Childminder in Birmingham

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 550013 Inspection date 25/02/2009 Inspector Diane Ashplant

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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 registered in 1987. She lives with her husband and three children aged five, 13 and 17 years. They live in the Kings Heath area of Birmingham close to local shops, schools and park. The whole ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding as well as two bedrooms upstairs for sleeping. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. Access is via a small step at the front door. The childminder is assisted at times by her mother who used to be a registered childminder. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children at any one time and is currently caring for six children of whom five are in the early years age group. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and also on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder takes children to the local pre-school groups and also takes and collects children from the local school.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good. Children are warmly welcomed into a very child orientated environment where their welfare, learning and development is very well promoted. All practice is inclusive and the childminder gets to know children very well through a secure partnership with parents and her own knowledge of them as individuals. She has good links with other early years settings and with the local school. She shows a sound commitment to extending her knowledge and practice by attending a range of different courses. She has some systems in place to review her practice and to identify areas for future development.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further a regular system of self-evaluation to identify targets for future improvement.

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provision

The childminder organises her childminding confidently and instinctively around the needs and routines of the children who benefit from the additional interaction and support of her assistant whom they know and respond well to. She has a comprehensive collection of policies to support the safe and efficient management of her business which she shares effectively with parents. She attends a range of relevant courses to update her knowledge and practice and liaises with parents to seek their views. She has used the Ofsted self-evaluation form to provide a detailed over view of her practice and is beginning to establish a regular system for identifying areas of development. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Partnership with parents is strong and the childminder ensures she gets to know the children well through a very good settling in period, which sometimes involves

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provision

a home visit so children can been seen in a familiar setting. She regularly discusses the children's day with parents and shares what they have done through photographs and examples of art and craft work sent home. She is now using a development folder to show children's achievements and demonstrate their progress. She has established good links with other pre-school settings, ensuring there is a good interchange of any relevant information to help support outcomes for children.

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provision

Children are extremely well safeguarded as their safety in all areas is a priority to the childminder. All required measures are taken to ensure they are protected from any potential hazards in and out of the home as well as encouraging their own personal awareness of safety. The childminder is fully aware of the need to keep children well supervised when around unchecked adults and has all appropriate procedures in place to protect them such as safe collection. She has a very secure understanding of her responsibility to protect children from harm or neglect and how to pass on concerns appropriately. She has attended training in this area to heighten her awareness.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are cared for in a very secure and healthy environment where their welfare, learning and development is extremely well supported by the childminder who has a good understanding of how to nurture the different needs of children in the early years age group. Children carry out daily routines which promote their health as they are encouraged, for example, to wash their hands before eating. They develop their physical skills through using a range of different outdoor equipment and enjoy daily walks in the fresh air. They are learning to understand the importance of a healthy diet as they help shop for food from the supermarket or grow their own vegetables in the garden. They have clear guidelines to follow to keep themselves safe so they know, for example, why not to play with certain items when very young children are around or how to walk safely when out near the road. They are learning to play well together and to share toys and are

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

developing their knowledge of the local community as the take trips to the local nature park or visit the library for story time.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children's behaviour is very good as they are learning to respect themselves and others, to listen attentively and to respond well to the routine. Their self-esteem and confidence is very well supported by the loving attention and encouragement they regularly receive from the childminder and her genuine pleasure in their achievements. Children enthusiastically engage as they enter the very attractive and stimulating playroom with its excellent selection of thoughtfully chosen resources and where walls are decorated with a vast array of colourful posters, charts, photographs and examples of children's work. Children of other nationalities are helped to settle more easily as the childminder also seeks out resources in their own language. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children are extremely comfortable in the care of the childminder who is very receptive and instinctively adapts to their individual needs such as when a child

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

wants to rest. Children happily initiate their own play, confidently talking with the adults or their companions as they share reading books or ponder over which piece goes where in the jigsaw. Younger children have many opportunities to explore their safe environment with increasing mobility and play with the range of age- appropriate toys set out to stimulate their interest such as musical toys and shape sorters. The day is flexibly planned to offer a good balance of child-led and adult supported play with the childminder using lots of questions and prompts to engage and extend them. Children enjoy a wide range of creative activities and practise their cooking skills as they help make banana cake, observe nature and the world around them on their frequent walks in the fresh air or watch tadpoles and seeds and plants grow in the back garden. Their developing recognition of numbers and letters is continually encouraged through daily discussion, appropriate resources

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

and displays such as the phonics poster or fun activities like marking off their heights on the wall chart. They learn about the diversity of the world through culturally linked activities and many different resources like the talking globe. The childminder maximises opportunities to incorporate all aspects of children's learning into everyday activities. She is very aware of children's individual abilities through her own on going observations of them at play and is now more formally monitoring the milestones and also recording this through annotated photographs and examples of their work. 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? 1 How well are children helped to be healthy? 2 How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? 1 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 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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