Childminder in Staffordshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY306621 Inspection date 12/10/2009 Inspector Shirley Amanda Wilkes

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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 2005. She lives with her husband and two children aged 10 and five in Stafford, Staffordshire. The whole of the property is used for childminding with the exception of the master bedroom. A separate area is available within the garden for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children under eight 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 the early years age group on a part-time basis. She also offers care to children aged over five years. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the childminding

She attends the local parent and toddler group, visits the local park and local indoor play areas. The family has one dog, two cats and some chickens. The childminder 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

Children are happy and well settled in the caring and friendly home environment, policies and procedures are effective and inclusive to ensure the children's welfare is promoted successfully. All of the required polices are in place and are effective in practice to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the provision in safeguarding children. However, not all reflect the welfare requirements. There is a very strong commitment to continuous improvement and involves parents and children in identifying areas to develop in order to further enhance the outcomes for children.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further documentation to reflect the welfare requirements.

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the early years provision

The childminder demonstrates a clear understanding of safeguarding children procedures and issues, including possible symptoms of abuse and how to discuss and refer concerns. She discusses her safeguarding responsibilities with parents and ensures that all household members have appropriate background checks. The childminder makes all required policies and procedures available to parents which ensure that the setting is managed effectively, safely and in the interests of children. The childminder has completed risk assessments which helps ensure This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children are safe within the home and when outdoors. Risk assessments are also completed for any visit out of the home to ensure potential hazards are identified. Detailed records for all accidents and for administering medication are maintained. Recommendations raised at the last inspection have been addressed to ensure

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the early years provision

The childminder is fully aware of the strengths and areas for development of her setting and has a clear and achievable plan for developing and moving forward in her continuous improvement. The childminder encourages parents and children to be involved in evaluating the quality of the provision. Parents contribute through questionnaires and children are also involved in some of the decision making and identifying their ideas for improvement.

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the early years provision

The childminder has excellent partnerships with parents. She welcomes all families to her setting, taking time to find out from parents about children’s favourite activities and interests, and to discuss their general levels of development. She provides parents with daily diaries, children’s scrapbooks and frequent discussions so that they have clear information about their children’s progress. She also provides parents with regular news letters. Children also benefit from taking home play packs which helps parents to be involved in the activities their children do with the childminder. Dexter the crocodile goes on holiday to the children's home which helps build the bond between home and the setting.

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the early years provision

The childminder has built good links with other providers such as local schools and pre-schools to ensure children's individual needs are met. The childminder actively encourages parents to provide feedback about her setting and their responses are very positive. The childminder organises her home well to ensure children have opportunities to play or participate in activities in the home and garden. She ensures resources are easily accessible so they can make independent choices. The childminder promotes equality and diversity well, as all children are included and are encouraged to begin to be aware of the lives of others, through a variety of resources and activities.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder provides a varied and attractive range of age-appropriate play resources that children are eager to use, all of which are easily accessible to the children. The childminder’s home is clean and well-maintained and appropriately organised and gives the children opportunities to become independent. The daily routine meets children's needs and promotes their welfare and all the required documentation is in place. During routine outings, the childminder often talks to children about road safety. She regularly practises fire drills with them all of which helps children to feel safe.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder continually plans a varied and well planned range of activities and experiences to help the children reach their full potential. She uses information about the children's starting points and their own personal interests well, recognising the children as individuals in all that she does. Children thoroughly This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 enjoy story time and are able to recall past events for example, during the story one toddler proceeded to place the birds in the woodland area which he remembered from the previous week when the childminder had hidden them in the camouflage netting.

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and outcomes for children

Communication skills are encouraged well. The childminder supports children’s language development through positive interaction and listening to children. She introduces new words in everyday activities to extend children’s knowledge, for example when seeing a butterfly in the book the childminder explains that it is a red admiral butterfly. Children have frequent opportunities to write and mark make and take delight in using the mist in the easel outdoors to make marks with their fingers and twigs.

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and outcomes for children

Children's understanding of shape, colour and number is promoted through everyday situations, such as when playing with the large dice outdoors, making a circle from stones and finding five fir cones. Visits out of the home to child orientated venues, the library and local park ensure children are aware of their local community and when exploring celebrations, and the different homes in which people live they are helped to become aware of the wider world. Children have also followed the lifecycle of butterflies caring for the caterpillars and then releasing them in to the wild. This was further followed through when on return from their holidays they could see where the caterpillars had eaten the cabbages that they had planted in their vegetable plots.

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and outcomes for children

Children are beginning to develop a healthy lifestyle. Children are well aware of the routine to wash their hands before snack and take themselves off to do this without prompting. Toddlers learn to think about their own needs and help themselves to a drink whenever they are thirsty from the cups which they label on arrival with the labels they have chosen and that have been laminated along with their table mats that they designed themselves using the computer. They are provided with healthy meals and snacks with some of the produce from their own raised garden beds being used. Children enjoy plenty of fresh air and active physical play when playing in the well resourced garden and when on routine outings. They also enjoy visit's to the local park for more energetic play. 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 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 1 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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