St James the Great Roman Catholic Primary School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 100825 Inspection date 12/11/2009 Inspector Valerie Fane

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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 2000. She lives with her husband and children, aged 16 and 13, in the Longlevens area of Gloucester. The whole of the property is used for childminding. Access to the premises is up one step. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools. The family have a cat.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than three may be in the early years age range. There are currently five children attending who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), two whom attend full-time and three who attend on a part-time basis. The childminder also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. She provides funded early education for three and four-year-olds. She supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. The childminder 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 outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children have a wonderful time with this dedicated childminder and thoroughly enjoy a very interesting range of play opportunities and outings that supports their learning and development extremely well. The outings include weekly trips to Forest School. All aspects of children's welfare are fully supported and the childminder's practice is inclusive in all respects. She takes into account children's cultural background in her planning and she provides children with excellent opportunities to develop their awareness of our diverse society. Children benefit greatly from the childminder's commitment to maintain exceptionally high standards in all aspects of her childcare and in particular her commitment to attend regular training courses to ensure that her practice is completely up-to- date. Her practice is underpinned by generally comprehensive policies and procedures that are very effective in practice and are shared with parents.

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further?

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

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further?

 improving the written child protection policy to include information about the action to be taken in the event of an allegation of abuse against the childminder or her family. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded extremely well because the childminder has a very secure knowledge of the possible signs of abuse and the procedures she would follow should she have concerns about children in her care. She is fully aware of what she must do if an allegation were to be made against her or a member of her family but she has not included this aspect of safeguarding in her otherwise comprehensive written policy. Children receive care in a home that is entirely safe and secure because the childminder has carried out thorough risk assessments for her premises and for all outings and has eliminated or minimised all hazards.

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the early years provision

Children thrive because the childminder works very closely with their parents or carers to ensure that she is fully informed about their families and all aspects of their needs. Parents receive copies of her robust policies and procedures before she begins minding so they are well-informed about the provision. They provide the childminder with detailed information about their child and the childminder uses this alongside her own observations to identify children's starting points in all areas of their learning and development. Children are very well-placed to continue their learning at home because the childminder and their parents use a daily diary for two-way communication about what children have been doing and learning. Parents have regular newsletters, they see their children's learning journeys and they receive CDs from time to time with lots of photographs of children enjoying their favourite activities. Children who attend other EYFS providers benefit from

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the early years provision

excellent continuity of care because the childminder works very closely with the other provider to exchange information about planning and about children's personal development. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities thrive because the childminder fully understands the importance of working closely in partnership with their parents and with outside agencies to ensure that she is fully informed about their needs and able to provide the best possible support.

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the early years provision

Children thoroughly enjoy a very interesting range of resources both indoors and outside and these include toys that support their awareness of diversity. They childminder has a clear vision for the future and is totally committed to making ongoing improvements. She has recently extended her home to provide more space for children to play and to be able to self-select toys. Her future plans include a grant application to carry out extensive work in her garden. This will provide a covered play area and features such as raised beds so that children can more easily grow their own plants. The childminder has developed her knowledge since the last inspection because she has completed a Level 3 childcare qualification and has attended numerous other training courses. She makes excellent use of her self-evaluation document to ensure that she is constantly reviewing and developing all aspects of her practice.

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the early years provision

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children settle extremely well with the childminder and feel safe and secure with her. They gain an excellent awareness of their personal safety. For example, she provides regular opportunities for them to practise the emergency evacuation procedures and she teaches them to use tools such as knives safely when they are helping to prepare their snacks and meals. Their understanding of healthy lifestyles is strong. They learn good hygiene routines because they sing the 'Clean hands' song to the tune of 'Incey Wincey Spider' as they wash their hands. They are involved in the preparation of a range of nutritious and interesting meals and snacks that supports their understanding of healthy foods extremely well. They love to use the juicing machine from time to time and on most days they prepare a cardboard food plate of healthy options for the childminder's teddy bear using their 'eatwell' place mats to guide them to make healthy and balanced meal choices for

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and outcomes for children

Children spend plenty of time outdoors both in the garden and on regular outings and a highlight of the week is their visit to a Forest School. They learn all about the outdoor environment and have great fun playing with mud and water. They build dens and enjoy toasting sausages on the barbeque. Children also make excellent use of the back garden for a wide range of activities that they often plan themselves. For example, they go to the library one day and hear a story about a mouse who does not have a home. They ask to build their own mouse home the next day and talk about other animals such as a hedgehog who might also use it. Older children work together cooperatively to plan and build the home. Children collect leaves and sticks in their wheelbarrow and then decide where to build the home. When they think they have finished the childminder asks questions to extend their learning such as 'What do you think will happen if it rains?'. They look

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and outcomes for children

for materials to make a roof and find some eucalyptus leaves. These activities support their excellent problem solving skills and also enable them to develop very good skills for the future. Babies enjoy age-appropriate activities throughout the day. They love digging in the soil tray and indoors they self-select pens and crayons to develop mark making skills as they draw their own pictures.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder supports all aspects of children's learning and development extremely well. She provides a framework of planned activities that thoroughly covers all areas of learning but is entirely flexible to adapt this to follow children's interests and learning. She observes and assesses children's progress and has a very clear understanding of each child's level of development so that she can support their next steps in learning through their chosen activities. She makes superb use of questioning and spontaneous learning opportunities to extend children's learning on every occasion. Children behave extremely well and are very enthusiastic learners. Older children are very considerate of younger ones when they are playing and also learn to be responsible for their own behaviour because the childminder helps them to understand how other children feel about their occasional unwanted behaviour.

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and outcomes for children

Children from different cultures flourish with the childminder because she finds out This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 all about their home background from their parents and takes this into account in her planning. For example, at Christmas she includes the feast of St Nicholas in her celebrations and children clean shoes and put them out for St Nicholas to fill with chocolates. All children gain an excellent awareness of our diverse society because they use a very wide range of toys that reflect other cultures and people with disabilities. For example, they use dressing-up clothes from India and Japan and a superb selection of ethnic musical instruments. Children begin to understand that others are less fortunate than themselves because they take part in Harvest Festival celebrations. They go to church for the service and take a box of food for children who do not have any. They extend their learning in other areas because

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and outcomes for children

they talk about where foods come from, learn about the different crops and make their own bread. 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 1 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 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 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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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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