Childminder in Oxfordshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number EY305654 Inspection date 17 November 2005 Inspector Jan Leo

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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 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 registered in April 2005 to care for up to 5 children under the age of 8 years. At present she looks after 4 children under the age of 8 years and 2 children who are over 8 years of age. All attend on a part time basis. The childminder lives with her husband and 3 children aged 6, 8, and 12 years. The whole of the property is used by minded children, with the exception of the master bedroom and ground floor office. Children also have access to a secure rear garden for outdoor play.

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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 property is located in a no through road on a residential estate in Chinnor, Oxfordshire. The village is approximately mid way between Oxford and High Wycombe with easy access to the M40. Local facilities are within walking distance and include schools, shops, library, parks and children's groups.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children learn good practice to keep themselves healthy. They wash their hands regularly to prevent the spread of infection, with gentle reminders from the childminder from time to time. For example, the childminder explains why good hygiene is important when small world toys do not follow good practice in domestic role-play games. This helps children understand how to keep themselves healthy. Children play in a clean and well-maintained environment where they feel welcome and secure. Some children bring their own refreshments, which the childminder stores appropriately to avoid the risk of food poisoning. Others eat healthy meals and snacks, which the childminder prepares and drinks are always available for children who are thirsty. Children regularly play outdoors to benefit from fresh air, and they use suitable equipment on the local park to challenge their physical ability. Children

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Helping children to be healthy

occasionally have minor accidents, such as falls, but the childminder only records these if children are injured. This limits information available to assess whether children may need extra assistance to develop co-ordination.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are generally safe because the childminder supervises closely, reviews hazards and sets clear house rules to keep children from harm. Children know were they can play and have ample space to move around freely. They access toys easily by themselves because the childminder stores resources at a low level. She checks equipment regularly for damage to avoid injury to children and controls children's use of large equipment. For example, she removes the ladder from the trampoline to ensure children only use it while she is supervising. The childminder removes some hazards effectively but first floor windows are not always locked and are accessible if children climb onto the bunk beds. Further more, she does not maintain the smoke detectors in working order to aid the evacuation process in emergencies. The childminder has a sound understanding of child protection issues and keeps

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

reference material handy to enable prompt action if she has concerns about a child.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children build good relationships with the childminder and often snuggle up close for a story. They remain calm, relaxed and feel comfortable in the setting. 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 confidently choose what to do on arrival and play well alone for extended periods. Equally, they welcome the childminder's involvement and clearly tell her what they are doing as they develop their own games. Children talk freely about what they like and things they find interesting. The childminder extends their conversations by using appropriate questioning. This encourages thinking and helps reinforce children's understanding of things around them. Children have opportunities to try interesting and varied craft activities including making mosaic picture frames, cooking, model making and leaf pictures. They concentrate hard to construct complicated jigsaw puzzles and show pleasure in completing them. Children show interest in everything on offer and enjoy their day.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children learn about diversity because the childminder provides opportunities for them to experience various aspects of different cultures. They enjoy collecting fortune cookies from the local Chinese take away and mix with children who have special needs when doing the school runs. The childminder treats children fairly, giving each the same opportunities, and the attention they need to develop and learn. Children know how to behave, are polite and get on well together. They learn to share and treat others with respect. The childminder forms strong relationships with parents and carers to ensure they feel part of their children's development. She consistently makes herself available to share information about the day and provides a comprehensive folder of information about the service and her family. This helps foster two-way communication, which aids the childminder in developing individual

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides. She organises her routine to suit children attending at different times of day. For example, she knows those who come early like to busy themselves with organised activities and those who attend after school prefer free play. She lays out the activities to provide children with choices and rotates equipment to keep their interest. Clear policies are on file to cover emergencies and records are well organised and easily located. Most of the documentation, required by regulation, is in place but some lacks detail. There is no complaints log, which is a recent regulatory requirement.

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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 There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since registration. 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): • improve safety by maintaining a working smoke alarm on each level, and ensuring children have no access to unlocked windows on the first floor • improve documentation by keeping a complaints log, ensuring the daily record of attendance accurately reflects when children are present, and recording all accidents.

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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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