Childminder in Manchester

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 EY386012 Inspection date 03/06/2009 Inspector Mary Kilroy

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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 was registered in 2008. She lives with her husband and one child aged five years old in Chorlton, an area of South Manchester. The whole of the ground floor and two upstairs bedrooms and bathroom of the childminder's house are used for childminding purposes. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to provide care for a total of five children at any one time and there are currently seven children on roll, six of whom are within the Early Years Foundation Stage age range. They attend for a variety of sessions each week. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. She walks to local schools to take and collect children. The childminder attends carer and toddler groups and local amenities, such as soft play areas.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder holds a diploma in childcare and has managed a day nursery. She is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the quality of the provision is good. The childminder very effectively promotes children’s welfare and learning and provides a safe and inclusive environment, with excellent systems in place in relation to planning, observing and monitoring the service she provides. Children are happily engaged and occupied in a range of highly stimulating play activities and experiences and there are good working relationship with parents, who are kept well informed of their children’s daily routines, care and learning. The childminder is very skilled in meeting children's individual needs and building on their interests and starting points, so that all children make very good progress. The childminder has created highly effective links with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, who are involved with the children in her care.

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further?

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

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further?

 continue to develop and use self-evaluation effectively to monitor all aspects of the provision and as a tool for continuing improvement.

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provision

The childminder is committed and enthusiastic and improves the service she provides through effective evaluation and training. A structured daily routine promotes children's welfare and ongoing assessments ensure progression throughout all areas of learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 The childminder’s home is well organised and offers children good opportunities to become independent in safety. All written policies and procedures work well in practice to positively promote children’s health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and ability to make a positive contribution.

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provision

The childminder ensures her provision is inclusive and welcoming. Her written policies and procedures are shared with parents and discussed at introduction meetings, helping to promote good working relationships and shared understanding from an early stage. Parents are provided with good verbal and written information about their children’s care and progress and their comments and views are used to inform planning and help the childminder to monitor the service provided. Observation and assessment for all children are good.

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provision

The childminder has very secure understanding of and effective procedures in place for protecting children and ensuring their welfare is safeguarded. She constantly re-enforces strategies to remain safe through gentle reminders; for example, children help to plan safer, shorter routes to school and identify safe places to cross the road. They are learning effectively about 'stranger danger' and know that the large coloured pencils and footprints indicate the route to the library. They enjoy helping with small household tasks around being healthy, such as sweeping to see dirt or pegging out and sorting clean washing, discussing which fits whom and counting items, such as shoes and gloves, on and off. A child who likes hats enjoyed helping to sort and count them. The childminder recognises the importance of continuous improvement and is secure in her assessment of the strengths and minor weakness of her setting. She self-assesses her provision

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provision

continually and has started to use written self-evaluation; however, the document is still in the early stages and is currently being collated.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder is committed and enthusiastic and improves the service she provides through effective evaluation and training. A structured daily routine, which children have a good understanding of, promotes children's welfare and ongoing assessments ensure progression throughout all areas of learning.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder’s home is well organised and offers children good opportunities to become independent in safety. All written policies and procedures work well in practice to positively promote children’s health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and ability to make a positive contribution.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder ensures her provision is inclusive and welcoming. Her written policies and procedures are shared with parents and discussed at introduction meetings, helping to promote good working relationships and shared understanding from an early stage. Observation and assessment for all children are very good and the childminder intends to create her own learning journeys rather than continue to use those that she purchased. She is highly skilled in providing stimulating and challenging activities, using the children as indicators and intervening and prompting only if children are struggling. She offers meaningful This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 praise for problem solving, such as when a child's blanket gets stuck, and perseverance.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder provides sensitive and loving care for very young children. Children play well together and show real care and concern for one another; for example, one brought the other child's comfort blanket when they felt that they needed it and they care well for their doll 'babies'. Children enjoy using tissues and dispose of them carefully and a very young child 'wiped' the inspector's nose, too. They say 'Bless you' to one another. The childminder builds well on their different likes and interests, using different groups for children who prefer large scale activities and for those enjoying songs and quieter play. Children enjoy lots of stories and the childminder uses visual aids, tapes and puppets to sustain their interest. Children enjoy lots of rhyming books, finding the lion in the laundry and the dragon on the doorstep, and the childminder runs her finger under the words as she reads. Children are encouraged to think and be imaginative as she asks

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

what they think happens next. The childminder fosters early make marking with sand, paint and chalks and older children make shopping lists. She builds well on their listening skills using telephones and uses and supports body language, waving, clapping and encouraging, if children are not yet talking.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are learning well about the wider and natural worlds as they have good access to the meadows close by. The childminder talks to them about what is permanent and what is temporary in the local environment, which are natural features and which are manmade, and what old buildings are used for now and in the past, and they are accustomed to noting key features and changes to the area. Their mathematical development is good as the childminder uses every opportunity to introduce counting, estimating and calculating as they naturally occur. Children counted carrots during a story and matched them to rabbits and children. The childminder asked them 'How many things can you see?' and they counted shoes, socks and gloves, on and off. Currant buns are mounted on lolly sticks as a visual aid to counting and the childminder uses positional and mathematical language throughout play. Children have good opportunities to make sound progress in

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

information, communication and technology as they access a computer, use programmable toys and a tape recorder, help the childminder to use the cash line at the bank and take photographs. They are given ample time to assimilate and revisit the stimulating activities and the childminder nurtures and fosters a love of books from her own clear enjoyment and good understanding of children's literature. 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

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