Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY350204 Unique Reference Number 28 April 2008 Inspection date Jan Leo 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 satisfactory. 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 registered in 2007. She lives with her partner and three children aged 10, eight and three years on a new residential housing estate to the north of Banbury town centre. Local facilities include shops, park, school, and a community centre.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The children play on the ground floor of the property and rest or sleep in bedrooms on the first floor. 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 up to five children under the age of eight years and currently looks after two children under the age of five years on a full time basis.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children benefit from free access to the garden in order to take in fresh air while they play. They dress appropriately to keep them comfortable and spend much of their time running about and kicking balls to develop their physical skills and coordination. The children have their own

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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 travel cot and separate bedding when sleeping, to help them feel secure and avoid the spread of germs. The childminder changes nappies regularly and wipes the noses of young children whenever necessary, to help avoid soreness. The childminder has sufficient knowledge of first aid to treat children's injuries appropriately but the first aid box contains some out dated items which may no longer be sterile, compromising the healing process. Clear accident records are in place and the childminder shares these with parents and carers to keep them informed about their children's health issues. Medication records are less clear, lacking precise timings of some administered medicine, resulting in insufficient information when planning the time of subsequent doses. The children eat healthy snacks consisting of fresh fruit and a drink. The

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Helping children to be healthy

childminder cleans their hands before meals but does not do so routinely between garden play and mid morning snack to fully promote good hygiene. The children have free access to drinks and have different coloured beakers for them to identify their own easily. Some choose to drink from other children's cup, risking the spread of germs, but the childminder does little to avoid sharing of drinks and help children develop a better understanding of how to keep themselves healthy.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The children play in a light, spacious and well maintained setting which is child friendly and relatively easy to supervise. The childminder plays with the children in order to oversee safety throughout the day, and she uses stair gates and house rules to limit access to some areas of the home. The children play with a very suitable range of toys and equipment, including craft materials, role-play items and musical toys. They choose what to do from a range of pre-selected games positioned at low level for easy and safe access. The childminder checks all equipment as children play, in order to remove damaged or broken items and avoid injury. She completes daily safety checks before the children arrive, to remove hazards and keep all areas safe for those who attend. The childminder has a sound basic knowledge of child protection issues and understands her responsibility to safeguard children from harm. She holds useful reference

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

material on file to remind her of the correct procedure if she has concerns about a child, but she is slightly unclear about the regulations regarding informing Ofsted of concerns. The childminder recognises her lack of awareness of current thinking regarding child protection, and is seeking further training to update her knowledge of the procedure.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The children experience a wide range of learning opportunities throughout each day because the childminder has a good understanding of their interests and how children learn. The children have choices and regularly opt for outdoor play over the indoor activities. The childminder joins in games to point out, for example, that flowers are for smelling and not for walking on, or that a worm found in the grass is better off in the garden to help the plants. The childminder interacts constantly with the children to help them make sense of things, and she generally aims conversations at the right level to suit their understanding. The children have numerous changes of activity to ensure they remain productively occupied and happy throughout the day. As a result, they have a high level of interest in everything around them and play very well together. The childminder is extremely enthusiastic at all times and tirelessly praises children's

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

achievements to raise their self-esteem. Consequently, the children are very comfortable in her care; they are confident learners and thoroughly enjoy their day.

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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. All children feel very secure and valued because the childminder shows genuine affection for them, providing cuddles and consistent attention for all. The childminder shows a high level of interest in what the children do and values their opinions. She consistently praises and encourages to ensure children feel special and, as a result, the children are very relaxed and have a strong sense of belonging. The childminder has limited experience of children with special needs but is willing to accept any child and work with their parents to ensure effective and consistent care. The children benefit from the childminder's positive outlook, becoming eager to join in and striving to help whenever possible. They receive consistent messages to ensure they know what the childminder expects, with the childminder overlooking misdemeanours, such as throwing food on the floor, in order to focus on positive behaviour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder keeps parents fully informed about their children's day by inviting them in for informal discussion when they collect their children. Families see essential information on display in the hall, and have photograph albums for their children, showing many highlights of the day. There is a folder of policies and useful reference material for adults to view, to help them understand how the childminder meets the National Standards and tailors care to suit the individual. As a result, communication is open and the relationship with parents and carers is good.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides. The children benefit from a high level of attention and enjoy a varied range of stimulating activities to help them develop and learn. They learn some aspects of basic health and safety but the childminder does not automatically promote good hygiene at all times. The children have their individual needs met in order to settle well and become emotionally secure within the childminder's care. The childminder is interested in attending training to keep up to date and increase her skills but finds access to training difficult during the day. She strives to provide a reliable and consistent service and has all documentation, required by regulation, in place. Medication records, however, lack clarity and the childminder sometimes completes the daily attendance record in advance. It is not therefore entirely accurate to show precisely when the childminder's

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Organisation

responsibility begins and ends for each child.

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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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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

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 satisfactory. 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): • improve hygiene by routinely encouraging hand washing before and after eating, and ensuring the first aid box contains up to date supplies.

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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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