Childminder in Lancashire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY393386 Inspection date 07/12/2009 Inspector Frank William Kelly

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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 and lives with her husband and one child aged nine. They live in Wesham, near Preston in Lancashire. The home is close to shops, parks, schools and public transport links. The whole of the ground floor and a bathroom and a bedroom on the upper floor of the home are used for childminding. There is a fully-enclosed garden for outdoor play. The family has 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 which no more than three may be in the early years age range. She is currently caring for two children in this age group. She also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years. The childminder is registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare register.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder takes children to two local schools and visits several places of interest on a regular basis. She is a member of the local childminding network.

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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

The comprehensive range of easy-to-read policies and procedures underpin the childminder's consistent practice and act as a base for the development of the good information sharing systems, thus promoting effective partnership with parents. Consequently, children are well-protected and kept safe, and enjoy a wide range of activities that help them to make good progress in all aspects of their development. The childminder is keen to improve the quality of the provision offered and recognises that the procedures for self-evaluation are in the early stages; however, she is taking steps to address this, including undertaking further professional childcare training.

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further?

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

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further?

 continue to develop the systems for self-evaluation to form the basis of ongoing internal review  continue to develop the activities that help children to know about their own cultures and beliefs and those of other people.

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the early years provision

The childminder applies good practice to safeguard children. She confidently discusses the steps to take to protect children and how to report any concerns about child protection. All adults in the home have completed full vetting checks This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and she maintains accurate records of any visitors. Daily risk assessments are conducted and immediate action is taken to minimise or eliminate any identified hazards. Consequently, children move and play safely within the childminder's home. Regulatory documentation meets all required duties and is efficiently maintained, thus promoting the welfare of the children. Fire safety features in the home are well positioned and children practise the evacuation procedure on a regular basis, which is helping them to develop an understanding of what to do in an emergency. However, the childminder has not yet used self-evaluation to

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the early years provision

ensure that all aspects of her service have been fully considered. For example, the smoke detectors are not being checked as regularly as recommended by current health and safety advertising, and she has not recorded the good practice she implements to protect resting infants.

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the early years provision

That said, the childminder's attitude to continually improving outcomes for children is good. She is able to discuss the steps to be taken to address the issues identified and is actively taking steps to further improve her service and base knowledge by commencing formal childcare training. She understands the benefits of self-evaluation, and expresses her understanding of how it contributes to driving improvement forward.

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the early years provision

Her home is well-organised, cosy and clean, providing children with places to play and rest without interrupting the needs of their peers. Overall, the resources and equipment are of a good quality, and thoughtfully deployed so that children can make personal choices about what they play with. To further enhance children’s enjoyment and learning experiences, the childminder uses the local toy library to provide regular additional variety. She understands the importance of children learning about the society they live in; however, she has not considered how she can help the children to gain a wider understanding of the beliefs and customs of others.

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the early years provision

The childminder has established very good initial contact systems and she uses detailed information sheets about the children’s needs to help plan their care. She regularly updates this with daily discussions and by sending parents a daily diary by email. A display area in the hallway of the home provides information about the childminding service and the daily menu. Photographs displayed in the home, and individual digital discs with pictures of the children playing, provide parents with visual records of the children’s activity programme. The engagement of parents is a priority of the childminder. Consequently, children’s and parents' wishes are met sensitively, and this promotes the good continuity of care. The childminder has begun to prepare progress reports for each child, which provides the parents with a summary of the children’s progress in all six areas of learning. The childminder demonstrates an understanding about the importance of creating a framework for

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the early years provision

partnership with, and working with other settings and professionals, should the children be cared for at other childcare settings or have a special educational need. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

The outcomes for children are promoted very well in this relaxed and pleasant setting. Individual routines are followed and activities are planned around children’s interests and the childminder's knowledge of their current stages of development. For example, she encourages babies and young children to be mobile by placing favourite toys in close proximity, but just out of reach, to encourage them to crawl or pull themselves up. Children’s starting points are identified in partnership with parents and their learning journeys are supported by observations and some planning for their next steps of development.

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and outcomes for children

Children demonstrate a clear sense of feeling safe because the childminder has developed secure relationships with the young children in her care. Consequently, they are very settled and content; they initially seek reassurance when visitors arrive but are soon moving freely around the room and engaging the visitors with their play. They initiate sitting on the childminder's lap to enjoy a familiar board book, snuggling in for a cuddle. They are confident to initiate play, secure in the knowledge that the childminder will interact with them and engage them in two- way communication, as she responds to their squeals and actions such as pointing to a drink.

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and outcomes for children

The home is relaxed and well-organised so that children can freely move in safety. When they move from the main lounge to the conservatory, they are clearly familiar with the locations of favourite resources. For instance, they babble with excitement at seeing the chalks and easel, eager to squeeze past the buggy to reach them. However, when they get there they demonstrate curiosity and a natural investigative nature as they explore the sponge and then try to fit the lid on the tub. Having explored this, they return to their initial interests and begin to make marks on the board. The childminder provides a good balance during their play, allowing them to explore the textures of the toys and build their skills. She sits close and supports the children as they build with the chunky blocks, counting them as they build. She understands that the children may be too young to truly understand the concepts of counting but they enjoy the repetition and rhythm of

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and outcomes for children

counting as part of their play. She encourages the children to make animal noises and practise familiar words.

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and outcomes for children

These early experiences with a focus on developing children’s natural curiosity and confidence to explore their environment are the early building blocks which help build children’s future life skills. These activities, along with daily routines and regular trips to local places, such as the park and local activity groups, are helping children experience a greater range of learning experiences, which is complimenting their whole well-being. For instance, they learn about healthy eating at the children’s centre, the importance of washing their hands before snacks in the home, and the feeling of the wind and rain in their faces when out on a walk.

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and outcomes for children

Good policies in place to encourage and promote children’s behaviour are complimented by the calm and polite interactions that children receive from the This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 childminder. Pictorial house rules provide children with visual prompts, and photographs of the children, along with some of their creative work, are nicely displayed within the home. This is promoting their sense of community and helping build the children’s self-esteem, which further builds on children’s sense of security and overall well-being. 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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