Childminder in North Tyneside

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 310001 Inspection date 11/06/2009 Inspector Julie Larner

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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 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

The childminder was registered in 1994. She lives with her husband and two children aged 14 and 18 years, one of whom is at university and comes home in the holiday times. They live in North Shields, North Tyneside. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder’s house is used for childminding and a designated play room and bathroom located on the first floor, accessed by stairs. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of 6 children. She is also registered on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare register. There are currently nine children on roll, all of whom, except one, attend on a part-time basis. Four of the children are in the early years age range. The childminder walks to a nearby playgroup and the local school to drop off and collect children. The family have a guinea pig.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the quality of the provision is outstanding. Children are treated as unique individuals with their own valuable skills. Exceptional organisation of resources, space and records ensure that the childminder can successfully promote a fulfilling and enriching experience for every child. The childminder has a superb attitude towards continually improving her practice by obtaining new equipment, attending courses and adding to policies and procedures to improve the outcomes for children. Meeting the needs of each and every child is at the forefront of the childminder's practice and the utmost importance is placed on ensuring that children are very secure and that their emotional well-being is highly promoted.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 continue to develop the already successful links with others providing the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) for children to provide continuity and coherence in their learning.

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provision

Highly consistent procedures ensure that children’s safety is maintained to an exceptionally high standard. The childminder’s vigilance, knowledge of each individual child’s development and very successful comprehensive written records contribute towards maintaining children’s safety. The childminder effectively considers and balances the children’s enjoyment for taking appropriate risks with her levels of supervision to ensure that they remain very safe in her care. A very good understanding of child protection issues and her responsibilities around This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 protecting children ensure that children are cared for by a knowledgeable and highly vigilant adult. This results in children's welfare being very effectively safeguarded.

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provision

Very high levels of hygiene, both in and outdoors ensure that children remain free from cross infection and play with exceptionally well maintained toys and equipment. A huge range of equipment that stimulates and interests children provides them with a well balanced range of child initiated and adult led play opportunities that are of a very high quality. Space in the setting is organised particularly successfully to ensure that children can make decisions about where they want to play and what they want to play with. They very confidently move around the whole of the ground floor as the childminder has successfully created a free flowing space between the kitchen, dining room, living room and garden.

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provision

The childminder readily displays a wealth of information for parents and has substantial well thought out procedures to keep parents very informed about the care and development of their children. She works exceptionally closely with parents to ensure that she can meet each child’s every need in an appropriately planned way. Parents contribute towards the evaluation of the setting as the childminder asks them their views of her setting through regular questionnaires. Parents are highly complimentary about the care that their children receive. The childminder is beginning to develop very successful links with other settings that provide the EYFS for the children, although these are mainly focused around welfare issues.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are secure, confident and very happy in the childminder’s care. They thoroughly enjoy being involved in a mixture of indoor and outdoor activities that contribute towards their welfare and development. The childminder ensures that all children are successfully included in all of the activities to ensure they feel valued and respected. She uses very effective strategies to ensure that children can benefit from spontaneous activities, such as snow in the winter time, that are also tailored to meet their own individual needs. She brings the snow inside in a bowl for children who are not keen to go outside to ensure they can still benefit from exploring it. An excellent attitude towards valuing and promoting diversity provides children with well planned and spontaneous opportunities to respect people who are different to themselves.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

A wide range of worthwhile planned activities and outings ensure that children benefit from experiences and opportunities that suit their individual needs. The childminder monitors the types of activities that are picked by the children to see what they particularly enjoy and to look at how she can challenge and further extend their play in particular areas. Routines fit around the children’s needs which provides them with consistency and a sense of well-being. The childminder continually assesses what children can do and positively promotes the next steps in the children’s learning.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are highly independent learners. They enthusiastically and eagerly move This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 around the settings making decisions about what they want to do. The childminder’s acute vigilance means that she can capture their interests, for example, as they look at the digital picture frame and talk about the bee they saved from the water trough in the garden. Children happily play independently and with other children. They have developed extremely positive relationships with each other as they greet each other at the door with cuddles when they arrive in the morning.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Excellent activities and experiences help children to benefit from a healthy lifestyle. They talk about foods that are good and bad for them, create collages from pictures of fruit and vegetables and make smoothies with fruits that they have chosen themselves. Children tend and grow lots of vegetables that they then use to prepare foods and snacks. Daily opportunities to be active outdoors provides the children with lots of fresh air and chances to develop and refine their physical skills as they use swings, slides and enjoy water play. Children easily take care of their own personal care due to the childminder’s excellent encouragement and dedication towards promoting independence. Low level pegs have their towels on and their shoes are easily accessible to them before they go out in the garden. Children know how to remain safe in the setting and in the local community. The childminder talks to older children about listening for traffic when they are crossing

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

roads and they make their own zebra crossing in the garden to practice crossing the road safely.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children help to plan what they will do during the day. They talk to the childminder about the equipment they want to play with and visit the play room regularly during the day where they choose toys from low level, good quality storage boxes which promote an enabling environment. Children begin to develop good skills that contribute towards their economic well being. They draw with readily available pens, use computers and digital cameras and practice their early writing skills by threading bobbins and buttons onto laces. 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? 1 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? 1

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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? 1 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

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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

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