Childminder in Worcestershire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 204828 Inspection date 28/01/2010 Inspector Saida Cummings

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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 1999 and lives with her family in a residential area situated in a village on the outskirts of Pershore, Worcestershire. There are local shops, parks, playing fields, daycare settings and schools nearby. The childminder is able to take and collect children from local schools and daycare settings. Children are taken on local visits and outings. The family has two guinea pigs.

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Description of the childminding

The main areas used for childminding are situated on the ground floor, with sleeping facilities available on the first floor. There is a fully enclosed rear garden available for outdoor play. The childminder has procedures to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who speak English as an additional language. She is registered to care for six children at any one time and there are currently eight children on roll within the Early Years Foundation Stage, all of whom attend on a part-time basis. The childminder also cares for older children. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder a member of the local childminding 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

Children flourish in the very well-organised stimulating environment. Their welfare, learning and development are very well promoted with some outstanding aspects. Children's right to choose, make decisions and voice their thoughts and opinions are supported very well so that they are fully included and develop a strong sense of belonging and self-esteem. A true partnership with parents and carers is achieved and the childminder ensures continuity and coherence by working closely with other local provider and agencies. However, although the childminder can effectively identify the strengths and weaknesses of her provision this practice is not yet fully implemented to ensure that continuous improvement is maintained in all areas.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop the self-evaluation systems further to ensure priorities for making continuous improvements in all areas are identified and implemented.

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the early years provision

Children's welfare is safeguarded very well as the childminder has a good understanding of the known indicators of child abuse and the action she should This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 take in the event of a concern about a child. Adults in the home are suitably vetted and the childminder promotes safety through good levels of supervision for the children. Children's safety is expertly promoted within the home and during outings as the childminder has extremely effective procedures for carrying out thorough risk assessments. All areas accessible to the children are thoughtfully organised to allow freedom to explore, direct access to a wealth of freely chosen resources and safe areas in which to play and relax. Well-maintained records are used positively to support children and written policy statements are clear, personalised and provide useful information for parents and carers.

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the early years provision

Children benefit from the childminder’s commitment to providing good quality childcare. A weekly routine includes regular visits and outings. For example, children regularly attend the local carer and toddler group which gives them the opportunity to develop their social skills as they mix with other children of their own age group. Children benefit from continuity of care as the childminder has developed very effective relationships with their parents, carers and other settings which are attended by children in the Early Years Foundation Stage. This ensures that important information is shared through effective communication systems and that individual children are able to make links in their learning. The childminder is aware of the importance of involving parents and carers in the care of their children and constantly consults with them, ensuring they are kept fully informed of how their children spend their day. She has very effective systems for gathering

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the early years provision

relevant information from parents and carers when children first start to ensure individual children’s routines are adhered to. Very good progress has been made since the last inspection and this reflects the childminder's commitment to making continual improvements to her practice through training and improving her knowledge of current early childhood initiatives. She shows an understanding of the evaluation process, although this is still in the early stages of development and not yet fully effective for identifying priorities for making improvements in all areas.

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the early years provision

Children are happy, settle quickly and thrive in the childminder's welcoming home. The childminder is passionate about the service that she provides. She is well motivated and totally committed to providing a high level of care and education to ensure the best possible outcomes for the children. The childminder is extremely competent and very experienced. She is very committed to ongoing training to ensure that her knowledge is up to date and to continue to develop her practice. She has recently completed the National Vocational qualification Level 3 in childcare and regularly attends local relevant training. Children benefit from the childminder’s commitment to further development as she ensures any changes or good practice are implemented into the care provided. There is a strong commitment to including all children and this is reflected by the childminder's flexible approach to ensure she meets children’s individual needs. Children’s needs

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the early years provision

are very well-met and the effective organisation of space, resources and learning experiences has a positive impact on their overall development. They are able to self-select exciting and stimulating resources from the wide range of easily- accessible play equipment, which enables them to instigate their own spontaneous play. Inclusive practice is promoted very well as the childminder encourages children's positive self-esteem and respects all children's backgrounds and any specific needs. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 included in all activities and play. These are tailored to meet their individual stages of learning to ensure they are able to take part and develop at their own pace.

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and outcomes for children

Children's good health and well-being are promoted exceedingly well as they all have daily opportunities for physical indoor and outdoor activities. They thrive as they enjoy an extensive range of physical activities and have daily opportunities for fresh air and exercise. They relish their time outdoors where they are able to develop their physical skills. A wide range of exciting and stimulating outings are organised to help children become sociable and familiar with people from different backgrounds. These include regular trips to the library, parks and joining in with local walks. Children learn the importance of good hygiene through very effective hand washing practice and the childminder has excellent procedures in place to ensure the spread of infection is minimised. Children's welfare is successfully promoted in an extremely safe, secure and homely environment. They are kept safe as the childminder ensures they are supervised at all times and discussions

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and outcomes for children

are held about how they can keep themselves safe. For example, they learn about road safety when they join in with local walks.

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and outcomes for children

Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals as they are provided with many opportunities to enjoy a well-balanced selection of adult- led and child-led activities. The childminder plans exciting and stimulating activities taking into consideration individual children’s stage of development, interest and experiences. She has developed detailed records of individual children’s achievements which include photos of them enjoying various indoor and outdoor activities. Systems for observation and assessment are very well developed and ensure that children's individual learning and development needs are well known by the childminder. She involves parents and carers with their children's assessments which includes identifying which aspects of development should be prioritised. The childminder successfully uses her knowledge of individual children and the information provided by their parents and carers to ensure that activities

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and outcomes for children

are planned to help children take the next steps in their learning.

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and outcomes for children

Children have formed harmonious relationships with their peers and the childminder. They are comfortable in the child-friendly environment and play alongside each other taking turns and sharing. They enjoy good interaction with the childminder as she organises her time during sessions to be able to adapt to individual children’s particular needs and routines. Children’s language skills are developed through their love of books and storytelling, as well as joining in with relaxed everyday conversations. For example, they sit with the childminder on the settee, relaxing whilst reading and looking at some of their favourite books. The childminder consistently and positively interacts with the children to encourage their involvement and learning, such as encouraging their speech development by skilfully asking them open questions that encourage them to think and extend their vocabulary. Children have many opportunities to extend their imagination, hand-

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and outcomes for children

eye co-ordination and enjoy using a variety of construction toys. For example, they love to use the imaginary play resources, such as the small play vehicles and road This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 mat to make up their own scenarios. Children are creative and enjoy using a variety of writing materials to make marks. Their learning and development is also extended through everyday domestic routines, such as helping to feed the birds and the guinea pigs. They chat excitedly as they scatter bread crumbs onto the garden for the birds and place carrots in the guinea pig hutch. 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 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 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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