English, Angela Jane

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 304322 Inspection date 18/11/2008 Inspector Jane Shaw

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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 1994. She lives with one adult child in Winsford, Cheshire.

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Description of the childminding

The whole of the ground floor and upstairs bathroom are used for childminding purposes. There is also access to an enclosed garden available for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children at any one time under the Early Years Register and compulsory part of the Childcare Register. The childminder is also registered on the voluntary part of the Childcare Register to enable her to care for older children. There is currently one child on roll aged three years, and five children in the older age group.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is a member of the local childminding network and is developing relationships with local pre-schools schools.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The childminder’s good knowledge and understanding of children’s individual needs ensures she is able to promote their care, learning and development with success. She works closely with parents and carers to ensure she has a clear understanding of their child's needs, and is developing links with other settings minded children attend. Children's safety and welfare is in the main promoted, however, risk assessments for outings are not carried out or recorded, and some details are missing from the attendance register. The childminder demonstrates a positive attitude towards improving her service and has begun to undertake self- evaluation.

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further?

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

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further?

 continue to develop systems for self evaluation  ensure the attendance register is accurate at all times. To fully meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 ensure a record is maintained of risk assessments for each type of outing carried out with the children (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare). (This also relates to the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register) 10/12/2008 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

The childminder has a very good understanding of how children learn and develop and is able to offer activities and opportunities that meet children's particular interests and promotes their enjoyment and achievement, for example, providing children with plenty of good opportunities to be outdoors and engaged in physical activities. As a result children are very happy and settled. Interaction between the children and childminder is very good and as a result relationships are positive and support children's enjoyment and development extremely well.

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provision

In the main, the required documentation to safeguard and promote children's welfare is in place, however, some departure times are missing from the attendance register. The childminder has an understanding of the need to ensure that all required checks are completed on household members where applicable, promoting children's safety and welfare at all times.

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provision

Parents and carers have access to a file containing written information on the childminder’s services, policies and procedures as well as information, such as sample menus and training certificates. They are kept informed of their child's day and development through verbal discussions, and through access to developmental records, which contain photographs and associated comments relating to their development, and how this is matched to the areas of leaning. The childminder endeavours to liaise with other agencies, for example pre-school.

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provision

The childminder undertakes risk assessments and daily checks of the premises and equipment to ensure children's safety at all times. However, written risk assessments for outings undertaken with children are not yet fully in place, this is a legal requirement.

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provision

The childminder has started to use the local authority information to help in her self assessment, but has not yet implemented systems for self evaluation and the provision as a whole. She is however, able to identify her strengths and areas for development in terms of meeting individual children's care, learning and development. At the last inspection, a recommendation was made to obtain parental consent for the taking of photographs. This is now in place along with consent for keeping developmental records and photographs. This demonstrates the childminder's ability to make appropriate improvements to the provision to safeguard and promote children's welfare, development and general well-being.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are extremely well settled and happy and are making good progress in their learning. The childminder knows the children very well, and offers them interesting activities and opportunities. The childminder gathers information from parents and carers about their child's individual needs, likes and dislikes and routines. This enables her to tailor her care according to each child's particular needs. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 The available space is well organised and allows the children to make independent choices about their activities as well as accessing resources which the childminder may set out for them prior to arrival. Children enjoy a range of activities both within and away from the childminding setting, for example, children enjoy local walks to the fields to feed the horses and nature walks where they 'scrunch' through the leaves.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children enjoy plenty of opportunities for outdoor play, for example, they enjoy playing football in the rear garden. Children have a good understanding of number and are able to count as they add marbles to the storage boxes and count grapes onto their plate at snack time. They enjoy looking at photographs recalling what they did and where they were. They are developing good language, vocabulary and conversational skills. Children have good hand eye coordination and small manipulative skills as they play with intricate board games and build marble runs. They are developing an understanding of the natural environment as they go for walks to feed the horses and ducks, and confidently identify a magpie in the tress whilst playing football in the garden.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder has devised systems for observing and assessing children's progress and development. She makes observations of children's progress and achievements recording these under the six areas of learning. Observations are done both at planned activities and spontaneously. These are then used to complete 'learning and development' sheets. She evaluates observations, developmental sheets, planning and activities on a monthly basis, and uses the outcomes of these evaluations to plan future activities and identifies the next steps for children’s learning. The childminder has identified the planning of continuous provision are as area she wishes to develop further.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder is clear about the procedures in safeguarding children from harm, and has done child protection training fairly recently to keep her skills and knowledge up to date. Arrangements to ensure that children are safe and secure whilst in her care are mostly in place. However, risk assessments are not done for outings and some departure times are missing from the attendance register. Children's health and well-being is promoted as a result of the effective routines and procedures in place. Children enjoy a healthy diet with access to plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and drinks at all times. Children are well behaved, polite and well mannered. The childminder has good strategies in place for dealing with behaviour management and supports children extremely well. She encourages the children to share and take turns, play cooperatively together and helps them develop an understanding of what is and is not acceptable behaviour.

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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? 2

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped to stay safe? 2 How well are children helped to be healthy? 2 How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? 2 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: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The registered provider does not meet the requirements of the compulsory and or voluntary part/s of the Childcare Register.

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 devise complaints and child protection policies and make these available to parents. 01/01/2009

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 devise complaints and child protection policies and make these available to parents. 01/01/2009 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 there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet Early Years Foundation Stage General Welfare Requirements.

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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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