Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY365929 Unique Reference Number 13 May 2008 Inspection date Rachel Ruth Britten 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 2008. She lives with her husband and two children in Walgherton, near Nantwich. The whole of the house is available for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder walks to the local school to take and collect children and she has a car available for use for other trips. She currently has five children on roll and visits local toddler groups, farms and play grounds.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children's health is excellent because the childminder offers a great variety of daily fresh air, exercise activities and an extremely healthy diet. For example, children walk to and from school, play football and bounce on the trampoline in the garden. They often play cricket and have picnics and games in a nearby field with other minded children after school. The childminder makes sure that they have drinks available outside as well as indoors, and they choose to eat their tea outside on the day of inspection. Meals are all home made and children are fully involved in helping with preparations and clearing up. Children are having a real experiences

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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 of healthy lifestyles, through taking part in growing pumpkins, sunflowers and tomatoes both at the childminder's house and their own homes and they put together their own pizzas on the day of inspection, using pineapple, tomato paste, peppers, mushrooms, cheese and ham.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have an outstanding understanding of how to maintain their own health, because the childminder teaches them to be thorough with washing their hands after outside play, or using the toilet and before any meals. She teaches them to remember their sun hats and sun creams by keeping these near the door, and involves them in cleaning tables before and after use with anti-bacterial sprays. Throughout, the childminder is encouraging and vigilant, showing them patiently if they are using the liquid soap instead of the cleaning agent for the table, and skilfully balancing children's needs for independence with the need to ensure that they have enough help to do things properly. As a result, children have a good level of independence and understanding about how to stay healthy, and are very confident and willing to contribute to the setting and try new foods.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are protected from becoming ill through very good procedures to ensure this. First aid supplies are ready to use and the childminder has a paediatric first aid qualification. She keeps written parental consent and records of all medicines given, although the need for this has not yet arisen. All parents have signed their consent for the childminder, or her emergency back-up person, to obtain emergency medical advice or treatment should their child require this, and there is a clear sickness policy. Children enjoy a very healthy and varied diet, with an emphasis upon five portions of fruits and vegetables per day. The childminder has experience in the food industry and brings this to bear by producing all meals from scratch and where possible without eggs, so that the allergies of children present are taken safely into account without them having to eat different foods. Meals are sociable occasions where everyone helps

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Helping children to be healthy

and talks together about their day, so that good table manners are developed as well as consideration for one another.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are kept very safe and secure both indoors and outdoors, because the childminder places high importance upon this area of her responsibilities, and successfully teaches children to understand and be responsible for their own safety. She achieves this through consistent boundaries and vigilance, having set up the kitchen, play room and downstairs toilet areas as the centre of childminding activities. From here, she is able to see and hear children at all times, even when they are playing in the garden. Through good use of risk assessments, the childminder has made the play environment suitable and safe. For example, with safety film on the greenhouse and the removal of cleaning agents from the downstairs bathroom to a locked kitchen cupboard. The side gate to the drive is kept shut at all times and is also used for parental access, so that the childminder can always stay at the rear of the house where she can supervise

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

children on the netted trampoline, or see them as they play in the open garage on the pool table.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are taught to take responsibility for their safety, and older ones are taught to set good examples to pre-school children, for example, by sitting properly on chairs and not swinging backwards. Older children can clearly describe how to escape and where to assemble in the event of an emergency, and door and window keys are kept out of reach of pre-school children. Children practise crossing roads each day as they go to school. The childminder has specific parental consent and safety rules for use of the trampoline so that children can enjoy this safely

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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 too. It is guarded, the childminder is always present and children always use it without any other toys or food on it.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children use a wealth of stimulating equipment, toys and craft resources which are checked for safety and are clearly organised and accessible in storage boxes on low shelves in the play room. Pre-school children have helped to label and organise the resources and they know where everything is, from the paper and pens, to the dressing up, musical instruments, cars and computer games. They can confidently fetch, carry and set things up from various rooms. Children are very safe in an emergency because contingency plans are thorough. Reciprocal emergency plans are in place with a nearby childminder who knows all the children well. Escape plans have been written and are practised, along with smoke alarm tests and occasional Fire Safety Officer checks. In addition, the childminder always has her mobile phone and children's contact details with her in her portable first aid kit. She thinks through the potential risks of

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

every trip before she goes and conducts travel and visits to public places with full attention to safe practices.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are very well protected from abuse because the childminder is confident that she is able to put appropriate child protection procedures into practice if necessary. She utilises the latest safeguarding information and ensures that parents read her child protection policy, and inform her about any changes in home circumstances which may be adversely affecting their child. She knows what to do if an allegation of abuse were to be made against her, and keeps the contact details for social services and the police on her notice board for quick reference.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very happy and settled, making secure and positive relationships with children of various ages in the childminder's home. The childminder is naturally very warm and caring and gets completely involved, playing on the floor, talking and providing ample choices and ideas, encouraging children to extend and develop their play and learning through her questions or ideas. For example, she provides varied arts and crafts materials for children to extend their creative and small motor skills, as they enjoy making picture frames or decorating cakes to take home for their parents. They also have excellent physical play opportunities in the large rear garden, garage and nearby field, enjoying football, pool, ride on toys, cricket, rugby and trampolining. School age children enjoy using appropriate electronic football games on the computer too. They have a stimulating balance of activities and enjoy playing in various

