Childminder in Milton Keynes

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY398446 Inspection date 09/03/2010 Inspector Cordalee Harrison

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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

Children only attend this setting before and/or after the school day and/or during the school holidays. The judgements in this report reflect the quality of early years provision offered to children during those periods.

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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 registered in 2009. She is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. She lives with her husband and their three-year-old child in Shenley Lodge in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Childminding activities take place mainly on the ground floor of the childminder's home, where children have access to the living room, kitchen-diner, washing and toilet facilities and the conservatory, which is used as the main play room. There is an enclosed rear garden for children's outside play. The childminder's home is within walking distance of local shops and parks. The childminder takes and collects children to and from the local school and pre-school.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of five children under eight years at any one time. Of these, two may be in the early years age group. Currently, there are four children on roll who are in the early years age group.

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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 childminder plans and prepares well for children's welfare, learning and development; children are happy and contented in her care. They experience learning that is in consideration to their choice, their interest and their individual stage of development. The childminder works closely with parents and this enables her to meet most of children's welfare needs to a high standard. The childminder has started to use the process of self-evaluation to assess her practice. However, her evaluation is not comprehensive, not all-essential documentation is in place. To gain continuous improvements, the childminder is making effective use of training along with information and guidance issued by government and other childcare professionals.

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further?

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

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further?

 further develop strategies to support children in developing an understanding of the importance of making healthy choices in relation to food  keep a record of public liability insurance to demonstrate to Ofsted and parents that the provision is appropriately insured.

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the early years provision

The childminder safeguards children's welfare and promotes their learning and development very well. She relates safeguarding to all elements of children’s welfare. She fully accepts her role to care for children's health, provide for their learning and development and to protect them from harm. The childminder has a This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 good understanding of the child protection aspect of safeguarding. For example, she knows the main types of abuse and the indicators that a child may be at risk of abuse or neglect. She is clear about lines of communication to deal with cause for concern about children’s welfare. She takes account of record keeping, parents and the local and registering authorities. The childminder supervises children closely and ensures that she can see or hear them at all times.

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the early years provision

The childminder’s home is maintained to a good standard of hygiene and safety. She makes effective use of daily checks and risk assessments for in and outdoor activities. Safety equipment such as stair gates, safety seats and appropriate fire fighting equipment is in place. Children are safe and secure because the childminder manages risks appropriately to minimise hazards to them in all activities. Children increase their independence as they move around confidently and make effective use of the available space. The childminder attends to children's personal hygiene needs promptly; this ensures that they are clean and comfortable. Practice such as this reduces the risks of infection for children and helps them to begin to understand that their needs are important. The childminder understands that it is important to continue to improve her practice. She has registered with the local Food Standards Agency. In addition, she has started to

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the early years provision

use the process of self-evaluation to assess her practice. For example, she identified that her attendance record did not include all of the necessary information to safeguard children; she took immediate action to improve this. Although the childminder acknowledges that the food in some children’s packed lunches is not always balanced and nutritious, she has not yet developed effective strategies to address this with parents. The childminder carries valid public liability insurance. However, she does not realise that she does not have the documentation to demonstrate this to parents or the registering authority.

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the early years provision

Children have ready access to an excellent range of resources that are bright, attractive and inviting to use. The resources are of natural and man-made materials and they are appealing to older and younger children as well as boys and girls. The childminder is developing good working relationships with parents. They exchange written and verbal information daily; this helps both parties to work together efficiently for the benefit of the children. For example, the daily written diary for very young children provides information about what they have eaten, nappy changes, rest periods and the activities they experience while they are in the childminder’s care. Additionally, the childminder encourages parents to put forward ideas about the activities that children enjoy when they are away from her. The childminder is fully aware of her role to work in partnership with other practitioners; she has taken effective steps to promote these partnerships, such as

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the early years provision

attending pre-school meetings with parents and making effective use of link books and pre-school activity plans to help children to consolidate learning.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder plans activities to ensure that children’s learning experiences consistently cover all areas of the curriculum. This enables children to experience good quality play and learning experiences each day. The childminder makes This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 effective use of children’s observation records to develop activity plans. Each child's progress is individual to them and the next step in their learning and development is promoted in ways that suit their individual learning styles. Children develop their speech and language with imaginative games and word play. For example, children talk about an elephant size cup. The childminder encourages the children to think about what they would need to lift such a cup. The children know that the cup would be very heavy. Children use a variety of practical activities, such as shape sorters, construction, modelling with recycled materials, puzzles and

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and outcomes for children

use of many modern resources in their problem solving and creative activities. The range of activities and resources makes it possible for all children to participate.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder uses activities such as cooking to help children to make a connection across several areas of learning. For example, they read and discuss the recipe, weigh and measure the ingredients. They develop fine movement and coordination as they use tools, such as rolling pins and cutters. They experiment and explore change as they combine the ingredients. Children are developing a love of books and stories; they explore books independently and the childminder reads to them in a captivating and engaging manner. The children particularly enjoy these stories because the childminder changes some words to make it relevant to them. They get excited and ask the childminder to repeat the activity. Children are developing positive self-esteems and secure emotional attachments; they know that they are important. Such positive interaction, which involves all of the children, promotes inclusion for all. Children have fun and get exercise as they

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and outcomes for children

use a range of equipment in the garden. They play games such as hide and seek; they sequence numbers and begin to use them for different purposes, for example, counting to mark the passing of time. Activities out in the community help children to develop their understanding of the natural world and to interact with people in the wider community while they are under the supervision of the childminder.

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and outcomes for children

Through regular routines, children are learning about some aspects of health, hygiene and safety. For example, they learn to wash and dry their hands after using the toilet and before eating. The childminder’s good hygiene practices help to set the expectation for high standards. The childminder helps children to make healthy choices about their snacks. However, this area is not fully supported; all main meals are not nutritionally balanced. The childminder discusses different aspects of safety with the children. For example, they talk about road safety and safety around water as they visit the local lake to feed the ducks. Although they discuss fire safety, they have not yet practised the evacuation procedure. Children are learning the expectation for them to have good manners and to behave well. The childminder praises the children and they learn to recognise their achievements and that of others. They play well together and show consideration

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and outcomes for children

for their peers. 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 2 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 3 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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