Childminder, Out-of school day care in Worcestershire

Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated. Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY301661 Inspection date 06/10/2008 Inspector Valerie Fane

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Type of setting Childminder This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration whichever is the later, which require Ofsted or the provider to take action in Annex C.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the childminding

The childminder was registered in 2005. She lives with her husband and children aged 11 and three in the St John's area of Worcester. The whole of the property is used for childminding. Accessibility to the premises is up two steps. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools. The family have a dog.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for five children at any one time. There are currently two children attending who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), both of whom attend on a part-time basis. The childminder also offers care to children aged over five years. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the Childcare register. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children settle extremely well with this well-qualified childminder and enjoy a close relationship with her. They make good progress in their learning and development because she provides a well-structured programme of activities in addition to times of free play and she takes into account children's individual interests when planning the day. Her practice is fully inclusive because she also works closely with parents to meet children's needs and she is developing links with any other providers who share the care of her minded children. She has begun to carry out a self-evaluation of her provision and has identified and implemented areas for improvement with regard to the learning and development requirements. However, she has not looked in sufficient detail at the welfare requirements and consequently one welfare requirement is not met.

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 improve the use of self-evaluation to identify areas for improvement with regard to the welfare requirements.

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further?

To fully meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 ensure that written information is in place for all children about who has legal contact with the child and who has parental responsibility for the child (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare). 20/10/2008

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provision

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children flourish in the friendly and generally well-organised environment of the childminder's home. They benefit greatly from the commitment she has shown since registration three years ago to attend training to update and improve her good practice. She has a Level 3 qualification in home-based childcare and has attended many additional workshops covering topics such as communicating with puppets and the EYFS framework. Children are protected because the childminder has also attended safeguarding children awareness training and has a good knowledge of child protection procedures.

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provision

The childminder evaluates her provision and has met the recommendation made at the last inspection well. As a result, babies are safeguarded when sleeping because she checks them regularly and keeps a written record of the checks. The childminder has a clear view of her strengths and has identified some areas for further improvement such as eating snacks and lunch with the children to help develop their social skills. However, she has not carried out a detailed evaluation of the welfare requirements for the EYFS. As a result children’s welfare is compromised because the childminder’s documentation does not include written information about who has legal contact with each child and who has parental responsibility for the child.

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provision

Children enjoy continuity of care between their home and the childminder's because the childminder works in close partnership with their parents. She discusses children's routines and interests before she begins minding and she develops an ongoing relationship with parents so that they are well-informed about children's welfare, achievements and progress. She takes photographs of children enjoying different activities and shares these with parents before collating them in children's individual learning diaries with labels to indicate what children are learning. The childminder also liaises with other early years providers who share care of her minded children so that she is aware of the activities they are doing and she shares relevant information with staff.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children have good opportunities to develop their particular interests. For example, three-year-olds make a picture of a panda using black and white circles and the childminder broadens their learning by talking to them about the shapes they are using and encouraging them to think about their own face when they are arranging the eyes, nose and mouth on the panda's face. Children enjoy making the pandas and show pleasure in their pictures. They then develop their creative skills further as they use a wide selection of different circles to create their own circle pictures. Babies join in the activities at their own level and the childminder supports different aspects of their development well. For example, she encourages them to learn to use a spreader instead of a glue stick to improve their co-ordination.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children enthusiastically self-select activities during times of free play. They thoroughly enjoy imaginative play with the 'Barbie' dolls and older children use language confidently to express ideas and opinions such as 'she can't come with us, she's too little' when they are pretending to take their dolls on an outing. Children of different ages play well alongside each other and share toys with support from the This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 childminder. Older children learn to be considerate of the younger ones in their play. For example, they are careful not to bump into younger children when they are pushing the dolls' pram.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children become aware of the importance of fresh air and exercise because they have good opportunities for outside play and also enjoy an interesting range of outings with the childminder. They frequently visit the park on the way home from school and in the holidays they go to places such as the butterfly farm. They extend their learning through these visits because the childminder follows up the visit with relevant activities. For example, they make butterfly mobiles and talk about the life cycle of the butterfly using stories such as 'The very hungry caterpillar'.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children receive care in a home that is safe and secure because the childminder carries out daily safety checks including a check that the garden is free from animal dirt. Children develop awareness of their personal safety because the childminder includes topics such as road safety in her planning. The childminder sets up a road role play area and children use the wheeled toys such as bikes and prams to learn how to cross the road safely. Children bring their own lunches to the childminder's house but they develop awareness of healthy eating because the childminder provides a healthy range of snacks such as bread sticks and a choice of fresh fruit. When they eat fruit from different countries the childminder supports their understanding of the wider world by helping them to find the relevant countries on a globe. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

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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of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

How well does the provision promote inclusive practice? Good The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement. Good

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Foundation Stage led and managed?

How effective is the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement? Good

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Foundation Stage led and managed?

How well does the setting work in partnership with parents and others? Good

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Foundation Stage led and managed?

How well are children safeguarded? Satisfactory

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped to stay safe? Good How well are children helped to be healthy? Good How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? Good How well are children helped to make a positive contribution? Good

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped develop skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being? Good

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex C: complaint/s made to Ofsted

This section of the report includes details of any complaint/s made to Ofsted when:  we took action for the provider to meet the requirements of the Early Years Register; or  we asked the provider to take action in order to meet the requirements of the Early Years Register; or  the provider had already taken any necessary action to meet the requirements of the Early Years Register.

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Annex C: complaint/s made to Ofsted

We will not report on any complaint where the provider met the requirements of the Early Years Register or did not require any action by Ofsted or the registered provider.

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Detail of the complaint/s

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

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Detail of the complaint/s

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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