Waltham Toll Bar Academy

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 136268 Inspection date 23/10/2009 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 15 and 13 in Wickwar. The whole of the property is used for childminding. Accessibility to the premises is up a slope that is suitable for wheelchair access. 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. She is registered to work with an assistant. The family have two cats.

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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 of 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. The childminder 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 the childminder who has maintained extremely high standards of childcare since her last inspection and has a clear vision to continue to do so in the future. All children make outstanding progress because the childminder provides an excellent range of play opportunities both indoors and outside. This includes regular outings in the local area that are well planned to enhance children's learning experience. Children's individual care needs are met because the childminder works in very close partnership with parents to ensure that she supports each child extremely well and they also gain an excellent awareness of our wider society. The childminder makes excellent use of self- evaluation to review and develop her practice and most documentation is exemplary.

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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 accident records to include full details of treatment needed. 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 has attended relevant training and is very keen to attend a higher level course that would extend her knowledge as soon as one is available in her local area. Children receive care in a home that is entirely safe and secure because the childminder is very alert to any hazards and takes steps to reduce or eliminate them. She carries out detailed risk assessments of her home and for all outings and reviews them regularly. Her excellent provision is underpinned by robust policies and procedures that are generally very effective in practice. Children receive appropriate care in the event of an accident because the childminder always maintains a current first aid certificate but she could record further details of the outcome of any accidents

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the early years provision

Children thrive because the childminder has a very clear vision and is totally committed to the provision of high quality childcare and she has maintained extremely high standards since her last inspection. She is constantly reflecting on her practice and looking for ways to improve outcomes for children. She attends a large number of training courses to ensure that she is completely up to date in all aspects of her practice and children enjoy the use of very high quality resources that support their play and also enhance their awareness of diversity. The childminder is currently applying for funding to extend her range of technology toys with equipment such as a children's laptop, a digital camera for them to use, walkie-talkies and programmable toys such as 'bee bots'.

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the early years provision

Children benefit from excellent continuity of care because the childminder works very closely with their parents to ensure that she has a detailed knowledge of their particular needs. She discusses changes to children's routines, such as their use of a dummy, with parents and agrees strategies to support children's individual development. Children are very well placed to continue their learning at home because parents are fully aware of what they are doing and learning with the childminder. She makes excellent use of a daily diary to support verbal communication with parents and these include lots of photographs of children taking part in activities with comments about what they are learning. Parents also have regular access to children's learning journeys with more detail about children's observations and assessments and they are encouraged to tell the childminder about children's interests at home so that she can bring these into her

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the early years provision

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities make excellent progress because the childminder encourages parents to seek help from outside agencies. She works very closely with those agencies to ensure that she provides individual care and learning opportunities to provides the best possible support for each child. She has undertaken training to support this aspect of her work. If children attend other early years provision the childminder encourages other providers to share detailed information to ensure continuity of care for children. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children have a lovely time with the childminder and quickly settle and feel secure in her care. They behave well and are very enthusiastic learners. They make outstanding progress towards the early learning goals because she has a very secure understanding of how to plan and provide interesting activities that are centred on children's current interests and support their individual learning needs extremely well. She plans activities around a topic that links to children's interests and she adapts this day by day to follow children's lead.

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and outcomes for children

Children gain an awareness of their local community through outings such as visits to the local library. This also supports their love of books because they choose books to bring home and share with the childminder. They enthusiastically listen to new stories such as 'Brown bear'. They thoroughly enjoy outings further afield to places such as the zoo and the childminder always ensures that children embrace a wealth of learning from such trips. For example, at the zoo they gain a lot of knowledge about the animals and watch the baby animals over a period of time so that they see how they grow. Older children talk about conservation issues with the childminder and extend their understanding of the wider world. They take part in events such as 'National Moth Night' and talk to the people in the butterfly house at the zoo and try to find all the different caterpillars, moths and butterflies. The childminder links the outings to activities at home so before a trip to the zoo

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and outcomes for children

pre-school children play with the construction toy zoo. They work with the childminder to design and build their own zoo. They discuss how to make a suitable entrance and make a road going round the zoo. They use mathematical language as they build the road, making comments such as 'I need a long bit'. They join several trailers to the zoo truck to make a train and pretend to take the play people on a ride to show them the zoo. They talk to the childminder about the planned visit the following week.

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and outcomes for children

Children of all ages enjoy a wide range of creative activities. Babies explore a very wide range of different materials and textures such as soil, shaving foam and cornflakes. Older children use different tools and materials to make their own collage of a hedgehog and enthusiastically try to write their own name on their finished picture. All children use different forms of technology in their play. Younger children have great fun in the role play area using the interactive microwave and kettle. Older children use a simple computer toy to play games that support their mathematical development through counting and number activities. These activities also support children's development of skills for the future.

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and outcomes for children

Children use a good range of resources that support their awareness of diversity. They join in many very interesting and relevant activities to celebrate different festivals and extend their understanding of different cultures. For example, at Chinese New Year children create a huge display with Chinese lanterns and pictures of Chinese children. They make lucky envelopes with chocolates as a treat and eat Chinese food such as chicken balls, rice, spring rolls and prawn crackers. They have great fun trying to eat with chopsticks. Children's own culture is This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 supported extremely well by the childminder. She includes their culture and celebrations in her planning and if children are bilingual she encourages the older children to teach all minded children some words in their other language. She has some resources with words written in their language and encourages them to bring

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and outcomes for children

Children have superb opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles. They grow plants such as cress and thoroughly enjoy regular cookery activities when they make healthy recipes such as fruit kebabs and bread rolls. They develop a superb understanding of good hygiene because the childminder borrows equipment such as a 'hand washing machine' that shows children whether or not they have washed their hands properly. They spend lots of time outside and have plenty of exercise both outside and indoors at local soft play areas. They become very aware of their personal safety because they learn all about road safety and go on visits to the police and fire stations. They talk about hazards and dangers when they are out with the childminder. 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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