Childminder in Essex

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY394319 Inspection date 25/11/2009 Inspector Anne Daly

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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 2009. She lives with her partner and one-year- old child in Billericay, Essex. The whole of the premises is used for childminding, with the exception of the loft room and the main first floor bedroom. The premises are accessed via two steps and there is an enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder walks to a local school and pre-school to take and collect children. She takes children to a park, a farm and toddler groups.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register to care for four children under eight years; of these, two may be in the early years age group. She is currently caring for one child in the early years age range.

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Description of the childminding

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 satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The childminder is developing her awareness of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). She organises an appropriate range of learning experiences for individual children to ensure that they make satisfactory progress in their learning and development. However, the resources on offer only sometimes allow children to extend their learning, only some documentation safeguards their welfare and evaluation systems are not fully implemented to ensure all requirements are being met. Her partnership with parents ensures that the needs of all children are met, although she has yet to fully develop systems to liaise with other providers delivering the EYFS.

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further?

To fully meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 request parental written permission for seeking any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment in the future (Safeguarding and promoting children’s welfare). 16/12/2009

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further?

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

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further?

 develop current systems of observations and assessments to identify children's next learning steps clearly linked to EYFS stages, with such information being consistently used to inform future planning in all six areas of learning  ensure a suitable range of play provision to extend children’s learning and to This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 develop their understanding of people’s similarities and differences  improve ways of liaising with other EYFS providers to exchange information supporting children’s learning and development  develop reflective practice and self-evaluation to identify the setting's strengths and priorities for development to ensure an improved quality of provision for all children.

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the early years provision

The childminder has undertaken safeguarding training and has a secure knowledge of the physical and emotional indicators of abuse and of the appropriate action to take to record and report concerns. She understands the importance of Criminal Records Bureau checks in order to protect children from harm. She shares her written policies and procedures with parents to ensure that they understand how she operates to safeguard all children. Risk assessments are regularly undertaken to ensure that children are protected from potential hazards within the premises and on outings. She has attended the required childminding training and has the capacity for improvement through attending further training. She holds a current first aid certificate to protect children by being able to deal with their minor accidents or injuries. However, she may not always be able to deal with all incidents as she has not requested written parental permission for seeking any

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the early years provision

necessary emergency medical advice or treatment.

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the early years provision

Children play in safe and secure surroundings through their childminder identifying and minimising hazards, for example, ensuring that the large gaps on the run of the stairs have been made safe. She has a number of safety measures in place to ensure children’s well-being inside and outside her home, which have generally been identified during her written risk assessments. She is careful to check the identification of visitors to her setting, her emergency premises evacuations ensure that children are familiar with procedures and safety gates prevent babies and toddlers accessing the stairs unsupervised. Children are able to initiate their own play by accessing available resources from toy boxes. Self-evaluation has identified her need to acquire books and play provision for older children, but her range of play provision is insufficient to extend all children’s learning and to develop their understanding of people’s similarities and differences.

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the early years provision

The childminder has systems for recording observations and assessments to identify children's next learning steps clearly linked to EYFS stages, but such information is not being sufficiently used to inform her future planning and to support individual children’s learning in all six areas.

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the early years provision

The childminder regularly meets with other childminders for support, but has not developed systems to liaise with other EYFS providers to fully support children’s achievements and well-being. Verbal and written comments confirm that parents and carers have established positive relationships with the childminder to ensure that their children’s individual welfare needs are being acknowledged and well catered for. They are given a verbal account of how their children have spent their time in her care and the childminder ensures that children’s personal details forms This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 provide all the necessary care information for their protection. This information enables her to meet children's individual needs and to respect parents’ wishes, including emergency contact details, allergies, medication and dietary requirements and parental information.

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and outcomes for children

Children are content and settled with their childminder as evidenced by their willingness to take part in the activities on offer. Prior to children being received into the childminder’s care, she talks to their parents about their starting points and their reactions in different situations. She observes what children can do and gives them choices about what they want to do on returning from school, for example, baking fairy cakes or making Christmas crackers.

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and outcomes for children

Children confidently negotiate space within the childminder’s home and learn to keep themselves safe through regularly practising road safety and evacuation procedures. This helps them to learn and understand the right courses of action to take in emergency situations. Children have consistent boundaries for behaviour and know what is acceptable, such as holding onto the buggy when walking to and from school. They are offered opportunities to share what they know, for example, talking about different makes of vehicles when walking home from school. They develop a respect for others and are beginning to understand what is acceptable behaviour, for example, why they must not shout across roads. Their childminder’s warm relationships with them support their learning, including the provision of plenty of praise and encouragement to raise their confidence and self-esteem.

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and outcomes for children

Children gain a sense of well-being through being encouraged to take responsibility with manageable tasks, for example, changing their clothes when returning from school. They recognise changes happening to their bodies when walking home from school on cold windy days. They feel safe in their childminder’s home and play with electronic toys, but are not always being sufficiently challenged, for example, children knowing sounds and letters have no play provision to practise and develop their skills beyond ‘ABCD’.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder provides sufficient opportunities to encourage children to be active, inquisitive and independent learners and to develop skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being, for example, watching changes when breaking an egg into cake mixture. They have daily opportunities to share and enjoy books through their childminder reading to them or listening to them read their school books. They initiate their learning by saying two words and telling their childminder that they are rhyming words, with their childminder following by saying a word and asking them if they can say a word rhyming with mat. Children grow in confidence by learning to make decisions based on logical thinking, for example, when creating a train track. 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 3 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 3 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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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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