Townsend, Pamela Jane

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 EY216891 Inspection date 27/04/2009 Inspector Ann Bamford

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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

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 offers care from her home in the Oakdale area of Blackburn. The home is on a large residential estate which includes schools. It is close to bus routes and other transport links. She lives with her husband and two children aged five and eight. She is a member of the National Childminding Association. The childminder holds a level three childcare qualification.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder has been registered since April 2002. She is registered to care for six children, three of whom may be in the early years age group. She is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. Overnight care is not provided. There are six children on roll.

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Description of the childminding

Minded children have access to the whole of the ground floor and one bedroom and bathroom on the first floor. There is an enclosed rear garden available for outdoor play.

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Description of the childminding

Care is available from 08.00 until 18.00 each weekday. Care outside these hours may be negotiated directly with parents. Annual holidays are planned in consultation with parents.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding. All children's needs are met in an exemplary way whilst they are cared for in the setting. Children's welfare is promoted highly effectively as the childminder works with parents and other professionals in a very skilled way. Children are very safe and secure at all times and experience enjoyment during the time they spend with the childminder. Children experience a rich variety of activities in an environment that is superbly organised for them. The childminder has made highly creative use of self-evaluation as a tool to identify and develop areas of her practice. As a result, the quality of childcare and education that children receive is very effective and consistently improved.

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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 planning of children's specific next steps, linking them to the expectations of the early learning goals in order to check that all areas are being covered equally effectively. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

The childminder has exceptionally high aspirations for the quality of care and learning. She has quickly made highly effective use of the Early Years Foundation Stage document as a tool for ensuring that each child makes progress in the six areas of the early learning. The sophisticated planning and organisation of the areas where children play mean that children can choose their own toys from a range planned to move them on in a specific way. This enhances the rate at which all children make progress. Innovative ideas, such as encouraging children to ring their mummy in the middle of the day, increases their sense of belonging and value, but also aids the concept of time passing. The childminder's careful planning for individual children, and creative use of, for example, the toy library, means that children progress rapidly through next steps in their development.

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provision

Working in partnership with parents and other professionals is a key strength of the childminder's service. She involves parents and other providers of care for children in gathering information, planning next steps for children and evaluating her service. She has a wealth of experience of recognising and discussing children's individual needs. She is well able to identify areas of concern and assist parents in working with other professionals, for example, to ensure that a child's hearing needs are properly addressed. This enhances children's experience of consistency of quality care.

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provision

Documentation is creatively and highly efficiently used. This impacts on the safe management of her provision and as a means of ensuring that children are making the best possible progress in each area of learning. The area where children are cared for is risk assessed on a daily and ongoing basis. Outings are also regularly assessed and written risk assessments are in place for these. The childminder skilfully discusses these with children in order to encourage them to recognise and minimise risks for themselves as, for example, at a trip to a local play area. As a result, children are safe and developing a sophisticated awareness of how to keep safe. The childcare area is regularly modified to ensure that children have maximum access to toys and equipment while still keeping them safe in the indoor and outdoor environment. The childminder has a clear written plan for individual children which is being developed in relation to the early learning goals.

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provision

Children benefit from the childminder’s drive for improvement. Her regular attendance on courses and skill in weaving new knowledge and understanding into practice mean that children can experience new ways of learning and having fun. For example, her attendance at further safeguarding training has empowered children to protect themselves as she discusses with children how identity badges can mean that adults are safe.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

This provision is exemplary. The childminder supports children’s learning highly effectively. She has an excellent understanding of the different stages of children's development and learning. As a result, children's individual learning needs are This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 promoted in an imaginative way. Children choose whether they are in or out of doors throughout the time they are cared for. Observation, assessment and planning are used skilfully to create an environment where the child can be an active learner with the challenge provided by the childminder to think critically. They select their own toys and respond to the skilled childminders challenge to find out other ways of using them, for example, to find other features on a toy telephone or to use different bowls to create different sounds with when using a spoon as a drumstick. Children are involved in every aspect of living, for example,

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

helping sort and hang washing out to dry. Older children are encouraged to do as much as they can for themselves with, for example, to go and move their toys from one room to another. Her patience and encouragement of the child to persist moving the toy telephone to another area on his own enhances the child’s confidence to succeed. The sophistication of planned next steps ensures that, for example, a child who has been absent through illness is settled back into the setting by changing days to enable the child to be with a known friend during his first day back.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children's individual progress is charted with care; the next steps are agreed with parents both verbally and in children's learning diaries. Records are used to chart all children’s excellent levels of achievement in relation to their starting points. These records demonstrate, for example, how quickly a child can recognise different colours as the childminder focuses on providing everyday first hand experiences to define colours such as pink and violet in addition to the more easily known colours.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children's welfare is promoted in an exemplary manner. All children learn how to maintain their own health and well-being from a very early age as they are encouraged to indicate their needs for food and drink, nappy changing, sleep and cuddles. Additionally, the childminder and child discuss the ingredients in a corn beef hash together and how the different ingredients help make the body work and grow, whilst eating lunch. This enhances their awareness of healthy selections of food and of how the body uses food to develop. The childminder uses strategies, such as baby signing to enhance children's communication skills and confidence. In addition, children learn to consider different needs, such as hearing impairment, as part of their usual way of communicating. Children develop an awareness of different cultures as the childminder plans celebrations from different cultures and attends groups where this is a focus, for example, Eid celebrations in

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

a local childminder group. Older children request food and drink with increasing independence. Children develop an awareness of preventing cross-infection as they talk about washing hands with the childminder during nappy changes. All children have an exemplary awareness of safety as they learn, for example, to avoid the hazards in a local play area identified by the childminder and talked about with children. Children develop excellent independence skills as they are involved in discussing, for example, whether they should set up a computer game in the play room or the lounge in order to play safely. This also enhances their understanding of the wider world. 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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