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 205043 Inspection date 02/03/2009 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 1996. She lives with her husband, two adult daughters and son aged 14, in Redditch. The whole of the ground floor and a toilet on the first floor are used for childminding. Accessibility to the premises is up one step and toilet facilities are on the first floor. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools. The family have some fish.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than three may be in the early years age range. There are currently four children attending who are in this age group, all of whom attend on a part-time basis. The childminder also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years. This provision is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good. Children settle well with the childminder and make good progress because she supports their learning and development well. Her practice is inclusive because she develops close relationships with their parents and carers and gets to know children's individual needs. This enables her to provide continuity of care in children's daily routines and she provides parents and carers with some verbal information about children's learning and development. She has made significant improvements to her provision since the last inspection but she has not carried out an overall self- evaluation of all aspects of her work. As a result, one welfare requirement is not met.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve the organisation of the setting: develop the use of self-evaluation to identify areas for improvement in all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)  improve the information given to parents about children’s care, 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?

 keep a written record of regular safety checks (Suitable premises, environment and equipment). 16/03/2009 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

Children have benefited from a number of improvements since the last inspection. The childminder has met all of the recommendations made at the last inspection. She has also attended several training courses to update her practice, including ones linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and she has booked places on others in the near future, including 'Social and Emotional Development'. She has updated most aspects of her paperwork in line with EYFS requirements and now has a comprehensive set of written policies to underpin her good practice. However, she has only just begun to carry out a full self-evaluation of all aspects of her practice and, as a result, one of the EYFS welfare requirements is not met.

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provision

Children are cared for in premises that are safe and secure. The childminder has carried out a thorough written risk assessment of indoors, the garden and regular outings and these indicate things that need to be checked on a regular basis. She carries out daily checks of her premises to ensure that they are free from hazards. However, the childminder does not keep a written record of the regular checks in line with EYFS welfare requirements. Children are safeguarded because the childminder has a sound understanding of child protection procedures. She keeps a log of any existing injuries to minded children and discusses these with parents and carers.

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provision

Children benefit from continuity of care because the childminder works in close partnership with their parents, carers and with other EYFS providers who share the care of particular children. Parents and carers read her policies before she begins minding and she asks them for information about their children's daily routines and their learning and development. Ongoing information about children's progress is shared verbally so that children are able to continue their learning at home. Part of the childminder's current improvement plan is to provide parents and carers with more detail using daily record sheets with information about children's welfare and activities and photographic records of their learning and development.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children behave well at the childminder's and develop habits appropriate to good learners because she is calm and consistent in her approach and sets clear boundaries for children's behaviour. Older children learn to consider younger ones when they are playing and children of all ages learn to share toys. They enjoy a wide range of interesting activities that supports all aspects of their learning and development. For example, they have great fun using paints. They choose from a variety of different tools such as rollers and sponges to make marks on paper and explore freely with different colours. After a while they develop their own learning and start trying to make patterns in the tray of paint with their hands. Babies join in with enthusiasm, using their hands to make prints. Older children learn to recognise the different colours and try to make a picture with the paint. Children enjoy using construction toys such as building bricks. Younger ones develop hand

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

control as they try to join two bricks together, while older ones enjoy building towers. They talk to the childminder as they play and she develops their This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 understanding of mathematical language, with comments such as 'You've made a big tower'. She encourages simple problem solving by asking children to find certain things, such as the animals.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children have good opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles. They spend time outside each day and walk to and from school with older children. They discover different types of weather because they go outside on a snowy day to make tracks in the snow and to build a snowman. They learn good hygiene routines because they wash their hands before meals and the childminder reduces the risk of cross- infection by providing children with individual hand towels that are washed after each use. They eat healthy snacks, such as bananas and raisins, and talk about which foods are healthy while they are shopping at the supermarket. When they are out with the childminder they develop good awareness of safety issues. Younger children learn to hold the childminder's hand or the pushchair. Older children know how far ahead they can go and that they must never be out of sight of the childminder. They learn to look and listen as they cross roads and that they

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children become aware of our diverse society because the childminder has some toys to support their awareness and also a wide range of resources linked to different festivals, such as colouring sheets for children to use. She shares a number of additional resources with a group of other childminders, including a selection of musical instruments from other cultures, Indian-dressing up clothes and toys reflecting people with disabilities. Children take part in activities relating to different festivals such as St Patrick's Day and Chinese New Year to extend their awareness. 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: 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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