Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY350115 Unique Reference Number 31 July 2008 Inspection date Doreen Forsyth 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 May 2007. She lives in a three-bedroom detached home in Warminster, Wiltshire, with her two year old daughter.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

All of the home except for one bedroom is available for childcare; there is an enclosed rear garden for outdoor play. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children at any one time. The registration also includes overnight care for one child aged under two years. Currently there are two toddlers and an older child on roll, who are all cared for on a part-time basis.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association. There are no household pets.

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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 kept well and healthy because the childminder follows very good hygiene procedures. Children play in a clean home environment, the childminder uses good procedures to prevent the possible spread of infection. The children are beginning to learn about keeping themselves healthy, for example, they are learning to wash their hands when necessary. All the documentation and records that help to ensure children's health and well-being are in place including a suitable sickness policy which is shared with parents. The childminder holds a current first aid training certificate.

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Helping children to be healthy

All the children's meals and snacks are provided by the childminder. She provides varied and nutritious home cooked meals, parents are kept informed of the weekly menus. She promotes healthy eating and ensures children always have enough drinking water. If children have any special dietary requirements these are well noted and catered for.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder ensures children have plenty of opportunities to play outside and take part in physical exercise. They enjoy playing in the garden or visiting nearby play parks. The childminder takes children to soft play centres or for local walks.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children play in safety in the childminder's home. The home and garden are kept very secure and the childminder has risk assessed her home to ensure she has identified and minimised any potential hazards to the children. She takes good fire safety precautions and with the children has worked out how the home would be evacuated in an emergency if necessary. When she takes the children on an outing the childminder ensures she has carried out a thorough risk assessment first.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children play freely in the childminder's lounge and dining room, they have access there to a wide range of well maintained, suitable and safe toys; these are stored within children's reach so that the toddlers can easily choose what they wish to play with.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are very well safeguarded; the childminder is confident in the procedures she would follow if she was concerned about a child's well-being and safety and she has attended some child protection training. Parents are informed of the childminder's responsibilities in regard to child protection in their parent's information pack.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. The children are very well settled; they enjoy their time with the childminder. Children are offered a very wide range of interesting, age appropriate activities each day; these play opportunities are very well planned to ensure the children learn and develop at their own speed and on an individual basis. The childminder chooses a monthly theme and plans different activities and outings to link to the theme, for example, they all recently visited 'Butterfly World' linked to the topic of 'the world around us'.

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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 The childminder observes and records the children's progress and uses these observations to plan for the next steps in their learning using activities that interest and engage the children. Children's progress is recorded in their 'progress books' and in the many photos that are available for parents to see.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children frequently go out and about with the childminder; they visit a toddler group, and attend the local childminding group; they enjoy visiting the library and toy library and going on outings, they like playing in the garden or going for walks. Children have ample opportunities to begin to learn to interact with other adults and children. The childminder constantly engages with and talks to the children, encouraging their emerging speech and language skills.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The childminder welcomes all children, including those that have disabilities or learning difficulties. She works closely with parents to ensure each child's individual needs are met, and that children feel valued and confident. Children are learning to behave well, the childminder encourages them to be polite and use please and thank you, she praises their suitable behaviour and achievements. Older children help to write their own behaviour policy.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children begin to learn about the diversity of the world around them; they play with some toys, such as play foods from around the world, and look at books that show different cultures, although the range available to them is quite limited. With the childminding group they sometimes celebrate special events and festivals.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the excellent relationship the childminder builds with parents. Parents are kept well informed about what their children do during the day, through the children's progress books, daily diaries, photographs and verbal exchanges at the end of the day. They receive copies of all the policies and procedures that the childminder uses and a comprehensive parent's information pack. The childminder gives parents written information about the complaints procedures and asks for written feedback about the provision she provides.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder is very dedicated to providing a well-organised and efficient childminding service. She attends relevant training and has recently achieved local 'childminding network' status. The childminder ensures that all adults in the household are suitably vetted and makes sure that any unvetted adults do not have unsupervised contact with the children. All the legally required documentation that helps to promote children's health, safety and wellbeing are well kept and are securely and confidentially stored, including a very accurate record of the children's attendance.

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Organisation

The childminder understands the necessary adult to child ratios that she must adhere to, and has generally organised her time well to meet the needs of the very young children she cares for. However, very occasionally the needs of one child can slightly detract from the attention and supervision that she can give to the others in her care. Overall, the childminder meets the needs of the range of the children for whom she provides.

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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

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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): • ensure children have access to a varied range of resources that help them to learn to value diversity.

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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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