Childminder in North Tyneside

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 EY389235 Inspection date 06/07/2009 Inspector Julie Larner

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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 lives with her husband and two children aged six years; they live in a residential area of Whitley Bay. Children have access to the whole of the ground floor and the first floor bathroom. There is an enclosed rear garden for outdoor play. The property is accessed by one low step. The family have two cats and a dog. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of four children under eight years. She is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There is currently one child on roll in the early years age range who attends on a part-time basis.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the quality of the provision is outstanding. Children are highly valued for their unique qualities by a childminder who has extremely effective systems to gain information about their individual needs and abilities. The well organised setting provides an excellent range of activities to enable children to make very good progress in all areas of their development and checks to consistently minimise the risks are mostly successful. The childminder's commitment to persistently evaluating all areas of her practice is meticulous. This means she has an extremely high capacity to improve the service she provides by focusing on bettering the outcomes for the children in her care. Systems to share information with others providing care for the children are currently emerging.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 further develop systems where children recieve care and education in more than one setting to share relevant information and provide continuity and coherence  further improve safety in the garden, for example, by making harmful plants consistently inaccessible to children.

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provision

The childminder organises documentation, space and resources exceptionally well to ensure she can achieve the best possible outcomes for children. She maintains a highly committed and very dedicated attitude to ensuring that she updates her knowledge and skills to provide a better service for parents and children by attending several courses. This, in turn, benefits the care of the children. The childminder is highly motivated in constantly evaluating her practice to see how she can further improve what she does. The parent’s views and feedback are keenly sought to ensure that she can provide a service that reflects the needs of those who use it. Excellent systems ensure that parents are fully informed about This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 their child’s welfare and development very successfully on a daily basis. The childminder has an extremely secure grasp of the requirements of the Early Years

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provision

Foundation Stage (EYFS). She is currently developing a policy in preparation for when she begins to work in partnership with others providing the EYFS for children.

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provision

Children’s welfare is effectively safeguarded by a childminder who regularly updates her knowledge of child protection to ensure she works in line with the most current guidance. Very good procedures, such as highly detailed risk assessments and consistent rigorous daily checks ensure the areas that children use are safe and that most risks are very effectively minimised. The childminder has a clear view of her strengths and accurately identifies areas she wishes to improve that will have a substantial impact on the level care provided for the children.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are extremely confident in the childminder’s care and have very positive relationships with her. They are very engrossed in a wide range of worthwhile activities and experiences which the childminder successfully uses to encourage, challenge and to help them develop. Spontaneous play, used well by the childminder, provides continuous opportunities to test what children know. Children are supported extremely well by a highly knowledgeable individual who knows and respects their interests and individuality. Consequently, children make extremely good progress in their time with the childminder and are highly active learners. Children love the childminder being involved in their play. They pretend to eat picnics on the beach and to help the fire fighters tackle a fire.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children benefit from healthy options at snack time. They relish eating chopped banana and grapes. Children learn about good personal hygiene from posters displayed encouraging them to wash their hands and also from discussions with the childminder about germs. The childminder shows an extremely pro-active attitude towards encouraging healthy eating as she readily talks to parents about ideas about foods to include in children’s lunch boxes. Daily opportunities for children to be active ensure they benefit from a healthy lifestyle. Children build an obstacle course from wooden planks and tyres, to stretch their physical skills and improve their balance. Children learn about safety in a variety of fun and exciting ways. They receive ‘well done’ certificates when they take part in regular fire drills which help to raise their confidence and self-esteem.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder completes very detailed observations on the children in her care and listens very carefully to the children to find out about their likes. As a result, she knows the children very well. She collects detailed information from parents on children’s development when they first begin to attend. This results in her planning a detailed range of activities that focus highly on children’s interests whilst also including a mixture of adult led activities to focus on particular areas of their development.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are engrossed in their play. They are highly confident communicators, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 curious about their environment and eager to find out how things work. A high emphasis is placed on children making choices themselves with support from the childminder on occasion. The childminder shows an extremely patient and calm approach in teaching children new skills. She provides them with time and space to master something new, such as rolling a ball out of dough. Firstly she shows them what to do then providing lots of reassurance and praise as they try themselves. Children take a very keen interest in the environment around them. They plant and grow seeds in the garden and use their senses to listen to the rain and talk about different types of clothes they will need to wear when they go out. The children’s emotional well-being is a high priority for the childminder. As she knows the

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

children well she provides them with appropriate ways to talk about their feelings, such as choosing spoon people with different facial expressions which helps them to think about how they feel. 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? 1 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? 1 How well are children helped to be healthy? 1 How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? 1 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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