Childminder in ShropshireOfsted inspection, 7 Jan 2010

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 506527 Inspection date 07/01/2010 Inspector Dianne Andrews

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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 lives with her husband and two adult children. They live in a house in a residential area of Shrewsbury. The property is within walking distance of the local schools, pre-schools, parkland and amenities. The whole of the ground floor, the first floor bathroom and main bedroom are used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed rear garden available for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder works with a co-minder or an assistant and is registered on the Early Years Register to care for up to 10 children under eight years of whom no more than six may be in the early years age group. There are presently 21 children on roll. She is also registered on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. She holds a National Vocational Qualification level 3 childcare qualification.

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Description of the childminding

Children attend local carer and toddler groups on a regular basis. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association, is part of the Shropshire Childminding Network and provides funded nursery education.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The childminder provides highly effective care and learning opportunities, promoting very positive outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage. She works very closely with parents, consulting with them and their children regularly to enable her to assess the provision and demonstrate a continuing commitment to improvement and change. Children take part in an exciting and purposeful range of high-quality activities that support their learning and development extremely well and take into consideration their individual needs, likes, dislikes and interests, ensuring that her practice is fully inclusive. Children are extremely settled and content in the childminding environment as they share warm and friendly relationships with the childminder, her co-minder and their peers.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 consider developing written risk assessments to cover seasonal activities.

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the early years provision

Robust safeguarding policies and procedures are in place and practised effectively to ensure that children are very well protected. The childminder's excellent knowledge and understanding of signs and symptoms of abuse and her awareness of her role in protecting the children in her care ensures that their welfare is This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 safeguarded. She fully recognises her responsibility to ensure all adults who assist her in the care of the children or who have access to them are suitable and have completed appropriate checks. She obtains all required information about children and families so it is clear who has legal contact with each child and parental responsibility for them.

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the early years provision

The childminder has overall responsibility for the childminding practice and works together with her competent and supportive co-minder. The childminder is exceptionally well organised, very experienced, highly motivated and totally committed to providing a high level of care and education to ensure the best possible outcomes for children. She regularly attends training to update her knowledge and expertise and to enhance her excellent practice. She implements ideas she gains through training to offer the best opportunities for children's development in all areas, for instance, she has developed her range of interactive and programmable resources and activities following attendance at an information technology course. The childminder manages daily routines effectively to accommodate the individual needs of the children attending. The environment is utilised to its full potential to provide children with choices about where and with

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the early years provision

what they wish to play, with the conservatory and lounge offering different ranges of resources. The childminder liaises with her co-minder but, due to her superior experience level, takes most of the responsibility for planning and for observing and assessing children's progress towards the early learning goals. Her flexible planning develops through the interests and play preferences of the children and ensures that they benefit from a very good balance of child-led and adult-initiated activities that sustain their interest well.

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the early years provision

Documentation which contributes to the children's health, safety and welfare is all mainly in place. Children's safety is very effectively considered in all areas although recorded risk assessments do not always take account of seasonal activities, such as the risks associated with the recent snow and ice. Children are cared for in accordance with their parents’ wishes as the childminder takes time to accumulate information relating to their individual needs and preferences, thus ensuring consistency and continuity between home and the minding environment. Parents receive information about their child on a daily basis, either within a written diary for babies or through conversation, this further develops good relationships with parents, who value the trust and confidence they have in the childminder's ability to care for their children. Information is displayed for parents to read and they also receive a regular newsletter to keep them up to date with events and to inform

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the early years provision

them about activities planned. Children's learning journeys and photographs are always available and parents have regular, meaningful feedback about their child’s activities, routines and achievements. Their views about their child and the setting are consistently encouraged and very much valued. They have opportunities to discuss and to make written comments to contribute to their child's profile and development. The childminder is proactive in developing partnerships with other settings children attend, forwarding written consent from parents to enable productive dialogue and exchange of information regarding their development within all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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the early years provision

The childminder has an impressive set of policies and procedures relating to the setting that support her exceptionally good practice. These are shared with parents This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and reviewed regularly. Her self-evaluation is very good and enables her to identify areas for improvement, such as recognising a need to attend training on 'letters and sounds' to particularly help her support the pre-school children on roll.

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and outcomes for children

Children make extremely good progress towards the early learning goals and in all areas of their development. They enjoy an extensive variety of activities both in and out of the home and they become thoroughly engrossed in activities based on the monthly theme. These themes are brought to life through visits and exciting hands-on experiences. The current theme of fairy tales was introduced to enhance children's recognised interest in stories; they relish the opportunity to make granny a basket of decorated biscuits, with babies to pre-school children all taking part at various levels, and to retell the sequence of events within Little Red Riding Hood. Older children count the number of tools needed for the cold-cookery activity and recognise that there are not enough for each child. The childminder skilfully uses effective questioning techniques to challenge children's knowledge. She shows her ability to adapt plans to allow children to experience seasonal and unusual events,

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and outcomes for children

such as encouraging play in the freshly fallen snow and the observation and sensory exploration of the changes in a frozen, snow-covered water bowl as it is brought inside and allowed to 'become watery'. Children's play is observed and recorded in individual learning journeys to enable the childminder and parents to see areas of progress and to recognise and plan for areas where further support is needed.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very much in control of their own learning as the childminder is skilled at encouraging their independence and adapting activities to suit their individual learning needs and styles. For example, she provides a range of opportunities for a young child to transport, empty and refill receptacles and to take things apart and put them back together again. She very much benefited from her support for a degree level student's placement, where she learnt about how she can scaffold the learning of children who follow patterns of repeatable behaviour to help them develop their understanding of the world around them. The positive attitude of the childminder in encouraging children's enthusiasm and interests allows children to develop habits as independent and inquisitive learners.

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and outcomes for children

All children have extensive opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world as they visit many local places of interest. They enjoy regular visits to the local woodlands to look at the changes to nature throughout the seasons and take part in bug hunts. They have enjoyed visiting a farm and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) centre when following an animal theme and to look at vintage cars and buses when taking part in a past and present topic on transport. Children have opportunities to learn about other cultures through good quality resources and activities that introduce them to celebrations both from their own and other cultures. They discuss issues and learn to value differences and similarities in their own families and lives.

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and outcomes for children

The children are confident and articulate and their language development is This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 encouraged as the childminder engages them in conversation, skilfully questions their thinking and listens with interest to their responses and opinions. Older children eagerly sound out letters in their name and initial sounds of their playmates' names. Babies and toddlers develop language skills as they sing nursery rhymes and mimic sounds made by adults. Children's imagination and creativity are developed through arts and crafts activities, music sessions and role play.

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and outcomes for children

Children learn to keep themselves safe as they undertake their own risk assessments, for instance, removing small parts in an activity and handing them to the childminder to '…make them safe for the babies.' They are able to experience other dangers in a safe environment such as learning about taking risks while climbing on large play equipment or exploring in the woodland. Excellent strategies for supporting positive behaviour are in place and help children to begin to learn to respect their carers, each other and the home, toys and equipment they use. Group activities encourage sharing and turn-taking and the childminder offers consistent praise and encouragement throughout the day, which raises children's self-esteem. Children are kept healthy as stringent procedures are in place to prevent the spread of infection. They realise that germs 'make you poorly,' and are encouraged to develop the best hygiene habits due to a child's individual health

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and outcomes for children

needs, which they understand makes him more susceptible to infection. They discuss healthy eating and recognise that the biscuits they are making should only be eaten as a treat and that vegetables and fruit would be a better option. 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 1 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 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 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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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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