Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY360851 Unique Reference Number 21 April 2008 Inspection date Christine Clint 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 registered in 2007. She lives with her husband and two children, one of whom attends school. The family home is situated close to Bognor Regis town centre and within walking distance of all amenities. Children play on the ground floor in the sitting/dining room and in the conservatory/playroom. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. Children use the bathroom on the first floor and an upstairs bedroom is available for sleeping. The childminder is currently caring for 11 children, during the week, for part time hours. She has completed the Introducing Child Care Practice course and has a current certificate in first aid training.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health is fully prioritised because the childminder is well organised and all the daily routines are planned. Everyone takes off their outdoor shoes when they arrive and the childminder has a cleaning schedule to show that most necessary household chores are carried out when children are not present. The home is clean and prepared for children. All nappy

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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 changing requirements are readily available and small children are supervised when using the upstairs bathroom. They clearly know the routines for hand washing and they also know the colour of their individual hand towels.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health needs are competently covered because the childminder has a full health folder available with information about a variety of childhood complaints. She has written her own policies and procedures to cover all hygiene and health requirements. A first aid kit is available and the childminder has recently attended training in first aid; all accident records are clearly described and signed by parents. Full details are also recorded when any medication is administered and the childminder thoroughly follows the regulatory requirements; she obtains separate written permission to seek any emergency medical treatment if required.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's nutrition is fully considered because the childminder has written a policy to show parents how she manages this. They eat healthy snacks of banana and raisins and drink milk or water. A planned menu is provided for any full meals that parents may require, and the childminder is willing to be flexible to meet children's needs. She shows an open and receptive attitude towards managing any special dietary needs or allergies and is prepared to seek advice. Children learn about describing tastes and textures of food, they learn new words to describe how the banana feels. They sit together and learn to follow simple house rules to encourage them to enjoy social interaction. Children have many opportunities to increase their skills of physical development. For example, they play on the outside apparatus available in the garden, they visit parent and toddler groups regularly and have many outings on foot in the locality.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children play very safely within the family home because all routines to manage their welfare and security are in place. They remain on the ground floor to play and freely use the sitting/dining room and the small conservatory. There are stair gates in place to prevent children from reaching the hall or the kitchen and they are supervised at all times, especially when they need to use the stairs. Children have an extensive range of play resources at their level and they can select items from around the main rooms or fetch them from the conservatory. The childminder prepares the play equipment in advance and she rotates this regularly to provide variety and to link with planned themes.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety and security is highly organised because the childminder has developed and included written policies to cover many eventualities. She ensures that all visitors to the home are recorded and this is explained to parents. There are sound routines in place for daily risk assessment and records show that these are recorded weekly and monthly. Fire safety is also very thorough; an evacuation procedure and a fire plan are displayed on the notice board and the childminder has a fire drill, log book. This shows the fire drills that children practise, approximately twice a month. These are varied to enable different children to practise and all fire equipment is in place. There are clearly written procedures for lost or uncollected children in the portfolio. The low glass on the kitchen door, which was discussed at the registration visit is now securely covered.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is soundly managed because the childminder has a strong understanding of how to safeguard children in her care; a written child protection policy is in place. She has also fully developed routines to protect herself and these procedures are included in a separate folder. The childminder provides effective information for parents to explain her duty to refer any concerns and she is prepared to record any injuries that children have on arrival.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children are entirely happy in the home because the childminder shows continual interest in their play and in providing ideas to extend their thoughts and develop their learning. She is very aware of children's individual ability to feel secure, especially younger, newly attending children and she continues with their own routines until they are fully settled in her care. Children follow the daily routines eagerly and they show that they are used to using the stairs with supervision, sitting at the table, eating and drinking together. Children are able and interested in the environment because they move freely and select from the wide variety of resources available. They use play dough to make pretend items that they put in the kitchen pans, they say they are making curry and talk about what they usually have to eat with curry. They count during their play and often compare size; the childminder asks if items are bigger

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

or smaller and children agree. Younger children are learning to talk and they are praised for remembering and using words in the right context.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

They choose toys from the conservatory and find the large aeroplane, they wheel it on the floor and open the doors to see inside. The childminder asks them questions to encourage word repetition. Children learn to put on the dressing-up clothes themselves and the childminder gives them advice to help them manage more easily, she encourages children to try their own skills first before she intervenes. Children learn to use utensils and have frequent opportunities to practise with plastic knives and forks at snack time. They are learning to share the play equipment and to take turns, they sit together to draw with the 'magna doodles' and this prompts them to draw with pencils and paper. They have stories very often and sit in the comfortable corner with ample books to select, themselves. They regularly borrow books from the library, especially if the childminder has a planned topic for carrying out activities; she

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

encourages children to use the library during their time with her. There are many posters and pictures displayed at children's level and a felt face that can be altered to change an expression. The childminder talks about the different expressions and what the parts of the face are called, she encourages children to compare and look at other pictures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children often use the larger apparatus in the garden or play on the grass. They are currently watching the tadpoles in the garden grow; the childminder has recently asked advice about feeding these, when they all visited the local wetlands centre on a day trip. Children often use public transport with the childminder, they catch the bus to parent and toddler groups or the train for special trips further away. Children relish the opportunities for experiencing different forms of transport and the childminder uses these outings to encourage their knowledge and understanding. Children's development is successfully monitored because the childminder has included individual folders about their abilities and progress.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children in the childminder's care are treated with equal concern and according to their age and stage of development. There are many resources available to reflect the diversity within society; children have small dolls in a variety of different national costumes, they are able to choose puppets that reflect their own culture and they have many pictures and books available. Children really enjoy playing with the miniature people with wheel chairs, hearing aids, walking sticks and a Zimmer frame. The childminder continually seeks to adapt the resources and the routines to meet the individual needs of children, she has an open attitude and a good understanding of helping all children to develop.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

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 behave very well because they are interested and occupied with activities or attention from the childminder. There are written house rules and these are displayed for parents on the notice board. Children know the routines in the home and they are very used to these. They are happy to have their time filled with activities and conversation. They are reminded to say please and thank you. The childminder speaks gently and encourages children to understand when they need to say sorry to each other. Children show care and affection to the childminder because they have a clear sense of belonging.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are fully settled within the home because there are well established relationships with parents. The childminder has a thorough portfolio available and a smaller leaflet which explains the childcare service. Parents are well informed about the procedures for making complaints and the childminder is prepared to record these. Children's records are clearly in place and confidentially stored. All contracts are fully available and these show sound arrangements for the collection of minded children and written permission for all areas of care.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children have dedicated care because the childminder is constantly involved with them and aware of their needs; she has developed comprehensive information to show how the daily care is organised and the extra routines that are included during the week. All training requirements have been completed since registration and the childminder shows a strong dedication to increasing her knowledge; she is closely linked with the local childminding network. The registration certificate is fully displayed for parents and children's attendance is clearly recorded. The childminder has used sound initiative in developing a chart to show all the minded children in her care and the times they are present; this is colour coded for instant recognition. A full portfolio of policies and procedures is available and the childminder encourages parents to read these or to have copies themselves. The childminder shows through her contact with

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Organisation

Ofsted, that she is aware of her responsibility to inform of any changes to the registration. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides care.

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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 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): • continue to expand knowledge of children's development and learning

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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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