Childminder in Solihull

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 259976 Inspection date 20/04/2009 Inspector Rachel Wyatt

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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 2001. She lives with her husband and eight year old son in Bentley Heath, Solihull, West Midlands, close to shops, parks, schools and public transport links. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder’s home is used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play and children are taken on a variety of outings and visits.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register. She 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. She is currently minding seven children in this age group. She also offers care to children aged over five years to 13 years. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. Support is provided for children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder collects children from a local school and nursery. She helps to run a local childminding toddler group and regularly attends other toddler activities. The childminder has a BTEC National Diploma in Nursery Nursing. She chairs a local childminding group and is a support childminder working with newly registered childminders. She is 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. Children really enjoy themselves, appreciating the welcoming atmosphere created by the childminder and the stimulating activities and resources she provides. Working in close partnership with parents, the childminder successfully promotes children's care and learning needs. She is dedicated to ensuring her practice is inclusive, for example, always effectively consulting with children about their choices and ideas for play and enhancing her support for their home languages. Children and their families benefit as the childminder shows a clear commitment to developing her provision and to addressing aspects for improvement identified through her robust monitoring and evaluation, resulting for instance, in a most inviting, safe garden area following a recent complete refurbishment.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further the links between assessment and planning by showing how observations and assessments are used to identify learning priorities and to plan relevant learning experiences for each child  improve record keeping so that each child's parents' or carers' addresses are clearly recorded. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

The childminder confidently organises and manages her provision so that children experience an enjoyable, varied programme of activities and experiences. She has a clear vision about offering child-centred learning based on children's choices and ideas, supported by well thought out topics, rewarding sessions at other settings and worthwhile visits. Sessions and routines are well-managed and relaxed so children have time to explore the many stimulating toys, games and books in the comfortable, inviting learning environment she creates.

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provision

Children are effectively safeguarded. The childminder ensures they learn about safety issues during activities, walks or outings and whilst using toys and equipment. She carries out and reviews risk assessments, completes regular checks of her premises, toys and equipment, and ensures all outings are suitable and well-organised. Parents are reassured because the childminder explains how she is registered and maintains her suitability, and how she minimises the risk of any harm to the children she looks after. She has robust safeguarding children procedures which are shared with parents. Children's health and hygiene are also effectively promoted as the childminder seeks full information about their medical history and any health, dietary or additional needs. Through her agreements and information exchanged with parents, the childminder ensures they clearly understand what happens if their child is unwell, has an accident or needs

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provision

medication. Children's welfare is also supported by the childminder's generally effective systems for obtaining required agreements and information about them and their families. However, in a few cases, records lack clarity regarding required information about each parent's address.

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provision

Partnership with parents and others are valued and successful. Parents receive helpful, high quality information about the provision and the childminder keeps them fully informed about their child's activities, routines and achievements. Parents have regular opportunities to see their child's delightful progress records which include observations, photographs and examples of their work. Recently introduced newsletters and opportunities to see other photographs all help parents to be fully aware of the range of experiences offered to their children and activities they may wish to follow up at home. The childminder is proactive about developing relationships with other settings children attend, for example, encouraging an exchange of information about topics and developmental targets to enable everyone to work together to promote children's development in the six areas of learning.

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provision

Children benefit from the effectiveness of the childminder's monitoring and self- evaluation. She consistently reflects on, and where appropriate revises her practice, to take account of the views of children and parents, and to incorporate ideas from training attended or her personal research. For example, her house rules have been produced in pictorial form as a result of a child's suggestion, and the childminder has extended the use of visual prompts to enable children of all ages and abilities to make informed decisions about what they want to play with each day. Recommendations agreed at the last inspection have been fully This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 addressed to ensure the childminder is well-informed about the management of any notifiable illnesses and so parents have access to current complaints procedures.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are active learners. They are eager to take part in activities, concentrating and persevering well. Their enjoyment and learning are enriched because the childminder's home is very child-orientated. They use a most inviting play room; choose from plenty of accessible, stimulating books, toys and games, and play outside in a carefully planned garden with areas where they can be physically active, investigate different materials such as sand, grow seeds and plants, and observe insects. Off-site visits are well thought out and rewarding. These encourage children's appreciation of their community or features of the natural world or extend their understanding of a particular topic, such as a visit to the airport whilst focussing on transport.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children make good progress. The childminder works with parents to establish children's starting points, and thereafter her delightful assessment records, based on regular observations and annotated photographic records, help her to build up a clear picture of each child's interests and skills. She has a generally sound idea of each child's learning priorities but it is not always clear from her planning and ongoing assessments how these are followed up and achieved. In other respects, the childminder confidently identifies ways to consolidate and extend children's learning. For instance, play with puzzles featuring 'people who help us' is expanded as children talk about and match small world figures of a firefighter, nurse, postal worker and a police officer to the relevant puzzle. Later, children collect the post and observe refuse and recycled materials being collected.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children's enjoyment and understanding is enhanced by the childminder's involvement in their activities. Their ideas, reasoning and overall understanding are endorsed by her good open-ended questions and explanations. She fosters their awareness of letters and sounds, numbers, colours, shape and size in meaningful practical contexts. For example, at meal times, children count out the numbers of plates, cups and cutlery they need. Gardening and cooking are much enjoyed and encourage their awareness of quantity, size and how things change. The childminder encourages children to find out how things fit together or work. For example, after children are fascinated by using a whisk in water, they have the opportunity to use this utensil to make a popular dessert.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children develop good life skills. They are confident articulate speakers, expressing their views or ideas, recalling events and making conversation. They listen with enjoyment to stories. Children increasingly use real or pretend information technology to support their learning, for instance, using realistic programmable toys during shop and office role play. Children behave well, showing an understanding of the house rules they have discussed. They play well together, make friends, take turns, are kind and like to be helpful. Through discussions, playing with a wide variety of meaningful toys and taking part in rewarding activities, children develop respect for each others' different backgrounds and for This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the wider world. During nourishing meals, regular exercise and well-managed personal hygiene routines, the childminder helps children to really appreciate the

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

value of a healthy lifestyle. 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 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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