Childminder in Gloucestershire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 506726 Inspection date 16/11/2009 Inspector Saida Cummings

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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 2001 and lives with her family in a residential area situated on the outskirts of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. There are local shops, parks, playing fields, day care settings and schools within walking distance. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and day care settings. Children are taken on local visits and outings.

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Description of the childminding

The main areas used for childminding are situated on the ground floor, with bathroom and sleeping facilities available on the first floor. There is a fully enclosed rear garden available for outdoor play. The childminder has procedures to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who speak English as an additional language. She is registered to care for five children at any one time and there are currently four children on roll within the Early Years Foundation Stage, all of whom attend on a part-time basis. The childminder also cares for older children. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association (NCMA) and the local childminding network.

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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

Children thrive in the well-organised and child-friendly atmosphere of the childminder’s home. Their welfare, learning and development are very well promoted by the childminder. There is a clear focus on inclusion and the childminder ensures activities are adapted so that individual children are given many opportunities to participate at their own level. There are effective partnerships with parents and carers as the childminder ensures they are kept fully informed of their children’s care arrangements. The self-evaluation system is still under development and is not yet sufficiently robust to ensure that the childminder is able to maintain continuous development in all areas.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop the self-evaluation system further to ensure priorities for making continuous improvements in all areas are identified and implemented.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a good understanding regarding health and safety and ensures that children are safeguarded at all times. Children’s welfare is well promoted, with good attention given to their safety, health and overall well-being. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 The childminder understands her role in child protection, is aware of the Local Safeguarding Children Board guidance and is able to put effective procedures into practice when necessary. Risks of accidental injury to children are effectively minimised because the childminder constantly completes visual safety checks and takes immediate action to ensure children are kept safe and secure in everything they do. The childminder also completes detailed and thorough risk assessments which include all the indoor, outdoor areas and for each type of outing. The effective policies and procedures work in practice to safeguard children and

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the early years provision

promote their health and well-being. These are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect current good practice and legislation.

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the early years provision

The good partnership with parents and carers is based on effective information sharing, which includes daily discussions and use of daily diaries to inform them of how their children have spent their day. The childminder is aware of the importance of involving parents and carers in the care of their children and seeks their views about her practice on a regular basis. She also involves children with making decisions about what types of activities they would like to take part in. The childminder has started making links with other settings in the local area and will be extending this to ensure this is pertaining to individual children's progress. She provides a family friendly service, is flexible and ensures all children are fully included. She values children’s thoughts, contributions and creations and this ensures children’s confidence and self-esteem are promoted well. She has experience of meeting the needs of children with additional needs and ensures all

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the early years provision

children’s needs are met effectively, and that they develop a positive attitude to others.

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the early years provision

Children are cared for in a warm, friendly and welcoming environment as the childminder ensures she plans the childminding sessions to meet their individual needs and their preferences. They enjoy good interaction with the childminder as she organises her time during sessions to be able to adapt to their particular needs and routines. Children are comfortable in the well-resourced and organised surroundings which enables them to freely choose which activities they wish to take part in. For example, they self-select from the wide range of easily accessible interesting and stimulating resources to instigate their own spontaneous play. The childminder is effective in ensuring that the organisation of her childminding service promotes positive outcomes for children. She is well qualified, very experienced and shows a clear commitment to developing her knowledge and understanding through training. She has made good progress since the last

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the early years provision

inspection and this reflects the childminder's commitment to making continual improvements to her practice through training and improving her knowledge of current early childhood initiatives. Self-assessment is evident in the childminder’s practice and she has a clear vision for high quality and inclusive care. She shows an understanding of the evaluation process, although this is still under development. The process for identifying priorities for making improvements in all areas is not yet fully developed. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children's welfare is successfully promoted in a safe, secure and homely environment. They are kept safe as the childminder ensures they are supervised at all times and discussions are held about how they can keep themselves safe. For example, they learn about fire safety when they practise the emergency evacuation procedure. Children's good health and well-being is promoted very well as all children have regular opportunities for physical indoor and outdoor activities. They thrive as they enjoy an extensive range of physical activities and have daily opportunities for fresh air and exercise. They relish their time outdoors where they are able to develop their physical skills, such as running, jumping and hopping when they join in with sports activities. Children’s awareness of the world around them and the wider society is encouraged through a range of activities and outings within the local community. Play equipment and other resources are well

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and outcomes for children

maintained and include positive images of differences. Children learn the importance of good hygiene through effective hand washing practice and the childminder has appropriate procedures in place to ensure the spread of infection is minimised. They are provided with healthy and nutritious food and drink and are made aware of healthy eating through involvement of various projects and activities. For example, they join in with shopping trips, helping to choose healthy and nutritious ingredients to eat as part of their snacks.

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and outcomes for children

Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals and in all areas of their development. They are provided with an interesting and exciting range of activities that cater for all six areas of learning, both indoors and outdoors. Their independence is developed and nurtured as they confidently make decisions about what they would like to play with. The childminder has developed detailed records of individual children’s achievements which include photos of them enjoying various indoor and outdoor activities. The childminder effectively uses observations of individual children's play to track each child's progress. She successfully uses these records to plan developmentally-appropriate activities which enables each child to move on to the next stage in their learning. Children’s behaviour is very well managed and they are encouraged to take turns and share, such as taking turns when using the role play toys and resources. Activities are

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and outcomes for children

changed regularly to ensure that children remain interested and stimulated in their play.

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and outcomes for children

Children are active learners because they are provided with toys, games and activities that interest them and which they enjoy. As a result, their play is often sustained, purposeful and imaginative. For example, they love to play with the dolls, pretending they are their ‘babies’, putting them in the toy highchair, 'feeding' them using the role play crockery and cutlery. Children are provided with many opportunities to explore and investigate, extend their imagination and creative skills. They relish joining in with craft activities, using various materials to paint, draw and create colourful pictures. Children have regular access to information and communication technology equipment, such as when they use play telephones and interactive musical toys. They are all encouraged to develop their language skills through relaxed conversation with the childminder and their peers, as well as their This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

love of story telling and singing songs. Young children are encouraged to use their vocals and experiment with sound. Children are able to develop their knowledge and understanding as the childminder uses appropriate opportunities to extend their experiences. For example, the childminder involves them with trips to the forestry where they see how the tree logs are cut up which are then used on the open fire in the lounge. They are fascinated when the chimney sweep visits and enjoy going outside to watch out for the brooms poking out of the chimney. Discussions are held about how real fires work and why the chimney has to be swept. As a result, children are learning about how other sources of heating work in an interesting and exciting manner, which is presented in a meaningful way to enable them to fully understand. 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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