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

groupings. They persist and enjoy themselves immensely because they make independent choices about what to do, and the childminder supports this skilfully. As soon as children want to move on, she helps them to tidy up, clear space and offers further choices, but also makes links so that children's learning is consolidated and they can build upon what they know. For example, children continue to water the vegetables and flowers they are growing, and take pictures of activities they have enjoyed to look at and talk about in the future.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have ample time to have active fun and develop their social and domestic skills as they make their own pizzas or play interactive team games on the computer. The childminder encourages them to be involved in all aspects of the running of the home, so that they help with laying and cleaning the table for meals and clearing up afterwards. Equally, their conversational and intellectual abilities are very well stimulated because the childminder naturally talks to children as they play or eat about what they are doing or would like to do. Through full involvement in day to day experiences inside and outside the home children are quickly acquiring good social, literacy and number skills. They regularly go to pre-schools, farms and

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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 other people's homes where they have good opportunities for learning, socialising and making increasing sense of how communities, friendships and families work. The childminder makes good use of internet sites and information to obtain new games and art and craft ideas. She uses a camera to document children's fun and achievements as they play, but she is not yet keeping written notes of significant things they do and say to illustrate how they are making progress. Nevertheless, the childminder is well aware of what each child can do, and does keep in mind what she would like to help each one to move towards achieving next.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children in the setting have developed a very good sense of belonging and feel secure because the childminder is skilled at providing love and security combined with as much independence as possible. She already knows the children and their families through football club and school and she builds upon this through her strong communication and home-making skills. Children have somewhere to put their bags and coats, and they are fully included in everything from the moment they arrive or are collected from school. The childminder asks for details of children's particular likes and dislikes before they start, and she asks parents to keep her informed of any significant events which might affect the child's mood or well-being.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children enjoy some games, books and figures which show positive images of people from around the world, and the childminder has found out about the celebrations and festivals of various different cultures during the year. Child minded children are encouraged to include and accept all others into their play environment, and to play with consideration for one another's age and stage of development. Likewise, they are allowed to play with whatever games and activities they choose, regardless of any gender norms. Children receive support to behave well because the childminder is clear, vigilant and consistent in her approach. She expects good manners and focuses upon distraction and positive behaviour management to support good behaviour. She praises all participation and effort, and is sensitive to children's varying moods and energy levels after school. She is loving and fun to be with and supports each child as an

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Helping children make a positive contribution

individual. As a result, children behave well, want to please her and use of the behaviour incident record has not been needed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s needs are met very well through particularly strong partnerships with parents and families. The childminder is open and communicative with parents and is able to describe her childminding service clearly both verbally and on paper. She gives all parents a full set of her policies and delivers her service consistently according to these. She welcomes parents into her home where they can see her in practice and she frequently gives them photos, text messages and things that the children have made so that they feel involved in what their child is doing. Parents letters show that they are delighted with the care, healthy meals, attention to fairness and behaviour boundaries and the standard of organisation. They also appreciate the emphasis upon children growing up to be happy, healthy and contributing members of society without undue emphasis upon material things.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder has a high regard for the well-being of all children and thoroughly enjoys her work. She has prepared a comprehensive portfolio of policies and procedures about essential elements of her service and maintains a 'complaints, compliments and suggestions' file. In

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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 addition, the childminder displays all relevant certificates, insurances and information on her parent notice board so that parents know the fire drill procedure and how to contact Ofsted, for example. She actively reviews and develops her service, using a self evaluation format and an improvement document for child carers called 'moving on'. She is also keen to attend further relevant training, including courses on using nature in play and on the Early years Foundation Stage.

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Organisation

The childminder is well organised on a daily basis, making sure that the routines of the day provide for children to be reliably taken to and collected from, all the schools and pre-schools that they normally attend. There is a simple daily routine and the play space and resources themselves are invitingly organised in the rooms children use. The childminder organises herself to be within sight and hearing of all the rooms and the garden when she is in the kitchen. She also very successfully provides for children to participate alongside her in all the routines of the day, so that she can be with children nearly all the time anyway.

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Organisation

The childminder's procedures work well in practice to promote children’s health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and ability to make a positive contribution. For example, required written child details, detailed consents and contracts ensure that all children have any essential individual needs met, and good care is given according to parents' wishes. Records about individual children are kept confidential and the daily attendance register is completed as children arrive and depart so that it accurately reflects who is on the premises if there is an emergency. Accident, medication and incident records have not yet been utilised.

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Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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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): • extend the recording of children's progress and development.

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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 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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