Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY360504 Unique Reference Number 10 April 2008 Inspection date Timothy Butcher 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 was registered in 2007. She lives with her husband and child aged four in Portishead, North Somerset. Children have access to the whole of the ground floor and to the bathroom and two bedrooms on the first floor. There is an enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder has one cat.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is currently minding two children under five both of whom attend on a part-time basis. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children and has use of a car. She attends the local toddler group and takes children to the park and other places of interest.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's health is effectively promoted because the childminder has suitable procedures and practises in place to meet their individual physical, nutritional and health needs. Children benefit from the sound physical care. The childminder is vigilant in ensuring that young children and babies have their noses wiped. The childminder has a suitable nappy changing procedure that

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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 suitably protects children from the spread of infection. Young children are kept comfortable and have their nappies checked regularly. They are kept content because the childminder keeps up a conversation with them while the procedure takes place. Children learn to follow appropriate hand-washing procedures as routine, such as before they eat at snack time. The family have a cat and the childminder ensures that all benefit from its careful management.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder has clear procedures in place to record accidents. She has a suitable process to record any medication that is to be given to children. The daily diary provides very useful information to parents and carers about food intake, sleep times, nappy changes and children's well-being.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder effectively consults with parents to ensure dietary needs are identified. Children are suitably supported as they begin to understand the benefits of a healthy diet. Parents provide packed lunches and the childminder the snacks. She encourages children to eat healthily, for example, at snack time she prompts them try to develop a taste for fruit and vegetable pieces.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder ensures that children have regular opportunities to be active and to have fresh air. Children thoroughly enjoy the use of the garden. They develop large muscle control using the sit-on equipment. They practise their skills in steering and stopping. They practise their coordination skills in the kicking, catching and throwing of balls. The childminder makes discerning use of groups to ensure that children have additional opportunities to socialise and to be active. There are also regular visits out for walks and occasionally to such places as the zoo.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children play in a suitably safe environment because the childminder has undertaken a thorough risk assessment and has the majority of control measures in place to minimise the potential risks to children. Stair-gates prevent children from entering areas unsupervised. The premises are secure and access is monitored. Smoke detection equipment is sited on each floor. Although a fire blanket is sited in the kitchen it is not securely affixed and this has the potential to delay its deployment and its effectiveness should there be a fire.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder organises the available space well and children have a welcoming and child-friendly environment in which to play. A sound range of suitable toy resources are put out for children and they are able to choose from these and others that are stored. Creative and craft materials are conveniently organised close to the dining table in storage boxes for ease of access. Children have lots of floor space in which to play as the childminder keeps rooms, in particular carpeted areas, free from clutter so that children move with freedom and play in comfort. Larger toy items such as the home corner and appliance dwell on the periphery and are readily brought into use by children. The garden has a good range of equipment for children's play outside.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children have their welfare safeguarded. The childminder has a very clear understanding of her responsibilities in regard to the protection of children. She has a secure understanding of the possible signs and symptoms of abuse. She has a clear awareness of the procedure to follow should she have a concern about a child and has documentation to support her.

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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 satisfactory. The childminder organises her day around the needs of children and although there is structure to the day this follows the needs of children. Babies and young children have their routines respected and are able to rest or to be active according to their needs. All children benefit from the family environment. They are happy and relaxed and enjoy their time with the childminder.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have positive experiences through play. They make satisfactory progress because the childminder provides a balanced range of activities and play opportunities that support their all round development. She has a secure understanding of child development and a suitable awareness of each child's general abilities. The childminder has yet to develop a format to track and plan for each child's specific next steps in development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have regular opportunities to be active through visits out and through the regular use of the garden when the weather allows. Children enjoy the opportunities to take their play outside and have fun as they carefully fill the sit-on digger with gravel using spades. They work cooperatively together to lift the digger over the step back onto the grass. In the lounge a young baby happily stretches to reach for toys and to pull them self up on the shape-sorter cube. The child bears weight and tests balance while developing their coordination skills by manipulating the shapes to fit the spaces on the cube.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children of all ages have some good opportunities for creative play and development as the childminder has a number of pre-prepared resources to keep children occupied and that maintain their interest. For example, children are offered the opportunity to sit to the table to make marks. They draw around stencils, colour-in hand-drawn pictures with a choice of crayons or felt-tips. They use their imaginations to draw pictures or make marks free-hand. The childminder manages the differing needs of children well. Babies from an early age have the chance to sit alongside toddlers and are helped to make marks while older children have the opportunity to explore paint through several simply presented activities. They make patterns on paper using such things as toy cars to run through trays of paint and other toy items of different shapes to print pictures. The childminder organises activities more suited to older children while babies

