Dodd, Helen

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY288254 Inspection date 13/10/2009 Inspector Valerie Fane

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Type of setting Childminder to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It rates council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 08456 404040, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA

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T: 08456 404040 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk 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.

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. 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 2004. She lives with her husband and children aged nine and seven in a village between Newent and Ledbury. The whole of the property except for a ground floor office is used for childminding. Accessibility to the premises is up one step. 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. She is registered to work with an assistant. The family have a cat and a house rabbit.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than three may be in the early years age range. When working with an assistant she is registered to care for a maximum of seven children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than four may be in the early years age range. There are currently two children attending who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), both of whom attend on a part-time basis. The childminder also offers care to children aged over five years to 14 years. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children settle well with the childminder and make good progress in their learning because the childminder understands how to plan and provide interesting play opportunities to support their development. Her practice is inclusive and she works closely with parents and with other providers to ensure that she meets their individual needs. Children use a range of resources that supports their awareness of diversity and they take part in some activities to extend their understanding but the childminder has identified this as an area for further development. She is committed to providing high quality childcare and she attends regular training to develop or update her practice. She has completed a detailed self-evaluation document and this clearly identifies her strengths and a number of ways in which she plans to develop her provision in the future.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve children's opportunities to develop positive attitudes to diversity with respect to different cultures. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children are protected because the childminder has a secure knowledge of safeguarding issues. She is aware of the possible signs of abuse and she knows the procedures to follow if she has concerns about a child in her care. She has attended relevant training and has a clear policy in place that she shares with parents. Children receive care in a home that is safe and secure and the childminder supervises them well at all times. She has carried out thorough risk assessments of the premises and of all outings and she makes visual safety checks of the house and garden each day before she begins minding. She has a comprehensive set of policies in place that underpins her good practice.

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the early years provision

Children benefit from the childminder's commitment to attend regular training because this extends her knowledge or updates her practice. She has completed the majority of her Level 3 qualification and plans to finish this in the near future. She has attended additional workshops such as 'Active start' and 'Supporting a grieving child'. Children use an excellent range of resources, both indoors and outside, and these are easily accessible and the childminder makes superb use of the space available in her home and garden. The resources include toys that support children's awareness of diversity and the childminder also ensures that the toys available support children's individual current interests. For example, she hangs items in the garden that make a noise so that children can explore different sounds because they showed interest in a similar activity when they were out with the childminder the previous week.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a clear vision to provide very good care and she is committed to making ongoing improvements. She has met the recommendations made at the last inspection. For example, children are protected from cross infection because they have their own coloured hand towels to use. She has completed a detailed self-evaluation that identifies her strengths and sets out areas for development such as production of a written document to involve parents more fully in her assessment of children's development when she begins minding.

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the early years provision

Children thrive because the childminder develops an excellent ongoing relationship with their parents and they regularly exchange information to enable her to meet children's individual needs well. Children are able to continue their learning at home because parents are very well-informed about children's progress and activities. They see children's learning journeys which are a lovely photographic record of their activities with the childminder with clear annotations showing what children are learning from the activities. Children who attend other EYFS provision benefit greatly from the close links that the childminder develops with other providers because she ensures that she shares information either verbally or in writing to support their continuity of care. The childminder has not cared for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities but she has a clear understanding of how she would support such children including the importance of

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the early years provision

working closely with outside agencies. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children make good progress in all areas of learning because the childminder has a secure knowledge of the EYFS and understands how to plan and provide interesting play opportunities that are linked to children's individual interests to support their development. She observes and assesses their progress and has a clear awareness of individual children's current strengths and learning needs. The wide range of activities also supports children's development of skills for the future well.

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and outcomes for children

Children behave well and are keen learners. They join in activities with enthusiasm. For example, they like to explore textured stepping stones. The childminder skilfully enables children of different ages to participate at their own level. Babies explore the different textures with their hands and make excited noises. Two-year- olds talk about the different textures and use good descriptive language such as 'bumpy' and 'smooth'. The childminder provides appropriate challenge and problem solving opportunities by asking them to find out which one is most comfortable to stand on. Children try to balance on the stepping stones or jump between them. They develop their awareness of one-to-one correspondence because the childminder then gets out a similar set of smaller stones and encourages children to match them. She supports children's use of different senses by getting them to shut their eyes and identify the small stones by touch. Children of all ages enjoy a

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and outcomes for children

wide range of creative activities. They explore the texture of play dough and use tools appropriate to their age with it. Babies push sticks into the dough. Older children use rolling pins and scissors to make objects with the dough. They experiment with a fork and discover that they can make patterns in the dough. Pre-school children like to join in cooperative role play with home corner toys.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy regular outings with the childminder and these support their development of good social skills because they also provide opportunities to mix with other children. They enjoy running in the park in a nearby town and feed the ducks. The childminder uses these opportunities to develop their awareness of their personal safety because she talks to them about the hazards of playing near water. They visit a café and the childminder enhances their learning experience because she encourages them to look at the menu and children find the initial sound of their name in the words. They count the coins in their purse and use the money to buy a cake of their choice. Back home older children extend their understanding of sounds and use the magnetic letters to spell out simple words such as 'mummy'.

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and outcomes for children

Children use a range of resources that support their awareness of the wider world such as a set of dolls of different nationalities. They enjoy listening to stories that support their awareness of diversity because they hear about children who speak different languages and children who live in different types of home but learn that in other ways they are all the same 'because they can all see the stars at night'. However, children have only a few opportunities to take part in activities that extend their understanding of different cultures and the childminder has identified this on her self-evaluation as an area for further development. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children develop their awareness of healthy lifestyles. They follow good hygiene routines and know that they must wash their hands after they have fed and stroked the house rabbit. They thoroughly enjoy excellent opportunities to play

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and outcomes for children

and learn outside. They make good use of the climbing frame in the garden and the childminder supports children well to extend their skills so they are very pleased with themselves when they manage to climb up the ladder and across the bridge. They eat healthy snacks provided by the childminder such as a choice of raisins, bread sticks or apple. They go shopping with her and choose fruit and vegetables to buy from the local farm shop. 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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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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and managed?

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 1 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 2 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 2

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Stage

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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