Childminder in Lincolnshire

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 209006 Inspection date 06/08/2009 Inspector Gill Ogden

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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 2000. She lives in North Hykeham, Lincolnshire with her husband and two adult sons. There is a lounge with attached toilet and entrance hall which is used for childminding. Children are taken out each day for outdoor play. A range of amenities including a supermarket and schools are within walking distance. The family has a pet dog.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children at any one time on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She currently cares for eight children, three of whom are in the early years age range. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association and a local childminding group.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good. Children are looked after in a clean, safe and comfortable home where their individual needs are recognised well. Each child's welfare is given high priority and their learning and development needs are provided for effectively. Every child makes good progress towards the early learning goals as required by the Early Years Foundation Stage. The childminder has good working relationships with each child's family which contributes well to their continuity of care and learning. A system is gradually being developed to better ensure ongoing improvement of the service the childminder offers to 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?

 link each child's achievements more closely to the development steps towards the early learning goals to better identify their next steps  develop further the system for ongoing self-evaluation to fully ensure continuous improvement.

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provision

The childminder organises herself very well especially regarding children's safety. All the records required to manage the Early Years Foundation Stage are in place and kept well. Policies and procedures are all in writing and given to parents as part of a very useful information pack about the service, which also includes detailed information about infectious illnesses so that parents are aware of when it is not appropriate for children to attend. The childminder keeps an 'outings' bag in which emergency details are permanently kept so that she never forgets to take them out with her and she also has a card in her purse which explains that she is a childminder. Risk assessments are recorded well and daily visual checks ensure This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 that the environment is always safe for children. The childminder has a strong understanding of her child protection responsibilities and tries her best to ensure

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provision

parents are fully informed about issues in this area, including by displaying an emergency duty team poster.

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provision

The childminder has been working hard to implement the Early Years Foundation Stage over the last year and has attended training, purchased books and discussed issues with her local authority adviser to this end. Since her last inspection she has improved her record keeping by using better forms which ensure she records all the necessary detail. She has also attended a wide range of training in order to provide for the children as well as she can. This included training on the High Scope approach, celebrating diversity, behaviour management, using sign language and special educational needs to increase her knowledge and skills and prepare herself for any future care and educational needs children may have. However, although she is generally pro-active she has not yet got a robust system in place to fully support and ensure the ongoing improvement of her service for children and their families. Good working relationships with parents, as

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provision

demonstrated by many letters and cards complimenting her on her support for themselves and their children, contribute effectively to each child's continuity of care and learning. No children in the childminder's care are currently involved with other providers but she fully understands the importance of sharing information with them so that they are all working in each child's best interests.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are cared for in a comfortable, homely environment which is safe and very clean. Young children are well-supported to develop good personal hygiene habits because, for example, they can access the toilet quickly and safely by themselves so that those who are potty training are less likely to have accidents. Also the childminder is vigilant about prompting children about hand washing and as well as checking this with them she has a poster displayed in the toilet to help them remember. Children are taught safe practices as a result of the childminder imposing house rules related to safety such as not jumping on furniture and practising the Green Cross Code with children when they are out and about. Younger children always wear reins and harnesses to ensure their safety outdoors until they are ready to understand how to behave more safely themselves. Lots of fresh air and exercise is a daily feature of the childminder's service and children

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

enjoy regular outings to places such as farms, the seaside and country parks where they relish learning outdoors, as well as everyday walks and local park visits. All the children behave well and show care and concern for each other during their play, for example, older children including younger ones and all children being supportive of and showing interest in things like a child having a new pair of glasses.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Plans to help children make progress in their learning are based on their individual interests. The childminder gathers lots of information from parents when children first start so that she has a solid baseline for them to begin their learning journey with her. Every child is supported to make progress in all the areas of learning partly because the childminder has a natural ability to promote a wide variety of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 learning from every activity. For example, she uses a play dough activity well to help a two-year-old learn language such as 'squidgy', recognise colours, strengthen their hands, create shapes and use tools. Through extending the activity by gradually introducing different tools and suggestions the child is able to happily concentrate for a considerable period. The childminder is also sensitive to children's changing circumstances and moods and knows when to 'let them be' and

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

when to encourage them to try different activities.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children use a wide range of toys, equipment and play resources. They are creative in their play and are encouraged to take control and be inventive. For example, realising that they did not have any menus to choose things from when they are role playing a café, they decide with the childminder to go to the nearby supermarket and find magazines with pictures in that they can cut out, stick on to paper and then help the childminder to laminate. Even the youngest children enjoy handing them round for everyone to choose what they would like to eat. Spontaneous observations of what children can do are recorded regularly and build into a picture each term of where they are in terms of their development and learning. This enables the childminder to identify targets for them for the next term. However, these identified next steps are not always linked closely enough to the steps towards the early learning goals to fully ensure that children are making

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

the most rapid progress in every area of learning. Even so, all children are encouraged well to develop the habits and behaviour appropriate to good learners, their own needs, and those of others. 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? 2 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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