Childminder in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY375663 Inspection date 22/03/2010 Inspector Veronica Sharpe

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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 first registered in 2008 and lives with her husband and one child aged three years old in Ely, Cambridgeshire. She is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register and is able to care for up to five children, two of whom can be in the early years age group. There is one child on roll in the early years age group.

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Description of the childminding

Minded children mainly use the ground floor of the home and there is an enclosed garden for outdoor play. The childminder lives in walking distance of primary schools, pre-school groups, shops and parks. The childminder holds a Level three qualification and 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

The childminder evaluates her practice and demonstrates a strong commitment to ongoing improvement. She offers a welcoming and homely environment for children, successfully promoting their health, safety and welfare. There is a good relationship with parents, although, systems to share information with parents are not yet fully developed. Resources are deployed well so that each child can make independent choices. The childminder is particularly adept at enabling children to become active learners by allowing them time and space to initiate their own play ideas. Methods for observing, assessing and planning for children's learning are generally effective.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve children's safety by practising the emergency evacuation plan  update policies and procedures to ensure they fully reflect the Early Years Foundation Stage  develop further the records of learning and development so they clearly identify children's next steps and link in with the areas of learning, consider ways to increase parents' opportunities to contribute to the records so they can take a more active part in their children's progress.

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the early years provision

The childminder has clear procedures in place that ensure children are effectively safeguarded. She has attended child protection training in order to increase her knowledge of the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures, which aids her ability to keep children safe. The home is safe and secure and the childminder is conscientious about protecting children from unvetted adults. Risk assessments are This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 clear and detailed and ensure that hazards are identified and minimised both in the home and on outings. All essential documentation is in place to promote the welfare of children such as emergency contact information and accident records.

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the early years provision

The childminder has good relationships with parents and gathers information from them so that she understands about children's individual needs. Written policies and procedures are shared with parents so that they know about the childminding provision. However, some of these have not been updated, which means, potentially, some information does not fully reflect the Early Years Foundation Stage. Parents are invited to attend the setting with their children to ensure there is a smooth transition between home and the childminder, as a result children are confident and settled. Minded children do not currently attend other settings, but the childminder is aware of the importance of developing links with other providers.

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the early years provision

The childminder demonstrates a thorough knowledge and understanding of child development, and as a result provides good quality care and education that meets children's individual needs. She organises space and play resources effectively and has a good understanding of children's individual abilities. This enables her to provide experiences and activities that supports each child's growing skills. The childminder promotes inclusion well by ensuring resources and activities are suitable for the age and stage of the children who attend; in addition resources, such as books, posters and small world toys, reflect the wider world, giving children an understanding of diversity. The childminder has a well developed self evaluation process that helps her prioritise actions that enhance the quality of provision. This gives her a strong capacity to promote continuous improvement.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy their time with the childminder and take part in a good range of play opportunities that help them to learn and develop. Daily routines are flexible so children's individual needs and interests can be taken account of. The childminder collects observations and examples of children’s work to help her plan for children’s interests and abilities and makes good use of photographs to illustrate what children enjoy and can do. However, the records do not yet consistently identify the next steps in each child’s learning, nor is there an effective system to ensure all the areas of learning are appropriately covered. Although, parents are invited to share in the development records, they do not yet actively contribute and, therefore, opportunities for them to share in their children's learning experiences are missed. The childminder is, however, pro-active is keeping parents informed on a daily basis about children's welfare and asks for

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and outcomes for children

details of home experiences, which helps her take some account of what children enjoy doing do at home.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder provides an inclusive environment where each child is valued and they are clearly relaxed and comfortable in her care. For example, they chat easily to her and enjoy involving her in their play, which shows they feel secure and safe. Flexible routines incorporate trips into the local community, such as visiting local This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 music groups or the library where children can build relationships with their peers and find out about the world around them. Children gain awareness of their own cultures and those of others through everyday activities, such as looking at books or watching suitable television programmes.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder encourages children’s communication skills by involving them in conversations. She encourages them to think about their ideas, such as finding out how to prevent their 'den' from collapsing, which stimulates their problem solving skills. Children have easy access to various forms of technology, such as a computer, torches and electronic toys. Arts and crafts enable children to express their creativity and to promote their self-esteem, examples of their creations are displayed round the home. Children enjoy musical experiences as they make shakers from bottles and beans and listen to electronic toys that make music. To enhance their enjoyment the childminder visits local music activity groups, where children join in with others to learn new songs and rhymes. They play imaginatively as they make a den from blankets and cushions and enjoy playing doctors and patients. They listen to teddy's heart with a stethoscope and see if

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and outcomes for children

The childminder mostly helps children learn to keep themselves safe, for instance, they learn to negotiate the stairs independently and find out about safe places to cross roads. However, children do not get the opportunity to practise the emergency evacuation procedures, which potentially affects their safety in the event of a fire. Children behave well and show good relationships with each other. Strong bonds have developed between the childminder's children and the minded children, which is clearly demonstrated by the warm family atmosphere. Food is healthy and nutritious and takes into account any preferences or special dietary needs. The childminder helps children develop an interest in healthy eating and where their food comes from, for instance, as they plant beans and peppers in the garden. Children enjoy daily opportunities for physical exercise in the park or in the garden and they benefit from lots of fresh air on their daily walks in the local area.

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and outcomes for children

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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