Extracts from my 2006 Ofsted report:
Helping Children to be healthy
The provision is outstanding
“Children enjoy an excellent 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 inside, in the garden, or visiting the local park and play areas.”
“They enjoy wholesome snacks and meals, or bring packed lunches that take into consideration healthy eating guidelines.”
“They grow plants such as tomatoes, watch them grow and then try them so that they are learning about what makes a healthy diet.”
Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe
The provision is outstanding
“Children are very well cared for in a safe, secure environment that is spacious, and child-friendly. The available space is made extremely welcoming to children with attractive posters and displays of children’s own artwork. Children play happily and move freely, accessing toys and resources from the very interesting and high quality range in the playroom, making active choices and adapting what is available to develop their own games with confidence.”
Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do
The provision is outstanding
“Children enjoy an excellent range of play experiences that help them develop and achieve extremely well. They are very happy, settled, secure and confident. They have a very warm, friendly and responsive relationship with the childminder and each other. The childminder is highly skilled and uses her experience of children’s interests and development, and her understanding of early years guidance… to provide high quality care and education.”
Helping children make a positive contribution
The provision is outstanding
“Children are valued and respected as individuals. Their individual routines are known and respected and the childminder has a very positive attitude to ensuring that all children are included and valued.”
“Children make excellent relationships with the childminder and one another. They behave and interact extremely well for their age and stage of development because of the consistent positive encouragement and support they receive when sharing and playing together.”
Organisation
The organisation is outstanding
“Children’s care is significantly enhanced by exceptional organisation. Children thrive because the childminder is a calm, competent, and a very well organised child carer. She provides an excellent range of experiences and a safe, very well organised, secure setting for the children in her care.”
“She is highly effective in organising her home to create a very warm, welcoming and friendly environment for children and parents so that children are very emotionally secure and confident.”
(Ofsted, 2006)