Childminder in Hampshire

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 EY382068 Inspection date 14/07/2009 Inspector Carole Gronow

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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 2008. She lives with her partner and family in Marchwood. They have three cats, a hamster and keep fish. Although all areas of the property are available for childminding this normally takes place downstairs and there is an enclosed rear garden available for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. She may care for a maximum of four children under eight years at any one time, of which no more than two may be in the early years age group. At present, the childminder cares for one child in that age group and another child under eight who is in full-time education. Both children attend on a part-time basis. The childminder takes children to and from the local school and pre-school.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the quality of the provision is satisfactory. The childminder provides a caring environment and offers individual children the appropriate care and attention they need to support their welfare, learning and development. The childminder has established links with other early years providers to try to make sure that the children she cares for receive consistency of care. The childminder is committed to ensuring children are safe when in her care and has demonstrated this by the effective action she has taken following the initial risk assessment of her home. She has started to evaluate her service in order to be able to take steps that will lead to ongoing improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop a system to clearly establish what children's starting points are in order to ensure that they are provided with appropriate and sufficient challenges  update knowledge and understanding of safeguarding so that any concerns are responded to appropriately  maintain assessment records in a way that they can be used to help to measure and identlfy any gaps in children's progress and also with the planning of the next steps on their learning journeys

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further?

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

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further?

 keep a record to clearly show when risk assessments are carried out, by whom, the date of review and any action that was taken following the review or an incident (Documentation) 25/07/2009  obtain parental permission for the seeking of any 25/07/2009 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 necessary emergency medical advice or treatment in the future (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare)

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provision

The childminder is aware of the positive benefits to children of good partnerships with parents and carers and is working to develop these. She provides parents and carers with a range of useful information, such as, details of policies and procedures, writing a weekly summary of activities and comments about what they will be doing next week. She also encourages them to speak to her at any time about issues that arise and works with parents to ensure there is consistency, such as, how unwanted behaviour is managed. Also, with prior parental agreement she has established links with a local pre-school so that they now share information about a child they both care for, which again helps ensure continuity of care. The childminder manages her provision in a way that ensures children are both very safe and secure. Doors and lower windows are kept locked at all times, with keys easily accessible, so children are unable to leave the premises unnoticed. Children

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provision

are further protected as they can only be collected by people she has already met. However, the childminder is not fully secure in her knowledge and understanding of child protection issues to ensure that she acts promptly to safeguard children if there is cause for concern.

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provision

Children's personal information records are appropriately maintained and the childminder understands the importance of keeping these confidential. She does this by storing them in a locked file, which is stored out of sight and she has obtained most of the required information about the children that she cares for to ensure that she can meet their specific needs. However, the childminder has not obtained parental permission for the seeking of any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment in the future for all the children she cares for, which is a breach in regulation. The childminder's initial risk assessment has led to very good improvements to ensure that children are safe in her home. The childminder has no record of when she undertook this or the dates of the reviews and the actions that she has taken and this failure to keep a record is a further breach.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are happy and settled. They are provided with a range of different activities that are suitable for their age and that they enjoy participating in. The childminder gently encourages children to attempt different activities and ensures that throughout the time that they are with her that children experience a range of different things. Children particularly enjoy one-to-one time when the childminder gives them her full attention and she plans activities that she knows they will want to participate in, for example making cakes. They happily open the box and carefully snip open the top of the packet mix with scissors and then patiently wait whilst the childminder measures out and mixes in water so that they can put the mix in the cake cases. They watch with interest as the mixture rises and delighted This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 with the results, insist on taking a cake to pre-school to show off what they have

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

been doing. Children learn about keeping themselves safe as the childminder explains the dangers of getting too close to the hot oven and also when they talk about stranger danger when visitors call. They are also learning how to respond should they need to evacuate the premises in an emergency and are becoming more competent with each rehearsal. Children are developing personal independence; when they are old enough the childminder allows them to access the bathroom alone but remains close enough by to supervise this. They are encouraged to put their shoes on and the childminder makes a game of this so that they are happy to try. They are pleased with themselves when they succeed, which in turn boosts their self-esteem.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder is becoming familiar with individual children's abilities and preferences. However, she does not find out what children's starting points are when they commence in her care and so cannot ensure that they are provided with appropriate and sufficient challenge from the onset. The childminder is aware of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). She knows that she needs to develop a system to assess children through undertaking and recording observations so that she can see where they are in their learning and development, check for any gaps and plan for their next steps on their individual learning journeys. She keeps a weekly record for all children, which highlights what they have done, however, does not use this to monitor their progress. She does not routinely refer to the EYFS framework to check whether children are making consistent progress in their learning and development. 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? 3

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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? 2 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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