Horsnall, Sharon

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 EY309301 Inspection date 26/03/2009 Inspector Alison Edwards

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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

Children only attend this setting before and/or after the school day and/or during the school holidays. The judgements in this report reflect the quality of early years provision offered to children during those periods.

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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

This childminder registered in 2005. She lives with her husband and three children, aged 10, eight and six years, in a house on the outskirts of a small town in the Charnwood district of Leicestershire. Minded children have access to the ground floor of the house. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play. Two rabbits and two guinea pigs are kept as family pets. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of five children aged under eight years at any one time, including three in the early years age range. There are currently six children under the age of eight on roll on a part-time basis, including five in the early years age range. The childminder is also registered on the voluntary part of the Childcare Register to care for older children. The childminder does not receive funding to provide nursery education to three- and four-year-old children.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the provision is satisfactory. Sound practical arrangements are generally in place to support children's welfare. The childminder makes sensible use of play and everyday experiences to help children make satisfactory progress in their learning. She seeks relevant information from parents to ensure she is aware of children's individual needs and preferences so that these can be met. She is sufficiently familiar with the content of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to ensure that her current practice meets its overarching requirements appropriately and is aware of the value of continued use of locally available training and support to continue to develop this further.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure that records for individual children are kept for a reasonable time, with particular regard to accident records, and that these accident records effectively demonstrate that parents have been informed of the incident and of any treatment given  develop more systematic ways to assess what the childminding setting offers against robust and challenging quality critera  develop greater familiarity with the content of the areas of learning and development identified within the EYFS in order to more effectively underpin assessment of children's abilities and planning for the next steps in their learning.

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further?

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

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further?

 conduct risk assessments for each type of outing and ensure that risk assessments identify aspects of the environment which need to be checked on a regular 23/04/2009 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 basis, with particular regard to the trampoline in the garden (Safeguarding and welfare)

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provision

Childminding is generally organised appropriately to underpin children's welfare and development. The childminder had taken appropriate measures to address recommendations raised at her last inspection to improve aspects of children's safety, for example by ensuring the security of the rear garden. She is sufficiently aware of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to enable her to ensure that these are generally met, for example by using relevant local training to maintain the required paediatric first aid qualification. However, she has not yet established systematic ways of reviewing her provision to clearly identify current strengths and priorities for further development.

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provision

The childminder has a sound awareness of what child abuse and neglect mean, and recognises her responsibility to follow agreed local and national procedures in the event of any concerns about a child, in order to safeguard them from harm. She maintains a current paediatric first aid qualification, and obtains written parental consent to seek medical treatment in the event of an emergency, so helping her manage any accident or sudden illness appropriately. She completes written records of any accidents occurring to minded children whilst in her care. However, these do not show whether parents have been informed of any such accident and of any treatment given, and are not consistently kept for a reasonable period of time. They are therefore not fully effective in supporting the management of children's care.

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provision

The childminder provides prospective parents with useful written information, and uses her own simple written business agreements, so helping to ensure that there is a sound, shared understanding of arrangements for children's care. She seeks and records relevant information from parents regarding children's personal, health and dietary details, so enabling her to meet these appropriately. She provides parents with frequent written updates regarding children's activities and experiences, and is starting to develop assessments of some aspects of children's progress and of the next steps in their learning, which are available to parents. The childminder acknowledges the value of working in partnership with parents and other relevant professionals to support the inclusion of any children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are cared for in a well-maintained and comfortable family home, where they are encouraged to follow sensible hygiene practices within their daily routines, so helping to maintain their health. They often enjoy energetic play in the spacious rear garden, for example, as pre-school children confidently steer wheeled toys, clamber on low climbing equipment, or take part in impromptu obstacle races, using cones and hoops. Children across the age range use a varied selection of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 appropriate resources enabling them to develop their dexterity, for example as they manipulate jigsaw puzzle pieces or chunky plastic bricks, or as they show interest in simple drawing activities. Lunches such as beans on toast, followed by fruit and yogurt, or main meals such as a home-cooked 'roast' and vegetables, are generally suitably balanced to contribute to a nutritious diet.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder ensures children are within her sight or hearing at all times, so helping to ensure that they are appropriately supervised. She takes sensible precautions to maintain children's safety, for example, by ensuring that household cleaning materials and family medicines are inaccessibly stored, and that the greenhouse is safely glazed with polycarbonate. She uses consistency and explanation to help children understand simple aspects of how to behave safely, for example with regard to the use of car seat restraints. Written risk assessments are used effectively to document safety precautions within the house, but do not yet give consideration to the management of children's access to the trampoline in the garden. The childminder implements a number of sensible precautions to manage children's safety on outings, such as the use of appropriate seat restraints in the car. However, required recorded risk assessments are not yet undertaken to

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

document how potential hazards on each type of outing are identified and minimised.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children's personal and social skills are developing well. They are very settled and confident in this friendly family home where the childminder prioritises spending time talking and playing with them. This helps them to feel recognised as individuals and to show confidence and purpose in their activities. The childminder actively encourages children to show care and concern for each other, for example as she praises older children's thoughtfulness in sharing favourite toys with a younger toddler. She has a clear understanding of the value of establishing clear and consistent boundaries for children's behaviour, so helping them understand what is expected of them. Children are encouraged to recognise and respect cultural and individual differences, for example by sharing books and stories about different faiths, or by incorporating play figures with different skin tones or mobility aids into their imaginative play.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are developing a sound basis for their future development and learning. The childminder recognises her responsibility to support their learning across all areas of the EYFS. She offers a range of practical play experiences, generally supporting children's creativity, communication, and reasoning. For example, children across the age range enjoy making music with a good selection of instruments, or freely drawing on wipe-clean boards. They show an awareness of rhythm and rhyme as they enjoy singing familiar songs, and enjoy ready access to a fair selection of books and stories. They begin to understand how things work as they use simple cause and effect toys, and gain practical awareness of size, shape and quantity as they measure and mix ingredients in simple cooking activities. They become familiar with the natural world and their local environment as they help care for vegetables in the childminder's garden, or visit local woods. The

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

childminder has started to make some observations and assessments of children's current abilities, and has begun to identify some ways to support the next steps in their learning. However, she is not yet fully confident of what children need to This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 learn in order to assess their skills and plan for their future progress across all aspects of learning to best effect. 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? 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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