Childminder in Oldham

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY387099 Inspection date 22/01/2010 Inspector Susan Elaine Heap

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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 2008. The childminder lives with his wife and two adult children in Chadderton, Oldham. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder’s house is used for childminding and access is via a pathway. There are fully enclosed gardens at the front and rear of the house for outside play. The family has a dog, a cat, a tortoise and a guinea pig.

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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. He is currently minding three children in this age group. When working with another childminder at the above premises, he may care for a total of no more than six children in the early years age range. He also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder collects children from the local school.

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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 make good progress given their starting points and capabilities because the childminder has a very good knowledge of the children he is caring for. Together with his co-childminder, he discusses and plans activities to meet children's individual needs and interests. As a result, children receive good support in their learning and development. Children are safe and secure at all times through the completion of formal risk assessments which help to minimise any potential hazards. The childminder and his co-childminder have a very good understanding of their own individual strengths and weaknesses and together they make an effective team which provides good quality care for all children who attend. Most aspects of partnership working are good, which means that children benefit from an inclusive service. He has started to reflect on his practice and is fully aware of areas for his own personal development which will also improve

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further?

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

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further?

 develop ways of encouraging parents to share their observations of their children's activities and interests to help inform future planning for children's individual needs  further develop links with other settings that children may attend to ensure that each child receives a challenging and enjoyable programme of learning and development  further develop knowledge and understanding of the observation, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 assessment and planning systems to ensure confidence in their delivery.

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the early years provision

The childminder has a secure knowledge of safeguarding procedures and what to do should he have any concerns about a child in his care. Thorough risk assessments and the childminder's vigilance ensure that safety measures are in place and reviewed regularly, and any changes duly recorded, which helps to provide a secure and safe environment for children. Visitors to the home are asked to sign in the visitors' book and all adults in the home are vetted for suitability, which further promotes children's safety. In addition, children benefit from good levels of support and supervision.

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the early years provision

Although minding for a short period of time, the childminder is committed to improving his knowledge and skills to improve outcomes for the children. For example, he has recently attended training on providing continuous provision in all areas of learning in the setting and self-evaluation. Knowledge gained from these has been successfully put into practice. His co-childminder takes the main responsibility for the management and organisation in the setting and the childminder takes a more supportive role.

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the early years provision

The childminder and his co-childminder work effectively together as a team and show a strong commitment to working closely with parents on a daily basis, and outside agencies when needed. This helps to provide an inclusive environment for all children in their care. The recent introduction of a library scheme, whereby parents borrow story book bags and puppets, has been a great success. This has significantly helped to develop children's language and literacy skills, complementing what they have done in the setting through the Every Child a Talker scheme. Parents are kept fully informed of their children's progress and every aspect of their care, which ensures that each child enjoys and achieves to their full potential. The use of parental questionnaires means that their views of the care offered are valued and help to improve the flow of communication. Letters from parents demonstrate how highly they value the care, activities and

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the early years provision

homely environment offered by the childminder and his co-childminder. Systems to involve parents more in their children's learning by using their own observations of children's interests to inform future planning, and closer partnership working with the local school, have been identified as areas to develop by the childminder.

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and outcomes for children

Children thrive in the warm and welcoming atmosphere through the close support and encouragement they receive from the childminder. They access a very good range of activities and experiences which cover all areas of learning. This is successfully achieved through the childminder's focused and spontaneous observations of children's play, which are effectively used to plan the next steps in their learning. For example, rearranging furniture to enable children who are taking This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 their first steps to 'cruise' easily from one side of the room to another, or planning more sensory and tactile experiences for children to explore. During discussion the childminder demonstrated a secure understanding of the observation, planning and assessment systems and how these link to the six areas of learning. However, his co-childminder takes the main responsibility for recording these. As a result, he is

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and outcomes for children

not as confident as his co-childminder in this area.

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and outcomes for children

Children have good opportunities to develop their understanding of how to keep themselves healthy through consistent routines, such as washing their hands after handling or feeding the pets. Even the youngest children are developing their independence skills and recognising their own needs as they access their own cups of water to refresh themselves. They access fresh air and exercise on a daily basis. For example, they play ball games, ride on bikes, or play on the slide and climbing frame in 'the park', an area in the rear garden which they have named themselves. The childminder is proactive in teaching children personal hygiene skills from a young age, such as wiping their noses. Children benefit from a good range of home-cooked foods which are nutritious and effectively support their health and development. Trips to the local shops to purchase fruit and vegetables help to support their growing understanding of a healthy diet and develop skills for their

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and outcomes for children

Children begin to understand about dangers and how to stay safe. They practise fire drills and learn to walk safely to and from school by holding hands and always crossing with the school crossing patrol. Sensitive explanations are given to develop children's understanding of 'stranger danger' and why they should not approach stray dogs. Good emotional relationships are evident between the childminder and the children and they show that they feel safe and are confident in the homely environment. For example, they respond positively to the childminder's calm voice and help to put the balls away or actively seek cuddles, beaming with delight as they crawl towards him.

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and outcomes for children

Children receive regular praise and encouragement for their achievements, which helps to make them feel valued and respected and develops their confidence and self-esteem. For example, when children sing a nursery rhyme all the way through by themselves for the first time. The childminder and his co-childminder act as positive role models through the regular use of good manners and listening to children and speaking to them with respect. This effectively helps children to learn how to manage their own behaviour and behave well towards each other. They have good opportunities to learn to respect each other's similarities and differences and learn about the wider community through their planned activities and discussions. Access to an excellent range of resources, such as good quality books portraying all aspects of diversity, listening to music and playing musical instruments from around the world significantly enhance their learning and

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and outcomes for children

experiences. For example, the youngest children move rhythmically, swaying backwards and forwards to the world music playing on the CD player. 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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