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

sleep. This ensures that all children have play opportunities to meet their general developmental needs and that they each receive suitable individual attention.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder makes use of some natural opportunities during everyday events to support children's language and speech development. She encourages them to hold conversations with her. She asks them to repeat back words to develop their vocabulary. Children begin to recognise some letters. For example, through the pre-prepared pictures that have upper and lower case letters written in one corner and through the introduction of flash cards. Children enjoy looking at books and have fun using the junior computer.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Documentary evidence from the daily diaries show that children enjoy among other things hand painting, visits to the zoo and to toddler group. They sing, dance and make music together and follow action rhymes. The childminder describes appropriate cooking, planting and junk modelling activities for children.

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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 satisfactory. Children clearly benefit from the warm interactions with the childminder and the friendly and emotionally secure environment that she creates for them. They are happy and relaxed. they gain in confidence and in general, behave well. The childminder provides lots of positive attention to children and has high expectations of them. She provides clear boundaries and skilfully reinforces positive behaviour with simple explanations, diversion, patience and a calm approach. They are encouraged to take turns and to share.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder has yet to care for a minded child with additional needs, learning difficulties or a disability but has a suitable procedure in place to identify with parents how best to meet the care needs of all children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder has a strong awareness of children's home circumstances and treats each child with respect. They are valued and their choices are respected. Children learn about diversity through everyday play and they have access to some multi-cultural resources such as puzzles, books and dressing up materials. The childminder has yet to plan specific activities that provide rich experiences for children that re-enforce their awareness of diversity.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children strongly benefit from the sound partnership with parents that the childminder has established. Parents and carers comment positively on the level of care and the variety of activities provided for minded children. There is a good exchange of information about the day-to-day care of children through the use of a daily diary and through regular discussions. This strongly contributes to the continuity of care for children and ensures children have their needs met. Children settle well and are happy and content. Policies and procedures although some are basic, provide parents and carers with some sound information about the setting. The majority of consents are sought and ensure that parents and carers are consulted. Written contracts are consistently used.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The childminder organises her time, space and resources well to meet the needs of children. A supportive and welcoming environment has been created for them. Flexible and adaptable routines follow children's interests in a well-planned day. They experience a balanced range of activities and play opportunities.

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Organisation

In general policies, procedures and other documentation are used effectively to promote the welfare and care of all children. The childminder has a clear understanding of the National Standards and interprets these in the best interests of children. Some policies, such as in regard to sick children, lack some detail and some permissions, such as for the taking of photographs, have yet to be sought and recorded. The record of attendance of children is accurate and kept up-to-date.

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Organisation

The childminder is keen to develop her practice and wishes to use of a format to track and plan for each child's next steps in development. Children are happy, settled and thoroughly enjoy their time with the childminder who interacts skilfully with them. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it 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 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): • ensure the fire blanket that is located in the kitchen is sited to be easily operational • develop the use of observations of what children do to track and to plan for their next steps in development • develop further the sick child policy, the emergency evacuation procedure and permission for taking photographs; the detail within the complaints procedure to be fully shared with parents.

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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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