King James I Community Arts College

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 114306 Inspection date 05/05/2009 Inspector Kerry Iden

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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 two children in Worthing, West Sussex. The whole ground floor of the childminder’s house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children, of whom no more than three maybe within the early years age group and of these no more than one may be under one year at any one time. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is currently minding 16 children in total, 11 of these are under the age of eight, nine of whom are in the early years age group and all attend on a part time basis. The childminder takes and collects children from local pre-schools and schools.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association. She also is part of the local network group and is a support childminder for others. The family have two pet dogs and a rabbit.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding. Children are extremely happy and well settled with a childminder who provides first class childcare. The childminder’s clear understanding of all their individual needs ensures every child has a happy and fulfilling time whilst in the setting and unbeknown to them are learning and making great strides in their development towards the early learning goals. The childminder works with each individual family and adapts activities and experiences to offer all children a very inclusive environment where every child matters. The childminder shows not only a huge commitment to her chosen career but also in a supporting role to other childminders in the area and raising the professional profile of childminding.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensuring the children's safety in relation to the steps to the garden.

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provision

The childminder offers children an outstanding setting because of the commitment she shows to her work. Children develop well because the childminder continually evaluates all aspects of her provision and shares good practice with other childminders. She evaluates her service against the requirements of the Early This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Years Foundation Stage and those of the National Childminding Association quality childminding charter. Her commitment to not only the children but her own professional development ensures she is working with the most current ways of thinking in the childcare sector. The well organised setting allows for children to come into a relaxed and homely environment where consideration has been given for their individual needs. The childminder has worked hard on ensuring the suitability of her new home for young children but as yet has not made the steps

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provision

from the conservatory safe for young children.

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provision

All the required documentation is in place to promote the welfare of the children. The childminder has devised an informative prospectus for parents, which gives good quality information about all aspects of her provision. The written policies and procedures reflect what goes on in her setting, and have all been updated to reflect the new statutory requirements. This complements the exceptionally high quality of care and education that the children receive, which gives them an excellent start and promotes positive outcomes. Children are very well safeguarded as they are never left alone with unvetted people. The childminder has undertaken safeguarding training and has a clear understanding of the procedures to follow should she have concerns about children's welfare.

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provision

The childminder offers not only an effective partnership with parents but also other settings that the children attend as she shares information with key people in schools and nurseries to ensure the continued development of each child. Parents receive a good supply of information by the childminder in both verbal and written format. The childminder makes herself available to the parents and supplies them with written daily diaries and regular newsletters. Parents are invited to contribute to children’s development records and regularly enjoy looking through the scrap books to become involved in their child’s time in the setting.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Both the home and the childminder are warm and welcoming. Children have the dedicated attention of the childminder throughout their time within the setting. She has an expert knowledge of how to turn activities, both inside the house and in the garden, into a learning experience that covers many areas of learning whilst still being great fun for the children. The excellent knowledge that the childminder has about each child as an individual greatly contributes to the rapid progress they make in their learning and development in relation to their starting points and individual capabilities. Children ooze with confidence because they feel very settled in a very homely environment. The relationships between the children and with their childminder is very relaxed, warm and affectionate. Children play incredibly well with each other, and with the childminder joining in with their games and activities, behaviour throughout the day is excellent. Young children are becoming

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

independent as the childminder offers them a very enabling environment with resources and equipment at their level to allow them to make independent choices. This is further encouraged with the name cards in the hallway and low level pegs for children’s belongings. Children feel they belong as they are involved in choosing things for themselves such as their pictures for their name cards and their drinks bottles and reminisce at past events as they look at the photographs This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 displayed in the hall. A family feel is offered to the children at meal times as the childminder shares lunch with the younger children to develop their skills at sitting at the table. The older children join in after school and all end the day with a nutritious family meal at the table where the childminder encourages a sociable meal time as all children contribute to the discussions around the table. Children

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

learn skills for the future as they are involved in meal times and help with laying the table and making drinks.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are developing very well with their communicative skills. The childminder asks them many open questions through their play to challenge their thinking and introduces new vocabulary whilst playing. The childminder shows her excitement as children learn new words. Children also have a good understanding that print has meaning as they look at labelling around the house and garden and share many stories with each other and with their childminder. Children laugh as the childminder spontaneously tells them funny stories whilst playing in the tent in the garden. Numbers, shapes and colours are a regular feature throughout the day to reinforce children’s knowledge. The childminder is skilled in challenging slightly more able children, for example, whilst playing with number tiles in the garden younger children are introduced to the numbers and fit the pieces together whilst older children are encouraged to count on and add one more.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children have regular opportunities out of the setting to attend toddler groups and trips to the park, however the childminder also uses the knowledge she has of children's favourite things and encompasses these on trips out. For example, the recently organised trip on a bus following on from a variety of activities including making a bus out of large cardboard boxes for a child who loves buses. Similarly the childminder organised a trip to a small local airport to allow a child who has a love of planes watch small aircraft land and take off on the runway. If not out of the setting the childminder uses her garden as an extension to her learning environment. The garden is set up with some outdoor equipment such as slides and sit and ride toys that are always out but also includes an array of ever changing resources. For example, as children search for hidden objects in soil tray or develop their frog flipping skills in a game in the water. The garden is also used

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

for more planned activities where the children have become involved in digging over a vegetable patch and growing tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuces. The childminder uses spontaneous events to share things with the children for example, as they chat about the birds they hear in the garden or the spider they find on the water tray. Similarly following an icy patch of weather children found a large block of ice on the chair, they watched the ice throughout the day as it changed state to liquid, this was followed up with other weather related discussions and activities with the children.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder has made a change to the way she organises the children's days and weeks since the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Topics are no longer planned by the childminder but child inspired ideas are used as the childminder allows the children to lead her in activities they want to do. She then extends these ideas to ensure children are making rapid progress in all areas of learning and all children are included as she ensures differentiation in activities. The childminder has designed scrap books for all the children in the early years age group. They include quality observations of children at play and some This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 identified next steps in their development. The childminder has secured developmental charts for each child to ensure they are making good progress in all areas of learning. The scrap books are not only based on observations of the

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

children but contain little quotes the children have said and general information such as height of children as a wonderful account of the children’s time in the setting. 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? 2 How well are children helped to be healthy? 2 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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