Childminder in Wiltshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY229494 Inspection date 01/12/2009 Inspector Carole Argles

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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 has been registered since 2002. She lives in Warminster, Wiltshire, with her husband and two children aged nine and seven. Their home is close to all local amenities and has an enclosed garden for outside activities. The family keep a rabbit and chickens in the garden.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children aged under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than three may be in the early years age range. She is currently minding five children in this age group. She also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. At times, the childminder works with an assistant. When working together they may care for up to five children in the early years age group of whom no more than two may be aged under one year at any one time. The childminder cares for children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder holds a nursery nurse qualification and 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 good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The children are happy and settled in this inclusive, safe and stimulating environment. They form warm and trusting relationships with the childminder who recognises their unique needs and works effectively with their parents to ensure that every child is well supported. The children take part in a wide range of activities that are well matched to their individual requirements and interests. Consequently, they are making good progress in their development. The childminder continues to enhance the quality of the care and experiences she provides for the children. She is establishing effective systems to enable her to identify and prioritise areas for further development.

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further?

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

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further?

 extend systems for monitoring and evaluating the success of the provision including children's learning and welfare and identifying areas for further development.

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the early years provision

The children benefit from the childminder’s good organisational skills. All the records, policies and procedures necessary to support their welfare and safety are This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 in place and implemented effectively. Copies are available for parents so they understand what is provided for their child. The childminder has a clear understanding of her role in safeguarding children and knows what to do if she has concerns about a child in her care. Suitability checks have been completed for her assistants and adult members of her household. The childminder thoroughly assesses all aspects of children’s care to promote their safety. She reviews her risk assessments frequently and before all new activities. She maintains good hygiene and takes sensible precautions to reduce cross-infection, for example, during nappy changing. She makes highly effective use of her premises and resources to

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the early years provision

provide a wide variety of exciting experiences for the children. The attractive child- friendly playroom is very well organised to allow children to act independently. There is a wide range of toys and resources, which are stored so that children can select them easily. She extends and varies the range by using libraries and children go with her and help choose toys and books they would like to use.

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the early years provision

Strong partnerships between the childminder and parents and an effective two- way exchange of information result in continuity in the children’s care and development and ensure that their individual needs are met. This is achieved through daily discussions and diary sheets as well as opportunities for parents to discuss their child’s learning in more detail. The childminder has also established effective links with staff at some of the other settings children attend to ensure there is a consistent approach to their progress.

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the early years provision

The childminder is fully committed to providing good quality childcare. Since the previous inspection, she has effectively implemented the principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage and continued to extend the range of resources and scope of activities provided for the children. She has begun to monitor and evaluate the quality and effectiveness of her provision in terms of the outcomes for the children’s learning and care. This enables her to recognise areas with scope for further improvement and she is has applied for a grant to extend her resources further.

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and outcomes for children

The children are confident and happy and show that they feel safe in the childminder’s care. They show good self-esteem and receive plenty of praise and encouragement for their achievements. Displays of photographs of them at play and labelled coat pegs help them develop a sense of belonging in her home. The children are curious and ask questions about the world around them. They show interest and sustained involvement in the activities, both self-chosen and adult-led. They play cooperatively together and learn to share and take turns. They are encouraged to be accepting and respectful of others. They find out about their own beliefs and traditions as well as those in the wider community through activities, stories and resources celebrating festivals. Excellent levels of interaction and conversation with the childminder help all children, including those whose home language is not English, develop good communication and language skills.

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and outcomes for children

The children know the words to many songs and frequently sing together. They enjoy books, which they look at carefully and sometimes ‘read’ to their friends. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Pencils and paper are readily available for them to take at any time and they take part in a variety of art activities.

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and outcomes for children

Healthy and active lifestyles are promoted effectively. The children learn about the importance of good hygiene and are beginning to manage their personal care independently. They wash their hands before eating and put on their boots and hats before going outside. They are given responsibilities and readily help tidy the playroom before lunch. Outdoor clothing is available so children can play outside in the garden daily; here they gain a wealth of experiences. They develop control and coordination of their movements using a wide variety of apparatus including a trampoline, buggies, balls and hoops. The childminder helps them to learn how to manage different situations independently and take risks within a safe environment, for example, when climbing. They plant seeds and are involved in growing vegetables which they later eat in the nutritious home cooked lunches and snacks. They explore and investigate materials freely and were enjoying jumping in

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and outcomes for children

The childminder provides a balanced programme of outings and adult-led and child-initiated activities. She watches the children as they play and knows them well. She keeps a ‘learning journey’ record of each child’s achievements containing observational notes, photographs and examples of their artwork. These records are shared with parents and generally updated monthly. This helps her monitor their progress and identify the next steps in their learning, thereby allowing her to provide activities that are based on each child’s interests and abilities. The childminder asks children many open questions as they play and this encourages them to think further and talk about what they are doing. She makes good use of meaningful situations, such looking at the chickens and collecting their eggs, to encourage children to count and talk about numbers. 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 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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