Childminder in Leeds

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 319586 Inspection date 14/01/2010 Inspector Dawn Bonica Brown

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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 1981 and lives with her partner in a house in Otley, near Leeds, West Yorkshire. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of six children aged under eight years. She is currently caring for a total of 11 children on a part time basis, of whom seven are in the early years age range.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder takes and collects children from local schools and visits parks and places of interest in the local community. She is a member of a local childminding group and uses the toy library.

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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

The needs of all children are met because the childminder recognises the uniqueness of each child and meets their needs routinely. She supports every child so that no individual is disadvantaged and all children make satisfactory progress in almost all aspects of their learning and development. The childminder works with parents and demonstrates a suitable understanding of how to work with external agencies to promote children's interests. She has the capacity to maintain continuous improvement and uses appropriate systems to evaluate her provision. Her plans for the future are targeted to bring about further improvement to the provision and satisfactory outcomes for children.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure that the policies and procedures provided to parents reflect current practice in relation to the administration of medication  improve the quality of the observations made of children's development by highlighting their achievements or their need for further support and identify the next steps in their development  ensure that observations of children's development cover all areas of learning.

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the early years provision

The childminder promotes children's safety effectively by providing written risk assessments covering all areas of her home and outings. She monitors the areas of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 risk, updates her records and maintains the safety equipment appropriately. For example, she ensures that the carbon monoxide detector is effective and regularly tests the smoke detectors by carrying out emergency evacuation practises with all the children she cares for. In almost all instances the childminder maintains her records, policies and procedures well. She provides clearly displayed information for parents regarding children's welfare and child protection contact details. Her policies include the procedures for protecting children from contagious ailments and outline the signs and symptoms of a range of common ailments as well as the exclusion periods. The childminder's current practice regarding the administration

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the early years provision

of non-prescription medication is appropriate, however, her policy does not reflect her current practice.

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the early years provision

The childminder demonstrates suitable ambition and the capacity to make improvements. She has addressed the recommendation from the last inspection to maintain her first aid certificate and has further improved her safeguarding practice by undertaking child protection training to a high level. The childminder monitors and evaluates her setting by undertaking self-assessments, which help her to identify targets for further improvement.

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the early years provision

Resources are organised in a manner which helps young children to select a wide range of toys that include multi-ethnic dolls, programmable toys, musical instruments, problem solving toys and home play equipment. Young children confidently select books of their choice to look at or take to the childminder to read stories to them. The childminder provides a suitable range of outdoor play equipment which support children's physical development and encourage them to play outdoors.

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the early years provision

Inclusive practice is promoted appropriately so that all children have their welfare needs met. There are no children with special educational needs and/or disabilities currently attending. However, the childminder has some experience of working with children with disabilities and uses sign language with the younger children she cares for. She has appropriate policies to identify and support those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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the early years provision

Parents are very happy with the provision. They comment positively on the childminder's strong relationship with the children and the way in which she works with them and treats the children as part of her family. There is a good exchange of information with parents. For example, the childminder sends them photos of the children from her mobile phone while they are engaged in activities and parents feel that their children are safe with the childminder.

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the early years provision

The childminder does not currently liaise with external agencies to support children's learning.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder is very experienced with children and supports their learning and development appropriately through a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 child development. She ensures the learning environment, both indoors and outdoors, helps children make satisfactory progress towards the early learning goals. Her home is welcoming and inviting and resources are accessible and suitably organised.

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and outcomes for children

Each child is offered an enjoyable experience across the areas of learning because the childminder provides adequately planned, purposeful play and exploration for individuals. The childminder has developed very strong relationships with children and supports their understanding of how to behave and to keep themselves safe. For example, she encourages young children to tidy away their toys between activities to keep the setting safe.

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and outcomes for children

From the start the childminder supports children's awareness of hygiene. For example, very young children explain how they scrub their hands to 'get rid of germs'. The childminder ensures that children receive a suitably balanced diet by monitoring their packed lunches, checking the contents to ensure that children with allergies are safeguarded and providing suitable snacks.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder helps children to develop positive attitudes to learning. They are highly involved in the activities provided and sustain long concentration spells while using programmable toys, shape sorters and listening to stories. She is involved in their role play games and encourages them to share and play cooperatively, for example, thinking about which dolls will want a 'sleep' and which dolls they want to put to bed.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder promotes good behaviour by giving children responsibilities from an early age and uses puppets to encourage their cooperation. They respond to her expectations of behaviour, learn to make decisions and exercise choice in all areas of their play.

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and outcomes for children

Children make suitable progress in communication and literacy. The childminder recognises when children are very advanced for their age and provides adequate challenges. She promotes their problem solving and numeracy skills through number rhymes, activities around shopping, such as looking for numbers of items in the shop, using snack times as problem solving experiences and using programmable toys to solve simple problems.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder promotes children's understanding of the wider world by taking them out and about in the community, using resources that reflect positive images of cultural diversity and helping them to understand and value the differences in people by looking at the world through festivals. She uses the internet to find out about how other cultures celebrate festivals and uses suitable television programmes to help children gain an understanding of others.

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and outcomes for children

Observations of children's development are used to provide activities that they enjoy. However, her observations do not follow the areas of development and she does not analyse them to highlight children's achievements, to identify their need for further support or to plan for the next steps in their development. 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 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 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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