Childminder in South Gloucestershire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY216867 Inspection date 03/12/2009 Inspector Carol Cox

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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 first registered in 2002 and is a member of the National Childminding Association. She lives in the Downend area of South Gloucestershire, with her husband and three children aged six, eight and 11 years. The family home is within walking distance of the local shopping centre, schools and parks. The ground floor of the childminder's home is used for childminding, there is an enclosed garden for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of five children under eight years at any one time, no more than three of which may be in the early years age range. She is currently minding five children in the early years age group at different times during the week. She also offers care to children aged between five years and eight years. The childminder is registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder collects children from the local school and preschool. The family have a dog and two cats.

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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 make excellent progress in the childminder's care because she has a deep understanding and intuitive knowledge of how children learn and develop. She ensures their safety and well-being in her warm and comfortable home through robust policies and procedures. The childminder values her very good relationships with parents and other carers and these significantly contribute to providing individual and consistent care for each child. She continues to make thoughtful self-evaluations of her practice and demonstrates good capacity for continuing improvement through her successful implementation of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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further?

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

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further?

 continue to extend the range of resouces to help children learn to value diversity and differences

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the early years provision

The childminder ensures children are safeguarded in her care because she has a well informed and confident knowledge and understanding of child protection issues. She has an expert knowledge of the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures and through her self evaluation has identified the need to consolidate This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 her already excellent practice through further training. She undertakes robust risk assessments of all aspects of her provision. For example, she has a high awareness of how to keep children safe on their daily walks and helps them learn about road safety. She has effective systems in place to maintain all essential documentation which she shares with parents. For example, she has excellent policies in place to ensure that only those authorised may collect children from her care. Children benefit from the abundant range of resources, toys and equipment

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the early years provision

that the childminder makes easily accessible. For example, when a three-year-old decides to play with the train track, she is able to safely take it down from the shelves, build the track and share her game with younger children. The wide range of toys and resources promote positive images of different people and their lives and the childminder recognises the benefit in continuing to extend these. The childminder uses these resources and observations from their every day walks in the community to help children have a positive understanding and value of equal value and diversity. Children demonstrate affectionate care and consideration for each other.

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the early years provision

The childminder values her partnerships with parents and works closely with them to identify children's care learning and development needs. She recognises the importance of working in partnership with a child's previous care setting to ensure a smooth transition into her care. Parents highly value the care their children enjoy and express their warm appreciation in their many letters and cards. The childminder has completed a detailed self-evaluation of her practice and has identified areas for development. For example, she has plans to extend opportunities for learning and play through outdoor play. The childminder ensures that parents are fully informed of all aspects of her provision, they each receive written copies of all policies and procedures. She gives daily written and verbal feedback about each child's achievements and development. Children and parents enjoy high standards of warm and friendly care provided in the childminder's home

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the early years provision

which contributes to the excellent progress children make in all areas of their learning and development.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and settled in the childminder's skilful and affectionate care. They make very good progress in relation to their starting points because the childminder knows them very well and intuitively responds to their changing interests. She makes detailed assessments of children's achievements and interests. She maintains these detailed and well-illustrated records to plan an interesting and stimulating balance of learning opportunities which reflect the needs of each child. For example, three young children in her care are particularly interested in pushing and pulling. Having observed this she provides a good selection of push-along and ride-on toys. One child expertly pushes her doll in the buggy and tows a ride-on car to do the 'shopping'. Children's speech and language is carefully nurtured through sensitive questioning and good modelling when discussing everyday activities and outings. The childminder uses naturally arising

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and outcomes for children

opportunities to extend children's learning. For example, after nappy changing the childminder and children talk about washing their hands to stop 'germs getting into This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 their tummies'. Children routinely use positional and comparative language when building and playing with small world characters. They enjoy creating music and singing favourite songs while playing musical instruments. On everyday walks in the local community children observe their environment, notice changes in the trees and talk about the people they meet. Through the expert guidance of the knowledgeable childminder, and the well-balanced and carefully considered range of activities, children make very good progress in all areas of learning.

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and outcomes for children

Children's health and well-being is ensured through a childminder's careful attention to each child's changing needs. For example, she works closely with parents to identify when children are ready to start toilet training. She encourages children to develop good independent skills at appropriate stages in their development. A three-year-old child happily and confidently takes herself off to the toilet and reassures the childminder that she has washed her hands. The childminder works closely with parents to ensure that food provided is healthy and nutritious and is stored safely in line with good food hygiene practice. The childminder maintains meticulous records of all accidents. She prevents spread of infection through sensible and exclusion periods and rigorous hygiene routines. Children behave extremely well in her sensitive care and learn to consider others. For example, older children pick up toys left on the floor to make sure younger

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and outcomes for children

ones don't fall over. Children gain good skills for future life, for example when practising number skills in their everyday play. Through her very good partnerships with parents and others, and her knowledge of children, the childminder provides excellent individual care to promote each child's care, learning and development needs. 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 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 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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