Kautzner Dawn

Inspection report for early years provision

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204769 Unique Reference Number 30 August 2006 Inspection date Anne Georgina Phillips Inspector

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Childcare Type of inspection Childminding Type of care

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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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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 1992. She lives with her husband and their three children aged 16, 17 and 19 years. They live in house in Stourport upon Severn, Worcestershire. It is close to parks, play areas and the town centre shops and amenities. The whole of the ground floor of the house including a playroom and a first floor bathroom are used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed rear garden with play equipment for outside play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children at any one time and is currently minding five children under five all day, and two children over five before and after school. The childminder walks or transports children to and from local schools, toddler and activity groups, the library, the park and on outings. The family have guinea pigs and rabbits that live in a shed in the garden. There are fish in a tank in the play room.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The childminder may work with an assistant who, with written permission from parents, can have sole charge

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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 of children in specific circumstances. The childminder may also work with another childminder. She belongs to the National Childminding Association and holds an NVQ level 3 qualification in Childcare and Education. She is a member of the North Worcestershire Childminding Network and achieved accreditation to provide funded nursery education for three and four-year-old children in summer 2006. She holds the Quality First quality assurance award, is an active member of the local childminding support group, and provides mentor support for new childminders.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy a good range of activities that promote their physical, mental and emotional health. They have frequent opportunities to develop and improve their physical skills when playing actively in the garden, or visiting local activity groups, the park and play areas. They develop their manipulative skills with lots of messy play and craft opportunities, such as scooping and moulding the wet sand or play dough, and folding their own letters to fit in the envelopes.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are nourished very well. They enjoy wholesome snacks that include options such as toast, grapes or melon so that children are learning about the benefits of a healthy diet. They enjoy unhurried meal times that meet their individual needs well, and have ready access to drinks at all times.

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Helping children to be healthy

Good daily routines, liaison with parents, and attention to the cleanliness of equipment and food safety, ensure that children are well-protected from infection. Younger children are starting to learn the importance of good hygiene when developing independence washing their hands after using the toilet, playing in the sand or handling animals. They find their own personal towel to dry their hands so that they are learning to take responsibility for their own personal hygiene. Children are able to make choices about being active and are able to rest or relax comfortably when they are tired, for example, with a cushion on the floor, in the pushchair, or on a comfy sofa.

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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, secure environment that is spacious, welcoming and child-friendly with examples of their art work and creations attractively displayed. The available space is very well organised so that children play happily and move freely, accessing toys and resources from the well stocked and varied range in large storage boxes along the walls of the playroom, or from child height tables and surfaces. Safe, clean resources are sturdy, colourful and attractive to them. For example, they concentrate closely and enjoy finding and fitting the 10 green bottles into the new game. Extra resources from a toy loan scheme add to the variety that children experience.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children’s safety is maintained by the continuous vigilance of the childminder and her assistant who monitor and supervise their play carefully. The childminder organises her home very well

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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 so that children can play safely. She ensures that they can respond quickly in an emergency by practising emergency escape plans together. She uses occurrences such as seeing a fire engine when they are out walking to develop children’s awareness of how think and act safely. Children learn not to run or climb indoors so that they do not hurt themselves.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well-protected. The childminder reviews her daily practice regularly to reduce risks to children and has updated her knowledge of food safety. She maintains a first aid box and holds a current first-aid certificate. She has a good understanding of child protection procedures and a clear commitment to implementing them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy a good range of play experiences that help them develop and achieve well. They are very happy, settled, secure and confident. They have a very warm, friendly and responsive relationship with the childminder who uses her experience of children’s development to provide interesting activities and experiences to promote their progress effectively. She consistently and positively interacts with the children to ensure that they are made to feel special and fully involved so that their needs are met and they gain self-esteem.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Younger children enjoy lots of opportunities to be creative with paint, glue and play dough, and are learning to value books and stories. They socialise daily with other children so that they are confident around others. Older children enjoy the relaxed homely environment and increasing independence in caring for themselves and younger children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are extremely content. They are increasingly independent in making choices. For example toddlers confidently ask for a bowl of grapes and help themselves to a big beaker of water when they are thirsty. They enjoy acting out real or imagined experiences when making pies in the sand, dressing up and making secret messages. They eagerly look for and carefully handle the small creatures that live underneath a tub in the garden. They plant tomatoes and sunflowers and watch them grow and compare their size to their own height. They enthusiastically explore the sounds that the musical instruments make. They notice the smell and texture of the surface of the melon when the childminder cuts it up at snack time but do not have the opportunity to join in it’s preparation for eating or sharing responsibility for getting ready for lunch by helping get the table ready or opening their own lunch boxes.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued and respected as individuals. Their individual routines are known and respected and the childminder has a positive attitude to ensuring that all children are included and valued. She ensures that she maintains a high adult: child ratio by working with an assistant in order to meet each child’s needs. Children learn about the wider world through comprehensive reflections of diversity in activities, play resources, daily group activities and outings. Children make very warm and trusting relationships with the childminder, her family, and one another. They are learning to behave well because of the positive feedback they receive, for example,

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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 when learning to use the toilet or potty appropriately. Children are spontaneously polite and well mannered so that everyone feels respected. Overall children are developing independence well but there are more things that children could achieve for themselves.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

A close working relationship with parents contributes significantly to children’s well-being. Effective systems for gathering and sharing information, and acting on parent’s wishes, contribute positively to children’s individual needs being met. Parents receive good quality information which includes written policies and procedures about childminding practices and are kept up to date about what children do on a daily basis. They make very positive comments about the care their children receive.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children make good progress because the childminder is a competent, very experienced child carer and this enables her to provide a good range of activities and a safe, well-organised, secure setting for the children in her care. She holds a level 3 childcare qualification, and is very proactive in developing her childminding practice by regularly updating her training. She has attained the Quality First quality assurance award and enthusiastically implements the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage, and initiatives such as the 'Birth to three matters' framework, to enhance the experiences of all children.

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Organisation

Good working practices promote children’s health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and their ability to make a positive contribution overall. The childminder organises her home and time very effectively to create a very warm, welcoming and friendly environment for children and parents so that children are emotionally secure and confident. They develop independence, make choices about their play and form good relationships with each other. The first hand experiences that children take part in could be developed to promote their learning further. All the required documentation is in place, well presented, and appropriately used and kept.

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Organisation

Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, the childminder was proposing to provide funded nursery education places and was asked to improve her understanding of the Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs. However, she did not go ahead with her accreditation at that time and so the recommendation was not applicable. She has very recently completed the accreditation process and hopes to provide funded places soon. She is aware that she should improve her knowledge and understanding of the code in order to competently meet the needs of these children when they attend and this will form part of the next inspection.

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Complaints since the last inspection

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

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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 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): • expand the first hand experiences available to children so that they can build on their natural curiousity as learners, and develop their language and thinking skills

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The quality and standards of the care

set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) 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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