Childminder in Worcestershire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 204783 Inspection date 13/10/2009 Inspector Donna Stevens

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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 1995. She lives with her husband and two adult children in Kidderminster. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and pre-schools. The family have a dog.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than three may be in the early years age range. There are currently five children attending who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), some of whom attend on a part-time basis. The childminder also offers care to children aged over five years to ten years. This provision is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association and the local childminding group. She is accredited to receive government funding for three and four year olds and is part of the Worcestershire Childminding network.

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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 benefit from the childminders dedication, motivation and ambition which enable her to provide excellent care. She has developed extremely effective systems to evaluate her practice. These take into consideration the opinions of children, parents and carers on an ongoing basis and help to identify areas for improvement. Children's individual needs are extremely well met and positive action is taken to ensure that the provision is fully inclusive. The childminder's ethos of 'Share the Care' is evident in the close partnerships that she forms with parents, other settings and professionals involved in the children's care, ensuring highly effective continuity of care and learning. This enables children to make excellent progress.

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further?

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

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further?

 updating the complaints procedure to link to the Early Years Foundation Stage. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children are extremely well-safeguarded, with robust policies and procedures that are shared with parents. The childminder has an excellent understanding of her role and responsibilities with regards to safeguarding children's welfare and has attended extensive training in this area to ensure that her knowledge and understanding remains up-to-date and in line with local guidance. High-quality risk assessments and daily safety checks ensure that both the indoor and outdoor play areas are safe and risks to children are minimised. Children are closely supervised and sleeping children are very safely monitored using a sophisticated baby monitor that includes webcam and temperature control facilities.

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the early years provision

The childminder is very committed to her own self-development. She has recently completed an NVQ 3 in Children's Care, Learning and Development. She has attended training sessions and workshops relating to the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage which has allowed her to implement the framework in a highly effective way. She is accredited to receive early years funding and is part of a local network of providers. She regularly attends their meetings where good practice is shared and she is able to develop close working relationships with other settings that children in her care may attend. She has completed the National Childminding Association Quality Assurance scheme to level 3 and has used the Ofsted self-evaluation system to help her identify areas for improvement. She consults regularly with parents and involves children in reviewing how they have spent their time, the activities they

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the early years provision

have enjoyed and things they would like to do again. This allows her to provide a service that is responsive to the needs of its users.

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the early years provision

The childminder places a strong emphasis on developing close working relationships with parents and carers. Parents are kept informed through daily discussions and diary sheets where children's welfare, learning and achievements can be recorded and shared. Parents are regularly given the opportunity to share their opinions and provide feedback and this information is included in the childminder's self-evaluation. The childminder has an excellent knowledge and understanding of child development that enables her to actively support parents when seeking help from other agencies to ensure that children's individual needs are recognized and supported. Policies and procedures are clear and easy to understand and parents are provided with a copy so that they are aware of the expectations of themselves, their children and the childminder. She has updated the majority of her policies to link to the EYFS and now plans to do this with the

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the early years provision

The childminder actively promotes equality of opportunity and works closely with parents, carers and other agencies to support and meet children's individual needs to a high standard. All children and families are valued and welcomed into the childminder's home. She takes great interest in important events in children's lives such as the arrival of a new baby, sharing and supporting their experiences. This helps children to feel valued as an individual and part of both their own families and the childminding group. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children make outstanding progress towards the early learning goals and in all areas of their development because the childminder has an excellent understanding of both child development and the Early Years Foundation Stage. She is skilled at planning activities that spark the children's interest and provide opportunities for them to investigate, explore and learn new skills. For example, children have the opportunity to grow their own fruit and vegetables in a designated vegetable patch. Initially the aim of the activity was for children to learn about healthy living and develop their knowledge and understanding of living things as they help to plant, nurture and harvest their crops. The children enjoyed the activity immensely and so the childminder introduced further activities linked to other areas of their learning. They improved their physical skills and learnt about their own personal safety as they used adult gardening tools to plant and weed the

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and outcomes for children

vegetable patch. Skills of problem solving, numeracy and reasoning were developed as the children measured the plants, recorded their findings and estimated how much they would grow in a given period of time. Once the potatoes are ready for harvesting they sorted them into different sizes and discussed why some had grown bigger than others. Their language and literacy was supported as they were introduced to vocabulary connected to growing and looked at books with stories of a growing theme. The activities provided an opportunity for the children to work together as a team, helping each other when measuring and sharing tools to achieve a finished result.

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and outcomes for children

Children demonstrate loving and caring relationships with both the childminder and their peers. They are particularly affectionate and helpful towards children younger than themselves and will assist each other in simple tasks such as putting on each other's Wellington boots. Children are very well behaved because the childminder provides clear and consistent boundaries allowing children to develop their knowledge of acceptable behaviour and encouraging them to share, take turns and engage in positive behaviour. They willingly share popular equipment and are praised and thanked for doing so. Gentle explanations are provided to help children understand right from wrong and the consequences of their actions on others. As a result, children demonstrate an understanding of others and display a good sense of responsibility for their actions.

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and outcomes for children

Children thoroughly enjoy their time with the childminder. They take part enthusiastically in activities and confidently select their own resources and equipment. They are helped to experiment and persevere with difficult tasks, such as learning to blow bubbles, with praise and encouragement. Children can steer their own learning and be creative as the childminder responds promptly to requests for equipment. For example, children playing in the garden decided they would like to go camping and the childminder provided a range of resources to support their play and allow them to develop their ideas. The childminder skilfully involves children of different ages in the same activity. When potato printing young children are encouraged to explore the paint and make patterns on the paper while older children, as well as enjoying the same experience, are questioned about This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

shape and colour. Children develop an excellent understanding of the use of technology is they confidently use a 'tough cam' to record each other at play. At the end of each session the childminder will discuss with the children how they have spent their time, what activities they have enjoyed and those that they would like to do again. These evaluations along with sensitive observations of children's play allow the childminder to identify the next steps in children's learning and include these in future activities to allow children to achieve their full potential.

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and outcomes for children

Children are extremely secure, happy and confident. They are encouraged to share ideas and opinions and are constantly consulted about issues which are important to them. The childminder successfully develops children's own skills of risk assessing as she questions them about possible dangers both in the home and on outings. Children are then able to identify danger for themselves, for example that a climbing frame in a park may be high and they could fall, but that they can take risks if they are careful, by ensuring that they climb carefully and slowly with an adult present. Children have a good understanding of the importance of good personal hygiene and know to wash their hands when they come in from the garden, before mealtimes and after using the toilet. They understand that they each have their own coloured towels so that they will stay healthy.

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and outcomes for children

Healthy eating is actively encouraged and parents provide children with healthy lunches which complement the nutritious snacks provided by the childminder. Mealtimes are sociable occasions when children sit together and develop social skills and table manners. As well as growing their own vegetables the childminder talks to them about why it is important to eat healthily and to lead an active life. They have daily opportunities to enjoy outdoor play with a good range of garden equipment as well as visits to local parks and the forest which provide them with varied opportunities to develop their physical skills.

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and outcomes for children

Children's understanding of diversity and difference is greatly enhanced as the equipment and toys they use includes an excellent range of resources that depict positive images of race, gender, culture and disability. They celebrate festivals and special events at the childminding groups that they visit regularly. The children sponsor a child in the Gambia exchanging letters and photographs learning about the differences and similarities of their lives. This enables them to respect other cultures and ways of life from a personal perspective. 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 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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