Inspection report for early years provision

Unique Reference Number Removed for security purposes

Inspection date 27 February 2008

Inspector Judith, Mary Horsfall

Type of inspection Childcare

Type of care Childminding

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. 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.

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection: The quality and standards of the care are outstanding.
The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT? The childminder was registered in 2002. She lives with her partner and four children aged 18, 14, eight and three in Blackpool, Lancashire. The whole ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed yard for outside play. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children at any one time and is currently minding two children under five all day, and one child over five out of school hours including holidays. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children. The childminder attends the local parent/toddler group, play gyms, parks, library and beach, plus many other local groups at the nearby children's centre. The family has two pet hamsters. The childminder supports children with English as an additional language. She is a member of a Teen Parent Network, offering support to teenage parents and their children. She holds a level three qualification in Early Years Care and Education and holds the Children Come First quality assurance award.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROVISION

Helping children to be healthy: The provision is outstanding.
Children show an excellent understanding and willingness to keep themselves safe and healthy because the childminder has highly detailed policies and procedures in place which are actively promoted with the children on a daily basis. For example, children are learning simple hygiene practices such as hand washing and using an electric hand drier as the childminder talks to them about the importance of regular hand cleaning throughout the day. Disposable gloves and aprons are used at nappy changing times, with surfaces being cleaned effectively with antibacterial spray to reduce the risk of cross-infection. Children are becoming well aware of good dental hygiene practices because they bush their teeth after meals and say sweets make teeth bad. Children are well protected in cases of illness or accidents as the childminder holds a suitable first aid qualification and there are several well stocked first aid kits, including one which is used for children to bandage soft toys to reassure children should they require treatment. The children are very enthusiastic about physical activity and relish their time spent outdoors in the yard or in parks carrying out challenging activities. The children are taken on regular walks including to parks, the beach and play activity sessions at the local children's centre. Whenever possible the children walk rather than be transported in the car to increase their levels of exercise. Children benefit from superb meal time and nutrition polices, incorporating a broad selection of healthy snacks and meals. An excellent, varied menu is displayed for parents and includes a wealth of nutritious foods. Children are motivated to learn about healthy eating because the childminder reminds them, as they eat, that certain foods are healthy and others are not good for our bodies. Children talk excitedly about fruit having its own 'good sugars', and healthy eating is further promoted by large, attractive posters around the setting showing fruit and vegetables. Older children are regularly consulted about the food on offer and are given questionnaires asking if they would like any changes to the menus. Children are actively learning to cook as they get involved in food preparation such as mashing the potatoes and passing ingredients to the childminder. The kitchen area is very clean and hygienically maintained by the childminder who holds a current food hygiene certificate. Children never go thirsty as they can help themselves to drinking water from a large cooler in the kitchen.

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe: The provision is outstanding.
Children eagerly attend an exceptionally child-friendly, safe home which includes individual named coat pegs in the hall, many brightly illustrated posters and an exceptional selection of colourful, child-sized furniture. The children are encouraged to access the many books and resource boxes which are clearly labelled with the names of the contents. Children's play and learning opportunities are significantly enhanced by the rich, varied and imaginative selection of toys and resources on offer. Children of various ages greatly benefit from an extensive range of suitable and safe equipment such as regularly checked fire extinguishers, posters about personal safety and interconnecting smoke alarms. Children's safety is actively promoted by the use of appropriate activities and discussion with the children. There is an extensive range of superior polices and procedures which enhances levels of safety. For example, all people calling at the home during childminding hours must sign the visitors book, and policies such as care of the sand pit and procedures when potty training ensure children stay very safe. The children are protected by extremely detailed safety procedures including comprehensive risk assessments. Children's safety is further enhanced by the childminder's thorough knowledge of child protection procedures and the understanding that the children's welfare is paramount.

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do The provision is outstanding.
Children play a very dynamic part in the setting. Their views and feelings are valued and accommodated. They are animated and enthusiastic as they make choices about their activities and care. For example, one child quite happily sits in a large box, imagining lots of different scenarios whilst the other children and the childminder later ask questions and join in the fun. Relationships are excellent at all levels. Children gain a high amount of self-control, they are given choices and they receive plentiful praise for their efforts and achievements. An example of this is the good quality certificates awarded to the children for activities which they undertake with relish, such as helping to clean out the hamster cages. Children become engrossed in a wide range of purposeful and developmentally appropriate indoor and outdoor activities which provide high levels of challenge suitable for their age and stage of development. For example, children are very interested in animals and insect life. They proudly show the animal pictures they have downloaded from the childminder's computer and created into an attractive album with text, and talk animatedly about the spiders they found outdoors. The children settle very well and make themselves at home in a confident manner, acquiring new knowledge and skills. They relate to each other and to the childminder in a very positive, cooperative way and have their self-esteem promoted by being surrounded by their own, eye-level pictures. The children make positive choices from the enormous range of resources and activities on offer. Children benefit from regular visits to local community facilities such as the children's centre, fun days, theme parks and the seaside, helping children to learn more about their locality and the wider world. Highly comprehensive observations and individual files, including robust use of the Birth to three matters framework for younger children, ensure that parents are made aware of children's progress and welfare, and that children are meeting their developmental milestones.

Helping children make a positive contribution The provision is outstanding.
Children's self-esteem is strongly promoted in many ways such as asking new children's views via an evaluation questionnaire which can be completed with parents. Parents are consulted on a regular basis about the service offered by the childminder. Children say, for example, they are 'happy at the childminder's house because she is very nice to me.' Children are highly valued and treated politely. They are very enthusiastically encouraged to make choices and take decisions in a supportive environment. Children are making strong connections between themselves and the wider world by continual discussion with the childminder and having access to many positive images in the setting. For example, there is a large poster showing many faiths and their celebrations in the local area, and posters in many languages give the children a broader understanding of the world. Children are polite and very well behaved. The childminder has suitable strategies for dealing with inappropriate behaviour and consults with parents to ensure consistency between the setting and home. A superb partnership between the childminder, parents and external agencies ensures positive working practices meet each child's needs. Parents say that 'each child gets their own time for attention and the childminder totally respects every child's individual character', and they say that children's lives are enriched by spending time with the childminder. Parents have access to a series of noticeboards packed with information about local initiatives for children. Children are very well protected because there is an excellent complaints procedure in place and this is shared with all parents.

Organisation The organisation is outstanding.
Children benefit greatly from the relevant, extensive training that the childminder has undertaken. Children are very well protected and cared for because the childminder has a detailed knowledge of child development. The well-being of the children is of utmost importance and the children are highly respected. Ratios of adults to children are always rigorously maintained to ensure the safety of the children. Children are well protected because all the adults in the household have undergone the necessary checks and children are not left with unauthorised people. Documentation is exemplary, with the children's individual records regularly updated and stored in a confidential manner. Policies and procedures are not only of an exceptionally high quality, but are also actively implemented on a daily basis, making a positive contribution to the children's progress, security and welfare. Children benefit because the childminder has excellent links with local agencies such as the children's centre, where she is involved in setting up a new childminder drop-in group and there are close links with the Teen Parenting group, as the childminder offers high quality support to young parents. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides. Improvements since the last inspection At the previous inspection two recommendations were raised. One related to recording times of arrival and departure of the children and the second was concerned with obtaining consent for emergency medical advice and treatment. Both of these issues have been fully addressed, increasing safety for children. Complaints since the last inspection Since the last inspection there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards. 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.

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection: The quality and standards of the care are outstanding. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT? The quality and standards of the care No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of care are outstanding. Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures 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