Hawkins, Deborah Kim

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 209825 Inspection date 11/01/2010 Inspector Julie Mary Preston

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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 1988. She lives with her husband in South Staffordshire within walking distance of local shops and parks. The whole of the ground floor and two bedrooms on the first floor are used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children. She attends the local bounce and rhyme session, the childminder drop-in group and takes children to the local library and the local park. 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 whom no more than three may be in the early years age range. She is currently minding three children from this age group. She also cares for two child over eight years. The children attend on a full-time and part-time basis. The childminder is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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 has a good understanding of children in her care ensuring they are happy, settled and confident. Effective partnerships with parents, the local school and other agencies ensure children's needs are met well. She provides an inclusive environment enabling all children to progress well from their individual starting points. Overall a good range of policies and procedures are implemented well and shared with parents. The childminder is committed to ongoing improvement of her provision through self-reflection, evaluation and training.

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further?

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

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further?

 review safety procedures to minimise children's access to potential hazards  extend opportunities for two way flow of information with parents, specifically relating to acquiring information from parents about their child's developmental abilities when they join the setting

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the early years provision

The childminder has a good understanding of safeguarding issues. She provides a wide range of policies and procedures to support this, such as health and safety, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 fire evacuation, uncollected child, child protection, accident and emergency. Children are protected as she has a sound knowledge of procedures to follow if she has any child protection concerns regarding children in her care and is aware of signs to be vigilant for. Appropriate procedures are mostly implemented well to assess the environment both inside and out, as the childminder undertakes regular risk assessments. However, continual appraisal of the environment is required to ensure potential hazards remain inaccessible to children. The childminder effectively reviews her practice on a regular basis in a variety of ways, such as, through reflection of practice, self-evaluation and observations of children's

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the early years provision

The childminder manages her provision well, having many years of experience in the childminding field and providing an overall good range of policies, procedures and resources to support this. She regularly reviews her documentation and practice to ensure it is all current and reflects the most up-to-date information and attends regular training to actively drive improvement and enhance practice. A good range of resources are available that are appropriately maintained and provided appropriate to the ages and stages of children attending on each day. The childminder has a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage that she implements well within her setting. She completes plans reflecting this and undertakes assessments and observations of children to enable all children to make good progress whilst enjoying their time at the setting. Equality and diversity is appropriately fostered to ensure that no child is disadvantaged, as resources,

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the early years provision

activities and opportunities support this.

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the early years provision

The childminder works well in partnership, sharing information regularly with parents, the local school and other agencies when required to maintain a two way flow of information in most instances to enable her to effectively meet the needs of all children who attend. However, although the childminder seeks information from parents about individual care requirements, she does not currently seek information on their developmental abilities to enable this to be used as part of assessing children's starting points for assessment and to fully involve parents in this process. The childminder seeks parental opinions and input on a daily basis, with parents stating they were very happy with the care their children received and that they had a lovely time in the childminder's care and were always excited to come.

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and outcomes for children

Children make good progress in their learning and development as they are encouraged to be independent and confident learners. Their starting points are identified and they benefit from the good level of support and planning to meet their individual needs. Children are regularly observed and assessed across all areas of learning and activities and experiences provided reflect all this well. These assessments are then used as a tool to assess strengths and weaknesses and to enable the childminder to appropriately plan for children to develop skills for the future and extend the learning and development of all children in her care. The childminder skilfully engages children during free play and adult-initiated activities, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 promoting and supporting children's learning well. She effectively extends learning expanding on children's interest and regularly incorporating ideas, such as

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and outcomes for children

predicting what comes next in songs, colour recognition and counting. Children have easy access to resources they have chosen as they are provided at low level for them to independently access.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy the warm and caring relationship with the childminder and as a result feel secure, happy and confident in her care. For example, children happily enter the home and separate from their main carers well, being happy to be within the childminder's care. They are well behaved and respond well to the childminder's management of their behaviour, enjoying receiving praise and encouragement for achievements. Children self select activities and resources and have input into the planning processes. For example, children saw a sparrow hawk in the garden and the childminder adapted her plans as children were keen to learn about the different types of birds that they might find in the garden. Children play well together, they share, take turns and are encouraged to be independent within activities, with the childminder ably supporting and extending activities to ensure that children gain the most out of all experiences. Children's understanding

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and outcomes for children

of equality and diversity is promoted as resources, activities and experiences support this. For example, resources promote positive images and children learn about and celebrate a range of festivals, such as, Diwali, Halloween and Christmas.

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and outcomes for children

Children are encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle in many ways as the childminder encourages children to be active, eat healthily and to implement good hygiene practices. For example, children enjoy walking to and from school and are encouraged to eat a range of fresh fruit and vegetables within meals and snacks. Children are encouraged to learn about safety in a variety of ways, such as, developing their understanding of road safety as they walk around their local environment, making them aware of any potential hazards within the home and making them aware of stranger danger. The childminder is continually extending children's language well as she interacts with them, asks them questions, encourages them to sing songs and to name things within books. Children use their imagination well in a variety of ways, for example, children act out roles from stories, such as, 'Harry Potter' and 'Narnia', enjoy constructing using a variety of

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and outcomes for children

different media and within art and craft activities. 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 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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