Oaklands School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 100972 Inspection date 06/10/2009 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 1999. She lives with her husband and children aged 19 and 12 in Churchdown on the outskirts of Gloucester. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding. Accessibility 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 dog and a goldfish.

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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 three children attending who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), all of whom attend on a part-time basis. The childminder also offers care to children aged over five years to 14 years. This provision is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. 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 satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children of all ages settle very quickly with the childminder and develop a close relationship with her. She works closely with their parents to find out about their individual needs but she has not fully developed links with other providers to support children who attend more than one early years setting. Children develop a very good understanding of people with disabilities but they have fewer opportunities to increase their awareness of other cultures. They make progress in all areas of their learning and in aspects such as their development of language their progress is good. This is because the childminder understands how to support individual children's development and she makes some use of her observations to identify their next steps in learning. She has improved her practice since the last inspection and she has recently completed a formal self-evaluation document which she is beginning to use to identify future areas for development.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve the use of observations and assessments to identify learning priorities for each child  improve children's opportunities to develop positive attitudes to diversity with respect to different cultures  develop the opportunities for partnership working where children receive care and education in more than one setting. 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 protected well because the childminder has a secure knowledge of how to safeguard children. She understands the possible signs of abuse and she knows what to do if she was to have concerns about a child in her care. She displays information on her notice board so that parents are aware of the procedures. She supports children well to develop their awareness of all aspects of their personal safety. Children receive care in a home that is entirely safe and secure because the childminder has met the recommendations made at the last inspection concerning the safety of the front door and the bathroom. She has carried out a thorough written risk assessment of the premises and of all outings and she completes daily visual checks to ensure that her home is safe at all times.

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the early years provision

Children benefit from the childminder's vision to provide a high level of individual support for them and their families. She attends training courses from time to time and chooses courses that she believe will help her improve the support she gives to particular children in her care. Her focus on individual children means that her practice is inclusive. She provides a good range of interesting resources and ensures that these are readily accessible for children to self-select when they are playing. She has completed an overall self-evaluation of her provision that indicates her areas of strength and she has encouraged parents to complete a questionnaire to contribute their views. She is beginning to use the self-evaluation to identify areas for future development.

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the early years provision

Children thrive because the childminder works in close partnership with their parents or carers and gets to know them very well. She encourages them to provide lots of information during discussions at their introductory visits. Parents are very pleased that their children settle quickly and enjoy coming to her house. Children are able to continue their learning at home because she talks to parents each night about what children have been doing and she also shows them her written observations and diary notes. The childminder understands the importance of working with outside agencies where children have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Some children who attend other early years provision benefit from continuity of care because the childminder works closely with staff at the local pre-school provision. However, children who are in their first year of full-time school do not benefit from a good level of partnership working because the

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the early years provision

childminder has not developed links to share information with their class teacher.

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and outcomes for children

Children settle very easily with the childminder and older children are keen to spend additional time at her house. She has a good concern for their individual needs and initiates discussions with parents to see how they can work together to support children through changes such as starting school. Children gain some understanding of diversity because they use a range of toys to support their knowledge such as puzzles and small world toys. They talk about disabilities with This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the childminder so that older children learn to support others. For example, they encourage a younger child to keep wearing their glasses. However, children have few opportunities to take part in activities that support their awareness of other cultures.

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and outcomes for children

Children behave well and are enthusiastic learners. They make progress in all areas of learning because the childminder provides a wide selection of toys that supports children's individual interests and she takes them out and about to toddler groups and to the local park. In some areas of learning, such as 'Communication, language and literacy', their progress is good because the childminder has attended additional training to support her understanding of how children develop. She observes and assesses children's progress and is sometimes using the assessments to plan for children's future learning. However, she has identified in her self-evaluation that this is an area for further development to enable her to support children's progress in all areas well.

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and outcomes for children

Children self-select enthusiastically from the wide range of toys and the childminder follows their lead. Two-year-olds choose to do some cutting and sticking. They make their own collage from the selection of pictures available. They use tools such as glue sticks confidently. When they need more glue the childminder supports their problem solving skills by giving them time to try to open the glue stick further for themselves before she offers help. They talk freely about their picture and tell the childminder, 'It's beautiful'. They enjoy books so they choose a story for the childminder to read to them and they like to talk about the pictures. They develop skills for the future because they use simple computer programs that also support their awareness of phonics.

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and outcomes for children

Older children attending the childminder's house after school welcome time to relax and choose their own activities. They have some use of computer games but the childminder encourages them to play with other toys. They have fun with her building a road track together to try to make a complete circuit and then enjoy imaginative play with the toy cars. The childminder is not currently minding any young babies but she understands how to provide an interesting range of toys and opportunities to explore textures such as play dough, paint and 'gloop'.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop a good awareness of healthy lifestyles. They spend plenty of time outside because they walk to and from school and various activities as well as playing in the garden and spending time in the park. They like to use the large play equipment in the park, such as the merry-go-round, to develop climbing and balancing skills. They learn good hygiene habits because the childminder provides paper towels to dry their hands and she teaches them to cover their mouths when they cough. They eat a healthy range of meals and snacks provided by the childminder. Snacks include foods such as a choice of apple, raisins or breadsticks. The childminder includes vegetables in main dishes such as cottage pie to encourage children to eat them. Children develop good eating habits and try new foods because the childminder is a good role model and eats her own meal with them. They help to prepare food such as the vegetables for a stew. Children learn

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and outcomes for children

about their personal safety. They talk about road safety when they are out with the childminder and help her to look and listen before they cross the road. Indoors they understand why they must help tidy up toys so that there is less chance of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 falling over and they know that they must not go in the kitchen when the oven is in use. 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 3 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 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 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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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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