Childminder in East Riding of Yorkshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY340531 Inspection date 04/02/2010 Inspector Margaret Bryant

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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 September 2006. She lives with her husband and two children aged 12 and nine years, in the town of Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Downstairs of the home is used for childminding, which includes the through-lounge, with upstairs accessed for use of the bathroom only. Outdoors to the rear, accessed through the kitchen, is a garden for outdoor play. The childminder is close to local primary schools and nearby parks and her home is just a short walk from the town centre. The family has a pet cat.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is able to care for a maximum of six children under eight years, three of whom may be in the early years age range. She currently has a total of nine children on roll, two of whom are in the early years age range. All children attend on a part-time basis.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children are cared for in a very clean home where the childminder is beginning to reflect on her practice quite well. She has newly commenced monitoring children's learning, though has not yet fully established partnership working with others, including parents. The assessment of possible risks is carried out and she realises where some improvements are necessary to improve her practice further. Most children take part in fire drills; however, exit doors do not meet with local fire officer regulations and, although children have some choice of resources, there are insufficient for them to have free choice and not enough to reflect diversity.

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further?

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

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further?

 increase opportunities for children to have more independent access to the wider range of resources, allowing them to be more active, creative and inquisitive learners; increase resources which reflect their awareness of diversity  develop all children's understanding of emergency evacuation; ensure final exit doors meet with local fire officer regulation  develop use of observations to identify children's individual development needs and promote their learning across all six areas; develop a partnership approach to learning by further involving parents as well as others who also assess children in the early years age group  further develop self-evaluation systems to reflect more actively on practice to improve outcomes for children. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The childminder has a range of policies, including a detailed safeguarding policy and a complaints procedure, which she shares with parents. This enables parents to know her role in safeguarding and protecting their children. She has a good knowledge of child protection issues and, from her recent training, has useful reference material with telephone numbers in case of any concerns she may have which she is unable to discuss with parents. The childminder has a valid paediatric first aid certificate and, being aware of its imminent expiry date, has secured a place on a course, this falling one week after the current one expires. She has begun studying for a National Vocational Qualification at level 3 in childcare and knows this will improve her knowledge and improve outcomes for children. The childminder has assessed most areas of her home for possible risk and manages these well, including assessing all outings, making sure she has written permission

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the early years provision

from parents for these. However, her exit doors do not comply with local fire officer regulations because they are locked with keys and the keys remain in situ. This practice does not fully safeguard children. At the childminder's last inspection, she was asked to devise an escape plan and practise this with children. She now has an escape plan and, although older children take part in fire drills, younger children have not yet been included, which means that all children are not practised in what to do. She has begun to self-evaluate her practice quite well using the Ofsted form, realising, through discussion, areas for continuous improvement.

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the early years provision

The childminder knows what the six areas of learning are and obtains, verbally from parents, some information about their children's individual starting points. She also has recently begun to use the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) guidance, referring also to the accompanying CD-ROM for practice ideas. The childminder has been caring for children in the early years age range for a few months; however, she has just begun recently to make observations of them at play. She is, however, making links to the areas of learning and beginning to identify their individual next steps. Parents are not yet fully included in knowing about her methods of assessment and she has not developed links with others who also assess children in the early years age group. However, she is aware of the importance of partnership working to benefit all children. At the time of her last inspection, the childminder was asked to extend activities and resources for

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the early years provision

children under three years and has now got a range of easily accessible and age- appropriate resources for children under three years. She also accesses the nearby toy library to extend her resources. However, overall there is a distinct lack of available, free choice. This is because, although there is enough room to have more resources, the childminder asks older children what they like to do and then obtains the available resources for them. There are also not enough resources or opportunities to help children understand about and respect diversity. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Young children, being cared for by the childminder for a small number of months, appear settled and relaxed in her care. She recognises their individual signs of tiredness and helps them easily settle for a sleep in their pushchairs. She helps them feel safe as she securely harnesses them in and makes sure they have their favourite teddies for comfort. As they sleep, the childminder regularly checks children for their safety and, on hearing them stir, knowing they are awake, she lets them know immediately of her presence as she goes over to them and greets them. She lovingly carries them into the lounge and cuddles them for a while, on her knee, helping them to feel fully awake, feel secure and be totally aware again of their surroundings. They respond positively as the childminder lets them know she understands the words they say, as they begin to talk, often in long sentences. This helps young children to gain confidence and repeat themselves more. Once

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and outcomes for children

awake they develop confidence in her care as they begin to make some choices from the available resources. She engages them in looking at the book they choose, which is interactive. For example, as she turns the pages, there are difference objects hidden under flaps on each page. Children laugh as she helps them explore the book, together playing 'peek-a-boo' with what is inside.

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and outcomes for children

All children are taken on local outings to parks and they enjoy the fresh air and play on the swings and other play equipment, helping develop their physical growth. On outings the childminder helps all children to understand about road safety, including those children she collects from school, who are expected to walk closely with her. Older, school-aged children are all encouraged to get along together and to have respect for one another, including the very youngest of children, who love being around the older children. Older children often enjoy board games together and also paint and draw. Sometimes the childminder sets out activities for children to do, after school, often those which they decide upon before going to school. School-aged children are currently helping the childminder to establish 'rules' of the setting. Their efforts, including pictures and written words, clearly show their enjoyment and commitment in being asked to do this,

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and outcomes for children

helping them all feel included and important, knowing the childminder values their opinions. All children enjoy healthy snacks, with those who are present at lunchtime having their own packed lunches or meals which parents supply for re- heating, in the case of babies and young children. They sit in their highchairs and, though sometimes they feed themselves with their snacks, developing skills of independence, the childminder sometimes feeds them as well. 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 3 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 3 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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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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