Childminder in East Riding of Yorkshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY292999 Inspection date 11/11/2009 Inspector Diane Lynn Turner

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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 October 2004. She lives with her partner and two children aged 13 and nine-years-old in a semi-detached house in a village, which is situated on the outskirts of Brough in East Yorkshire. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's home is used for childminding purposes, with toilet facilities located on the first floor. There is an enclosed garden to the rear of the premises for outdoor play. A cat, a rabbit and a giant land snail are kept as pets.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association and is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of six children under the age of eight years may attend at any one time. Currently there are five children are on roll, two of whom are within the early years age group. They all attend on a part-time basis.

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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 are cared for in a very welcoming and child-orientated environment. They are offered a good range of activities and their learning and development is supported very successfully as a result. Good systems are in place to gain important information about each child, which ensures their individual needs are met, and very positive relationships are fostered with the parents. The childminmder understands the importance of self-evaluation. However, the system for this is not yet fully developed, to help her focus on the most significant areas for development and ensure continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop the system for self-assessment to ensure continuous improvement, for example, by using the Ofsted self-evaluation form and quality improvement processes  ensure all necessary details are included in the medication and attendance records.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a secure understanding of how to keep children safe, and her responsibilities regarding child protection issues. She has attended training in this area and clearly understands what she must do if she has any concerns about a child's welfare. She has clear written procedures she would follow in the event of a This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 child being lost, or a parent failing to collect, and she maintains a record of any visitors to her home. She carries out detailed risk assessments on the premises and for outings and takes effective action to minimise any risks she identifies. These are reviewed regularly and the record updated accordingly. She also maintains a record of the checks she undertakes on the smoke detectors and when she practises the emergency evacuation procedures with the children.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a good range of policies and procedures to show how her service operates and these are shared very effectively with the parents who sign to acknowledge they have read and agree to them. She has all the necessary documentation in place, however, this occasionally lacks the necessary detail. For example, the medication records are not always clearly dated and the attendance records do not include the children's full names. The childminder strives to provide a service that is inclusive for all children and their families and promotes equality and diversity successfully. She gathers detailed information from parents about their child when the placement begins, including their care routines, interests and any fears they may have, and uses this to ensure their individual needs are met. Daily chats, photographs of the children at play and the art work they take home keep parents well-informed of the activities the children have been involved in.

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the early years provision

Parents are happy to express their satisfaction of the service, and how much they value the childminder. The childminder strives to work collaboratively with providers of other settings the children also attend, to ensure continuity in their learning

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the early years provision

The childminder understands the importance of evaluating her service, to identify areas for future improvement and enhance the outcomes for children. She is committed to developing her knowledge through training and keeps herself up to date about current childcare issues by reading publications compiled by professional bodies. She has successfully addressed the recommendations raised at her last inspection and this has had a positive impact on the children's safety. For example, she has replaced the glass in the garage window with toughened glass. She has identified some further areas for improvement but she does not yet have an effective system to evidence her continuous improvement.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has a very caring and calm manner, and as a result, the children settle well and are very happy in her care. This is very evident as they talk about how much they enjoy the activities she offers. She shows a genuine interest in what they have to say and they clearly feel part of the family. They confidently move around the home and independently access activities of their choice, for example, painting at the easel which is based in the kitchen. The childminder has a good understanding of the six areas of learning and plans a range of interesting activities which the children thoroughly enjoy. For example, she raises their awareness of their own customs and those of other cultures as they celebrate Halloween, November 5th and Diwali with various craft activities, such as making spiders, rockets and fire work pictures. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

The childminder provides a very supportive learning environment. For example, alphabet and number posters are displayed at the children's level alongside a weather chart and these are used on a daily basis to encourage the children's understanding of letter sounds, counting and to raise their awareness of the climate. Examples of the children's work are displayed, which shows their efforts are valued and appreciated and the children enjoy sharing these with their parents and any visitors. The childminder interacts very well with the children as they play. For example, as they make hand prints with paint she also makes a print with her hand and encourages them to observe the difference in the size. Her enthusiasm produces lots of laughter and makes the learning experience fun for the children. She also encourages them to learn about nature as they observe trees, look at leaves through a magnifying glass and learn about the life cycle of a butterfly,

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and outcomes for children

observing the process at first hand. Photographs that record the event depict wonder on the children's faces as they finally see their caterpillars evolving into butterflies.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder keeps a learning journey for each child, which she uses very effectively to monitor their progress towards the early learning goals. These include written observations of their responses to the activities, photographs, 'wow moments' and examples of their work. She uses this information effectively to identify the next steps in their learning and to inform future planning. She reviews the areas of learning regularly and when she identified a gap in her resources to support children's imaginative play she involved them in choosing and purchasing various role play items, such as a tea set, play cooker and food. The childminder gives high priority to helping the children learn about personal safety. As a result, they are able to confidently describe what they need to do when crossing the road, and how they must not get too close to any bonfires, as they could get burnt. They also learn about staying healthy as the childminder discusses what food is good for

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and outcomes for children

them as they use the play food and they learn the importance of washing their hands after messy play and personal care. They enjoy regular opportunities to be out in the fresh air and to use equipment to help them develop their physical skills, such as the trampoline in the garden and resources at the nearby park. They also enjoy visits to a soft play venue and are keen to talk about how much they enjoy playing football. 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 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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