The William Bradford Academy

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number 141129 Inspection date 03 March 2006 Inspector Samantha Powis

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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 1997. She lives with her husband and 2 daughters aged 11 and 9 years in a house in the rural village of Stourton Caundle, in North Dorset. All areas of the house are used for childminding purposes. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play. The family have 2 dogs, a cat, a hamster and fish. The childminder is registered to care for up to six children at any one time. There are currently five children on roll attending on a part-time basis. The Childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are protected from the risk of cross infection due to the effective practices followed by the childminder. She actively encourages children to wash their hands before snack and after using the toilet or being in contact with the pets. She shares with parents her policy regarding the exclusion of children who have an infectious illness, which prevents illnesses spreading between the children. Positive steps are taken regarding pets within the home to ensure they do not pose a threat to children's health. Systems to record accidents and administered medication are suitable, but some lack sufficient detail to ensure children's ongoing well-being is fully protected. Children are healthy due to the childminder providing an appetising range of nutritious snacks and home cooked meals. She gives consideration to children's individual dietary needs, ensuring these are met and respected. Children begin to

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Helping children to be healthy

understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle, as they take part in projects on healthy foods and exercise. For example, the children recently tasted lots of different types of healthy fruit, deciding which types they liked, and discussing the health benefits of eating fresh fruit and vegetables. Children enjoy regular opportunities to engage in physical play. This increases their general fitness and helps them learn new skills. A range of equipment is available in the garden and children are often taken on local walks around the village. They visit country parks and adventure play areas, where they have the opportunity to use large climbing equipment to extend co-ordination and increase confidence.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children benefit from being cared for in a welcoming family home environment. Examples of the children's art work and bright posters on the walls help to make the children feel included and increases their sense of belonging. There are a broad range of resources and toys available, suitable for the different ages and needs of the children attending. However, many items are stacked on top of each other, making it difficult for a child to access a specific toy without others falling down. Children are kept safe through a combination of direct supervision and the provision of a safe and secure environment. This includes measures such as stair gates to deny access to the stairs and kitchen, and a secure fire guard being fitted in the lounge. Ongoing risk assessments on the entire premises ensure that safety is continually reviewed according to changes within the home and the needs of the

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

children attending. Children are learning about safety and potential risks from an early age. They take part in simple activities about road safety, which encourages them to think and talk about how to behave when they are out and about.

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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 The childminder has a secure and clear knowledge of child protection procedures and shares a written policy about her role and responsibilities with the parents. She attends training to update her own knowledge, ensuring she can continue to support the children's ongoing welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy, content and have a warm relationship with the childminder. She interacts well with them, which helps them to feel settled and secure. She constantly chats to them and provides encouragement for all activities, such as finding the correct sized nappy for the dolls, and making a cup of tea using the play food and crockery. Children's independent access to toys is restricted at times, due to unsuitable storage. Children enthusiastically take part in a variety of interesting activities and use stimulating resources that take account of their ages and individual needs. They start to join in with familiar songs and rhymes, introduced by the childminder. They go out on a regular basis and use their local environment to increase their understanding and awareness of the world around them. Children recently enjoyed looking for insects when they were out of doors, they observed their features and talked about

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

where they lived. The childminder is planning a trip to the local church, to find shapes such as diamonds in the windows. Children are confident within the familiar routines which take account of their needs for rest and play. Flexible consideration is given to the activities provided, ensuring the children are offered an interesting range of activities that encourage learning. Good use is made of space indoors and out, to vary children's opportunities and experiences.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's individual needs are given thoughtful consideration. This means children are secure and developing a strong sense of belonging. Written information is sought from parents about the children's individual needs, which enables the childminder to meet their needs effectively. She ensures that the activities and resources she offers to the children are representative of a wide society. For example, the children enjoy tasting Chinese foods and making dragon masks when it is Chinese New Year. This increases their awareness and understanding of diversity. Children behave well and are given lots of praise by the childminder to reward good behaviour. She often uses a star chart to encourage good behaviour for older children, which is shared with parents. This makes children feel proud and increases their self esteem. Children are secure due to the familiar and consistent boundaries

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Helping children make a positive contribution

and expectations. They are encouraged to respect each other and take turns. This is promoted by the childminder acting as a good role model.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Partnerships with parents and carers is good. Ongoing discussion with parents, along with a two way diary for younger children, ensures that information about the children's welfare and progress is exchanged regularly. Photos are used as a good way of sharing children's experiences with their parents. The childminder is respectful of parents wishes and adapts her provision to ensure all children are well supported.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The children appear comfortable and "at home" within the welcoming environment. Space allows for them to play and rest in safety and comfort. However, storage of some toys means it is difficult for children to access them safely, without support from the childminder. The children benefit from the childminders positive attitude towards attending training. She regularly updates her knowledge or learns new skills to ensure she can support the children's needs. Positive outcomes for the children are supported by the clear written policies which are shared with parents. These reflect the childminders good practices to maintain the children's health, safety and well-being. Most documentation is used effectively to support the children's needs. Records are stored to ensure confidentiality is maintained. The childminder constantly reviews her policies and practices to reflect changes in regulations. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, the childminder was given three recommendations. She was asked to improve safety in the kitchen, to increase confidentiality regarding documentation and to increase the resources available that offer positive images of diversity. A safety gate has been fitted to the kitchen doorway, which prevents children from accessing this area unsupervised. This means that the risk of injury to children in the kitchen is minimised. The childminder has given further consideration to maintaining confidentiality. Changes in the way in which she records accidents, incidents and administered medication, means that this information is personal to each child. All documents are now stored in one file, which is not accessible to others. The childminder has increased the range of toys, activities and resources she offers to the children, which includes a good range of equipment that promotes equality of

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Improvements since the last inspection

opportunity. Resources such as books and small world play equipment are in constant use by the children. She plans activities relating to cultural celebrations, such as Chinese New Year and Pancake day, which increases children's awareness and understanding of diversity further.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the last inspection. The

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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 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): • increase the detail included in records of administered medication • review the arrangements for storing toys and resources, to encourage children's independence and increase their safety.

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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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