Childminder in Bradford

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 302545 Inspection date 10/11/2008 Inspector Rachel Ayo

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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 1996. She lives and works with her husband, who is also a registered childminder, in a semi-detached property in the Eldwick area of Bradford, West Yorkshire. Both childminders have joint responsibility for all aspects of the childminding. The whole of the ground floor, excluding an over eight's play room, is used for childminding purposes. Additional toileting facilities are available on the first floor along with three bedrooms, which are used for sleeping young children during the day. Local amenities include parks, libraries, schools and nurseries and the premises are close to transport links. The childminder attends a range of groups throughout the week. Children have use of an enclosed garden for outdoor play. The family has five dogs.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years or 12 children under eight years when working with her husband. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is currently caring for 10 children in the early years age group, four children on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register and six children on the voluntary part of the Childcare Register. The childminder is currently caring for children with learning difficulties or disabilities. Children attend a variety of sessions during the week. The childminder is a member of the Bradford Childminding Network and is registered with the West Yorkshire Police Childminding Network.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children are cared for in a generally welcoming, safe and secure environment where inclusion is actively promoted. Positive relationships with the childminder fosters children's sense of belonging and the childminder adequately promotes most aspects of children's welfare and learning. Partnerships with parents and in the wider context are used suitably overall to promote children's education and care, with some good systems for supporting and meeting the needs of children with learning difficulties or disabilities. Satisfactory systems are in place for monitoring and evaluating the provision and the childminder is aware of areas for development. Although children access a range of activities and resources, which helps them to enjoy their time at the setting and make suitable progress in their learning and development, systems for personalised planning and assessment are not in place.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure that rooms are maintained at an adequate temperature  improve hygiene routines in relation to hand washing routines before meals or snacks and the arrangements for cooling food  ensure that information from observation and assessment is used effectively to ensure that children achieve as much as they can in relation to their starting points and capabilities This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  further develop partnership working with parents and in the wider context in order to fully support, and promote a consistent approach, to children's learning and development.

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further?

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

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further?

 plan and provide experiences which are appropriate to each child's stage of development as they progress towards the early learning goals (Organisation). 24/11/2008

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provision

The childminder demonstrates a commitment to continual improvement and has a positive attitude to furthering her own development, in order to enhance outcomes for children. She updates training as required, such as first aid, along with attending additional courses and is currently linking with Bradford early years to commence a quality assurance scheme. The childminder is aware of areas for development and weaknesses from the previous inspection have been addressed. For example, cross infection has been minimised by replacing a shared hand towel with separate drying arrangements, although other hygiene issues have been highlighted on inspection.

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provision

Documentation is maintained as required to promote the efficient and safe management of the setting and ensure the needs of all children are met, and written policies and procedures work suitably in practice overall. Children are adequately safeguarded in relation to child protection matters and are kept safe because of generally good risk assessments, effective arrangements for the safe collection of children and security of the premises. Adults in the household are suitably vetted in order to protect children and suitability checks are currently being undertaken for proposed assistants; such persons are not left unsupervised with the children. The childminder works well alongside her co-childminder and effectively organises the busy school and nursery drop off and collection routines in order to ensure that ratios are adhered to.

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provision

Positive partnerships are established with parents before placement and information is suitably exchanged beforehand in order to meet children's needs and inform parents about the setting. Daily information is exchanged verbally through friendly chats and daily diaries are maintained if requested by parents. At present, partnership working does not extend to the active involvement of parents and other providers delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage, in order to fully support children’s learning and development. The childminder effectively liaises with parents and other settings to ensure that children with learning difficulties or disabilities are actively supported and fully included in the life of the setting. For example, the childminder is pro-active in using different forms of communication within the setting. Discussion with parents reflect very positive comments about the setting and care of their children.

