Marie Antoinette Harmer

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number 161666 Inspection date 19 August 2005 Inspector Gerry Simonds

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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?

The childminder is an active member of the childminding group in Corsham, Wiltshire. Her partner is registered as her assistant. The childminder lives with her three children and husband, in Corsham Wiltshire. The family home is a terraced house, situated on an estate. The minded children have access to all areas of the house as appropriate, including access to an enclosed garden. At the time of the inspection, the childminder was minding 3 children aged between 2 years and 7 years, who she minds on a part-time basis, and had 2 children being inducted into her care.

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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 There are no pets.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children enjoy regular trips out to the park or for picnics at a farm. They enjoy the well laid out garden, which provides excellent opportunity for play on grass, bark or paved areas. They develop confidence in their physical abilities as they use the garden. All children are able to play and rest according to their needs. Children learn the importance of good personal hygiene through well organised activities and routines. They have their own mattresses for sleep and their own colour coded bed linen. They are well supported by the good medical knowledge of the childminder and her assistant. They are kept safe and healthy and are encouraged to understand the importance of hand washing and nose blowing, as the childminder explains this to them. Children enjoy visits to the local farm shop to collect fresh foods. They are encouraged to understand healthy eating by their involvement in shopping and

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Helping children to be healthy

preparing food. They benefit from a good diet of healthy and nutritious foods, usually having a hot meal at lunch time, and discuss what is good for them. They are offered drinks of milk or water at regular intervals to ensure that they are not left thirsty. The practitioner ensures that parents' wishes are taken into account when preparing menus.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a safe, clean and well maintained environment. They enjoy a new purpose-built playroom which is very suitable for their needs. They benefit from using well organised and suitable toys and equipment which are easily and safely accessed, and like the safe garden, where toys and equipment are regularly checked. Children benefit from a good range of safety measures, for example they practise their fire drill regularly. However, the time it takes to evacuate the building is not recorded in the fire log. They also benefit from good safety measures, such as the covering of electrical sockets, fire extinguisher kept in place and the childminder's good explanation of safety issues; for example, encouraging children to tidy away so that toys are not left to trip them up. Children show excellent understanding of safety when the door bell rings; they know that they do not rush to the door but sit patiently

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

on the bottom stair if they wish to see who is at the door. Children are well protected by the childminder's experience, understanding and knowledge of child protection issues.

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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 enjoy well planned activities which are varied and linked to everyday life and learning. For example, trips to the farm and shops are well used as learning experiences, and children learn about the world around them and how to deal with all sorts of situations. They are encouraged to help in all sorts of ways, for example cooking or preparing their own food. Their week is very carefully planned to give all age groups good learning experiences; for example, when younger children sleep, the older ones have excellent opportunities to enjoy stories and books. Children's language is well extended as, for example, children are encouraged to name unusual fruit such as avocados. Children are encouraged to count and are able to help themselves to well organised resources, which are stored really well to encourage children to make choices. Children enjoy individual attention from the childminder, who is dynamic in her

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

dealings with the children, ensuring that they are all happy and busy. All children are treated kindly, but firmly when necessary. They are minded patiently and are very well behaved and busy. They enjoy an art and craft session and their work is displayed and valued. Children have good access to outside play and enjoy the various activities available in the garden. They are able to grow plants and dig in a part of the garden that is kept especially for this purpose.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children really benefit from the excellent support that the childminder gives to their parents. This continuity and the good relationships that exist between childminder and parents ensure that children are well cared for. Children's progress is reported daily to parents, who are able to see photographs of activities that their children have taken part in. Children are accessing knowledge of the world around them by talking of other cultures and festivals and tasting foods, for example, for the Chinese New Year. They play with toys which cultivate good understanding of other cultures and of disability. They are encouraged to take care of one another and to think of others and to be kind. They behave very well and all get along together well. Children with special needs are very competently supported, as the childminder is experienced at helping with all sorts of problems. Other agencies, such as health visitors or speech

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Helping children make a positive contribution

therapists, are brought in to help individual children with such needs.

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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 The organisation is satisfactory. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides. The childminder enjoys keeping her paperwork in good order and updating her policies. Most policies and procedures are in place. She does not, however, have a written policy for what she would do if a child was lost, but is very confident verbally in what she would do if this was the case. Parents are well informed on progress but in fact there is no complaints procedure to tell them how to make a complaint. She organises her provision well and uses her home and the local facilities to provide good care and a happy environment for the children. She is attending courses to complete her National Vocational Training in childcare at level three and is a dedicated and dynamic childminder.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the childminder was asked to: increase knowledge on the local child protection procedures. The childminder has done this and updated her written policy on child protection accordingly. She was also asked to: ensure that all accident records are signed by parents. This too has been addressed and all accident records are now signed by parents.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Last year another childminder complained that the childminder had too many children. However, Ofsted had given the childminder special permission to care for an extra child. They therefore wrote to the complainant to say that the childminder had permission to mind an extra child.

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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 MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • put the policy for procedure on lost child into writing. • write and display a complaints procedure for parents to follow if they wish to make a complaint.

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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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