Childminder in Torbay

Inspection report for early years provision

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506172 Unique Reference Number 26 February 2008 Inspection date Juliet Eileen Hartridge 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 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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory. the time of the inspection there were no children in receipt of nursery education. Ofsted judges that the provider remains suitable to provide nursery education.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder was registered in 1999 and lives with her fiancé and three children in Torquay, within walking distance of local schools, pre-schools and other amenities. Children mainly play downstairs, and access upstairs to sleep. The childminder is registered to care for five children under eight years, overnight care is not included. There are currently ten children on roll, who attend on a part-time basis. The childminder is an accredited member of the local childminder network and receives regular support visits from the network co-ordinator. However there are currently no children attending who receive early years education. The family have a cat and two rabbits.

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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 well cared for in a clean environment. The childminder has clear health and sickness policies which are shared with parents and carers, and she ensures that children are protected from cross infection as they do not attend if they are sick. Wet wipes are readily available to clean children's hands as they finish painting, however children do not have consistent opportunities to learn about the importance of hygiene as they do not always wash or clean their hands before they eat their snack or lunch. Clear documentation is maintained and supports children's health well, including consents for emergency medical treatment and medication administration, and medication and accident records.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have good opportunities to benefit from healthy lifestyles, and the childminder is a positive role model when she enthusiastically promotes an enjoyment of exercise and being outdoors. Children go out for walks every day, weather permitting, and their skills are also developed whilst they play indoors when they use tweezers, paintbrushes and glue spreaders. Babies have plenty of space to crawl indoors and happily enjoy rapidly crawling after the balls they roll, and toddler gymnastics are also enjoyed regularly.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder has a good understanding of appropriate nutrition for young children, and encourages children's enjoyment of healthy choices of fresh fruit at snack time, and uses opportunities arising in themes to discuss topics such as fruit and vegetable growing. She actively promotes awareness of healthy eating and suitable packed lunches, through discussion with parents and carers, and has a typical menu plan displayed in her information pack to share with them. Water drinking is encouraged, and children have regular drinks when they are playing.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are well cared for in a safe home, where risk assessments are regularly undertaken, and although currently undergoing decoration, the childminder ensures that the home is safe and suitable for children every day. The home is very welcoming to children, as there are name labels above their coat hooks, and the interesting displays create a friendly and interesting environment. There is a wide range of suitable toys and resources which are set out for children to choose from every day according to their needs and interests. Safety equipment including gates at the kitchen door and stairs, as well as safety catches on the kitchen cupboards, and safely installed fire guard further support children's safety. They are well protected from the dangers of fire as the evacuation plan is recorded and regularly practised and the fire blanket and smoke detectors are appropriately installed. Visits to the fire station further encourage

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

children's awareness of fire safety. Children's safety is well promoted when they are outside. The garden is safely fenced and gated, and the childminder ensures the enclosed trampoline is used according to manufactures instructions, and her insurers are aware it that it is used by the children.

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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's welfare is well promoted due to the childminder's clear understanding of her responsibility to safeguard all children in her care, as well as her knowledge of appropriate child protection procedures. She has current guidance regarding safeguarding children, and this is available in her information folder for parents and carers to read.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children thrive; they are happy and secure, and clearly enjoy being with the childminder. Children have very warm relationships with the childminder who chats with them warmly whilst they play and encourages them to explore and discover. Conversations about what they are doing or have done in the past, naturally arise whilst the childminder thoughtfully encourages the developing skills of babies. Children enjoy a particularly stimulating and enjoyable range of very well presented activities, and the childminder is most creative in the way she uses simple resources from around the home to create interesting play opportunities. Children eagerly explore a wide variety of textures. They delight in sitting in a large tray of lentils and rice whilst busily filling jugs and containers of different sizes, pouring it through funnels and stirring it with wooden spoons and forks whilst comparing volume and quantity. The use of vocabulary

