Tkaczuk, Abigail Elise

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 EY381066 Inspection date 28/07/2009 Inspector Diane Mary O'Neill

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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 has been registered since January 2009. She lives in Royston, Hertfordshire with her partner and one child aged 20 months. The premises can be accessed by a low step at the front. Children have access to the whole ground floor of the property with bathroom facilities and bedroom for rest periods on the first floor. There is a secure garden for outdoor play. There are shops, schools and pre-schools within walking distance.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children at any one time, of which two maybe in the early years age group. She is currently minding two children in this age group. She also offers care to children aged over five years. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder collects children from the local school and attends several parent and toddler groups, visits the library and local park on a regular basis. She is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory. The childminder has a suitable awareness of each child’s individual needs, which ensures most aspects of their welfare and learning is suitably promoted. The childminder ensures that her resources and planning adequately reflect the Early Years Foundation Stage to sufficiently promote and challenge most areas of children’s learning.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The childminder’s documentation generally supports the care of the children and she works closely with the parents to keep them fully informed about their children and their specific individual needs. The childminder takes appropriate steps to evaluate her practice and maintain continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop planning and observations to further provide clear evidence of children's starting points and how their learning will be challenged in helping them meet their next milestones and early learning goals.

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further?

To fully meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 ensure written parental permission is requested for the seeking of necessary emergency medical advice or treatment. 11/08/2009 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

Children are able to access a range of resources which are regularly rotated to provide variety as well as enabling them to develop their independent skills and ability to make informed choices. The childminder takes reasonable steps to ensure that the children’s welfare, safety and individual needs are catered for within the daily routines, activities and learning opportunities, which are available to the children. Their safety is further maintained through the implementation of daily risk assessments, as well as ensuring her policies and procedures reflect her practice. The childminder readily shares these with the parents, which helps keep them informed about her practices and procedures in the care of their children.

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provision

The childminder ensures that the parents are kept fully informed of their children’s daily routines, activities and outings they have been involved in by the keeping of daily diaries and verbally sharing the information as well as giving time to discuss any other matters. The childminder also includes information about the themes and topics the children will be doing and gives parents access to their children’s observation files. By letting them have this information it enables parents to carry on any further learning with their children at home.

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provision

The childminder is fully aware of her responsibility to safeguard children and has all required documentation and contact details for the local authority’s Safeguarding Children Board to assist her in this process. Children’s health and well-being is generally well covered within the childminder’s practices and she has documentation to support this. However, she does not have written parental permission in place for the seeking of necessary emergency medical advice or treatment and therefore children’s safety and welfare may be compromised.

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provision

The childminder has begun to develop a self–evaluation process, which she finds is a very useful tool, by which she can identify targets for further improvement within what she can offer the children. To assist her in this process she has sought verbal information from parents and plans to incorporate this on a more regular basis to enable her to continually reflect her practice, therefore enabling her to offer children even more play and learning opportunities.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are keen to take part in the activities on offer. They show interest and enjoyment in adult led activities as well as when they make their own informed choices. For example, they enjoy dressing up and pretending to be spider man, and ‘Bella’ from Beauty and the Beast, as they act out their characters. Children’s learning opportunities are extended outside of the childminder’s home as they attend local toddler and activity groups within the local community which helps them to develop their social skills. They also have trips out within the local community, such as, going to the local supermarket and market to buy food. Children have opportunities to develop their physical skills as they use the local parks for their outside play and recreation. The introduction of knives for cutting, rolling pins, paint brushes and markers help with their mark making skills and 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

developing their manipulation of small objects.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children have reasonable opportunities to learn numbers, shape recognition, matching and making pairs, through games and puzzles. With colourful posters in the play room that depict letters, numbers and other learning elements, children’s learning is further supported. Children are beginning to develop their language and communication skills as they play with books, talking with the childminder as they play a game of finding different foods for their shopping trolleys. The childminder asks children questions and this further extends their learning. Children have opportunities to learn about others as they celebrate different festivals. This is reflected in the childminder’s planning. Children enjoy mechanical type toys, for example, toy telephones, toys that make sounds such as a train set which carries different animals. The children show glee and wonder as the train moves along.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder uses her planning to ensure there is a varied array of resources and themed topics which she links to activities and learning opportunities. Reasonable steps are taken to ensure these are linked and reflect most of the six areas of learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage. The childminder also links her formal observation and assessment process to these areas of learning and records the next steps for challenging or developing children’s learning. However, she does not clearly demonstrate what their starting points are or how she has incorporated their further development and learning from this point. Therefore, there is the potential that children may make limited progress within the Early Learning Goals.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children learn about being healthy through having healthy snacks and meals, discussions with the childminder and the encouragement of good hygiene procedures such as washing their hands before their meals and snacks. Children have their own flannels and towels so cross infection is limited. Children develop their physical skills through having trips to the local recreational amenities therefore developing their health and fitness. Children’s health and well-being is suitably supported by the childminder who has up-to-date first aid training and appropriate first aid kits for use both indoors and when she goes out with the children. The childminder uses the National Childminding Association documentation for recording any first aid or medication administration. This is also used for contracts, children’s information details and daily register.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children play well with their peers and are beginning to understand right from wrong and the importance of sharing and taking turns. There are house rules on display, which can be referred to at any time by the children and the childminder. The childminder takes into account children’s ages and understanding when using any form of behaviour management strategies to deal with any situation which may arise. 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? 3 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? 3 How well are children helped to be healthy? 3 How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? 3 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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