Market Harborough Church of England Academy

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number 141151 Inspection date 07 March 2006 Inspector Jane Davenport

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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 was registered in 1998. She lives with her 2 daughters aged 19 and 11 and her 16 year old son in a 3 bedroom terraced house in the Chingford area of the London borough of Waltham Forest. The whole of the ground floor of the premises, the first floor bathroom/toilet and the back bedroom are used for childminding purposes. There is also a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder is registered to provide care for 4 children under the age of 8, and is currently minding 2 children.

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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 childminder has no pets. She is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children play in a clean and tidy environment and from an early age, they learn the importance of good personal hygiene through effective daily routines. Hand washing and nappy changing routines are effective in helping to prevent the spread of infection. The childminder holds a current first aid certificate and has a good knowledge of first aid procedures. However, her first aid box is not appropriately stocked, meaning she may not always be able to give appropriate care if there is an accident. She records accidents appropriately and parents give prior written consent to administer medication, which ensures that children receive the correct dosage according to their needs. The childminder gathers all relevant information regarding diet, which ensures children's individual dietary requirements are met. Menus are varied, well-balanced and nutritious, providing healthy options such as fresh fruit and vegetables, cereals

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Helping children to be healthy

and pasta. Food provided by parents is appropriately stored and prepared. The childminder follows the child's home routine, gradually introducing new foods when appropriate. Babies and toddlers receive lots of warmth and affection. This supports their emotional well-being and gives them the confidence to explore new experiences. They participate in lots of walks and outings in the fresh air, which contributes to their good health. The childminder is not aware of the Birth to three matters framework and does not have a copy of the resource pack to refer to.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children benefit from playing in a spacious, well-organised environment. This allows them to move around and play safely. The premises are secure and there are good procedures in place to monitor sleeping children and to ensure children are unable to leave the premises without a suitable adult. Children have easy and safe access to good quality toys and resources, which are stored at their level so that they can self select their activity. The childminder carefully monitors and supervises children's choice of toys to make sure they are safe and appropriate for their age and stage of development. There are regular risk assessments both indoors and out, which enable the

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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 childminder to identify and quickly address potential hazards. Children benefit from a good range of safety measures including fire guards, socket covers, window locks and smoke alarms. Effective child protection procedures promote and safeguard children's welfare within the setting. The childminder has a good understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse and knows what action to take if she has concerns about a child in her care.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children settle well at the childminder's home. They enjoy a warm interaction with the childminder and have the opportunity to socialise with other children. They are well motivated and concentrate well at chosen activities. Children under 3 years explore and experiment through a range of well-planned activities that are stimulating, easily accessible and adapted so as to be appropriate for the different ages of children attending. They enjoy joining in with action songs that help develop their co-ordination, for example dancing to nursery rhymes and repeating simple refrains. Young children are beginning to make themselves understood through language and actions. This is supported by the childminder speaking to children, asking open-ended questions, listening and acknowledging what they are saying, as well as encouraging them to say new words. Children's creative and imaginative development is encouraged through a variety of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

activities. For example, art and craft, painting, play dough, listening to and playing music, stories and role play.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The childminder has a satisfactory understanding of equality issues. Children are allowed to be themselves, their interests are encouraged and they are respected and valued as individuals. She endorses respect and consideration for others and is a positive role model for the children. Children have access to some resources and activities, which help them to develop their knowledge and understanding of the wider community. There are good systems in place to support children who have special needs. The childminder is able to adapt activities for children with special needs, so they can experience a wide range of stimulating activities appropriate for their level of ability. Close liaison with parents and outside agencies ensure all children's needs are well planned for and met. Children's behaviour is generally good. This is as a result of the childminder developing consistent methods for managing behaviour, which takes into account

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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 their age, level of understanding and maturity. Good behaviour is positively reinforced by means of praise and affirmation. Relationships with parents are friendly and supportive and parents are happy with the care provided. They are made to feel welcome in the childminder's home and are given daily feedback about their child's day. This helps to provide children with consistent care between home and the setting.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides. Children feel settled within the well organised environment, where they receive good adult support to help them feel secure and confident. They are confident to make demands on the childminder, in the knowledge that their requests will be appropriately met. The childminder and her older daughter have both completed checks for the Criminal Records Bureau. A check for her 16 year old son has not yet been completed. Record keeping is generally good. However, registers containing children's hours of attendance are completed at the end of the week instead of on a daily basis. This means that the information is not always up to date. Information kept about children is relevant and helps promote their welfare; regular informal discussions with parents ensure continuity of care for the children. Comprehensive systems are in place to

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Organisation

keep children safe and enable them to make progress.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection, the childminder has completed a course in first aid and has implemented an attendance register, although this still needs to be completed daily. She now also retains children's records for the appropriate length of time after they leave her care. These improvements have had a positive effect on children's health and safety and on the record keeping at the setting. One action from the last inspection, which was to keep a daily diary of food intake and nappy changes for children under 2 years, remains outstanding.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since April 2004. 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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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

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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 that the first aid box is kept fully stocked at all times • ensure that all household members over the age of 16 undertake a criminal records check • complete children's attendance register on a daily basis

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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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