Childminder in Warwickshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY399754 Inspection date 11/03/2010 Inspector Diane Ashplant

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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 2009. She lives with her ten year old child in the Camp Hill area of Nuneaton close to local shops and schools. The whole ground floor of the childminder's house along with the bathroom and one bedroom upstairs is used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outdoor play. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children at any one time and is currently looking after two children in the early years age range and four children after school. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. The childminder takes and collects children from the local nursery and schools.

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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 childminder has settled into childminding well and offers children a welcoming family environment where their individual needs are appropriately met. All practice is inclusive and she provides a range of opportunities to support children's learning and development although her processes for observing and monitoring their progress are in the very early stages. The childminder has established good partnership working with parents as she exchanges information through verbal and written methods and is beginning to make some links with other early years settings. She has attended all the required training to support continuous development and is starting to evaluate her provision to improve outcomes for children.

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further?

To fully meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 ensure that for each type of outing a full risk assessment is carried out(Safeguaring and promoting children's welfare). 01/04/2010

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further?

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

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further?

 extend further the use of sensitive observational assessments in order to plan to meet children's individual needs and identify their next steps  promote further the good health of children by reviewing steps taken to prevent the spread of infection; this specifically relates to hand-drying routines and pet-feeding procedures.  develop further the opportunities for freely-chosen or child-initated activities through a range of accessible toys including those which reflect the wider world. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded as the childminder has a clear understanding of her role and responsibilities as regards protecting them from harm or neglect and how to pass on concerns appropriately. She has a sound awareness of hazards both in the home and outside and has addressed any risks appropriately, checking regularly to maintain these, such as smoke alarms. However, her risk assessment does not identify the different outings children are taken on which may mean that all potential dangers to children are not fully identified. The childminder has drawn up written policies to support the safe and efficient management of her setting such as safe collection. She has appropriate systems in place to ensure adults around children are either suitably checked or supervised and is aware of needing to inform Ofsted of changes to the household.

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the early years provision

The childminder has attended all the required training to support her initial development and is open to undertaking others. She exchanges regular information with parents to ensure children's needs are well met; for example, they fill in a very comprehensive 'about you and your child' form so that the childminder gets to know individual children and can therefore assist competently in their settling-in process. Although she has no experience of supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities she would liaise closely with parents and access training to help develop her knowledge. She has started to self-evaluate her practice by using the Ofsted form and talks regularly to parents to assess their views.

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the early years provision

Partnership with parents works well and the childminder always ensures she is able to share information on a daily basis, either through discussion or work displayed or sent home. She has completed a portfolio about herself and her childminding including all the required policies and procedures and displays useful information on her notice board. She is aware of the benefits of making links with other early years settings to support outcomes for children and has just started to keep a handover book for the parents whose children she collects from school.

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and outcomes for children

Children's welfare, learning and development is supported in this family home where they settle comfortably and form positive relationships with the childminder. They play well together and converse happily with the childminder who knows them well. Children are learning about keeping themselves safe as they understand the guidelines in place, for example, crossing the road or playing on the trampoline. They know not to feed the geese at the pond as they can be 'nasty'. They enjoy a well-balanced menu of home cooked food and healthy snacks and learn about the benefits of food through cooking activities or counting up their stickers on their 5-a-day chart. Children know that it is important to carry out daily routines like hand washing before meals to get rid of germs. Their health is supported through regular physical play in the garden or daily walks to and from This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

school and they enjoy energetic sessions on the dance mat or games console. Children are learning to be respectful of each other as they learn to share and play together, responding to the childminder's house rules. They are developing their knowledge of the wider world as they talk about and engage in activities around other celebrations such as Chinese New Year or make pictures of henna hand patterns.

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and outcomes for children

Children move easily around the home and have their own designated playroom which is bright and welcoming and decorated with posters and some examples of their work. They eat their meals and also engage in different activities at the table such as drawing and making their own designs for Mother's Day cards. They do have some balance of children's choice and more adult-led activities although their free access to a range of toys including those reflecting diversity does not fully support independent choices at all times. The childminder knows the children well and uses the knowledge gained from parents at the start and her own developing awareness of them as individuals, to meet their needs appropriately, trying to ensure that all children are included in activities. Children have regular opportunities to play outside in the fresh air and promote their physical development.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder successfully uses everyday opportunities to maximise children's learning and uses conversation to help them share their own experiences and encourage their own developing communication skills. For example, they all enjoy cooking activities and shop for the different ingredients which they are given money to pay for. They weigh and stir items for cakes or choose and count how many toppings to put on the pizza and discuss what makes healthy and sweet ingredients. Children enjoy playing board games and looking at books as they practice their numbers and letters and take part in different creative activities such as making nature pictures from different items they find outside. The childminder is generally aware of the different needs of the children and what they can do. She is starting to record their daily activities and take photos although these are not yet being used effectively to observe and identify children's progress or plan for

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and outcomes for children

the next steps in their learning. 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 2 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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