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provision

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

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

A good amount of space is available to the children and organised suitably overall to meet children's needs, particular when large numbers and different age groups are present after school. Although areas are clean and suitable for their purpose, the conservatory is not always maintained at a temperature which ensures the comfort of children. An adequate range of resources and equipment are readily accessible or stored in tubs to ensure that children can make choices about what they want to play with, in order to develop their confidence and self-motivation.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children's behaviour is very good and all age groups positively interact with adults and their peers. They respond well to requests to tidy up before painting, take turns to play games or paint and readily chat over tea about their day at school. The childminder uses and encourages manners to help children develop important social skills and her enthusiastic use of praise and encouragement, successfully fosters children's self-esteem.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Good equality and diversity practice is observed. For example, the childminder's husband takes an active role in all aspects of the childcare practice, for example, changing nappies and cooking, and boys pretend to iron and cook as they play with the role play equipment. Children learn to value and appreciate the similarities and differences between themselves and others because of the childminder's positive attitude to equal opportunities. Children from a variety of backgrounds are welcomed positively into the setting, resources reflect diversity and children learn about different cultures through celebrating festivals and trying different cuisines.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Through photographs and discussion the childminder demonstrates that a varied range of activities are provided across the six areas of learning and children's interests, likes and dislikes are considered within the provision. However, the childminder does not purposefully plan and provide experiences which are appropriate to each child's stage of development as they progress towards the early learning goals, in particular very young children. This is a breach in legal requirements. Although observations of the children are made, these are not used effectively to ensure that children achieve as much as they can in relation to their starting points, capabilities and expectations of the early learning goals.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children present as happy and are well settled showing suitable levels of interest in the environment as they play imaginatively with cars and the road mat, pretend to make a cup of tea, chat on the toy phone or explore balls in the ball pool. Toddlers explore their environment confidently as they practise their developing mobility, wobbling over only occasionally, and enjoy taking part in painting as they enthusiastically dab the paint on their paper. Three and four-year-old children readily talk about different colours with the childminder as they paint a firework picture and excitedly talk to the inspector about seeing these at the weekend. They show an interest in maths as they represent numbers in their picture, exclaiming that they have painted a number firework. The childminder extends their learning as she talks about primary colours and how these can be mixed to make different colours. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Reception class children readily take their coats off after being collected from school and immediately go to wash their hands in preparation for their tea. After tea they enthusiastically play a physical interactive computer game, engage in mark-making and concentrate hard as they make different pictures and patterns using beads. Children say that they enjoy coming to the childminder's house and their favourite activities are arts and craft, drawing and the computer games consoles.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are gaining a suitable awareness of dangers and how to stay safe through discussions about stranger danger and road safety and explanations, such as why they need to sit down when eating banana. The childminder implements generally suitable hygiene procedures in order to promote children's all round good health. However, young children, and adults preparing sandwiches, are not involved in effective hand washing routines and food is blown on to cool it down. Children have good opportunities to be active, develop confidence in their physical skills and benefit from fresh air. For example, along with being transported in a vehicle, they walk to and from school and go on outings, such as the park or toddler groups. A nutritious hot midday meal is provided for younger children and reception class children are encouraged to make some healthy choices about what they eat as they enjoy a banana at tea time after their sandwich.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

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

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is 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? 2 The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement.

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Foundation Stage led and managed?

How effective is the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement? How well does the setting work in partnership with parents and others? How well are children safeguarded? 3

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped to stay safe? 3 How well are children helped to be healthy? 3 How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? 3 How well are children helped to make a positive contribution? How well are children helped develop skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being?

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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

Since the last inspection Ofsted has received one complaint that required the provider to take action. This related to suitable people: adults whose suitability had not been checked having unsupervised contact with children. We carried out a visit on 20 August 2008 and set an action for the provider to ensure people whose suitability has not been checked are not allowed to have unsupervised contact with children who are being cared for. The provider submitted appropriate documentation in order for suitability checks to be initiated, whilst ensuring that no such persons had unsupervised contact. The provider remained qualified for registration at the time the investigation was closed.

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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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