Childminder in Devon

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 EY261837 Inspection date 23/07/2009 Inspector Sara Bailey

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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 in 2003. She lives with her husband, also a registered childminder. They are registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. When they are working together they are registered to provide care for a maximum of eight children at any one time, six of whom may be in the early years age range, of these two may be under one year of age. When working alone, the childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children at any one time, three of whom may be in the early years age range and of these only one may be under one year of age. They currently have nine children on roll, seven of whom are in the early years age range and two children are under eight. Some children attend on a full-time basis and others part-time. The childminder also provides overnight care.

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Description of the childminding

All areas of the childminder's bungalow are used for childminding, except the bedroom. Overnight care is provided in the study and children have a designated playroom, which opens out onto the fully enclosed rear garden for outside play. The childminder has a large dog and one cat, expecting kittens, which children have supervised access to.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder operates a Montessori approach to her care and learning. She has obtained her Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) qualification.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The quality of the provision is outstanding. Children's individual needs are met in an exemplary way due to the childminder's commitment to inclusion and treating each child as a unique individual in their care and learning. Every aspect of children's welfare is promoted with success, resulting in their excellent health and safety. Observation, assessment and planning are regularly reviewed and revised to ensure continuous improvement in the outcomes for children. The childminder's self-evaluation is a reflection of how child-centred the setting is and the wonderful experiences children of all ages engage in and why.

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further?

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

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further?

 continue to update and maintain records, policies and procedures to reflect changes in the management of the setting as they further develop, in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which will continue to meet the needs of children effectively. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

The childminder co-works with her husband, a registered childminder, to provide a very high quality setting they call Select Childcare. They work exceptionally well as a team, with identified roles and responsibilities, which use their individual skills and complement each other effectively. Their supervision of free-flow inside and outside play is excellent, enabling children to make choices, as both areas are constantly supervised. The childminder organises the cooking of a home-made meal at lunch time well as she makes excellent use of time, space and resources to support her in this. For example, the kitchen door is closed when the oven is on to keep children safe, preparation of pasta sauces are done in advance of children attending and when she is busy serving up the food, her co-worker is including children in the preparation of the lunch table so they are busy and occupied.

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provision

Documentation is comprehensive, stored confidentially, easy to access in the event of an emergency and regularly updated to ensure individual needs are constantly met. Systems to record children's progress are constantly being revised, as the childminder gains in more knowledge about the EYFS or as individual children's needs highlight the need for. An example, of this is when children achieve specific milestones and they want to share this with the parents effectively. Photos and examples of children's creative activities are all used as evidence and to develop parents' knowledge of specific areas of learning and this is being linked to the EYFS.

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provision

The childminder is very knowledgeable about safeguarding issues having completed a training course and in her role as a foster carer. The childminder is very aware of ensuring visitors to her home are vetted to further protect children. The home is very safe and secure, with children's welfare being paramount to her everyday practices and procedures.

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provision

The childminder promotes very positive partnerships with parents and other professionals. She respects parents' wishes and supports parents through flexible childcare arrangements to meet the needs of the family. For example, by providing telephone support, weekend and overnight care. Parents are well informed about every aspect of their child's care through a variety of ways, such as, individual daily diaries, observations and a general daily log of events which has recently been shared on a confidential, social interaction utility web site as a way of moving with the times and meeting families' needs.

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provision

The childminder has identified her own strengths and weaknesses through her self-evaluation, which takes account of parents' and children's feedback. She has recently completed her Early Years Professional Status qualification and introductory Montessori workshops, which have enabled her to develop her practice and look at ways to continuously improve. For example, the designated playroom has been revamped to encourage children to self-select their own resources from open shelves and low baskets as well as returning to bare floor boards to be more practical for children than carpet, which restricted their free- flow inside and outside due to the muddy boots. Now children are encouraged to This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 sweep up the floors as needed and the setting feels very homely and child- orientated.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children benefit greatly from the childminder's excellent promotion of good health. They enjoy a healthy, balanced diet, which is planned with consideration to include fish on a daily basis and the importance of varying the type of carbohydrates children eat. Children are included in the menu planning of all snacks and meals and the childminder eats with the children as a good role model. The food is extremely well presented with rice in pyramids and a variety of colours and textures in the vegetables to encourage children to try new foods. Children are involved in cleaning the tables before lunch and understand the importance of their own good hygiene.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are aware of how to keep themselves safe through everyday discussions and activities which promote supervised independence skills, such as going to the bathroom on their own, using scissors and using large equipment in the exciting garden or whilst at Forest School, where children explore their natural environment.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are extremely settled, happy and confident at the setting. They engage in a wide range of planned and child-initiated activities. For example, children bake cakes and make ice-cream, they pick fruit and are involved in the process through to using the ingredients and then eating their creations. Children have the opportunities to explore real-life meaningful experiences as nothing appears rushed. For example, whilst on their way back from an outing the childminder stops for children to play on freshly cut grass and enjoy the distinctive smell. Children move effortlessly from one activity to another, always stimulated and involved in age and stage appropriate play with excellent adult support and fantastic interaction. Children's development is carefully observed and recorded to show their progress across all six areas of learning. These observations are skilfully used to plan their individual next steps and meet their needs exceptionally well.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children's personal, social and emotional development is very strong due to the life-skills children develop at the childminder's. They are independent, socially aware children who show each other respect and care due to the childminder's excellent role modelling and constant praise and encouragement. Boys and girls have equal opportunities in all they do but at the same time individual needs are catered for in a spontaneous, naturalistic way to meet individual needs. For example, older children who have been at school all day and desperate to explore in the forest are taken out by the co-childminder, whilst those who benefit from chilling-out with television are allowed to do so for short periods of time until they are ready to engage in activities. 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? 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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