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

such as 'overflowing', 'small container' and 'full and empty' is skilfully encouraged by the childminder, who shows children how they can make patterns and marks in the rice. Children squeal with delight as they remove their socks and feel the grains tickle as they try to pick them up with their toes, their dexterity is extremely well promoted as they patiently use tweezers to transfer dry pasta to ice cube trays.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder uses her keen knowledge of the Birth to three matters framework to carefully plan interesting activities which are enjoyed by all. She uses a thematic approach and at present children are exploring growth. Interesting links are made using favourite books, for example children read The Very Hungry Caterpillar, before painting egg cartons bright green, filling them with wet cotton wool and sprinkling them with cress seeds. Babies enjoy feeling the wet cotton wool and the paint, and the childminder chats about how seeds grow and the importance of watering them regularly. The childminder also plans an interesting variety of outings, which widen the children's experiences in a most enjoyable way. These includes trips to the library, zoo, farm, country park and beach. Children benefit from socialising with larger groups of children when they attend parent and toddler groups or meet with other childminder's and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

There are currently no children currently on roll who are receiving funding for nursery education. However the childminder has a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage and how young children learn. She is able to plan and provide a suitable range of activities and experiences across the six areas of learning, taking the needs of individual children into account. She is able to assess children’s progress towards the early learning goals and help move children to the next stage in their learning.

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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 outstanding. The childminder is particularly well aware of the stages of development and interests of the children in her care and uses this knowledge to ensure their needs are appropriately met. She is regularly observes the children at play, and uses this information to help her devise the plans for the children's future play activities. The childminder ensures all children are included, carefully considering the needs of babies as well as children who may have specific needs, and making sure that play and routines are accessible and suitable for all. Children learn about diversity in a positive way, when they learn about Chinese New Year, and enjoy learning new skills such as eating with chopsticks, or look at interesting books. Children are very well occupied and this is reflected in their excellent behaviour as well as high levels of concentration whilst they play. The childminder is positive and encourages children's behaviour in a calm and friendly

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Helping children make a positive contribution

way, gently reminding them of expectations. Children are very helpful and thoughtful regarding the needs of others, readily helping the childminder to tidy up or take off the babies painting overall. Children are clearly valued and their self-esteem is very well promoted; they enthusiastically point out their art work which is most attractively displayed on the play area wall, or readily talk and laugh about their photos in their record books, whilst recalling what they were doing at the time.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder communicates most effectively with parents and carers, and this ensures they are clearly informed about her provision and consequently very well included in the care of their children. The childminder has produced a friendly and most informative prospectus, which outlines in detail her aims and objectives, as well as polices and procedures. The prospectus also contains most helpful information about the Birth to three framework and the Foundation Stage curriculum, and this as well as the displayed plans ensures that parents and carers are well informed about the play and learning provision for their children. Parents and carers also have most informative opportunities to learn about their children's progress when they look at the observation records maintained about their children, and enjoy the photos of their children at play or carefully documented examples of their art work. The childminder talks to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

the parents and carers regularly about their children's day. Documentation including comprehensive information forms, contracts and consent forms and compliments, complaints and suggestions records are in place to ensure that children are cared for according to their parents and carers wishes.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit from the childminder's good organisation, which enhances the care of children. The home is well organised and space has been created where resources such as a large tray in which children can sit to enjoy tactile play, can be set up, allowing plenty of room for crawling babies to move around the rest of the room. A low table and chairs enables the children to sit safely whilst they eat or enjoy creative activities, and a larger table is also available for older children to sit as a family group at mealtimes.

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Organisation

The childminder is very enthusiastic with an obvious enjoyment of her work with children. This is demonstrated by her commitment to training, as she has completed at least seven workshops

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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 and courses during the last two years. The childminder also regularly evaluates her provision, outlining in detail what she does well as well as identifying any areas in need of development. This, as well as helpful support visits from the childminding network co-ordinator, ensures that the quality of care provided for children is carefully sustained. Children's welfare is enhanced due to the childminder's methodical approach to documentation. Everything is stored tidily to hand, including the children's information forms and her registration and insurance certificates as well as the Ofsted information poster are displayed where parents and carers can read them. 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 improve her knowledge of child protection issues. The childminder attended child protection training in 2006, and also has current information regarding safeguarding children. She is now fully conversant with appropriate procedures, and this has resulted in an improvement of safety for children.

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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. 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 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 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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory. the time of the inspection there were no children in receipt of nursery education. Ofsted judges that the provider remains suitable to provide nursery education.

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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): • further develop children's awareness of appropriate hygiene routines before snack and mealtimes

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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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 • there are no recommendations raised, as children were not on roll at the time of the inspection.

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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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