Hampton Lakes Primary School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number 147074 Inspection date 19 October 2005 Inspector Kay Williams

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Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Childminding

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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 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?

This childminder was registered since 1996. She lives with her husband and two children aged 15 and 12 years in Mill Hill, London. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children at any one time and is currently minding five children all of whom attend on a part-time basis. The childminder walks to a local school to take and collect children. The childminder regularly attends local toddler groups. The family have no 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 The childminder is a member of an approved childminding network

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children benefit from a nutritious, well balanced diet as the childminder has a good understanding of the importance of healthy eating for young children. They enjoy a choice of fresh fruit for their midmorning snack and a drink of water is always available for the children to help themselves too. Children are fed according to their individual dietary needs. Good health is further promoted through effective and hygienic domestic routines which create a clean environment for the children to play. Children learn the importance of personal hygiene as they wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. Each child has their own flannel and towel which helps to reduce the risk of cross infection. Children are further protected from infection as sick children are discouraged from attending. The children are offered regular opportunities to enjoy fresh air and exercise. They regularly visit the park and

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Helping children to be healthy

other outdoor play facilities where they are able to develop their large physical skills and use a range of equipment including, bikes, climbing frames and swings.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are kept safe through the childminders good knowledge and understanding of safety issues. Children feel safe and secure as the house is warm and welcoming. The children can move freely between all of the ground floor rooms. The play room which is set out especially for the children creates a stimulating attractive child centred environment. The walls are decorated with children's art work and posters of interest. Equipment and resources are easily accessible to the children and stored in clearly labelled containers. They enjoy independently accessing the resources. The equipment is age appropriate and regularly checked to ensure that it remains in a safe condition. Overall the garden is a safe environment for the children to use, the fence is secure and the childminder checks the garden for hazards. However the windows in the conservatory may not be safety glass and do present a potential

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

safety hazard. The children are protected in an emergency situation as the childminder holds a current first aid certificate. Children's protection and safety is enhanced further more as the childminder is familiar with the appropriate child protection procedures and has a good understanding of her role and responsibility in such matters.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children clearly enjoy their time spent with the childminder. They independently

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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 select their own play materials and are interested in what they choose. The children have settled well into the childminders home and enjoy a good relationship with her. The childminder is making effective use of the Birth to Three Matters framework, especially when planning activities and assessing the progress that the children in her care are making. The children enjoy a varied and stimulating range of activities that effectively sustain their interest. They delight in a variety of art activities, painting freely while creating their own work as they select and mix their choice of colours. Children are confident communicators who talk freely and answer questions appropriately with meaning and understanding. Children make good use of the books turning pages and looking carefully at the pictures. Children spend their time

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

purposefully, concentrating for good periods of time in order to complete a task such as fixing a puzzle.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are learning to develop a strong personal identity. They are also beginning to learn about their own culture and those of others. The childminder knows the children well and has formed positive links with the children's individual cultural needs. She has established good relationships with the parents and informally discusses their children's progress with them on a regular basis. The childminder has a list of dates and occasions that are important to all of the children, then ensuring that the event or festival is acknowledged and shared with the others. Equipment and resources reflect a good variety of cultural and social diversity, some books and posters reflect different languages. Children are very well behaved, the childminder is calm and gentle and there is a good sense of fun within the home. The childminder has experience of caring for children with special educational needs.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The environment is well organised. Children are secure and confident within the daily routine which centres effectively around their needs. Policies and procedures support existing good practice and the childminder regularly attends training in order to keep her knowledge and practice up to date. Documentation is well organised and carefully collated, useful information including the certificate of registration is displayed on the wall for parents to see. There is also a comprehensive portfolio of additional information for new and existing parents. All appropriate written consent forms are on file and the attendance records are accurate and up to date. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the children who attend.

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Improvements 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 Since the last inspection the childminder has enhanced children's safety by making the outside drain inaccessible. Parents are now offered a more comprehensive complaints procedure.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted 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 that the glass in the conservatory does not present a hazard to children.

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The quality and standards of the care

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements 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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