Todd, Tammy

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number EY303785 Inspection date 09 January 2006 Inspector Ferroza Saiyed

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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 has been registered since 2005. She lives with her husband and their two children aged 7 and 2 years. The home is close to the beach, the park, schools and shops. Minded children have access to whole of the ground floor of the house, which includes the play room/dining room, front lounge, additional play area for messy activities, and toilet facilities. Children have access to fully enclosed outdoor area. Registration is for a total of four children from birth to eight years. There are two

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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 children on roll both under the age of 5 years. The childminder holds nursery nurse qualification and is a member of the National Child Minding Association.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health is promoted because the childminder has a good understanding of simple hygiene practices. She makes sure children can play in a clean environment, which prevents cross infection. Their well-being is maintained because the appropriate documentation is in place, for example, medication and accident records are kept up to date. The children look forward to outdoor play which they enjoy on a regular basis, such as walks to the beach, shopping, and they also take pleasure in the musical activity at the time of the inspection. This promotes their physical development, which contributes to their good health. The children enjoy the benefits of a healthy diet with regular drinks. They are encouraged to sit together and feed themselves. This helps promote independence and they demonstrate good manners during snacks and meals which are a sociable time for them. The childminder takes into account individual dietary needs, and

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Helping children to be healthy

shares the menu with parents. The children are provided with healthy options to enable them to select good nutritious food.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The premises are welcoming; the children are very happy and secure and have a sense of belonging. However, the temperature of the home is cold. As a result children’s well-being is not appropriately catered for. Children access a selection of age appropriate toys and activities in a safe home environment. Children's safety is promoted because toys are well organised in boxes at their level and they are able to access these feely. The childminder helps children to understand how to keep themselves safe, by discussing the need to hold hands when outside. She further promotes safety when children are on outings by using appropriate restraints. The children have an understanding of safety for example, they help to tidy up, because they know they can hurt themselves on discarded toys. The children’s risk of accidental injury is minimised by the childminder being conscious of hazards and by placing safety

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

features in place. The welfare of children is safeguarded because the childminder has a clear understanding of the responsibilities for recording and reporting alleged child protection concerns. She was able to demonstrate contact details of relevant bodies.

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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 good. The children have an extremely positive relationship with the childminder. They engage the childminder in their activities, laughing and making gestures with the childminder, which develops their self-esteem and gives them a sense of belonging. They are provided with a broad range of resources from which they can self select and make decisions about their play. The children are independent as they choose from a variety of stimulating and exciting toys, books, and activities. For example, children made food items with play dough for the inspector. This promotes their creativity, development, and enjoyment. As a result they become confident to extend their knowledge in a creative and meaningful way. They develop their language and communication skills through the use of books, stories, and nursery rhymes. The children enjoy story time, they actively contribute and take part, expressing their own ideas and thoughts. Indoor space, the garden,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

visits to community groups, and trips to places of interest all allow children to discover new environments and promote highly stimulating experiences. This provides them with inspiring and challenging opportunities to develop social and intellectual skills. Young children are encouraged to take part in creative activities thus enabling them to experience messy paint, sand and play dough and to feel the texture as they explore the substances using their hands.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The children are valued and respected as individuals, which helps to give them a sense of belonging. They are able to experience a positive view of the wider world and increase their awareness of diversity through images and experiences offered to them. For example, they are beginning to understand similarities and differences through first hand experiences with each other and the wider world in a positive way. The children effectively learn about good behaviour through positive reinforcement and excellent role modelling by the childminder who is calm and caring. She takes the time to explain and uses appropriate strategies taking into account individual levels of understanding. For example, when a child became tired of an activity, the childminder used diversion as a strategy to encourage his interest in other play items. The childminder ensures documentation and information is obtained from parents,

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Helping children make a positive contribution

prior to the child attending. This enables the childminder to follow the child's home routine ensuring consistency of care. She encourages parents to contribute to their child’s development and well-being, by making them feel welcome within the setting and spend time discussing their child with her.

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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 good. The childminder has all regulatory documentation in place, which is well maintained and up to date. Children feel secure and settled within a well organised environment. There are effective and clear policies in place to promote children's learning and development as well as their welfare. Documentation is appropriately shared to enhance the quality of care each child receives confidentiality is acknowledged and maintained. The organisation of the setting is effective with room for children to move freely and self select resources. The childminder has an informal routine in place, which is based on the children's needs thus enabling them to gain maximum enjoyment from activities provided. The childminder is pro-active in improving her service by

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Organisation

attending childcare courses and looking to develop her childcare skills to further meet the needs of all children. Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints to report. 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): • maintain a suitable temperature of the rooms used for childminding.

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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 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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