Childminder in Norfolk

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 256546 Inspection date 18/06/2009 Inspector Gill Thornton

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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 2000. She lives with her husband and children aged 11 and 15 years in a rural village in south Norfolk, close to the local primary school. The whole of the property is used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden for outdoor play. The childminder regularly works with an assistant.

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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. When working with an assistant she may care for a maximum of 10 children under eight years, of whom, no more than six may be in the early years age group. She is currently minding six children in this age group all on a part-time basis. She also offers care to children aged over five years to 16 years. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is also registered to provide overnight care for two children.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder collects children from the local school and pre-school and attends several children's groups on a regular basis. She is a member of the local childminding network and is on the management council for 'Childminding Matters'. She holds a National Vocational Qualification Level 3. The family has a rabbit.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good. The childminder provides a welcoming and very child-friendly environment in which children settle well and make good progress in their learning and development. Partnerships with parents and other settings are generally effective in ensuring all children are included and their individual needs well met. The childminder successfully evaluates her practice to identify priorities for development to improve outcomes for children. She follows effective procedures to ensure children are safe and secure at all times.

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further?

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

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further?

 extend the use of ongoing observations and assessments of each child’s achievements and interests and use these to identify learning priorities and plan relevant and motivating learning experiences for each child  develop ways of liaising with other providers delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to ensure progression and continuity of learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

The childminder is an experienced and qualified practitioner who plans her weekly routines to ensure children enjoy a stimulating range of activities within her home and the local community. She works closely with her assistant to ensure children receive consistently high levels of support and encouragement to successfully promote their welfare and development. She seeks comprehensive information from parents to enable her to effectively meet each child's individual needs, to ensure they are all fully included and able to play an active part in the setting. Parents are highly complimentary of the childminder and the care provided. They value her good communication skills, awareness of each child's individual needs and her endless patience. The childminder has a good working relationship with the local school as part of their extended schools project. However, she has not yet established an effective system of sharing children's developmental and

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provision

learning records with other settings delivering the EYFS attended by children in her care to promote further coherence and progression.

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provision

Children's welfare and learning are promoted by the childminder's operational policies and procedures which successfully underpin her practice. She has recently reviewed her documentation and compiled a comprehensive parents prospectus which she will give to parents to further promote shared understandings of the care provided. The childminder shares information verbally with parents on a daily basis to ensure children's changing needs are met and to promote progression and continuity of care. She maintains diaries as narrative of each child's daily routines and activities, which include some simple next steps in learning. Ongoing observational assessment is recorded in 'Special books' for each child, which include photographs of their play and examples of their work, however, these are not consistently used to monitor and plan for each child's individual progress towards the early learning goals.

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provision

The childminder regularly attends training workshops to update her knowledge and skills and she uses information gained from such training to develop her practice. She is in the process of becoming an accredited childminder and values visits from her network coordinator to help her review and monitor her practice. She is responsive to the views of parents and works closely with her assistant to evaluate her practice and ensure priorities for development are accurately targeted. The childminder has a sound practical knowledge of how to keep children safe and takes good steps to ensure hazards to children are minimised within her home, garden and the local community. She successfully organises her home to ensure it is safe and secure so that children can move around safely and independently under her watchful guidance. Children are safeguarded because the childminder regularly attends child protection training and is confident of her knowledge of the

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provision

action to take to protect children if she should have a concern.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are happy and secure in the childminder's well-organised home where they can move around in freedom and comfort while exploring their own ideas. An This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 excellent range of age-appropriate toys and resources are stored in the playroom so that all children can make independent choices in their play. Further resources are stored in the lounge so that babies and younger children can practice their physical skills in safety. The childminder extends her range of resources by borrowing items from the childminding network, such as an attractive range of ethnic dolls. She is warm and supportive in her interactions and sensitively acknowledges children's individual personalities to ensure they are all valued and included. Babies and young children develop meaningful attachments with the childminder and her assistant and enjoy the security of knowing they are close by

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

if needed, thus developing their growing independence and self-confidence. Children respond well to the use of praise and encouragement and clap with delight when the childminder applauds their skill at using a cause and effect toy.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children have many opportunities to develop their self-care skills, for example, while making their own sandwich at lunchtime, which is then used as a meaningful opportunity to promote their simple problem solving skills while cutting, trying to cut it into quarters. Babies and younger children gain an awareness of one-to-one correspondence during everyday routines such as putting on their shoes. Children have many opportunities to engage in imaginative role play situations based on their own first hand experiences in the stimulating environment of the playroom. They have many opportunities to explore and experiment with a wide range of interesting media and materials to inspire their creativity. The childminder is responsive to children's interests and encourages their further investigation, for example, providing simple explanations about the telephone wires while walking home from school. Children enjoy music and dancing especially using the sound

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

responsive disco lights. The childminder follows well-established routines to minimise the risk of cross infection and to help children learn the importance of having a healthy lifestyle. Children regularly practise fire drills and learn strategies for future independence, such as, while sharing books on how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Babies and young children are learning to draw others into their social interactions and recognise that their views are important as the childminder follows their lead by repeating their vocalisations and mirroring their movements to show they have her full attention. All children are learning to share and take turns and to consider the feeling of others under the childminder's sensitive guidance, such as, praising them for passing a toy to another child. 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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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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