Kautzner Dawn

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 204769 Inspection date 12/05/2009 Inspector Donna Stevens

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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 1992. She lives with her husband and three adult children in Stourport. Her husband and daughters act as her assistants. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools. The family have two cats.

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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 alone, and eight children, no more than five in the early years age group when working with an assistant. There are currently seven children attending who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), all of whom attend on a part-time basis. The childminder also offers care to children aged over five years to eight years. This provision is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association and is part of the Worcestershire network, accredited to receive Government funding for three and four-year-olds.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good. Children are well cared for, happy and enjoy their time with the childminder. Their learning, development and welfare is effectively promoted by the childminder and her assistants as they work closely with parents and carers to ensure that their practice is fully inclusive and takes into consideration children's individual needs, likes, dislikes and interests when planning their daily activities. The childminder is committed to maintaining good quality service for the children she cares for and constantly reviews and improves her practice in line with the needs of the children currently attending. This results in a service that is responsive to the needs of children and their families.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further the use of observations and assessments to identify learning priorities for each child and link these to future planning.

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provision

The children benefit from the childminder and assistants commitment to training which allows them to constantly improve the quality of care provided. The childminder has completed a National Vocational Qualification Level 3 and regularly attends short training courses and workshops, often with her assistant, to allow This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 them to expand their knowledge and expertise. She has attended several sessions relating to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) which has helped her to successfully implement the new framework. She has a positive attitude to working in partnership with other providers in the area and as an accredited childminder is part of the local network where best practice is shared. She actively seeks advice, support and guidance from the local authority early years team enabling her to keep up-to-date with current developments in childcare and ensure that children

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provision

are well-supported and their individual needs met. Following the completion of the National Childminding Association Quality First self-evaluation three years ago, she is in the process of updating her evaluation, looking critically at her practice and identifying areas that she can continue to improve for the benefit of the children.

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provision

Partnerships with parents and carers are good and highly valued by the childminder. They are kept constantly informed about their child's day through formal discussions at both ends of the day and more formal methods such as daily diaries for the younger children and the sharing of learning journeys with parents of all the children. The childminder takes many photographs of the children so that parents are able to share their children's experiences. A 'travelling Teddy' who accompanies the families on holidays and day trips helps to form further close links between the family and the setting. The childminder recognises the importance of forming close relationships with staff at other settings that the children may attend and over the years by attending training and network meetings has formed close links with several early years settings in the local area.

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provision

Children's welfare is safeguarded as the childminder ensures that her home remains safe, suitable and child friendly. Robust risk assessments were carried out regularly at the daily safety check and effective cleaning programme enables children to play safely and stay healthy. The risk assessment process is effective in allowing the childminder to complete spontaneous risk assessments for unusual events, for example, children playing in the snow or building work being completed on the premises. This ensures that children are safe in unusual circumstances. The childminder has a good understanding of child protection issues, has attended training in this area and has a safeguarding policy in line with local guidance. She ensures that her assistants have a clear understanding of the safeguarding processes and parents sign to confirm that they have read and understood the procedure that the childminder will follow if she is concerned about a child in her

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provision

The childminder is well-organised and maintains all required documentation efficiently and confidentially. A comprehensive range of policies and procedures which reflect the good quality care provided are shared with parents to allow them to have a clear understanding of the expectations of themselves, their children and the childminding service.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children make good progress towards the early learning goals and in all areas of their development. They are provided with exciting opportunities to enjoy a well- balanced selection of activities both in and out of the home. Structured activities This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 follow a planned theme but take into consideration children's individual interests and experiences and allow children to expand the activity as they choose. For example, while enjoying vegetable printing with paint the children began to make handprints and were encouraged to use the paint and paper as they decided. The childminder has moved away from planning for the setting and has begun to plan for children's individual needs. Both her and her assistants observe the children's play to allow them to identify areas where they are secure in their development and the next steps in their learning. For example, when children began to show an

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

interest in scissors and learning how to cut they were first provided with a range of materials to cut up. Activities then moved on to allow the children to cut along lines and once they had mastered that skill to begin to cut pictures out and cut paper up into specific shapes. This has proved very successful in supporting children's individual milestones and the childminder plans to continue to improve the observation and assessment process to allow it to inform future planning.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The children play in the playroom and lounge and move freely between indoors and outdoors. This allows the children to take part in different activities and encourages them to make their own choices with the support of the childminder and her assistants. Equipment is of a high quality and the childminder further expands this with the use of local resources such as the toy and book libraries. This allows the children to use a wider range of toys and equipment and popular items will be added to the childminder's wish list of equipment. Opportunities to socialise and join in with group activities are provided through visits to childminding groups several times a week.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children have wonderful opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. The current project of growing allows the children firsthand experiences of nature. They have tadpoles and caterpillars to observe as they grow and change and have planted seeds and will help care for the growing plants. They have visited the local forest to take part in bug hunts and experience the natural environment around them. These activities are supported by looking at books about the subjects, introducing children to the idea that print carries meaning. They complete art and craft activities where they are encouraged to use their creativity and imagination is to produce likenesses of the things they seen. This work is then displayed in the playroom and children take great pride in pointing out their masterpieces. In the garden children use everyday materials such as pipe and guttering to develop their problem-solving skills as they work out

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

which size cars will fit in which size pipes and how fast vehicles will travel if they tip pipes up higher or lay them flat on the ground. The childminder ensures that there is plenty of time throughout the day for child-led play where children are encouraged to choose their own toys and resources and increase their independence and thinking skills as they decide how they would like to spend their time.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Regular events such as practising the fire drill are carried out to allow children to begin to understand how to keep themselves safe in a calm and secure way. During a recent fire drill children were asked to imagine what it would be like if the room was filled with dark smoke and they joined in excitedly with ideas and suggestions and decided to wear blindfolds to practise exiting the building safely. Daily walks to school and the local park introduces them to the concepts of road This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 safety and walking sensibly along pavements. Children are taught to be kind and respectful to each other, the adults that care for them and the home toys and equipment that they use. The childminder and assistant constantly praise and encourage the children and provide firm and calm explanations if behaviour is inappropriate. They will discuss the consequences of children's actions on others

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

and help them to understand the difference between right and wrong. Good quality resources depicting positive images of culture, gender and disability provide opportunities for children to learn about other ways of life and discuss difference and similarities. The childminder and her assistants are skilled at distracting children, keeping them busy and regularly changing activities so that children do not become bored or fractious.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children's good health is extremely well-promoted as stringent procedures are in place to prevent the spread of infection and encourage children to develop good hygiene habits at meal times and when using the toilet. The childminder provides all the children's meals, snacks and drinks and places a high emphasis on healthy eating, cooking and preparing recipes using fresh ingredients and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Children play an active role in helping to prepare meals and snacks building habits of healthy eating for the future. The concept of healthy lifestyles is further enforced with daily opportunities to play outside in the fresh air both in the garden and at the local park where a range of equipment allows children to develop their physical skills. 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? 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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