Five Acre Wood School

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 119055 Inspection date 19/03/2009 Inspector Deborah Jaqueline Newbury

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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 has been registered since 1994. She lives with her two adult children in Sandhurst in Berkshire close to local schools, shops and other community amenities. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding with toilet facilities provided in this area. A bedroom on the first floor is used for any children who require a sleep. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight at any one time, of whom not more than three may be in the early years group. This provision is also registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is currently caring for four children within the early years group and a further eight children within the later years group. Children's days and times of attendance vary.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder generally walks to local schools and nurseries to take and collect children. She takes children to local carer and toddler groups, a play gym, the library and the park.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good. Children enjoy warm, close relationships with their childminder; they are happy and have fun. The childminder values children as individuals and takes positive steps to ensure they and their parents feel welcome. Children have their individual welfare and learning and development needs met generally well although the use of observation and assessment is at an early stage of implementation. The childminder has identified areas for improvement in her practice through a reflective approach.

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further?

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

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further?

 provide children with greater opportunity for choices within adult-initiated activities  continue to make ongoing observational assesments of each child's achievements and interests and use these to plan for the next steps in their learning. Share this information with parents and other providers of the Early Foundation Stage (EYFS) to ensure a shared approach to supporting 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?

 obtain written parental permission, at the time of children’s admission to the provision, to the seeking of any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment 06/04/2009 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 in the future (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare)

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provision

The childminder has successfully addressed recommendations made at the last inspection by attending appropriate training to further develop her knowledge and understanding of child protection and safeguarding issues and she has increased resources and activities to promote positive images of the wider world we live in. These measures contribute positively to children's overall safety and have led to opportunities for them to find out about other cultures, traditions and beliefs and to help them understand that people are different from each other. Other improvements include the development of a parent pack with a range of written policies and procedures. The childminder has started to consider her provision through a process of self-evaluation. This has led to her developing her knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) through training and seeking support from the local authority to help her with the implementation of observation,

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provision

planning and assessment systems in respect of children's learning and development. This demonstrates commitment for continuous improvement.

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provision

The safety and security of children receive good attention through the childminder's close supervision of children, completion of comprehensive risk assessments, daily safety checks and use of appropriate and sensible safety features to minimise potential hazards. She plans her day around the needs of the children in her care, including regular outings for different days of the week. This means that children have an idea of the type of activity they will take part in and thus can look forward to their day.

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provision

Most required documentation is in place although the childminder does not have written parental consent to seek emergency medical advice or treatment for most of the children in her care, in accordance with one of the specific legal welfare requirements for safeguarding and promoting children's welfare. Parents and childminder enjoy warm, friendly relationships. They are made to feel welcome and are not hurried away. Parents speak positively about the childminder and the care their children receive, in particular the different places their children visit. There is an informal exchange of information which is supplemented with a daily diary. The childminder has obtained parental consent to engage in discussions about children with other providers who also deliver the EYFS to children attending this setting.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children enjoy their time in the childminder's care and benefit from a range of different experiences and activities. For instance, they have varied opportunities to enjoy fresh air and exercise. They regularly visit a play gym where they can improve coordination and develop their skills as they explore the different apparatus on offer. They mostly walk when going out and about and they love being outside in the garden, playing on the slide, jumping on the trampoline and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 investigating how to manoeuvre wheeled toys. They express their feelings and use their senses as they bang on a drum and explore other musical instruments in accompaniment to the music tape the childminder puts on for them. Children are able to freely access a good range of play materials that interest them and which are appropriate for their stage of development. The childminder supplements these

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

by others that she stores upstairs, which helps keep their play provision fresh and appealing. Adult planned activities offer opportunities for children to make things, for example presents for Mother's Day. They are keen to decorate pots with stickers, persevering to peel these off the backing paper and showing lots of interest in using the hole punch. However, when taking part in such activities, children sometimes have less opportunity to have some level of control and develop their own ideas and creativity as the childminder encourages them to conform to the intended end product. The childminder has started to undertake observations of children to help inform her planning and ensure that she moves children on in their learning and development. However, this is at an early stage of implementation and parents are not yet contributing formally to this process. The local community and places further afield are used to good effect to broaden

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

children's experiences. Children visit the local library and parks, they attend craft sessions organised by the local authority, have visited Warwick Castle and gone on a canal cruise. Children delight in looking at photographs of themselves and other minded children and recall different outings and events they took part in, such as when they ate Chinese food to celebrate Chinese New Year, making a snowman and more recently making pancakes. They enjoy looking at books with the childminder and answering her questions as she prompts them to name the different animals featured and to tell her what the different numbers are in a book about telling the time.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are helped to get on with one another and to appreciate the need to take turns and share. This, together with the praise they receive for their efforts and achievements, helps promote self-esteem and enables children to develop good habits for the future. Children are supported in developing good personal hygiene routines and the childminder implements effective practice to minimise the potential for the spread of infection. They mostly bring food from home although the childminder includes opportunities for them to try different items as part of planned activities such as food tasting. Children learn about keeping themselves safe as they take part in regular fire drills, are taught about road safety and because the childminder responds to situations that could be potentially hazardous. For instance, she watches carefully as children play on the slide and explains that they need to 'go down on their tummy or on their bottom.'

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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? 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

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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