Childminder in Cheshire East

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY341335 Inspection date 15/09/2009 Inspector Rachel Ruth Britten

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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 2006. She lives with her husband and two children aged eight and eleven years. The family live in, Mobberley, Cheshire. Most areas of the property are used for childminding purposes. There is a secure garden available for outdoor play. There are fish and hamsters kept as pets.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children at any one time. There are currently five children on roll aged from one year to three years. All of these are within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The childminder is also registered to cares for children aged over five years. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the Childcare Register.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder has completed required basic childminding training and 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

The childminder treats each child as a unique individual and meets their learning and developmental needs very well. She promotes their welfare successfully and implements robust safeguarding practices. She enjoys effective and cooperative relationships with parents and others who provide childcare to those on her roll. She accurately understands her strengths and weaknesses and has the capacity to make continuous improvement and sustain high child care standards, demonstrated by use of the Ofsted self-evaluation form and plans to undertake further child care training.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure that there are effective procedures to be followed in the event of a child going missing and a parent failing to collect a child (Safeguarding and welfare). 15/09/2009

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further?

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

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further?

 improve risk assessments so that they are specific for each outing and can be used each time to prepare fully and minimise identified risks  engage in regular cycles of review and reflective practice in order to make plans for continuous improvement  make regular observations and systematic initial and periodic assessments of individual children's achievements, interests and learning styles and use them This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 to summarise children's progress and make plans for their next steps which involve parents.

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the early years provision

The childminder prioritises safety and well-being for every child in the setting. She organises the indoor and outdoor setting to ensure safety, for example, teaching children to stay near her until the electric gates are shut so that they can play safely all around the property. She understands what to do if she is concerned a child is being abused and has various policies and procedures detailing the safe running of the setting, including displayed emergency exits and regular evacuation practises. Simple, well placed safety gates prevent access to the stairs and front door, with minimal compromise to emergency evacuation. Simple risk assessments are used to keep the home safe, but outings risk assessments are not tailored to the different outings undertaken. All members of the household have been vetted but the childminder has not got effective lost or uncollected child policies.

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the early years provision

The childminder reflects upon her practice and fulfils most of the expectations of the EYFS through training undertaken and a good knowledge of childcare. She has partially completed the Ofsted self-evaluation form, but has not put her plans for improvement in writing. Nevertheless, she articulates her plans for improvement clearly, including plans for professional training and recruitment of an assistant. She makes positive links with other providers to ensure complementary care and good progress for children who also attend at pre-school and school settings. She also has confidence and experience in working jointly with specialists when children have special educational needs. Parents are happy with the insightful verbal exchanges they have each day with the childminder at handover and their written references indicate complete confidence in the children's ability to provide for their individual welfare and learning needs. Written agreements, child details

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the early years provision

and parental consents are robust and include good details obtained from parents about their child's routines upon entry. However, the childminder is not making regular use of individualised observations and assessments to chart children's progress or involve parents.

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the early years provision

The childminder promotes inclusive practice very well, using her experience to the full to help each child to achieve as much as they can. She makes sure that every child gets quality time with her and in various groupings of children, weaving in relevant social skills and learning, so that the outcomes for children are good. Children come from similar backgrounds and at present there are no children attending with special educational needs, disabilities or who speak English as an additional language. Nevertheless, the childminder provides a good range of play resources showing positive images of various cultures and disabilities and is particularly successful in teaching children to respect and understand disability. Her input and challenge is natural and highly effective at providing for each child to make progress through their play and activity. 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 the six areas of learning because they enjoy a good range of resources, activities and experiences. The childminder ably provides choices and maximises quality time with children. Her input provides excellent challenge for them to develop their learning through their chosen play. For example, young children choose programmable toys which are skilfully used to develop their communication and understanding of the world. As they use the toys, their small motor movements are developing too and their learning is all the more enjoyable because of the toys' programmed songs and music. The childminder spends all her time with the children, talking, singing, questioning, praising, encouraging and assisting their play. As a result, their levels of engagement and interest are high and they really enjoy themselves. They have excellent relationships with the childminder and know where things are. They are

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and outcomes for children

eager to set up games like the train track or find their favourite story books and are delighted when their counting, problem solving, knowledge of colours and shapes or vocabulary are growing.

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and outcomes for children

Children are also learning a huge amount through the simple routines of the day. They fetch their shoes and put them on ready to go into the garden to look for the elves in the bamboo wood. They know why they wash their hands after touching the hamster or his cage. They choose what cups, plates and healthy snacks they want and can wipe up the spills on the floor. The childminder is warm and relaxed, giving children time to touch and talk about the clock on the window ledge or time to play independently on the floor with the pens and paper. She concentrates on children's manners and social skills, praising them and prompting as necessary, so that children like to please her by behaving very well, adopting good eating and manners and being kind to one another. No opportunities are lost to help children understand and respect all others, from people who help us, like the firemen who came to assess the safety of the house, to people who have physical disabilities to

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy plenty of active learning, both inside and outside. They learn about the natural world and their community as they visit individual shops and choose fruit, vegetables, fish and meat to help make into nutritious meals. They enjoy a very large indoor space and frequently dance, exercise and role play to develop good physical and creative skills. On the day of inspection they enjoy a long role play when each child sits in a storage box which is their boat. The childminder takes them out on the sea in their boats and they pretend that it becomes stormy, that they need life jackets from the dressing up box, and that they go into port to dry land. New words and learning about safety and the natural world are all woven in as the children enjoy a creative and imaginative game. Parents spend enough time in the setting to see for themselves that their child is making good progress and the childminder ensures that focussed, useful verbal exchange takes place.

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and outcomes for children

However, parents and children presently make no contributions to their child's developmental progress books. 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 2 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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