Childminder 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 204687 Inspection date 12/12/2008 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 1995. She works with her mother as a co- minder or as an assistant at her mother's house in a village near Upton-upon- Severn. The lounge, kitchen, an upstairs bedroom and the bathroom are used for childminding. Accessibility to the premises is up one step and toilet facilities are located on the first floor. There is a fully enclosed front 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 or six children when working with an assistant. There are currently six children attending who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), all of whom attend on a part-time basis. This provision is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children settle well with the childminder and enjoy a good level of care that ensures that their individual needs are met well. Her practice is inclusive and she adapts care routines to meet children's particular needs. Children make progress in their learning because the childminder provides a wide range of activities but her knowledge of the learning and development requirements of the EYFS framework is limited. She has made little attempt to evaluate her provision and consequently has not ensured that all aspects of the EYFS are met.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve the provision of planned experiences that support children's progress towards the early learning goals  improve the organisation of the setting to include effective procedures to evaluate the provision and identify areas for improvement  improve knowledge of Local Safeguarding Children Board guidance and procedures  develop the opportunities for partnership working where children receive care and education in more than one setting  update the complaints policy to include the correct telephone number for Ofsted.

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provision

Children have benefited from some improvements to the provision since the last inspection because the recommendations made have mainly been met. However, the childminder has put limited evaluation procedures in place to ensure that This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children benefit from ongoing additional improvements to her provision. The youngest children enjoy an improved range of toys and activities that meet their learning needs and procedures are fully in place to record any medications needed. She has ensured that she is familiar with the possible signs of child abuse and she has put a written policy in place that is shown to parents at the time of admission. However, children are not fully safeguarded because the childminder does not have a copy of the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures and is therefore not fully aware of the detailed procedures to follow if she has concerns about a

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provision

Children's welfare is managed well and the childminder's practice is supported by written policies that are made available to parents. Children benefit from continuity of care between home and the childminder's house because the childminder works in close partnership with parents to accommodate their daily routines and milestones such as toilet training. Children settle well because the childminder is flexible and adapts settling-in routines to meet their particular needs. She uses the preliminary visits to encourage parents to share information about their children's development and daily routines. Parents receive verbal information at the end of each day about what their children have been doing and the childminder has recently begun to keep learning journals for each child with photographs of their play and learning. Parents are made aware of the complaints policy and it includes the address of Ofsted, but the contact telephone number is out of date. Children

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provision

attending more than one early years setting do not benefit from continuity and coherence in their care, learning and development because the childminder does not share relevant information with other providers.

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provision

Children's safety in the home is ensured because the childminder has carried out a written risk assessment and has an emergency escape plan that she has practised. She maintains a current first aid certificate but has not carried out any recent training to support her knowledge of the learning and development requirements of the EYFS.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children play well together and learn to share toys with support from the childminder. Older children begin to understand the needs of younger ones when they are playing together. The childminder and her co-minder/assistant are good role models and children benefit from consistent strategies to manage occasional unwanted behaviour. Children are enthusiastically engaged in an appropriate range of activities both indoors and outside that support their learning across the six areas of learning in the EYFS. However, they do not fully benefit from experiences that are planned specifically to meet their individual next steps in learning towards the early learning goals because the childminder does not have a firm understanding of the EYFS learning and development requirements.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children of all ages enjoy creative activities linked to festivals such as Christmas. For example, they self-select from an interesting range of materials such as tissue paper fluffy balls and felt stars to design their own Christmas cards. Children show sustained concentration and involvement in the activity. The childminder makes This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 use of spontaneous learning opportunities to support children's learning. For example, she encourages children to count how many shapes they have used.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Young children develop their love of stories and also learn to use technology because they use electronic story books. They listen to the story and learn to follow the instructions and these support their identification of colours. They have good opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles. They play outside each day and go on walks to explore the local environment. They develop balance and control as they ride their bikes and in summer they have fun making a den under the weeping cherry tree. They learn when to wash their hands and they develop their understanding of healthy foods because the childminder offers them snacks of fruit and a plan biscuit in the middle of the morning. At lunch time they know they must eat the sandwiches from their lunch box first.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children become aware of our diverse society because they use toys that reflect both other cultures and diversity. They like to use the dolls house with dolls from other cultures and with disabilities. They look at relevant books with the childminder and talk about the topics such as the needs of a child in a wheelchair. 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? 3 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? 2 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

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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