Hicks, Claire Elaine

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY389767 Inspection date 11/02/2010 Inspector Elaine Margaret Hayward

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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 2009 and lives with her husband and child aged one in the Rednal area of Birmingham. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's home with access to the upstairs family bathroom are used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The premises are accessible via a step into the house. The family have a pet rabbit and tropical goldfish.

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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, no more than two of whom may be in the early years age range. She is currently minding two children in this age group who attend part- time. The provision is also registered by Ofsted on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder makes use of local amenities such as parks, shops and library and regularly attends nearby toddler groups on a regular basis. She holds a Level 3 Childcare qualification and is a member of local childminding groups and 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

Children are happy and secure in the childminder's care as they experience a wide range of activities enabling them to make good progress in their learning and development, given their age, ability and starting points. The childminder knows each child very well, recognising the uniqueness of each child in order to meet their individual needs. The childminder has only been minding for a brief period but has started the process of self-evaluation, beginning to identify and act on the strengths and weaknesses of her provision to enable her to make continuous improvement. She works in partnership with parents and recognises the importance of developing relationships with other settings in order to promote continuity of care.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure children's starting points in their learning are established on admission, developing an ongoing dialogue with parents to involve them in their children's progress through the early learning goals, developing partnerships with other settings to promote continuity of care and learning  monitor closely and develop further the process of self-evaluation to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of the provision to ensure continuous improvements are maintained. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children are protected because the childminder has local safeguarding procedures to hand and ensures parents are informed of these. She has completed training and has good knowledge and understanding of her role and the procedures to take if she has concerns about a child. She is secure in her knowledge to ensure that effective vetting procedures are in place and is fully aware of her responsibilities with regard to supervising the children in her care. The childminder is aware of potential hazards and risk assessments are clearly in place, including outings. These are regularly reviewed to ensure the safety of children.

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the early years provision

The childminder is consolidating well her knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). She is well qualified and committed to providing quality care, undertaking training on a regular basis in order to improve her provision. She is beginning to identify and act upon the strengths and weaknesses through her process of self-evaluation. This should be monitored and developed further to ensure her practice is sustained in being fully effective in meeting the needs of the children in her care.

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the early years provision

The childminder organises her daily routines successfully to ensure the individual needs of children are met. This is supported by a clear, comprehensive range of policies and procedures. The environment is well organised with a wide range of good quality, exciting resources which children can easily access to ensure that they can make choices about their play. She promotes equality and diversity through good practice, encouraging children to respect themselves and others, understanding the importance of working parents and others as appropriate. Parents are kept informed of their children's care, progress and activities through daily discussions and lovely individual diaries. The childminder obtains full information about children's needs and preferences before they start. However, she has not yet fully developed the processes of establishing and liaising with parents regarding children's starting points in order to fully involve parents in their

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the early years provision

children's learning and progress, or of fully developing partnerships with other providers when children attend other settings in order to maintain continuity and coherence for children.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder promotes happy, confident and independent children as they are cared for in a warm and caring environment as shown by the way children socialise together, mix well and involve others in their activities. Lots of lovely warm interaction can be seen with the childminder, with cuddles and hugs, beams of smiles, laughter and praise in abundance.

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and outcomes for children

Children make good progress in their learning and development as they play and learn in a bright, stimulating environment which is child-orientated. They achieve and enjoy as they access their toys independently and as they are supported by This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the childminder who praises their achievements, motivating the children, helping them develop skills for the future. The childminder is very aware of how children learn through play, providing them with a good balance of child-initiated and adult- led experiences, active and rest times, inside and out. She knows each child well, their routines, likes and dislikes. She observes and identifies what they can do and assesses and plans the next step, making links with the early learning goals and stepping stones, ensuring that children enjoy a wide variety of experiences covering all areas of learning. She shares information with parents through daily

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and outcomes for children

discussions and informative individual diaries, including the use of photographs to record children's activities and to support assessments.

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and outcomes for children

Children see numbers and count naturally as part of everyday play. They love to balance pots on top of one another, making the row 'grow tall', and are quite clear about the difference between an empty yogurt pot and a full one. Children are helped to keep themselves safe, how to begin to understand their emotions and to know that the childminder will help them if needed. Children behave well, responding to the childminder's expectations as they help tidy away the train track before sitting down to their snack. They are learning to be kind, share and show respect as they share their lunch with each other, older children helping take the top off a yogurt pot for a younger child. Children's communication skills and feelings of self-esteem are supported by the childminder who listens to them, asks questions and extends their understanding. They relish the time to chat as they sit together at snack times, learning about healthy foods as, for example, they try

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and outcomes for children

different varieties of fruit. They learn about keeping healthy as they wash their hands and keep runny noses wiped. Creativity and respecting others is evident throughout, such as in their role play as boys learn about being gentle as they carefully rock the baby doll to sleep in its pram, putting up the hood to aid the process, taking the baby's temperature to make sure all is now well.

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and outcomes for children

Children love the opportunities to go out each day and learn about the wider world as they attend toddler groups, socialising with other children, listening to stories at the library and being able to choose new toys and books to take home. They love the opportunities to be physical and the space to run around as they visit nearby parks, open spaces and woodland where they examine nature and feed the ducks. They take great delight in demonstrating what they can do as they proudly show the cards they have made, pointing out photographs of themselves on their visit to a museum and German market a few months earlier, very clear in what they had been doing. They beam with delight and display a real sense of achievement as they carefully draw lines to decorate their diaries. 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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