Wood End Primary School

Inspection report for early years provision

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136737 Unique Reference Number 27 March 2008 Inspection date Pamela Patricia Paisley 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 was registered in 1993. She lives with her husband and two adult children in Beckenham. The whole ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden available 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 and is currently minding two children under five and one school aged child. The childminder attends the local parent/toddler group and the family has a cat. The childminder is a member of Bromley Cluster Childminding Net Work and is on the executive committee for Bromley's Early Years Development and Child Care Practice.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. The childminder ensures that children can take part in an excellent range of physical activities that are well planned to help them make good progress in their physical development. They have plenty of opportunities to visit soft play areas and toddler groups where they can ride

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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 bikes and use climbing frames. Older children are greatly encouraged to join after school clubs and thoroughly enjoy cross country running and rugby. As a result, children are developing a positive attitude to exercise and a growing awareness of the importance of physical exercise to stay healthy. Children's hygiene knowledge is greatly enhanced as the childminder teaches them the importance of washing their hands before meals and after using the bathroom. She maintains very high standards of hygiene throughout her home and children use paper towels to prevent cross infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder has an excellent understanding of food nutrition and provides an extremely wide menu of meals and snacks, which are shared and discussed in great detail with parents. Children eat very healthily and enjoy a vast selection of home made meals that are freshly cooked each day. A substantial range of dishes are provided such as fruit platters, yogurts, tortilla wraps with chicken salad, cottage pie with peas and carrots, baked cod with mixed vegetables and chicken with stir fried vegetables and rice. The childminder has an excellent awareness of food hygiene as she has undertaken training.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. The childminder has an excellent understanding of how to protect children, and recognises that this is her first priority. She is vigilant, aware of the signs and symptoms of possible abuse and knows the appropriate procedures to follow should she have concerns about a child in her care. High priority is given to ensuring that children remain safe in the childminder’s home. An effective range of safety devices, such as safety gates, socket covers and smoke alarms are fitted throughout her home and extensive risk assessments are carried out each day before the children arrive to minimise potential dangers.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children have easy access to an extensive range of high quality play materials, toys and resources that are regularly checked by the childminder to ensure that they are safe for the children. The childminder has comprehensive emergency evacuation procedures in place, which are very clear and help children learn about fire safety. Children practise regular fire drills so they develop a clear understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Meticulous attention is given to ensuring children are kept safe on outings. The childminder ensures parents give written permission for their children to be transported in a vehicle and that children sit in appropriate car seats when travelling in a car.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. The childminder has an excellent understanding of how young children learn and how to provide an environment where children are fully involved and engrossed in an exciting range of highly innovative and developmentally appropriate indoor and outdoor activities which provide optimal challenge. An excellent balance of learning and play opportunities are offered each day. The childminder uses her vast knowledge of the Birth to three matters framework and the Foundation Stage curriculum to ensure that children's all round development needs are greatly enhanced. Children take part in exciting and stimulating outings to farm parks where they can feed the animals, they visit wild life centres and museums and regularly go to toddler groups so they can socialise with their peers. Children are very involved in choosing the resources that they play with and often go shopping with the childminder and help to choose books and make

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

suggestions about play materials they would like.

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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 Babies have great fun exploring activity centres, shape sorters, puzzles and dolls. They delight in learning and saying new words as they look at picture books with the childminder and point to pictures of siblings who they recognise in pictures displayed of children taking part in stimulating activities. Children have excellent opportunities to dress up, do arts and crafts, use and make play dough, dance and listen to music, learn to knit, embroider and use a sewing machine. This helps them to embrace and learn valuable life skills. Children have a patch in the childminder’s garden where they can grow strawberries, tomatoes, cucumber and sunflowers. This helps them to develop hands-on experience of growing their own vegetables, fruit and investigate living things. The childminder knows each child extremely well and ensures that all

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

the children have quality time with her. She supports older children with their homework, which ensures that they gain high levels of reassurance and self-esteem.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. The childminder is strongly committed to inclusion and enthusiastic about undertaking relevant training, which has given her substantial knowledge and understanding of how to provide inclusive care for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Children have very clear boundaries set by the childminder, which encourages exceptional behaviour. There are clear ‘house rules’ that are displayed in words and pictures and the children very often remind each other about the importance of sharing and listening when someone speaks. Children benefit from a vast amount of praise and encouragement from the childminder, who also takes into account each child’s age and stage of development as she helps them learn right from wrong. Her calm and consistent approach means children are learning to be polite and show great consideration for others.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s knowledge and understanding about diversity is strongly enhanced as they celebrate various festivals throughout the year and have a chance to taste foods from around the world and discuss how other people live, with the childminder. They have access to an extensive range of books and resources that promote positive images of culture, ethnicity, gender and disability. The childminder has a very close and strong relationship with parents. This helps ensure children are settled and secure. The childminder uses photographs and video clips to share activities children have taken part in. They receive comprehensive feedback on a daily basis about their children’s day and childminder shares a broad range of child care articles with them that she collects regularly.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The childminder’s home is extremely child centred, giving children great opportunities to play and learn in a highly stimulating home environment where they are highly motivated and very confident to initiate their own activities. The childminder has a strong focus on the all round development and achievement of all children in her care and has attended a vast amount of training courses to enhance her child care knowledge. She has taken appropriate steps to prepare herself for the new Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and has parent contact books, foundation stage planning information and look, listen and note observation books in place, ready to implement.

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Organisation

The childminder works extremely hard to monitor and maintain a high standard of care. There are well organised comprehensive policies and procedures in place that fully supports the

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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 childminder in giving utmost priority in protecting all children, promoting their well-being and supporting them to develop their full potential. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The last inspection recommended that the childminder ensure that the water feature at the rear of her garden is made safe or inaccessible to children and that her MOT certificate is available at inspection. The childminder has made the water feature in her garden safe and inaccessible to children and all necessary car documents are kept with childminding records so that they are readily available at inspection.

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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 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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