Grovestock, Michelle Susan

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY334843 Inspection date 16/03/2010 Inspector Mary Kilroy

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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 2006. She lives with her husband and two children, aged five and two years, in Cadishead, a suburb of Salford. The whole of the childminder's house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for physical activity and outdoor play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of four children aged under eight years at any one time and there are currently seven children on roll who attend for a variety of sessions; of these, two are in the early years age range. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register, and also the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register to allow the childminder to care for older children. The childminder has established links with other early years settings that the children attend, and which also provide the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children and attends local carer and toddler groups. She is a member of the National Childminding Association and is a support childminder for other carers in the area.

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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 has developed effective systems to help her monitor and evaluate the service she provides, and identify key strengths and an area for development. She promotes children’s welfare and learning in an inspiring and challenging way. This provides a safe and inclusive environment, and gives children autonomy in their play and excellent opportunities and strategies for making decisions, experimenting, exploring and taking responsibility in safe surroundings; for example older children help with the emergency evacuation plan from different rooms on the premises, and know how to contact the emergency services. Exemplary systems are in place in relation to planning and assessment, and parents feel that they receive full and comprehensive exchanging of information, given in a variety of ways to meet everyone's needs. The childminder is highly skilled in meeting the individual needs of boys and girls, and adapting and

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

extending some activities to sustain their different interests and ways of learning. There are excellent working relationships with parents and they are consulted, involved and kept well informed of their children’s care and learning. Children thrive in the highly inclusive, secure surroundings. Parents feel excellently supported and at ease and are confident about the high quality of the provision that the children enjoy.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider: This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  continue to develop good self-evaluation effectively to monitor all aspects of provision.

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the early years provision

The childminder’s home is highly stimulating and well organised to give children exceptional opportunities to become independent and enjoy vibrant, child-initiated learning, superbly supported and enabled by the childminder. The daily routine promotes children’s welfare and meets their needs. All documentation is in place and there are written policies and procedures that positively promote children’s health, safety, achievement, enjoyment and ability to make a positive contribution. The childminder has an excellent understanding of safeguarding issues and recently completed a refresher course. Parents read, sign and date copies of the policy and the childminder explains her legal requirements and position regarding safeguarding, to ensure protection of children.

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the early years provision

The childminder is very committed and enthusiastic and continually strives to improve the excellent service she offers. She is skilled in ensuring that she provides a fully inclusive environment that makes parents and children feel very secure and welcome. Parents describe the environment as a second home and value the consistent, exemplary care, and high expectations and standards of the childminder, who creates a setting that children are so happy to come to. The childminder has developed written policies and procedures which she shares with parents. This helps to develop exceptional working relationships with them and a strong shared understanding from an early stage. Parents are provided with a wealth of information about their children’s care, learning and development. They praise the lovely, warm family atmosphere and the exceptional care provided by the childminder. They see their children blossom and really want to achieve due to

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the early years provision

the childminder's natural affinity for children, her enthusiasm and the vibrant, stimulating atmosphere and play activities provided. Parents are encouraged to contribute to the learning and are asked for their opinions, they are kept fully informed and are provided with comprehensive daily information on children's progress.

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the early years provision

The childminder has developed an excellent range of resources to help children to explore and investigate. She implements an effective self-evaluation process, which involves parents, to help her monitor the service she provides. She will continue to use her good self-evaluation effectively to monitor all aspects of the provision. The childminder attends training to improve her knowledge base and further develop her childcare practices. This enables her to meet requirements and promote excellent outcomes for children. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

The childminder has an exceptional understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and each activity successfully links to it. She skilfully observes children enjoying play activities and uses this to meticulously plan for individual progress and identify suitable next steps in learning. The childminder establishes children's starting points and interests with parents, and successfully uses and extends themes and celebrations to provide consistency and opportunities for children to practise their skills. She has established sound working relationships with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage, ensuring that she complements what they are offering. The childminder talks constantly to parents about how she works with their child within the Early Years Foundation Stage framework and encourages their written comments in the unique reference books.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder provides a vibrant child-centred environment which challenges and inspires creativity, and children confidently add to and extend their play. She successfully meets children's preferred learning styles, resulting in happy, eager learners. The childminder is inventive and creative. She attends training to improve her knowledge, develop her childcare practice and enable her to meet requirements; for example, she is soon to finish a level National Vocational Qualification at level 3 in Childcare and is due to start a degree course in the autumn. She is a school governor and is a support childminder for other carers in the area. This strengthens links with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder's home is situated in an area rich in natural opportunities, such as the local Moss(meadows), feeding ducks on ponds, and riverside and nature walks. She ensures children enjoy lots of good first-hand experiences of the natural and wider world. The children create nature-trail scenes in cardboard boxes, to help them to recall their experiences and are always eager to go again. A neighbour, who enjoys knitting for the children, is happy for them to visit her garden, and children are invited to handle and help to feed her large and unusual collection of pets. The childminder encourages the neighbour to talk to the children about her past, and ensures the children have lots of opportunities to talk to older people and to value their experiences.

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and outcomes for children

Children's strength, confidence and coordination are developed as the childminder encourages and promotes outdoor play and exercise. There are good opportunities to climb and balance using large equipment in the rear garden and local parks. The childminder is developing indoor and outdoor files for play planning, so that children can look through these, see what is available, add their ideas and choose activities. Children enjoy growing vegetables, such as spring onions and radishes, and plant daffodils in containers for Mothering Sunday. They are learning about what grows above and below ground. The childminder points out a plane, while children are playing outside, 'They're going on holiday, bye bye!' say the children, and wave goodbye to the plane. Children enjoy opportunities for pond dipping sessions, collecting frogspawn and growing cress faces. The childminder provides an unusual and varied programme of visits, such as, 'Walking on water' sessions at

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and outcomes for children

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the Trafford Centre, Potter's Barn, where they enjoy good tactile experiences as they experiment with clay and create pots, and regular 'Movers and Shakers' exercise sessions.

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and outcomes for children

Children have good opportunities to see examples of everyday print and to learn that print has meaning, throughout the setting. The childminder laminates seasonal words, such as 'daisy chain' and 'frog spawn,' and these are displayed around children's creative work for the season. There are good opportunities to count and calculate throughout the daily routine and children use positional language as they play. The childminder says 'One each' as she hands things out and 'Two more' when counting grapes with children. Children help to prepare meals and snacks and enjoy counting the carrots as they prepare them. The childminder recycles everything and parents help with this, as requested on regular newsletters; for example they provided milk container tops when children made traffic lights. Large boxes are used imaginatively to create houses and a boat, computer paper is re-used and the childminder accesses 'Grumpy,' the Greater

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and outcomes for children

Manchester Play Resources Unit, which recycles a wealth of scrap goods from manufacturers. Children have opportunities to queue in shops, plan their spending and pay for items, take turns and use self-service check outs in the library and supermarkets. 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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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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