Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY357556 Unique Reference Number 10 July 2008 Inspection date Anne Mort 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 2007. She lives with her husband and two children aged six and 11 years in Bolton, Lancashire. The whole of the childminder’s house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed rear garden available for outside play. There are currently three children on roll. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children. She takes children on outings and attends the local toddler group.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are protected from the risk of infection because the childminder is an excellent role model to the children on hygiene practice. Children's health is very well promoted. They very quickly develop self-care skills because the childminder makes suitable resources available to them, such as individual towels, combs and toothbrushes. Hand washing is very much a part of the daily routine and children know, without being asked, to wash their hands before their lunch.

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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 Children's physical development is well promoted. They have opportunity to develop small muscle control as they use crayons and paintbrushes and persevere in their attempt to start and stop a push button toy. Art work on display in the room illustrates that they also take part in using creative materials. In outdoor play, children develop large muscle control in the use of suitable equipment, such as wheeled toys, swings, balls and a slide. The childminder actively promotes fresh air and exercise. The rear patio area is partially covered enabling children to play out on rainy days. She takes children out on regular walks to and from school. She also arranges with parents for membership for their child at a local gym where she takes children swimming.

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Helping children to be healthy

Individual and personal information is discussed with parents to ensure their child's health and medical needs, if any, are identified and adhered to. Children's health is further supported by the childminder's knowledge of first aid and the system in place to record the administration of medicine and accidents.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder makes children aware of healthy food options and provides healthy snacks such as fruit. When asked if they are still hungry children ask for cucumber. Children are frequently asked if they would like a drink and know they can ask if they are thirsty, thus becoming aware of their body's needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Parents send in a packed lunch, the contents of which are appropriately stored in the fridge. Children quickly learn good social habits as the childminder makes child sized tables and chairs available for them to sit comfortably to have their snack, and later, their lunch. The childminder presents these times as sociable, unhurried occasions, where children are praised for their good manners and for eating their food.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children play in a tidy, well maintained home where rooms are set up with interesting resources. This encourages children to explore and choose items to play with. They can walk around the rooms independently and their safety is promoted by the physical layout of furniture, toys and equipment. The childminder takes care to present uncluttered floors and clear walking space near doorways.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are given choices and select activities from a variety of good quality resources that include a paint easel, dolls, prams, musical instruments, number and language games, construction materials, creativity materials and jigsaws. Children's safety is supported as their play is supervised by the childminder. She monitors the presentation of play materials to make sure they are safe and appropriate for the children's age and stage of development.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

On the whole, risks to children are minimised as the childminder takes steps to provide for their safety, for example, the provision of safety equipment throughout the home and the safe storage of cleaning materials. However, hazards are identified in that, indoors, the electric meter cupboard is accessible to children and outside, the safety gate for the patio area is leaning against a wall but is not secured. Written evidence illustrates that fire drills are carried out but, due to the times these occur, not all children have experienced these. However, the childminder's planning supports children's safety. There is an evacuation procedure in place with particular use of a loud whistle alerting neighbours if there is a real emergency.

