Wirral Wrap

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 149638 Inspection date 16/11/2009 Inspector Lynne Kathleen Talbot

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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 May 2000. She lives with her children aged seven and 12 years in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. The whole of the ground floor of the home is used for childminding together with identified facilities on the first floor. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. Access to the childminder's home is via single step.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is able to provide care on each weekday during term-time and school holidays. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder is registered 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. There are currently six children attending part-time hours, three of whom are within the early years age range.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder takes children to and collects from other settings such as the early years unit of the local primary school and the local pre-school. The childminder provides care for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those for whom English is an additional language.

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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's individuality is fully respected by the childminder because she develops a thorough knowledge of each child's needs and interests. She forms an excellent relationship with parents and carers seeking and taking account of their views, understanding their home life and cultures, and sharing all aspects of children's progress with them. Attention to these areas of care ensures that children's needs are fully met and that activities planned promote extremely rapid progress in their learning. Partnerships with other agencies are a key strength. The childminder takes positive steps to promote children's welfare through comprehensive routines for health, minimising risks and firm safeguarding awareness and routines. She has an effective and positive approach towards self-evaluation, continuing to review her work and plan for further development; this ambition and commitment provides a good basis for improvement thereby maintaining a service that is highly

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further?

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

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further?

 extending the positive links with parents and families by offering support for extended learning in the home and further involving parents in the learning programme. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children's welfare is very well promoted because the childminder has an excellent knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). She has a clear understanding of her roles and responsibilities relating to safeguarding children seeking updated training and continued development. The childminder ensures that all persons required undertake the appropriate checks to safeguard children. Comprehensive and precise risk assessments are completed for the premises and all outings undertaken. Children take part in regular activities designed to increase their awareness of personal safety and learn through general play activities. For example, children learn to wipe garden equipment before using it learning about slippery surfaces and the links to accidents. Procedures for illness and medical assistance are very well-planned.

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the early years provision

The childminder offers a consistently inclusive service for all children in her care and ensures that she works closely with parents to understand each child's background, cultures and beliefs in order to tackle unfair discrimination. She is aware of children's individual learning styles and is using this in their planning therefore narrowing the achievement gap. For example, reading activities are offered in different ways such as reviewing instruction leaflets where children learn in a more active manner, and being aware of children who either seek or avoid physical comfort and support. New opportunities are offered to broaden children's awareness of diversity and to explore the world and society in which they live. For instance, they enjoy visits to an African village set up in a nearby location where they can experience first-hand the ways that some people traditionally live in other countries. Partnerships with other agencies and settings that provide EYFS are a

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the early years provision

key strength. The childminder both provides information in writing to inform those settings of children's progression, in agreement with and on behalf of parents, and is provided with opportunities to review their learning journals provided by those settings regularly. This enables a cohesive approach to be taken towards consistency to foster children's development. Partnerships with parents are exemplary supported through detailed daily diaries, extensive learning journals, written reviews summarising learning and progression, and a supportive and flexible care that adapts to meet family changing need. There is scope to seek further input from parents into the learning journal and planning by including progress made in the home.

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the early years provision

The childminder demonstrates enthusiasm for her work and is motivated to continue making changes that improve outcomes for children. Recent completed and ongoing training including National Vocational Qualification Level 3, linking sounds and letters, and food hygiene; these add to her commitment to development. Self-evaluation processes are in place and the childminder recognises her strengths and areas for development, she takes steps to address recommendations and seeks personal development maintaining continuous improvement. Children make excellent progress in their learning because the childminder makes very good use of resources and motivates children. The This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 environment is highly conducive to learning with children self-initiating learning, accessing materials and making considered choices regarding activities.

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and outcomes for children

Children are extremely confident and thoroughly enjoy the time spent in the childminder's care. They make rapid progress in their learning offering their ideas, directing the play and making considered choices because the childminder has a very clear understanding of the EYFS. The childminder maintains in-depth learning journals showing how learning is observed and assessed to identify next steps for each child. The learning journals are filled with a wealth of evidence showing how children are achieving in each area of learning, providing the next steps for the planning to continue improving outcomes for every child as an individual. The journals do not yet show the verbally exchanged information from parents about steps achieved by children in their own home, which means that parental input is not shown to be fully used in the planned programme.

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and outcomes for children

Children are highly motivated and interested in a broad range of activities and explore their developing skills and knowledge in everything they do. For example, when reading 'I'm going on a bear hunt!' children are articulate and they confidently explore rhyme, anticipating and acting out the story which leads thinking about why the story teller was scared. They link stories together, discussing other books they enjoy, naming animals and showing excellent recall and rapidly developing language, as they talk with the childminder about visits they have made to see animals in zoos and parks. They lead the daily plan as they initiate feeding the rabbit outdoors, eagerly fetching their boots and offering the rabbit apple pieces. This later results in children choosing to play outdoors, where they discuss safety on the larger equipment, wiping the rain off plastic surfaces and taking turns to bounce on the trampoline, where they count spontaneously

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and outcomes for children

and confidently. Children of all ages participate in creative works which are displayed on walls and doors supporting their sense of achievement. Examples include works linked to planning, focussed around cultures of the world and festivals. The childminder helps children to compare and contrast Christian festivals as well as Hanukkah and Eid, thereby broadening their interest in the wider society. Children participate in community projects such as charity walks, road safety talks at local preschools, walks in nature reserves and learning about organisations such as guide dogs for the blind. This helps them to become aware of the wider community, the needs of others and to begin learning skills for their future role in society. Children are exceptionally confident and invite new adults to join them in games. For instance, a simple game with a balloon develops into throwing and catching, comparing high and low, and children swirling the balloon

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and outcomes for children

round stating clearly, 'I am making a circle'. Children share their knowledge easily, finding and pointing out other circles in the room supported by the childminder, who links this to a current theme in another setting that they attend.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder is very mindful of her role in helping children to understand personal safety, hygiene and health. They take part in emergency evacuation and carry out project works on stranger danger and road safety. Children wear high- This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 visibility jackets when away from the home helping them to be easily identifiable and good strategies are used to support children in becoming confident away from the home when it is dark. Children recall a visit to the fire station, laughing with the childminder as they recall the fireman's boots in which they stood, and which were very big for them. This illustrates the impact the visit made. Children learn about nutrition and links to health. They enjoy visiting the market to choose new fruits and vegetables, and this forms the basis of a cohesive, all-round learning experience. Children's behaviour is very good and they build strong relationships

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and outcomes for children

with each other and the childminder. Each child receives excellent support and attention from the childminder who enables every child to feel included and valued. 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 2 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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