Childminder in Lancashire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY243136 Inspection date 12/03/2010 Inspector Sandra Elizabeth Williams

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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 0300 123 1231, 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: 0300 123 1231 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 January 2003 and is registered on the Early Years Register, and both parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and two children aged five and seven, in Lea, Preston. The family has six pet rabbits. The childminder lives close to local schools, shops, toddler groups and parks. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding. The gardens are currently not available for outdoor play. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of four children at any one time. There is currently one child attending aged 15 months. The childminder offers support to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. 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 making satisfactory progress in supporting the children's development towards the early learning goals. She recognises the uniqueness of each child and provides activities that meet their individual interests. Links between the childminder, the parents and other settings are in place and they all work well together to meet the children's individual needs. The children are safe in the setting and records of risk assessments are thorough, apart from the assessments of outings. The childminder is committed to continuous professional development and has begun to evaluate her practice, but this is in its early stages.

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further?

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

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further?

 extend the systems for assessing the children's learning and development in order to track their progress and development  develop self-evaluation in order to ensure continuous improvement  review the risk assessment for outings to include each type of outing.

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the early years provision

The children are safeguarded because the childminder has undertaken relevant training and has a clear understanding of the correct procedures to follow should this become necessary. The childminder has written policies and procedures in place to support her should she have any concerns. The home environment is safe and secure and there are thorough records of risk assessments for the house in place. However, the risk assessments for outings are general ones and do not specifically cover each and every type of outing undertaken. Required documentation is in place including written policies containing useful information. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Parents enjoy positive relationships with the childminder and there are good systems in place to ensure a daily, two-way flow of information; such as, daily diaries as well as regular discussions. Parents feel at ease to talk to the

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the early years provision

childminder and receive progress reports about their children's welfare throughout the day. Links with other providers offering the Early Years Foundation Stage are also well developed, as the childminder liaises with them in order to provide a consistent approach to caring for the children.

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the early years provision

The childminder has completed the required training courses and is developing an awareness of her strengths and areas for development. The self-evaluation process is in its early stages and as yet, has not been completed; although, identified future plans are well placed to support the further implementation of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has begun to undertake observations of the children's achievements and is beginning to use this information to plan for the children's next steps in their development. Learning journeys have recently been introduced and show examples of the children's achievements through written observations and photographs. This system is in its early stages and therefore is not fully established to clearly track how the children are progressing in all areas of their learning. The children develop their skills in literacy by choosing from a range of age-appropriate books, and they enjoy regular trips to the library. They develop their mark-making skills using a range of different substances, such as paints and chalks. They learn about the wider world by celebrating different festivals and events. They taste Chinese food during Chinese New Year, and develop their fine motor skills as they use chop sticks to eat the food. They develop numeracy skills

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and outcomes for children

as they play with resources, such as jigsaw puzzles, an abacus and shape sorters. The children's creativity is encouraged through craft activities, messy play with jelly and spaghetti, dressing up and playing with musical instruments. The children also learn about sustainability as they help to recycle household items.

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and outcomes for children

The children feel safe and settled in the childminder's care. She provides a homely and friendly environment where children are provided with support to help them to settle in and feel comfortable. The childminder calmly provides support and reassurance to the children, which helps them to feel secure and to develop confidence. They learn about staying safe, for example, when on outings they learn about road safety. The children are learning about adopting healthy lifestyles through eating nutritious snacks and main meals. They enjoy fresh air and exercise regularly as they go for walks to feed the ducks. They develop their physical skills as they learn to throw, catch and kick balls. They learn about hygiene practices, such as, washing their hands before eating their meals. The children are well behaved and there are clear boundaries in place, which the children understand and respect. 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 3 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 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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