information. Photographs are provided, giving parents the opportunities to see their children involved in purposeful play. The childminder regularly seek the views of the parents through effective questionnaires. A comprehensive range of well-written policies and procedures is available for parents. This ensures that all parties are familiar with the service offered.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides. Children benefit from the childminder's exceptional commitment to training and in providing positive outcomes for children. She welcomes every training opportunity and recognises that best practice is ever changing. The space and resources are used very successfully to promote children's learning and development. Children demonstrate increasing independence in their own play and learning. They actively initiate play opportunities which are effectively supported by the childminder. Children's play and learning is significantly enhanced because the childminder is exceptionally well organised in her routines, food is prepared in advance and activities organised. This allows her to spend all her time actively playing and talking with the children.

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Organisation

The childminder is exceptionally well organised in her record keeping. All the required documentation is in place and monitored to ensure that children's needs are met. Parents receive copies of all documentation to ensure that they are well-informed.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the childminder agreed to review training needs and continuing professional development. The childminder is extremely committed to developing her practice and training. She attends a wide variety of training opportunities throughout the year. This ensures that she increases her knowledge and understanding in childcare related subjects and provides best 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 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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are outstanding.

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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 nursery education

recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of nursery education are outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

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 nursery education

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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