Childminder in Wakefield

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number 321821 Inspection date 21 March 2006 Inspector Andrea Rockett

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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 has been registered since 2000. She lives with her husband and 3 children aged 18, 16 and 12 years old. Their home is situated in the town of Castleford and there are shops, schools, toddler groups and a library within walking distance. The ground floor is used for caring for children. There is a fully enclosed yard area available for outdoor play. The family have a pet dog and goldfish. The childminder is registered to care for 5 children under 8 years of age and there are currently 5 children on roll. The childminder is a member of the Wakefield 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 satisfactory. Children are cared for in an environment that is clean and tidy. The childminder actively promotes good hygiene practices to prevent the spread of infection and to keep children healthy. For example, children are encouraged to wash their hands before eating and after visiting the toilet. Effective measures are in place to reduce cross contamination as children have their own hand towels and have access to wet wipes. Recordings for administering medication are in place and there are clear written details for the exclusion of sick children to prevent cross contamination, which are discussed with parents. Healthy eating is promoted with children being offered fresh fruit and vegetables at meal and snack times, which is essential for their well being and healthy growth. For example, pears, bananas, passion fruit and mangoes. Children shell the peas they have picked from the allotment and enjoy eating them with their meal. The

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Helping children to be healthy

childminder takes account of parents wishes, so that children's individual health and dietary requirements are met successfully. Meal times are social occasions where everyone sits at the table to eat their meals. A selection of physical activities are offered to children, which contributes to their good health, for example, they enjoy visiting the allotment where they help to dig up potatoes and pick peas and sweetcorn. They walk to the local woods and parks to extend their gross motor skills and play on the equipment. The childminder supports and encourages children's developing physical skills through being involved in their play, such as showing them how to balance and jump on and off the large soft snake successfully. Children show an awareness of space as they move with confidence within the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a clean home where risks are identified and minimised, which allows them to move around safely and independently. Furniture and equipment is of a suitable design and conforms to safety requirements. Children independently select from a range of toys and resources, which promotes their decision making skills. For example, they open the clear plastic drawers to access cars, jigsaws and dinosaur games. The childminder rotates toys regularly to maintain children's interest and to vary their experiences. The childminder maintains children are safe when playing in the garden as it is fully enclosed and she always ensures the gate is locked. Children learn about what is dangerous, however, they do not practise an emergency escape plan. The childminder is safety conscious and performs regular risk assessments within the home to maintain the safety of children, for example, the fire has a guard, a safety

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

gate prevents access to the kitchen and the external doors are always locked. There

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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 are smoke alarms on every level of the home and a fire blanket is sited in the kitchen. Procedures for child protection are clearly understood by the childminder and she recognises this is her first priority. Written policies and procedures for child protection are shared with parents, however, they do not contain procedures for if allegations are made against the childminder or household members. Children are taught about road safety on outings which increases their ability to assess risk. For example, they know they must always hold hands and stop, look and listen for cars before crossing the road. The childminder uses appropriate car seats and belts when transporting children in her car to ensure they remain safe.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children have developed a close and caring relationship with the childminder. Time is given to them for their pace of learning as they make connections with the environment and toys. They respond well to the childminder as she encourages their language development, for example, by repeating words and sounds to them as they play. She provides them with a range of different activities to ensure they remain stimulated. Children enjoy craft activities of decorating cardboard photograph frames, which enables their hand-eye coordination to be extended successfully. They choose freely from a range of toys and resources, which supports and challenges their development. Each child has their own development file where activities are noted that cover the six areas of learning, supported by colourful photographs of the occasion. Letter recognition is highlighted as children sing the alphabet and point to the correct letter

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

on the jigsaw in the correct sequence. The childminder uses skilful questioning techniques to extend children's learning further, for example, 'what letter does the word "penguin" begin with?'. Children expertly answer 'p'. The childminder has implemented the Birth to three matters framework into the development files, for example, the 'skilful communicator' and the 'competent learner'. Babies have their daily details recorded in a diary which is shared with parents to enable them to be aware of their babies day. Children use language confidently to explain real and imagined experiences, for example, 'it's my birthday in October, I'll be five' and 'this is a snake'. They delight in playing team games with the childminder as they spin the wheel to see what colour dinosaur they need. They recognise types of dinosaurs and name them appropriately, for example, 'it’s a T-rex' and a 'woolly mammoth'. Children have an

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

excellent knowledge of colours as they recognise orange, purple, silver, yellow and pink. They enjoy moving vehicles along the roads on the car mat and the task of keeping the cars within the road lines. Opportunities are available for children to use the computer. They expertly manoeuvre the mouse and complete programs with confidence and name parts of the computer with ease, for example, the keyboard. Their hand-eye coordination is extended further as they separate and connect plastic chain links before placing them into the matching coloured dishes. The childminder introduces numbers by

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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 asking children to count how many animals they have. Children talk happily about their play, make decisions about what they want to do, and are confident to ask for what they need. They make good progress in their learning as they enjoy a wide variety of interesting and challenging activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Behaviour is good and children are becoming aware of their boundaries, for example, they know they must help tidy away one set of toys before getting out more. This reinforces their awareness of routine and what is expected of them. The childminder sensitively helps to resolve difficulties and praise is offered regularly, which promotes their self-esteem and confidence. Children are well mannered and remember to say 'please' and 'thank you'. They learn to take responsibility for their own behaviour and think about the needs of others as they share and take turns when playing games. Varied planned activities enable children to learn about themselves, each other, and the world about them. For example, they make cards for the Chinese New Year and look on the internet for names for their puppets which are from different countries. Children enjoy visiting the library and the independence of choosing books. They are

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Helping children make a positive contribution

treated equally and have equal access to the range of activities and toys, for example, the computer. All children take part in activities appropriate to their needs and abilities which successfully creates an inclusive provision for all. The childminder values and respects parents and a good partnership is established with them so that individual needs are understood. Parents have clear information about the setting and their children's progress through, for example, a prospectus, development files and daily diaries for babies. They are informed of their child's care through verbal daily discussions. The childminder works with parents' wishes to ensure all children's individual needs are met successfully.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children feel at home, settled and at ease in the relaxing and welcoming environment. They move freely around the setting demonstrating confidence and independence. The childminder organises her working week to enable children to extend their social lives, for example, they visit the park and mother and toddler groups. Resources and activities are organised to enable children to extend their play and learning experiences. The childminder is committed to her own professional development and she undertakes relevant short courses to enhance the care for the children. For example, the Birth to three matters framework. Regular verbal communication ensures that the parents and the childminder enjoy a positive, working relationship. Recordings are in place along with varied policies and procedures, for example, behaviour management and house rules, which are available for parents. Documentation is

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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 stored to maintain confidentiality and security. Overall the setting meets the needs of the children who attend.

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Improvements since the last inspection

From the previous inspection there were two recommendations in place in relation to positive images for disabilities and documentation. These have been addressed appropriately. The childminder has now extended the range of positive images in relation to disabilities by obtaining a toy medical kit and books, and by using the toys and resources from the toy library which includes a toy wheelchair. Documentation has been developed further as the childminder now has a portfolio in place with policies and procedures, a daily diary is completed for babies and she has expanded the children's development files. These help to maintain the care and welfare of the children attending.

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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 may contain others 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): • ensure the emergency escape plan is practised regularly • expand the child protection policy to include procedures for if allegations are made against the childminder and members of the household.

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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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