Childminder in Central Bedfordshire

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 505312 Inspection date 04/06/2009 Inspector Sarah Fletcher

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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 registered with Ofsted in 2001. She lives with her husband and two children aged eight and 12 years in Linslade, Bedfordshire. The whole ground floor and first floor of the childminder’s house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of six children under eight at any one time. She is currently caring for four children in the early years age range and six school age children. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children and attends the local parent/toddler group. The family currently has no pets.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the quality of the provision is outstanding. The childminder clearly meets each child's unique needs on a day-to-day basis and beyond, valuing their diversity and family circumstances, while ensuring she treats them all with equal concern, regardless of their gender, ability or background. Children's welfare is very well promoted as the childminder is vigilant and takes great care to ensure she meets all the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework (EYFS) to effectively promote outcomes for every child in her care. The childminder ensures she plans a good balance of both structured and free play experiences to enable all children to achieve as much as they can, whatever their capabilities and starting points. Children benefit from the childminder’s continuous extension of her own knowledge through appropriate training courses, which enables her to further develop practice and to support every child in her care to the best of her ability.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The childminder establishes excellent relationships with parents, built through strong communications and is extremely keen to provide high quality care and education services to children, building an effective self-evaluation system to update her service and make any improvements quickly and efficiently.

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further?

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

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further?

 further develop the systems for recording children's progress, with regard to linking their observations, assessments and next steps effectively to monitor individual learning and development towards the early learning goals

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provision

The childminder is very keen to provide high levels of care and education to all children she cares for and clearly understands the importance of providing a good quality service, which is evident through her ongoing improvement. The childminder follows clear detailed policies and procedures, maintains up-to-date This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 regulatory records and obtains all required parental consents to provide continuity of care for each child. She shares children’s personal information with individual parents in confidence for the safe and efficient management of her provision and to promote outcomes for all children successfully. Regular parental discussions form part of the childminder’s strong communication system, which she uses very effectively to enhance children’s excellent levels of care and education.

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provision

Children's safety is paramount to the childminder and she is very protective of the children in her care. She creates clear and detailed risk assessments of the areas children use indoors and outside to ensure all potential hazards are removed or made safe to children, together with any transport arrangements and regular places for outings. The childminder sees risk assessment as an ongoing development of her practice and she continuously monitors and records any findings, with regular reviews throughout the year. Her developing self-evaluation record reflects continuous monitoring of her practice and improvements already made are clearly recorded to demonstrate their impact on children. The childminder creates a well organised environment and continuously assesses her practice to make improvements. She encourages children to develop a positive sense of identity and build individual confidence in their own abilities. Children

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provision

benefit from having individual time with the childminder during their patterns of attendance, which greatly enhances their progress in learning and development. Structured activities are carefully planned to ensure each child is achieving and allow for many spontaneous learning opportunities.

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provision

The childminder promotes inclusive practice very well so that all children have their welfare needs met and achieve as well as they can. She provides an excellent variety of toys, resources and equipment to promote positive images of differing abilities, race and gender roles. The childminder allows children ample time to discover different cultures and beliefs through a range of activities in celebration of various countries around the world. Children’s high quality care and education benefits from the childminder’s extremely effective links with parents, built through regular communications and by ensuring she is approachable, honest and open in her practice. The childminder provides a flexible service to parents and clearly involves them in their child's care and education, taking on board any feedback in a positive way.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children’s learning and development greatly benefits from the childminder’s provision of enjoyable and challenging experiences for all ages of children in her care, enabling them to make significant advances in their learning achievements in relation to their individual capabilities and starting points. Children relax in their surroundings, building confidence and self-esteem through the childminder’s high levels of interaction and experienced support. She provides a wide range of good quality toys, resources and equipment for children to freely choose from, together with carefully organised flexible activities to enable all children to make progress towards the early learning goals. The childminder is clearly aware of the different ways both boys and girls like to play and she provides appropriate space and resources to enable their choices and encourage their learning in positive ways, for This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

example, allowing ample space for children to run around to expend their excess energy, or providing quiet time for any child who wishes to rest, particularly after their busy school day. The childminder knows each child very well and recognises the way they like to learn. She plans activities to match their learning styles and shares her findings with parents to involve them in their child’s learning.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder provides a wide range of home cooked healthy and nutritious meals, ensuring all children receive a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the day. Her excellent knowledge of appropriate hygiene routines and adherence to her detailed sickness policy ensures children are protected from cross infection at all times, with food hygiene well maintained to prevent any risk of contamination. Children are encouraged to recognise their own unique qualities and the characteristics they share with others, using discussion with the childminder and observing each other as they play. They understand the importance of good health as they take part in daily physical activities and exercise outdoors, such as playing in the childminder’s spacious garden, visiting nearby play parks or attending a variety of differing activity groups in the locality. A good balance of adult led and child initiated activities gives children many opportunities

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

for learning. They enjoy imaginative role play games and play happily alongside each other, with appropriate support from the childminder.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder successfully implements the EYFS framework and meets both the welfare and learning requirements for every child in her care, planning interesting and challenging activities and experiences to accommodate differing abilities. She provides many opportunities for children to learn through play and makes both random and structured observations of individual children to meet the full range of their learning needs. The childminder uses her records to measure children’s individual progress across all the areas of learning and to aid plans for their next steps towards the early learning goals. Her records show clear links to the EYFS framework and effectively monitor children’s achievements; however, connections between individual children’s observations, assessment and next steps are not always apparent. The childminder is currently establishing links with other providers of the EYFS, and is keen to ensure all children in the early years age

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

group receive the full framework. 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? 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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