Mynydd Haf School

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number 402375 Inspection date 14/09/2009 Inspector Suzette Butcher

p.1

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.

p.1

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

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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).

p.3

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.

p.3

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

p.3

Description of the childminding

The childminder was registered 2000. She lives with her husband, one adult son and 11 year old daughter in Ellesmere Port. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's house is used for minding children and there is a fully enclosed garden for outdoor play.

p.4

Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years old at any one time, of whom no more than three may be in the early years age group. The provision is also registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder currently has six children on roll, of whom two children are in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Children are taken to and collected from local schools and the childminder minds children for out of school care and during school holidays.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The childminder is committed towards continuing her training to improve her knowledge and understanding of the EYFS. She critically reviews her own practice and identifies key areas that require improvement. She provides an adequate range of resources for children's welfare and learning needs. The childminder recognises and values the uniqueness of each child in her inclusive environment where she works in partnership with parents and others to promote their development. Nevertheless, the required policies and procedures are not effectively maintained for the safe and efficient management of the EYFS.

p.4

further?

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

p.4

further?

 make available to parents a written statement that provides details of the procedure to be followed if they have a complaint (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare) (also applies to the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register) 12/10/2009

p.4

further?

 provide a record of risk assessments stating when it was carried out, by whom and date of review and any action taken following a review or incident (Suitable premises, environment and equipment) 12/10/2009

p.4

further?

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

p.4

further?

 update knowledge and understanding of safeguarding procedures  increase play and learning opportunities by providing a wide range of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 appropriate resources which are accessible for all children.

p.4

the early years provision

The childminder has a basic understanding of appropriate safeguarding procedures and she has details and contact information on the Local Safeguarding Children's Board readily available. Nevertheless, she has not updated her knowledge in recent years. Her safeguarding procedures are shared verbally but not clearly outlined for parents and carers. Children’s safety is adequately protected through satisfactory procedures and through rigorous, informal risk assessments on all areas of the home and any outings. Safety features, such as smoke alarms and safety gates are in place. Children are kept safe by the childminder's vigilance and the fact that she supervises them appropriately, both indoors and outdoors. However, clear records of her risk assessments are not maintained on all aspects of the environment and on outings. This is a breach of requirements that does not fully protect children.

p.5

the early years provision

The childminder is experienced in caring for children across the age ranges and she is committed towards providing a suitable environment for children's play and learning. She has recently reflected critically on her own practice and completed Ofsted's self-evaluation document to assess the overall quality of her provision. As a result, she has identified some of her strengths and weaknesses and prioritised areas for improvement. She successfully responded to both her recommendations from the last inspection to improve outcomes for children. The childminder has recently attended training to update her knowledge of paediatric first aid. She has completed training on the EYFS and regularly refers to the information pack to increase her understanding of the main principles. She is currently putting her knowledge into practice within her setting and organising her systems to meet the children's and families' needs within the EYFS. She promotes an inclusive

p.5

the early years provision

environment where every child and their family are welcomed and made to feel included, safe and valued. She is experienced in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and working in partnership with parents and appropriate professionals to identify needs and to provide the best learning opportunities for children.

p.5

the early years provision

Effective partnerships with parents and carers are maintained through verbal daily exchanges of information. Parents are actively involved in children's learning and development in shared information on relevant subjects, such as diet or sleep routines. Regular telephone calls and text messages reassure parents that their child is happy and well cared for. Good records are maintained to promote continuity of care, with contract details reviewed on a regular basis. Children's individual profiles are shared with parents on a regular basis and their achievements are jointly celebrated. Parents are informed about the complaints procedure and contact details for Ofsted, the regulator are clearly displayed. However, parents and carers do not have access to a written statement that provides details of the procedure to be followed if they have a complaint, which is a breach of requirements and compromises parents' access to information. Good

p.5

the early years provision

links are established to share information with children's other providers within the This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 EYFS, such as schools. The childminder has effective plans in place to create a two-way flow of information with pre-school providers, when the need arises.

p.5

and outcomes for children

Children are happy and settled in the homely atmosphere, where the childminder provides new experiences and appropriate opportunities to develop their play and learning. There is a wide range of suitable toys and resources in storage, which are made available on a daily basis for children across the age ranges. The childminder has identified the improvement of her storage systems as a key area for development, to increase access, availability and to promote children's independence. She plans activities to offer opportunities for children to make their own choices and decisions as they develop independent, active learning. Indoor and outdoor play opportunities are provided as children freely move between play areas and explore different activities. Young children select their favourite trains and cars and share their interest with the childminder. They proudly help to build their favourite wooden train tracks and hand items to the childminder to give

p.6

and outcomes for children

names to different engines. They confidently press buttons to make different sounds and communicate their delight with broad smiles and gestures. Children learn more about the natural and wider world on outings to the woods or walks in the neighbourhood. They have opportunities to balance, jump and climb on apparatus in the garden or when visiting the local park. Children learn to look after animals and they are encouraged to care for their environment in practical ways.

p.6

and outcomes for children

The childminder demonstrates a growing awareness of the learning and development requirements of the EYFS. She has a basic understanding of what children like and can do and is able to demonstrate the progress the children are making in areas of their learning, with reference to their starting points. Each child's learning journey is recorded in their profile with photographs of their play and activities and written observations of their personal achievements. The childminder informally identifies the next stages of individual children's learning and links activities to the early learning goals in the framework, to help track children's progress. For example, young children who are wary of different textures and consistencies are offered numerous opportunities to experiment and to use their five senses. They have fun creating pictures with finger paints or investigate soft noodles, warm water with bubbles or sand. However, plans for children's

p.6

and outcomes for children

individual next steps are not always recorded to share with parents and other providers. A balance of adult-directed and child-led play is incorporated into the childminding day. Children are not stereotyped and activities are adapted to allow everyone to participate.

p.6

and outcomes for children

The childminder promotes positive behaviour and she gently offers children lots of praise and encouragement. Children relate warmly to the childminder and develop a sense of identity and belonging in her home. The childminder offers suitable opportunities for children to learn how to look after their own health, safety and well-being. Good hygiene routines are in place and the childminder offers a choice of healthy snacks, meals and drinks to meet children's dietary needs and to respect parents' preferences. They help to grow herbs and vegetables in the childminder's This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 garden. They choose different fruits to buy and help to prepare them as they try new tastes and textures. Children learn to recognise and respond to risk and dangers when, for example, they travel safely in cars or follow good road safety procedures on outings. Older children share their concerns with the childminder

p.6

and outcomes for children

and learn to respect rules and boundaries. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.7

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

p.8

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

p.8

children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

p.8

and managed?

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 3 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 3 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

p.8

Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

p.8

Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 3 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 3

p.8

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

p.8

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The registered provider does not meet the requirements of the compulsory and or voluntary part/s of the Childcare Register.

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

 take action as specified in the early years section of the report (CR7.1 ) 12/10/2009

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

 implement an effective safeguarding policy and procedure to include the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation against a member of the household (also applies to the Voluntary Childcare Register) 12/10/2009

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

 take action as specified in the early years section of the report (VR7.1 ) 12/10/2009

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

 take action as specified in the Compulsory Childcare Register action (VR7.1 ) 12/10/2009

p.9