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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 and safety is promoted by the procedures in place and documents held about child protection. The childminder is aware of her role in child protection issues and makes information available to parents.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children readily leave their parents and happily settle in the childminder's home. Their enjoyment and achievements are very well promoted through the documentation in place. This includes photographs of children at play and displays of their art work.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder is aware of the short concentration span of young children. She provides a stimulating environment that allows children to self-select activities that interest them. For instance, they move freely from jigsaw work to musical instruments. The childminder extends this activity and develops children's sense of rhythm and memory recall by suggesting singing familiar songs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder provides interesting and challenging resources such as jigsaws where children encounter varying degrees of difficulty to reach completion. Children quickly learn numbers have meaning because the childminder uses number language in her everyday talk with the children. For instance, when using a clock jigsaw children also look at the real clock and the childminder talks about what the numbers mean, tells children the time and what they are going to do next.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's language and conversational skills are significantly enhanced. This is due to the childminder using age appropriate and stimulating language with them. She is very skilful in promoting children's self-esteem as they try to copy her words or use language to communicate their thoughts and wishes. She uses simple sentence construction in her language with them. She values their input and always waits for their contribution to the conversation. For instance, children confidently and happily engage in conversation as they use the paint easel and talk about the colours and that they are going to take the painting home.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are becoming independent learners and develop manipulative skills as they handle the resources and discover what they can do with them. They become aware and talk about how dry sand slips through their fingers and discover the use of wet sand because the childminder then makes water available to them for mixing to take place. They develop their concentration span as they persevere in their attempt to make a sand castle. There is an unhurried atmosphere and the childminder gives value to the activity by asking appropriate questions.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder reassures children as they play or come to her with toys. She sits at their level, maintains eye to eye contact and listens to them. She joins in their play and there is spontaneous fun. Children shriek with laughter in the shared activities. For instance, indoors, they know the 'swinging game' and run to her with arms outstretched ready to be held up and turned around. In outdoor play she plays ball with them. When the ball becomes stuck in the branches of a tree a sweeping brush is used to dislodge it. Children find this highly amusing and use their physical ability with the brush to get the ball down. The childminder senses their enjoyment and allows for the ball to become 'stuck' several times to the high delight of the children. Children thoroughly enjoy their time with the childminder and their learning and development is significantly enhanced.

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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 develop confidence and positive self-esteem through the interaction, care and attention they receive from the childminder. She supports their emotional needs and offers and accepts close physical contact and cuddles. She treats each child with care and respect. Children's needs are very well met as they take part in a care routine agreed between the childminder and the parents.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder works in a calm, consistent manner. As a result children are very well behaved. Children use suitable resources, both age appropriate and those to present a realistic and effective challenge. They are supported and supervised by the childminder as they choose where to play and what to play with. This develops their independence as they select resources and activities that interest them, for instance, balls, chalking on an easel and using a programmable toy. There are resources and books available for children to use and posters on display that promote positive images of diversity. Children view and experience the wider world as they are taken on outings, for instance, to the park, the zoo and activity play venues.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

All children are welcome in the provision and the childminder seeks additional information where a child has a specific need. Children's care and well-being is very well supported. Parents note on documentation relevant details about their child to enable the childminder to provide appropriate care.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is very well promoted. They are welcome to visit with their child before the child starts and staged introductory visits for a child are arranged. The childminder establishes contractual and consensual agreements with parents that inform of her planning and routine. Parents are then kept well informed about the childminding provision because the childminder makes her written policies and procedures known to them and a list of planned activities and events is on display.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

In addition to this each child has their own file with evidence of their play, their art work is on display and photographs are available that illustrate children at play and on outings. There are arrangements in place for the childminder to exchange information about a child and the events of the day when the child is collected.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's welfare and all-round development is promoted. Children are secure and at ease in the well organised environment. The childminder is aware to keep children safe from persons who have not undertaken a vetting procedure and is extra vigilant when on outings. These are often undertaken with other registered childminders to further promote children's safety.

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Organisation

Children play in tidy, uncluttered rooms with easy access to outside play. These areas give space for free movement and exploration. Children's needs are met as the childminder manages her time effectively. She attends to children's developmental needs in the provision of suitable resources. She makes parents aware that she arranges for a back up service from other registered childminders should the need arise, thus children are in contact with adults already known to them.

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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 The childminder's good knowledge of the National Standards for Childminding results in relevant documentation being in place. This is used very well to promote the welfare, care and learning of children. All policies and procedures relate to the planning and delivery of a good childminding service. They fully support the practice of a skilled practitioner. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Not applicable, this is the first inspection since registration.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration 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): • take reasonable steps to ensure hazards to children on the premises, both indoors and outside are minimised.

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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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